Book Review - White as Bone Red as Blood: The Fox Sorceress by Cerridwen Fallingstar

Book Review by Dawn "Belladonna" Thomas

White As Bone Red As Blood: The Fox Sorceress

By Cerridwen Fallingstar

Publisher: Cauldron Publications (July 27, 2009)

ISBN-10: 0578027119

ISBN-13: 978-0578027111

This is such a beautiful book. I started it and finished it in one day. I couldn’t put it down. Cerridwen Fallingstar certainly has a way with words. Her writing style and skill at storytelling are beyond description. The story was visual and I could see it in my mind as I was reading.

The story begins when we meet Fujiwara Seiko at 11 years old.  Her mother, Fujiwara Fujuri, is the High Priestess of the Inari Shrine. She tells her that Tokushi, a girl a few years younger, will carry the dynasty through her womb. As a young girl Seiko faces enormous challenges with the deaths of members of her family. As a young woman Seiko falls in love with a beautiful man who turns out to be someone different than she thought. She bears him a daughter she loves with all her soul. Although forced to leave her daughter behind, she leaves her husband’s house to live with an uncle. When she realizes she cannot stay there, she leaves to find her childhood friend Tokushi, the new Empress. Thus begins her life at court. She makes many friends and uses her healing skill,s especially with women in childbirth. Seiko becomes intimate with the Empress and a few other women and teaches other women of the palace the erotic art of love.

This is a deeply emotional story written by a woman about women. The visual descriptions of how women can have relationships with other women are very fulfilling. I highly recommend this book to all women but with the warning to be prepared to be swept away by the excellent narrative all the way to the last page. I am looking forward to the sequel White as Bone Red as Blood: The Storm God.