The Magic Circle by Katherine NevilleThe author of the book "Eight" uses a similar formula: two tales separated by time, but intertwined in mystery, as the means to tell a story.The first tale deals with the last days of Jesus Christ from A. D. 32 to A. D. 61. As the world stands on the brink of a new two thousand year cycle, emperor Tiberius tries to decipher the clues of an age old enigma: the source of power that comes from objects like the spear that killed Jesus and the sword used by John to slice the centurion's ear as they came to take Jesus away. Tiberius passes this knowledge to Caligula, Claudius, and finally Nero - all of who try to decipher the mystery to no avail. In the year 1989, Ariel Behn, a toxic materials expert at a remote nuclear site in Snake River, Idaho, finds her life shattered when her cousin, Sam, is slain by an unknown assassin. As the heir to a family legacy - a cache of manuscripts that contain not only the source of political power, but also to the source of all energy - Ariel races across continents to reveal the dark secrets in her family's past, thus she begins to uncover the chilling truth of the coming millennium. Again, the story is told from Ariel's first person point of view and from the third person point of view of the characters near Jesus. Unfortunately, this time, it doesn't work. Ms. Neville creates a mess with Ariel's family. Every chapter we learn that the Behns are screwed up. Their family tree is so convoluted that it's very difficult to follow how they are related to each other. It might have helped if the author would have printed a chart of the family tree. Ms. Neville tries to attach too many things to Pandora's manuscript - Ariel's inheritance and the cause of all the mayhem. On one side are the Nez Percé Indian tribe and their religion that is based on nature. Then there is Christianity and the source of everlasting life. Then there is Greek and Roman mythology, the succession of eons - two thousand year cycles - and astrology. She also includes Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan. She also tries to incorporate the druids and the Celtic culture. In an attempt to unite all of these philosophies, Ms. Neville uses the thirteen sacred Hallows:"To make this connection, thirteen sacred objects must be brought together in one place. Each object fulfills a specific purpose in the ritual of rebirth of the new age, and each of these objects must be anointed in the divine fluid before it is put into use. The objects for the next age are these: The Spear, The Sword, The Nail, The Goblet, The Stone, The Box, The Cauldron, The Platter, The Garment, The Loom, The Harness, The Wheel, and The Gaming Board. He who unites these objects without possessing the eternal wisdom may bring forth, not an age of cosmic unity, but one instead of savagery and terror." P. 211Thus we get a lesson in history about Hitler and all the villains and heroes who were after these objects. Ms. Neville creates a confusing web of factoids that are both annoying and almost impossible to follow. A good idea gone wrong...
What happens when you mix Native Americans, Hitler, Gypsies, nuclear weapons, human sacrifice, Mongols, the Cold War, the Roman Empire, the early Christian church, Druids, the Knights Templar, sex, and Greek gods together? A whirlwind, globe-trotting adventure that spans the centuries. Though not as engrossing as her earlier novel, The Eight, this story still has quite a bit to offer. The year is 1989. We meet Ariel Behn, your average nuclear engineer whose world is turned upside down with the sudden death of her beloved cousin Sam. Suddenly everyone from the family she's spent her life trying to avoid is interested in her inheritance, which is a set of ancient manuscripts. Ariel spends much of the book trying to figure out how the various players are interconnected while attempting to stay alive long enough to learn why people are so willing to kill or be killed for these documents. There are plenty of twists, turns, and surprises in store for her on her journey that takes her from the remote mountains of Idaho to deepest Soviet Russia and beyond.This is not a light read. The story pauses several times to give first-hand accounts of events in the years following the death of Christ, both of those who knew him and those who wanted to destroy him. I unfortunately read three other books while reading this one, and I admit I was still a little lost by the end of it. I do not understand how everything tied together, or why exactly the manuscripts were so important. All the same, I enjoyed the characters and felt myself cheering Ariel on as she untangled the web of lies that had ensnared her family for so many years. Not as good as The Eight, but if you're interested in historical fiction mixed with New Age spirituality, it's worth a read.
What do You think about The Magic Circle (1999)?
Okay, I read "The Eight," by this author, and I have to say, it was one of my favourite books, hands down, ever. "The Magic Circle," really really really fell short of that. Now, granted, I listened to it abridged on four audiocassettes, but it just didn't... flow.Basically, the tale is thus: Ariel Behn, daughter of a really complex family structure, inherits something when her half-blood cousin (maybe) is killed, and that something might get her killed. So when her gypsy/german/rom/aryan/aboriginal/you-name-it various half-incest-inbred-orphan relatives come out of the woodwork to try and stop her / lie to her / mislead her / confuse her / rob her / seduce her, she's left confused.So is the reader. By the third time you find out that the people she thought were her grandparents aren't, or that her lover is actually the half-brother of her cousin's uncle, who raped his maid before forcing her to marry him... yadda yadda yadda. It gets old, fast. And the notion of the various texts and manuscripts that Ariel is researching that might lead to some astounding knowledge just don't get enough play-time. In "The Eight," it was the pieces of the chess set, and the rich history, that was interesting. In "The Magic Circle," it just didn't work.If you like multigenerational family (melo)dramas, it might be your thing, but for me, this just fell a little flat.
—Nathan Burgoine
Neville weaves some intriguing history with a great deal of, well, intrigue. I enjoyed how mythology and fact wound together to create a seamless whole. The plot was one of a kind and kept me on my toes throughout. I really enjoyed the fact that this was an intellectual story that really caused me to think. At the same time, there were some very disturbing aspects to the story that I felt weren’t absolutely necessary to the plot.The plot of the novel definitely had lots of potential and captured my imagination, but Neville lost me for a bit with her cast. It definitely took me quite a while to connect with the characters in novel. They were very well developed, yet didn’t always seem to fit quite fully into the story. All in all this was an enjoyable story, but the characters kind of fell short of the mark. It was definitely a thought provoking read.Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
—Jonel Boyko (Pure Jonel)
I had a hard time getting in to this book, but once I was in, I liked the main character, Ariel, enough to keep going. I didn't really like any of the other characters, except for Sam, the cat, and the roommate. It didn't make a ton of sense that even though Ariel kept saying how she had avoided her crazy family for most of her life she sure seemed willing to take everything they told her as truth, even though she knew them each to have ulterior motives. I also thought the whole "mystery" was pr
—Kerri
