Review by Mee_maw -- The Engine Woman's Light

[Mee_maw]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Engine Woman's Light" by Laurel Anne Hill.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Juanita was abandoned as a baby on a train headed to an insane asylum for the poor. Luckily, she was saved by the ghosts of her great grandparents Zetta and Javiar. She ends up in a small village where at the age of fifteen she receives a mission to stop a train transporting California’s poor to an insane asylum. A lifetime of servitude awaits anyone who steps foot in that asylum. There is also a plan in place to murder some inmates in order to bring the asylum’s population down.

Juanita will learn that her family has a dark side and that she may have to kill some corrupt people to accomplish her mission. She really has no choice on whether to take on the mission or not. The spirits in her family have done bad things in the past and are looking to get redemption through her.

Juanita will not be alone; she lives in an alternative nineteenth-century world where spirits communicate with the living. She will have the help of her ghost ancestors and other characters that she will meet along the way. Even Juanita’s dead mother, who she never got to meet, is always close by.

The Engine Woman's Light for me was like entering into a new world. The way the setting is described really brings everything to life. I would categorize this book as a thriller that explores a bit of every genre as the story progresses. Depending on your spirituality you might also consider this a fantasy novel. Juanita’s ancestors are an active part of her life. They come to her aid in ways only a living person could.

There is a theme of redemption that runs through the story and it is executed perfectly. The characters are far from one dimensional, sometimes you have good people doing bad things and vice versa. All of them are so relatable. I have trouble deciding which of them I identify with most.

This book is far from predictable, the twists and turns will catch you off guard. The author knows how to create and sustain an atmosphere of suspense. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. There are instances where I thought the story might have been better if it took a different direction. I also got invested in quite a few characters that ended up not being integral to the story. Overall it is a good book and I look forward to reading other books by Laurel Anne Hill.

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The Engine Woman's Light
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