A paranormal, adult tale of sensuality told in two parts. ‘Morijana the Fortune Teller’ by Marion Terenko is a historical romance set in the 17th century. Split into two parts, ‘Morijana the fortune teller’ and ‘Morijana the Countess’ the narrative follows a knowledgeable, confident gypsy pedlar who, in the process of her search for customers comes across Bájnoky Castle and a squire, who was expecting her presence for more than a card reading and becomes seduced into a dark ritual that will change the course of her life. The author’s use of the first person quickly draws the reader into the story, and the moody, scenic full-page illustrations throughout create ambience. I was surprised when I reached the Acknowledgements to read that this book was not written in the author’s native language, as I found that it flowed very well throughout. Readers beware, that although folklore and the paranormal play a large role in the narrative, it is used as a plot device for adult ends and so may not be to everyone’s taste. This is an imaginative and well-crafted piece of provocative fiction that would appeal to fans of the genre.
Follow Morijana, the brave and skilful gypsy pedlar, into a nocturnal adventure and beyond, facing dangerous rituals, encounters with lusty beasts and creatures of joy. Share her wishes and desires, her curiosity, pain and fear. Life is a struggle for a middle-aged gypsy widow in the Baroque era. Morijana’s clan roam the forested hills of Transylvania, a remote and rural part of the multiethnic and multilingual Habsburg empire. When she arrives at Bájnoky Castle to read from her cards to the eccentric squire, she couldn’t know that everything she ever took for granted in her life would change. This crypto-feminist novel plays its game with folklore and historic detail: adult fiction in the very sense, featuring deviant sex, arcane practices and fractured genre stereotypes. Readers under the age of 18 please refrain, for your own good!
