In brief, the novel involves a small-town college professor who discovers that his wife is a practicing witch. A man of unshakable reason, he forces his devoted spouse to do away with all her charms and anything associated with witchcraft. Ever obedient, her purge has results that are entirely unexpected for our professor. Witchcraft and the competitive nature of academia are hand-in-hand in this well-regarded novel, Leiber's first.

Among the most interesting aspects of the novel is that, though the author is bound tightly to his narrator, both being intellectual and logical (Leiber was a competitive chess player, for one), it is the superstitious world that supersedes the rational. As much as we wish to believe the world functions the way that science would have us believe, it is the spells and charms that control our destiny and station in life.

Though the plot focuses primarily on how the supernatural drives our lives, the world Leiber has created is one of balance; the supernatural exists to balance out the rational. Without the rational there would be nothing deemed supernatural, as the latter would be the norm. In addition, the world is balanced by other factors touched upon in the novel, from big city glamour and debauchery to the conservatism of a small college community, to gender roles. Indeed, gender roles is among the most important elements of the novel, as men and women have clearly defined roles and are viewed apart by both society and individuals. Told through the point of view of a male rationalist, women are seen as the subjective and domestic counterparts of working men. It can therefore be read that what upsets the rational, male world order, is not the existence of the supernatural, but the reality that women are the driving forces of society. Our protagonist must, alongside with accepting that witches and their powers are real, accept that women make men's careers and are the driving forces behind the success of individuals and family.

There is a certain element of sexism in the novel, but this is a bi-product of the period, and not the result of misogyny. Leiber was specific with his plotting and writing, and despite a male narrator stating that women are largely irrational, this is an element of plot and character and not a comment by the author, as by the end of the book the reader understands that it is the woman who succeeds in overcoming all the challenges faced by the male narrator, both his academic and supernatural challenges. By the end of the novel, the husband plays the role that the wife has single-handedly devised in order to defeat the evil influences in their lives. During the climactic sequence it is she who is at the forefront of the action, battling the other wives, whereas he is standing well behind her, like a bodyguard watching attentively. The juxtaposition of the novel's opening chapters against this scene is worthy of a close look, as it is clear the husband has consciously given up the role of master of the house which he so firmly and rationally acted on when forcing his wife to do away with her superstitions.

Rather than being sexist, the novel is quite progressive.

Have you ever wanted to know more about Voodoo? I mean the real Voodoo, not the Hollywood version? This book takes you on a journey so to speak through the world of Voodoo and its practitioners. Hollywood usually gives Voodoo a bad name, when in actuality it is a religion. It is thought to be the oldest religion. Voodoo was born in Ancient Africa and came across the world during the Slave trading days.  

This book is also not just a journey through the written word. The book is filled with photo's. Yes some have full frontal female nudity, some have severed animal heads, and snakes lots of snakes. The nudity is not done in a Playboy manor, it is beauty, it is Voodoo. 

There is so much to learn from this book about Voodoo. Justice Howard has done an amazing job along with Bloody Mary, a Voodoo Queen in New Orleans. Between the stories, legends, explanations, and pictures you get the true meaning of Voodoo. This book is a basic version of Voodoo but it gives you enough to know the true meaning of this religion.

I received this book from the Author or Publisher via Netgalley.com to read and review.

I was out on the beach reading and then out with my family.    So I'm way past this, which is the first story, but surprise autograph!   (And I got this book for five dollars.)

And all the stories are spectacular. 

Much better than book 4.  I liked that more of Raine's family was in this one.  I enjoyed the dynamic between everyone (now if all families were that loving and supportive of each other).  I liked that, despite everything, those that know Raine, know she would never do anything that would hurt them.  Nice twist (and resolution) with the assassin(s).  A bit of a cliffhanger at the end.  We will see how book 6, All Spell Break Loose wraps everything up.  

(Potentially a 7th book that's a WIP now.  Looks like it will be self-published.)

One of the funniest parts was when Raine glamoured herself to look like a certain man.  

"I felt his/my chest and grimaced. Then I quickly unbuttoned the front enough to take a look.  The man had a bird chest.  I flexed my right thigh against my left and then my left against my right.

"Ah, hell with it."  I pulled my trouser out from my waist and looked down."