Book of Spirits

The year is 1826, and a lone figure stands on the deck of a ship bound for Virginia, leaving behind a strange and violent childhood in France. Not quite a woman, our heroine Herculine knows not where life will lead her. But a chance enounter with a beautiful slave awakens passions H has known only once--and soon dark and otherworldly powers bring the slave under her spell, forming a relationship so erotic and desperate that only H's teacher--the witch Sebastiana--holds the key to release the slave from the bonds that shackle her. So H flees to Manhattan, where she hopes to find the missing Sebastiana. But within the chaos of the city--and amidst the carnal celebrations of her New York home--H risks forgeting her quest for her teacher, and losing sight of what brought her to the city. And against a backdrop of sensous celebration and a country quickly growing apart, H's search leads her south again--to locate her beloved, discover the true nature of who she is, and ultimately, find redemption.Reese, James is the author of 'Book of Spirits', published 2006 under ISBN 9780060561079 and ISBN 0060561076.