The Voodoo Queen

by Robert Tallant

Born in 1794, Marie Laveau reigned as the undisputed queen of the Voodoos for nearly a century.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fantasy, Novels, Womens, Southern

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

Robert Tallant was one of Louisiana’s best-known authors. Born in New Orleans in 1909, he attended the city’s local public schools. Before “drifting” into writing, Tallant worked as an advertising copywriter, a bank teller, and a clerk. It was his friendship with Lyle Saxon that led Tallant to his position as editor on the Louisiana WPA Writers Project during the 1930s and 1940s. In that position, he coauthored Gumbo Ya-Ya: Folk Tales of Louisiana (pb) with Lyle Saxon and Edward Dreyer.

By 1948, Tallant’s career had launched, and over the next eleven years, he produced eight novels, six full-length works of nonfiction, and numerous short stories and articles on subjects of local interest. He is also known to have corresponded with, as well as applied to, the Julius Rosenwald Fund for a fellowship in creative writing. During the last years of his life, he was a lecturer in English at Newcomb College as well as a reporter for the New Orleans Item. Robert Tallant died in 1957.


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Reviews

[silas lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

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CLICK THIS LINK TO READ MY REVIEW ON THIS BOOK! CLICK THE LINK IN MY BIO TO READ MORE OF MY REVIEWS ON MY BLOG! ANY VIEWS/LIKES/COMMENTS/FOLLOWERS ARE DEEPLY APPRECIATED <3

[Phil · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you have been to New Orleans, you probably have heard of Marie Laveau, the famous voodoo queen. This novel, first published in 1956, is a 'novelization' biography of Laveau's life; she is the main POV and her life unfolds under the narrative. The best thing about the novel is the history of New Orleans; Laveau lived in interesting times, and chronicles the transition(s) of New Orleans from French hands through the American Civil war. We never really learn much about voodoo, unfortunately, only that Laveau made and sold gris-gris to achieve certain outcomes, and held dances/rites on occasion.

If you have an interest in Laveau, I suspect academic researchers have done a much better job. As a novel, this could be much better. It is hard to believe that this novel has been reprinted several times!

[(shan) Littlebookcove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witch? Sorceress? Daughter of Satan? Thief? Saint? Born in 1794, Marie Laveau reigned as the undisputed Queen of the Voodoos for nearly a century. Her beauty and powers were legendary, and caused her to be the subject of wild gossip throughout her life. She passed on her secrets to a favorite daughter, who helped her dominate the underworld of voodoo in New Orleans. "It is an absorbing tale, and the emotional undertones, the conflicts in her human relations, the overwhelming loneliness of her position, all come through the story of a strange life." Kirkus Reviews "The author creates a vivid, haunting atmosphere, which (like Marie's arts) holds the reader in spell. . . . an intriguing novel that is competently mounted and exceedingly well executed."
 

 

I picked this up in the Hex shop in New Orlean's i was just browsing. as most tourists do and this and History of voodoo both by "Robert Tallant" Got my eye, If you haven't been to ~Hex shop~ i highly recommend it! They have an awesome selection of book's. 
 
Anyway! i found this to be a really good read. The author takes one of New Orleans most Infamous voodoo queen's "Marie Laveau" and takes history written about her and turns it into a biography about her. Now i'm not going say if these fact's are true or not. But if they are i found it gives a really good insight into her life and i found it to be a read i couldn't put down the whole time i was in the french quarter. I also love how the author put Who it might of being who teached Marie her craft.
 
All in all a perfect read and really made my trip to New Orleans after seeing her grave all that more memorable. 

[VJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fictionaly biography introduced me to the ways of voodoo as practiced in New Orleans in the 1800s by a free woman of color named Marie Laveau.

I learned that free people of color set themselves above and apart from the slaves, felt they were better than the black slaves, and were sometimes opposed to the abolition of slavery.

I learned that keeping the title of queen and control over the people among whom one did "work" often involved struggle with upstarts, some from within the queen's household.

I learned of Marie Laveau, who may have lived, and of her family life and loves. First, she married Jacque Paris, who left her because she practiced voodoo. Then, she married Christophe Glapion, with whom she had 15 children; 7 survived and I learned of their lives and fortunes. In the end, she is with Baptiste Dudevant, who loved her and wished to marry her. Marie refused his proposal, wanting to keep his friendship instead.

The narrative is quite descriptive of the culture of New Orleans at the time, of the city's design and of the structures inhabited by the affluent members of society where Marie worked as a hairdresser and voodooienne.

An engrossing story told by a man who much appreciated the legacy and mythology of Marie Laveau.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book 'cause I wanted to learn about Marie Laveau's life, little did I know it was a work of fiction. I was putting it off for a while till I came across this very same book on a Voodoo documentary, in which it was said the novel was full of lies and not well researched. My curiosity was piqued again and I started reading.
The book covers Laveau's life since she was 25 years of age until she's around 75 years old. It tells how she got into voodoo and how it changed her life, going from a homely girl to a powerful voodoo queen. There isn't much supernatural business going on in the story, which I thought would be the case when I learned this was a fictional novel. I wanted it to be supernatural and scary, with weird voodoo rites and evil works of magic. Yet I enjoyed it quite a lot, down to earth as it was.
I'm no historian but I liked the way the interaction between classes and races was portrayed, how each of them faced the hardships of their lives, being them unrequited love, diseases or times of economic and political turmoil.

[Katie (DoomKittieKhan) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a beast to finish. I bought it in New Orleans at Marie Laveau's voodoo shop in the French Quarter, and already familiar with Tallant's work in Gumbo Ya-Ya, I thought I needed to add this to my shelves. Eh...I was wrong. While I wholeheartedly appreciate Tallant's research and enthusiasm for the subject, his imagination tends to run off the rails. This is the only fiction I have read by this author and I am convinced it's a genre better left unexplored. This was very nearly a DNF read but I pushed on mostly so I would not feel the burden to pick it up again. I think while you are in NOLA it is a wonderful, atmospheric, even enjoyable read...however, when removed from the romance of the city, it is a fictionalized biography better left unread.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this probably five years ago after a cemetery tour. I loved it! Fascinating how a little gossip and gris-gris can scare the living crap outta people!

[Judith Millard · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s historical fiction, but not a bad read if you are interested in what was going on in the time of Marie Leveau.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book at the voodoo museum in New Orleans.
It's not a bad book, but how can one make a truly exceptional character to look and feel so ordinary? I was expecting something along the lines of The House of the Spirits, magical realism, facts and miracles woven together... But this is a very straightforward biography, with almost no magic. The author definitely doesn't believe in anything superstitious, up to the point that even Marie looks like she didn't really believe in any of her powers.

[Jon Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love history and learning about other people's lives. It gives a broader perspective of life during that time period. The story provides an understanding of the life and community in New Orleans that you can't understand unless you learn about the people who lived there. Including the Voodoo Queen! It was interesting to see her relationship with her children and the people within the community. I would have liked to read it before I went down to New Orleans last spring, but I feel that it will give me more perspective the next time I go down for a visit.

[joyce devaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent historical rendering of an amazing woman her positive impact as a strong woman who made a significant difference in many people's lives. in spite of the Christian church's condemnation of any other religion not theirs. But like all religions, including the Christian church, there can be a dark side for people with hate in there hearts. This writer gives us much insight Into the early history of New Orleans and the impact of historic events that caused so much suffering and the strong faith filled woman who did what she could to make a difference.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book at a gift shop in New Orleans years ago, and decided to finally read it. I really really enjoyed it. I took it at face value and entertainment purposes only. Although the author, Robert Tallant was born and raised in New Orleans, and studied the voodoo culture and Marie Laveau. The story reads like a biography, and Tallant said in his introduction that the story is based on facts and real people. I was googling just about every chapter. It was definitely a fun educational read.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book about Marie Laveau.

She was the voodoo priestess in New Orleans. I had a hankering to read about her basically because of her character in American Horror Story: Coven.

Reading this book, it wasn't really magic or anything, it was more superstition especially with the things that she made.

It wasn't a bad book. It was interesting reading about Yellow Fever and the story of the south.

[Eldon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I visited Marie Laveau's grave in New Orleans several years ago. On my last trip to the city I picked up this novel, based on of what is known about her life by a lifelong admirer. Pretty fascinating story that shows her as flawed, vain, magnetic and effective. Fun to read, especially in conjunction with a trip to NOLA.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hated this book. Pretty much finished out of spite. I thought since this was a novelization the author would take liberties. Nope. The wiki page is far more interesting. I think Mr. Tallant is a history buff and likes writing about historical places and what they looked like back in their hey day. Learned far more about New Orleans than of the Queen.

[M. Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting historical novel of the life of Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of 19th century New Orleans. It covers Marie’s family life and personal life, both of which are probably pretty highly fictionalized as well as some background on voodooism and some New Orleans history such as the Yellow Fever epidemics, race relations in the city and the Civil War. Enjoyable and worth the read.

[Judith V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historische roman over het leven van een Voodooyenne uit New Orleans tot het begin van de Amerikaanse Burgeroorlog. Het is zo geschreven dat je je de sfeer in New Orleans van die tijd goed kunt voorstellen, aantrekkelijk geschreven.

[Beaird Glover · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun fiction about Marie Laveau. This should not be considered any kind of serious text on Voodoo or Marie Laveau, but it is still a lively introduction.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography of one of New Orleans most famous figures was a great history lesson and a fun read.

[m. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - if only because I just visited it’s setting and could recognize the places and events it relates. An easy read and interesting depiction of an important part of New Orleans’ past.

[Bobby Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess I expected something different. However it was a fun fictional tale. Hard to believe that one could know much of what she actually thought about most matters in this book.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought this book during trip to New Orleans. Took me awhile to get into the book, but I learned a lot about voodoo, including that Marie did not practice evil spells.

[Patricia Beavers · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was pretty good, I was expecting a little more biographical, but the author said he did search for people that knew her to write the book.

[Destini Petitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.

10/10 would recommend!

[Ashley Lane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure what I expected reading this book. Thought it would delve more into the voodoo practices and culture than the daily life without much voodoo details.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tallant takes one of the most interesting women in history and manages to craft one of the least interesting books ever written.

[Jennnq Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. I love the subject matter, but I think that the author misses opportunities to explore the character of Marie Laveau a bit further.

[Glo Sollecito · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was nothing more than ordinary as a novel, it was an interesting look at the culture and events in New Orleans of the nineteenth century.

[Abigail K. · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 25% for bland writing & misogyny. This made Marie's life way too male-centric.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my typical read, but enjoyed the story of Madame Levoux