Within moments of opening The Conjure Man by Peter Damian Bellis, I was transported to a place where low country yarns sprinkled with magical realism set my imagination ablaze. Drawn in deeper with the turning of each page, I could see the fog hovering over the murky swamps, hear the roar of a lonely alligator echo through the night, and smell the pungent perfume of the mysterious wilderness.

 

 

 

Both innocent and startlingly wise, and told from two alternating viewpoints (one with a delightfully original dialect), The Conjure Man possesses the artful storytelling of days long gone by. As layers of symbolism and mythology unfolded, I was swept into the lives of Kilby, Jonas Lee, Tramsee, Thaddeus, and all the characters of this uniquely rendered tale. And what a tale it is! It had me thinking about superstitions, feeling the youthful joy of wonderment, and it often made me smile. I suspect if a gentleman by the name of Samuel Clemens were still alive, well, he’d be smiling too.

 

Applause to Mr. Bellis for a terrific story that delighted my senses and kept me up late many a night!

 

 

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