NIGHT OF ELISA
To paraphrase Tom Jone's "My My My Elisa" everything was just so normal for you until the day The Devil himself took you for a wife.Who robs her of almost everything she holds dear: her health, her wealth and what is left of her family, to leave her living a life like a trapped animal. However being the wife of a devil does have its benefits, as it allows her to straddle the worlds of the living and the dead, cqan she use this new found gift to find a way out of her predicament before her failing health finally consumes her?
The Night of Elisa is a powerful and evocative adult gothic fairytale with a strong emotional core to the story. Sousa has crafted a story that in some ways reminds me of Barker's Weaveworld. Where the mundane Victorian world, is beautifully complimented by wonderfully rich and mysterious world of Duskland, the land of the dead, where it is perpetually twilight. The rich writing perfectly captures the feel of your typical Victorian land, without falling into the trap that befalls so many historical novels, of feeling like a cliched world filled with cut-out characters who speak like a refugees from Bed knobs and Broomsticks. Counter point to this well crafted historical world is the imaginative, and fantastical world of Duskland. This unique world where everyone has their secrets is rich with both ideas and characters. From the reformed vampire and a pair of devilishly creepy Siamese twins this a a world filmed to the brim with great characters.
Strong writing, with a slightly cinematic style ensures the reader is enthralled as the heartfelt story unfolds from a slow start to a gut wrenching explosive ending. The Night of Elisa is a deeply satisfying read a clever love story wrapped up in an extraordinary world ripe for a Tim Burton film treatment.
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