Sinder

Diabhal #2

by Kathleen Kaufman

Sinder weaves together the parallel stories of Ceit, grown to adulthood and having taken her rightful place as Matrarc of the Society, and her great-grandmother, Ainsley Robertson in 1924 Ireland, and the inception of the community that would come to inhabit Sinder Avenue.

In 1996, Venice Beach, Ceit struggles with the confines of superstition and tradition that have defined the Society since its start. As her younger brother, Alan, turns eighteen, Ceit enacts a plan to end the Society for good. And in doing so, releasing Alan from what she sees increasingly as a toxic and antiquated way of life as well as freeing herself from her mortal ties to the human realm.

In 1924, Ainsley Robertson lives in a secluded community outside of Cork, led by her father, an abusive and cruel ceannaire. Ainsley's story opens with her expecting a baby in a world where being an unwed mother is a criminal act. Ainsley grows to realize her own gifts and connection to the world of the fae as she navigates a world dominated by dogma and oppression. As the sparks of what will become the Society grow to a flame, Ainsley becomes the Matrarc of her people, leading them to a new world, and a new tradition.

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 13, 2020

About the author

Kathleen Kaufman is the bestselling author of magical realism and feminist gothic horror novels, including The Entirely True Story of the Fantastical Mesmerist Nora Grey, Beyond the Graves Waits Mist and Sea, Hag, and the Diabhal trilogy. Her novel The Lairdbalor has been optioned by Screen Australia for a feature-film adaptation helmed by award-winning director Nicholas Verso. A Colorado native and graduate of the University of Southern California, she currently works as an English instructor and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, kitten, and hound. Visit her online at KathleenKaufman.com.

Reviews

[Kristen]

I couldn't put this book down. Seriously. I practically read it in one sitting. I was already a fan of the first book, Diabhal, but I can say that this book surpasses high bar set by that first book. It is a story of the past, where we get the origin story of the first Matriarch (Ainsley) juxtaposed against the present, where Ceit looks to tear down the old traditions. Ceit has the difficult task of managing the society when her powers are calling her to the spiritual, in between realm of dreams. And her brother Alan despises her for her intense power and for the ways he perceives her wrong-doings.
What is most rich in the book is the inner life of the characters. Kaufman weaves a spell that puts you right there with these characters, understanding their thoughts and empathizing with their struggles. It read like a hopeful Cormac McCarthy book, if that makes any sense. It is dark, and bleak, with many obstacles, but there is hope for a better world.
I highly recommend this book!

[Katherine Chartier]

I’m a sucker for books that have multiple different stories/povs and I’m a sucker for books where the character descends into madness and this book had both. Super excited to actually read the last book now!!

[Kirsten Goodrich]

Highly underrated author. I didn't read the first one and this was so good! going to read the third and then circle back to the first I think? Nora Gray was also a great book by her. If you like some witchy historical fiction, she's your author.

[BeatriceReads]

Excellent followup to last year's Diabhal - the historical fiction thread is perhaps stronger than the more modern story but overall a great read

[Chris Loves to Read]

What a great follow up!