Book Review: The Witch of Napoli

Book: The Witch of Napoli by Michael Schmicker

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication Date: Available now

Publisher: AuthorBuzz: Palladino Books

Description:

Historical fiction with a paranormal twist, set in Italy and England in 1899.Italy 1899: Fiery-tempered, seductive medium Alessandra Poverelli levitates a table at a Spiritualist séance in Naples. A reporter photographs the miracle, and wealthy, skeptical, Jewish psychiatrist Camillo Lombardi arrives in Naples to investigate. When she materializes the ghost of his dead mother, he risks his reputation and fortune to finance a tour of the Continent, challenging the scientific and academic elite of Europe to test Alessandra’s mysterious powers. She will help him rewrite Science. His fee will help her escape her sadistic husband Pigotti and start a new life in Rome.

Newspapers across Europe trumpet her Cinderella story and baffling successes, and the public demands to know – does the “Queen of Spirits” really have supernatural powers? Nigel Huxley is convinced she’s simply another vulgar, Italian trickster. The icy, aristocratic detective for England’s Society for the Investigation of Mediums launches a plot to trap and expose her. The Vatican is quietly digging up her childhood secrets, desperate to discredit her supernatural powers; her abusive husband Pigotti is coming to kill her; and the tarot cards predict catastrophe.



Rating: 1 star (Did Not Finish)

Review:

The writing was one of the reason why I did not finish reading this, it's flat and unengaging. The story was set during the late 1800s to early 1900s but the writing makes it seems more like the mid 1940s or later. At times it appeared too modern.

I couldn't get into the story, the characters really lacked a personality. The Witch of Napoli was told from reporter Tomaso Labella's point of view, but I found him to be a terrible narrator there are a lot of details missing. The story focused on the life of medium Alessandra Poverelli who is both mysterious and seductive (well that's how Tomaso saw her).

There was nothing in this story that held my attention, it was boring. Why is the description more interesting than the book?