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Diabhal: Diabhal Book 1 Kindle Edition

by Kathleen Kaufman (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 10 ratings
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Diabhal (Devil) is the story of cults, exorcisms and the devil in 1980’s era Los Angeles. Ceit Robertson, age ten, is the next Matrarc to the Society, a cultish, matriarchal group living in an inconspicuous cul-de-sac in Venice Beach. When Ceit’s mother is attacked by spirits from the old world, a failed exorcism results in Ceit’s exile into the foster care system in Los Angeles. She eventually lands in the infamous MacLaren Hall, a very real and historically auspicious center for disturbed and abandoned children in El Monte, CA. Diabhal is the sympathetic story of the devil in Los Angeles. The exploration of the true nature of evil and how intention colors what our definition of wickedness truly is. Ceit grows into a force of nature, as she contains the potential and mythology of the darkest degree, but discovers that perhaps the devil is not what we should truly fear.

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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 3
    Diabhal
  2. Print length
    312 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Keylight Books
  6. Publication date
    October 29, 2019
  7. File size
    3319 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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From the Publisher

diabhal;kathleen kaufman;witches;witchcraft;a darker shade of magic;margaret atwood;occult fiction

diabhal;kathleen kaufman;witches;witchcraft;a darker shade of magic;margaret atwood;occult fiction

diabhal;kathleen kaufman;witches;witchcraft;a darker shade of magic;margaret atwood;occult fiction

diabhal;kathleen kaufman;witches;witchcraft;a darker shade of magic;margaret atwood;occult fiction

diabhal;kathleen kaufman;witches;witchcraft;a darker shade of magic;margaret atwood;occult fiction

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A potent tale of mythos, superstition, and the power of little girls, Diabhal is told with rigor and surety. Kaufman is magnificent.”― Lee Murray, two-time Bram Stoker nominee and author of Into the Mist.

"Imagine a world of old magic that exists beside our own, but one that is darker, grittier, and more dangerous than you ever imagined. Kathleen Kaufman's Diabhal rings with ominous truths." ―Alma Katsu, author of The Hunger



“…an engrossing tale of magic, darkness, and natural order” – Publishers Weekly



“Spine-chilling tale of ancient rituals and restless spirits” – Fresh Fiction on Diabhal

About the Author

Kathleen Kaufman is a native Coloradan and long-time resident of Los Angeles. Her prose has been praised by Kirkus Reviews as “crisp, elegant” and “genuinely chilling” by Booklist. She is the author of The Tree Museum, The Lairdbalor, soon to be a feature film with Echo Lake Studios and director Nicholas Verso, and her most recent, Hag, due out in October 2018. Kathleen is a monster enthusiast, Olympic-level insomniac and aficionado of all things unsettling. When not writing, she can be found teaching literature and composition at Santa Monica College or hanging out with a good book. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, terrier, and a pack of cats.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07STG73JF
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Keylight Books (October 29, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 29, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3319 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1684423198
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 10 ratings

About the author

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Kathleen Kaufman

Kathleen Kaufman

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Kathleen Kaufman is a native Coloradan and long-time resident of Los Angeles, California. She is a University of Southern California alum, teaches high school English, and is a writing and composition adjunct professor at Santa Monica College. In addition to writing, Kathleen is an avid amateur photographer and has published work in The Huffington Post and other publications. When not writing, she probably has a camera in hand or is curled up with a good horror novel. Kathleen currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, terrier, and a pack of cats.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
10 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Revenant
5.0 out of 5 stars A story of magic, dark forces, and power.
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2021
Verified Purchase
Take a trip to Los Angeles in the 80s, but fill it with secret societies, evil temples, demons from the old world, evil spirits, and powerful Celtic and Navajo magic. Ten year old Ceit is caught in the middle of it all. Should she be a leader? Should she be a goddess? Or should she just be the little girl that she appears to be? Everyone wants something from Ceit, but what does Ceit want? A fascinating story about a young girl's journey to figure out who and what she is while trying to protect those she loves. Would I recommend this book? Uh, hell yes! And this is the perfect time to pick this up since the sequel has just been released.
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Bill Maxwell
4.0 out of 5 stars Take a moment to meet this otherworldy "devil"
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2020
I was delighted when this book hit my desk (the intimate details and dive into other cultures being a -thing- that I'm definitely into) and this did not disappoint. The narrative starts with what appears to be a Chosen One narrative that rapidly evolves into a situation that is a surprise both for the protagonist and the antagonists who want to take advantage of that power.

There's a wonderful attention to detail around the landscape of Los Angeles and how it seems to breed its own brand of mini-cults and conspiracies. None of the characters emerge from the conflict unchanged and the end of the novel leaves the tantalizing message that there's further mysteries to uncover and a rather ominous future on the rise.

In the end, the book I can best compare it to, in tone and resolution, is Stephen King's Firestarter, with forces that seem so confident they have control of the situation when in reality, they are right on top of a self-inflicted Armageddon.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great read from Kathleen Kaufman!
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2019
Verified Purchase
This novel had me suspecting every character by the end! Brilliant writing and powerful female characters. Looking forward to a reread!
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Michelle Kenneth
5.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of PerfectionistWannabe.com
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2019
I cannot stop thinking about this book. Kathleen Kaufman has done it again. All those little things that go bump in the night on the other side of the veil, she lowers the curtain just enough to scare the crap out of you. When I read "Hag" last year, I curated it into my personal library, because I believed that there are stories about the different gods, spirits, cultures, etc. that are important for us to keep alive and not die out. With Diabhal, she brings to us the ancient spirits of Ireland and the Navajo.

The thing I like most about Kaufman's works is that she is teaching us to not fear the monsters in the night, but to understand who and what they are. Not all are bad. Those who seek to destroy human beings, can be seen simply as the snake and the mouse. The mouse must think the snake is a monster because it will eat him. But it is also the way of life. The snake must eat the mouse in order to survive. It is a lot like monsters needing to consume humans in order to survive.

The snake and mouse reference in her book provided so much clarity that you can't help but feel sympathy for the monsters.

I believe I saw somewhere that this is Book 1. The ending did seem a bit rushed, but I liked how it tied up all of the loose ends and came together perfectly at the finish. Truthfully, I didn't want the story to end, so if there is a Book 2, I cannot wait to read it. I usually know if I'm in love with a book if I keep delaying reading the last 50 pages (which I did here). I just did not want the story to end.

This is another book I am curating into my personal library. Like I said, there are stories about gods, ancient spirits, and cultures that should never die out. Those stories existed for a reason. I love that Kaufman is keeping their stories alive. If you've read Neil Gaiman's "American Gods," you will understand the importance of this.

[Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.]
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R. Reed
5.0 out of 5 stars A young woman finds her power.
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2020
The opening plunges the reader into a strange cult that operates in the suburbs. They speak Gaelic and worship the old ways from Ireland. Among them is a child named Ceit who is coming into power that is denied by her cult and sought by a group of devil worshippers. Like any young person, Ceit doesn’t know who she is or what she will become, but in her case the answers will shake the world.
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