Reviews

Black as Night follows on from The Shadow of the Bear and is based upon the fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. The main characters, Blanche Brier, Rose Brier, Bear and Fish are likeable and the mystery adventure is gripping. It is set in modern day New York and as I have never been there it was exciting and interesting to read. The novel is very cleverly written and a delight to read for an orthodox Catholic. The solid Catholic references throughout are refreshing and familiar and the seven Friars show an excellent glimpse into their religious life ministering to the homeless and needy in New York around an inspiring prayer life and the Sacraments, with a good amount of humour and chaos. There are refreshing morals and virtues and also struggles and temptations and a lot of suspense and action. This is a good series of books and it is nice and inspiring to read about morally grounded teenagers living in the modern world with firm faith and virtue without false piety or preachiness. I read this in a few days as the mystery kept me wanting to know the conclusion. The covers of these books are fantastic! Read The Shadow of the Bear first. This follows on just after the conclusion of that great story.
- E. Bevans, England, 2/25/2009, a reviewer at amazon.co.uk.

"More than a mystery thriller or a dressed up fairy tale, this book touches on a number of themes, as well as tackles some weighty contemporary issues." -- A reviewer at Amazon.com.

"My thirteen year old son and I both loved this book!" - CatholicMom.com

"This is a delightful, page-turning story." -- Love2Learn.Net

www.catholichomeschoolhawaii.com
In this book, aimed at a teenage readership, the author breaks new ground in her original treatment of the fairytale genre. The story of Snow White in modern dress, it is a sequel to her earlier book, Snow White and Rose Red [paperback title, The Shadow of the Bear]. Then the story began with the adventures of a strange young man, Arthur Denniston, known as 'Bear', wrongly imprisoned for a crime he did not commit; here it is taken up in the person of a young student called Blanche, who is being pursued by an unknown enemy, jealous of her youth, purity and beauty. The seven dwarves become seven friars working among the poor of the South Bronx and there are some hilarious episodes as they struggle both to shield Blanche and to fathom the evil that dogs her. Good and evil are given insightful, even-handed treatment in modern-day New York, where drug addicts and down-and-outs jostle alongside men dedicated to God. Blanche's 'Prince' is Bear, from the first story, and their growing love for one another, with all the uncertainties, doubts and longings of youth, is one of the most attractive aspects of this story. It is very hard to portray genuine young romance in youthful fiction; few writers attempt it and of those who do most get it wrong. Regina Doman deserves high praise for her sensitive and delicate handling of this aspect and for her most daring 'translation' of a well-loved tale into a credible contemporary setting. Blanche and Bear possess no occult powers; there is simply, in the author's words, 'the magic of grace and coincidence'. Most people probably remember Walt Disney's film, with its terrifying witch/queen; here she becomes Elaine, mistress, then second wife to a wealthy but weak man, vain, careerist, self-centred - and murderously jealous of her innocent rival, Blanche. The chilling - and thrilling - climax takes place in a house of smokescreens and distorted mirrors. Now read on. For ages 14 upwards. - Francis Phillips, 7/23/04

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