Soul And Shadow
Susan McLeod
ISBN: 9780615178448
Lulu Publishing
Reviewed By Chelsea Perry
Official Apex Reviews Rating: 
When
the mummified remains of Amisihathor arrive from the Cairo Museum, Lily
Evans is among the first in line to see them. A dedicated devotee in
the field of Ancient History, Lily is instantly taken in by the
splendor of the display, bringing back to life the glory of a
civilization long since faded away – but hardly forgotten.
Little
does Lily know, though, she'll soon be enraptured in the mysterious
circumstances surrounding Amisihathor's death – one that continues to
haunt her millennia later. When Lily is approached by an equally
mysterious archaeologist who shares with her compelling information
about the true nature of Amisihathor's life, she launches her own
personal quest to learn the ultimate truth as to why the erstwhile
songstress was apparently buried with the wrong man – and why the
details of her interment was seemingly hastily assembled, almost as if
to cover up the real truth about her life.
What follows is the
unraveling of a centuries-old mystery, and the stakes couldn't be
higher – considering the fact that the ultimate outcome will determine
Amisihathor's place in eternity.
In Soul And Shadow,
Susan McLeod has crafted an enlightening, engaging tale with a
pleasantly surprising twist. The parallels that she draws between
Lily's own life and that of Amisihathor's enable the reader to see just
how universal the difficulties of life can be, transcending the usual
boundaries of time and space. Also, the numerous references to ancient
Egyptian culture featured throughout the book provide the reader with
invaluable insight into a commonly misunderstood and often
misrepresented civilization. McLeod clearly speaks with well-informed
authority regarding her chosen subject matter, and the reading
experience is that much richer for it.
Soul And Shadow
is a literary treat for readers of all ages, and an enlightening
teaching tool for those seeking to learn more about the true folkways
and mores of our predecessors. A great, substantial counterweight for
the more superstitious among us.
Official Apex Reviews Interview: Susan McLeod (Soul And Shadow)
Apex Reviews: Thanks for joining us for this interview, Susan. We're looking forward to learning more about your book.
Susan McLeod: Thank you for your interest!
AR: Our reviewer cited the parallels between the lives of Lily and Amisihathor. Were those parallels planned all along, or did they evolve as you put the book together?
SM: I wish I could say that they were planned all along, but they did in fact evolve. When I noticed what was happening, I then consciously developed it for the rest of the book.
AR: The intra-chapter narratives detailing the evolution of Amisihathor's "situation" are beautifully and poetically crafted. Did it take much time and effort to write them?
SM: Actually, those were the easiest scenes to write. I've been a poet almost all of my life, and only recently a short story and novel writer. So, it felt natural for me to fall into a poetic way of speaking. Ancient Egypt lends itself very well to that mode.
AR: Our reviewer also mentioned that the story contains numerous references to ancient Egyptian culture. Did you perform much research prior to writing the book?
SM: I did a lot of brushing up and fact-checking, but not much original research. I have a pretty fair working knowledge of Ancient Egypt after all the years I've studied it.
AR: Do you think that the practices of the ancient Egyptians have had considerable influence on the development of modern society? If so, in what way(s)?
SM: Oh, yes, I think that ancient Egypt has greatly influenced modern society. We Americans tend to think of the Greeks as the founders of Western civilization, but they themselves were influenced by the Egyptians, especially in science and the arts. The Egyptians were the first to build in stone. The "Doric" column is actually an Egyptian design. Politically, the Egyptians had a centralized government, and they signed the world's first peace treaty. Our alphabet, derived from the Phoenicians, was probably founded on Egyptian hieroglyphs. Their influence on religion is easily seen by looking at the Bible. And Egyptian symbolism is all around us: the pyramid on the dollar bill, obelisks such as the Washington Monument, the RX on a prescription pad based on the Eye of Horus. I think that one of the reasons we are still so fascinated with their civilization today is that we can feel a kinship with them.
AR: Do you believe in the legend of the "mummy's curse"?
SM: It's a fascinating legend, but no, I don't. If there were a curse, there would be a lot more dead archaeologists!
AR: What kind of reactions have you gotten to the book so far?
SM: I'm happy to say that so far people seem to really like it. The reviews have been very positive. I'm glad to know that people of all ages enjoy it. That was my intent.
AR: What are your future writing/publishing plans?
SM: Well, bowing to the wishes of my audience, I'm working on a sequel to Soul and Shadow. I'm also still writing short stories, and I have a children's Halloween book that just needs an illustrator!
AR: Do you have a website where people can learn more about you and your writings?
SM: Yes, it's at www.freewebs.com/susanjmcleod. There is a sample chapter of Soul and Shadow on there, and some poems and short stories. I also have a page at www.authorsden.com.
AR: Also, how can people contact you directly?
SM: My email is iloveluna@netscape.com. I would love to hear from anyone interested in the book!
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
SM: Yes. Even if it sounds corny, I want to say that it's never too late to follow your dreams. I've been through cancer twice and suffered some personal tragedy, but I always held onto the thought of writing a book one day. It took me awhile, but I did it! Don't ever give up.
AR: Thanks again, Susan, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!
SM: Thank you very much!