Voodoo Dreams: A Novel of Marie Laveau

By Jewell Parker Rhodes

Book Overview

The story of Marie Laveau, the character featured on American Horror Story: Coven . New Orleans in the mid-nineteenth century: a potent mix of whites, Creoles, free blacks, and African slaves, a city... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312098693
• ISBN13: 9780312098698
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: St Martins Pr
• Length: 436 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 1.5" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Jewell Parker Rhodes breathes life into the legend of Laveau

This is wonderfully written novel. Rhodes did a terrific job of dramatizing the legacy of this remarkable woman. Her characters come to life with each page the reader turns.Whether or not one believes in or practices Voodoo, this book is an insightful and entertaining read. It discusses the beliefs and origin of the Voudon, and provides a glimpse into a world that many try to ignore.A captivating read and a lyrical novel, I was engrossed in the story of Marie and her legacy. As the title suggests, I found myself having dreams about Marie Laveau.Candace K

A COMPELLING HISTORICAL NOVEL

Kudos to Jewell Parker Rhodes for an extraordinary piece of fiction based, in part, on fact. While some might argue that the picture Ms. Rhodes paints of the three Marie Laveaus is not entirely born out by the historical evidence, let's set the record straight. Take a close look at the title on the cover ... Ms. Rhodes clearly acknowledges that this amazing book is a NOVEL and never claims herself to be the definitive biographer of the REAL Marie Laveau or any of Marie's decendents.That said, there are several reasons why I believe this book deserves 5 stars. First, the vivid imagery used so eloquently by Ms. Rhodes harkens back to the days of old when ALL history was oral history and story-telling was an art. What she has given us is a passionate tale of female courage in the face of injustice, triumph, tragedy, adventure, mystery and faith -- all packaged in a format that is superbly written and masterfully structured.In my opinion, with VOODOO DREAMS, Jewell Parker Rhodes shines where most of the current best-selling authors fail. She leaves you begging for more, NOT wishing you'd spent your money at Starbucks.

Stays in my memory

I read this book many years ago and it is still alive in me.I disagree with other reviewers who criticize the fact that the book is not the "true" Marie Laveau. The subtitle itself says it is a NOVEL about M.Laveau (not a biography). It is its own novelistic, spell-weaving, story-telling atmospheric quality that offers the book's gifts, not its historiograpic accuracy. Ms.Parker Rhodes displays a high craft of language and narrative that still haunts me.

A TALE WELL TOLD, A WORK WELL DONE

Jewell Parker Rhodes has written a spell-binding book, after years of research. This one is highly recommended, as is her MAGIC CITY!