Review: The Second Half of Life by Sionna Cailey

Title: The Second Half of Life

Author: Sionna Cailey

Sypnosis: Tequila, magic and rock and roll set the stage for midlife rebellion when the Committee for the Disaffected decides that the ancient art of witchcraft is the only way to rev up their boring small-town lives. Aidan, Kathy and Diana soon discover they’re not the only witches in town, and the local coven holds the secret to a cursed stone, inhabited by a demon that will grant your heart’s desire. This demon is a sultry succubus that wants to know what’s in it for her, and she doesn’t give you what you wish for; she gives you what she thinks you deserve.
Aidan desires the attentions of a handsome young musician, only to discover that he was already in love – with his bandmate. Kathy longs for financial security, but when fortune strikes, it reveals her husband’s true nature. Longing to be a respected author, Diana becomes an overnight success – but it’s her kinky erotica that everyone wants, and her humiliated husband decides to put his foot down.
Magical wishes always come with a high price tag – and they’re just not sure they can afford it.

Status: Read from November 07 to 08, 2010 — I own a copy

My Thoughts:

The Second Half of Life is the story of three friends that find themselves dissappointed with the way their lives have unfolded. Calling themselves the Commitee of the Disaffected, Aiden struggles with intimacy, Kathy yearns for financial security and Diana longs for recognition and, in the local bar, they meet for tequila and commiseration.
Cailey has created protagonists with complex personalities and issues. The women are easy to relate to, especially for women of a certain age who can empathise with midlife dissatisfaction. Though written in the third person, all the women have a distinct voice as their stories are revealed, with Aiden the more dominant character. Though I felt Cailey handled the shifts quite well, there was some repetition that stalled the pace of the story. I also felt the dialogue tended to be stiff and awkward, where the narration was much smoother.
Seeking more than they have and with increasing desperation, the women turn to magic. They discover a local Wiccan legend and decide to find the Demon Stone, said to grant the wishes of those that call the demon from the stone. I liked that Cailey provided a history for the stone and the Wiccan elements were interesting. The women believe their desires have been granted as things begin to change, but it becomes apparent that there is a cost they were not prepared for.
There are touches of humor in The Second Half of Life but in the main the story is quite dark and the characters, and their behaviour, can be confronting. The mystical elements provide the impetus for the story but in an unexpected way. There are no traditional happy endings but the events do result in positive progress for the three women.
The Second Half of Life is less about magic and more about the need to challenge and shift your own perceptions and behaviour to effect change in your life. The story and characters should appeal to the more mature aged reader who enjoys a paranormal twist to contemporary fiction.

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Join me tomorrow as I interview Sionna Cailey who will be offering three lucky commenters an e-format of The Second Half of Life

Sionna Cailey is a medical and alternative health writer who has spent most of her adult life trying to make sense of the world. As she grew older, she decided to start inventing her own worlds, and recently turned her writing efforts to fiction. She lives in Florida with her husband and two children.

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