I loved this book and its predecessor, Sister Pelagia and the White Bulldog (also reviewed on Myshelf.com). The text emulates works of the period and reminds me of translations of extant examples: full of fifty-cent words and ten-dollar sentences, wonderful asides about Russian life, debates on political philosophy and shocking revelations. The horror aspects are not the big, jump-out-and-scare-you kind; there are just a few of the ice-cold variety that claw at your instincts and take up residence under your skin. Stylistics may come from translation choices, but the author is a student of Dostoevsky and this shows both thematically and structurally. Sister Pelagia, her intrepid sister Polina Andreevna and introspective brother Pelagius are thoroughly engaging and make any extra effort required to absorb the aura of the text well worth the time.

I love books that make me react; and at least once I sat up and said, "OH!" right out loud! Another time while the Bishop and Pelagia were discussing suicide I looked up and said, "She did NOT say that!"—a fairly amazing experience in this day and age. You'll know the place when you get there.

I am keeping my eyes open for the third in the series, Sister Pelagia and the Red Cockerel.