The Hidden Abbey by Jodine Turner – A Visionary Fiction Alliance Book Review by Romuald Dzemo

A Guest Review by Romuald Dzemo originally published at Readers’ Favorite

The Hidden Abbey by Jodine Turner is both fantasy and visionary fiction, with a historical setting in the worlds of Avalon and Glastonbury Abbey, split between two separate timelines and skillfully developed to explore two lovers from a distant past reborn into modern day for a second chance. The reader is immersed into a world of magic and esoteric practices, with the Christian perception of life merging with the pagan.

In sixteenth-century Avalon, Marissa is the legendary priestess of the Isle of Avalon, an impulsive and spirited, beautiful young woman who must learn the science of becoming the High Priestess. But she has a secret love affair with a monk called Michael, the same who saved her from drowning as a child. Marissa and Michael are tasked to safeguard the Creation Bowl—the sacred vessel containing the wisdom of the ancient Goddess tradition that has the power to heal the world. But when King Henry VIII destroys all the abbeys, the treasure is at great risk and the struggle to protect it leads to the separation of the lovers. In the twenty-first century, Marissa and Michael are given a second chance. Can they rekindle the flame of the love they once experienced and lost and also bring back the power of the Creation Bowl to a world badly in need of it?

A work of great imagination and creative genius, The Hidden Abbey is a tantalizing narrative with great potential to entertain a wide audience. It contains hints of the historical, mystical, and the supernatural. The author paints a vivid setting and pulls readers in with the power of imagery. The characters are elaborately developed and filled with depth; they are relatable, and it is interesting how they evolve through the narrative. The author creates a powerful dialogue between the Christian religion and the ancient mysticism of the pagan world and weaves a narrative that is both uplifting and heartwarming. It is a beautifully crafted story with powerful plotlines, merging the past and the present in an adventure that is exhilarating.