The Fortune Teller: A Novel

Haven't read this author before, the store recommendation. Loved it! Interesting story, following timelines from several eras without being too complicated to follow... have moved onto another novel from this author!

If you are fascinated by the thought of the Great Library of Alexandria AND the Tarot AND historical fiction, then this book will fulfill--or at least satisfy--some of those interests. For me, it seems so synchronous that I had ordered a copy of the Cary-Yale Visconti Tarocchi deck and book, based on one housed in the Cary Collection of Playing Cards, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, at Yale University.BEFORE I even heard of The Fortuneteller novel. In addition to collecting tarot decks, I have always drawn my own (as taught to me by my grandmother when very young), so the story that unfolds is quite authentic. The characters (past and present ones woven together) are believable; the plot is exciting and never boring; and the information on manuscript collecting is a bonus. This is a 5-star read!

Since reading The Fortune Teller, I have read two other lengthy novels. They were good books, but, I just cannot stop thinking about this one!

I was hooked from the first sentence. The story was absolutely intriguing! All the time periods and places are written in intense detail. Ms. Womack puts you there. The sights, smells, sounds ~ ah, you're immersed in them! You can nearly taste the different foods! Ionna and Semele's stories intertwine and it's pure magic. This story has happiness and sadness and in between. I don't like to write spoilers so there will be none here. Everything has positives and negatives, but, for me, there is barely anything negative I can say. This book is well written and tells an incredible story of generation upon generation. An avid reader since I've been old enough to read, this 54-year-old has only re-read two or three books in my life. The Fortune Teller is about to become one of those! I have to go on the journey again and I'll be starting as soon as this review is finished. Take my word for it. Get this book and "commence to reading"!

The Fortune Teller
Gwendolyn Womack

MY RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
PUBLISHER Blackstone Audio
PUBLISHED June 8, 2017
NARRATED Lisa Flanagan, Robin Miles

A fascinating mystery involving libraries, ancient manuscripts and an woman who can see both the past and the future.

SUMMARY
Semele Cavnow appraises artifacts for an prestigious New York auction house. In Switzerland, at the home of a recently deceased manuscript collector she discovers an ancient manuscript written in the time of Cleopatra. The manuscript’s author, the daughter of a librarian, tells the story of her decendents forward in time along with a priceless deck of tarot cards. As Semele translates the manuscript she realizes it is so much more than she originally thought. She discovers she is personally connected to both the manuscript and the cards. Her name is in the manuscript. How can that be? Once she is back in the United States, Semele feels that she is being followed, and may be in danger, but she is determined to figure out the mystery of her connection. When bad things start happening around her, she knows there may be only one person that can help. Theo Bossard is her client, his family owned the manuscript and he should know what it means. Will he help her? Can she trust him?

“Whatever the cards show you, always trust the words that well inside you. The truth is waiting to be heard. Never doubt it.”

REVIEW
The Fortune Teller is a fascinating travel through history from the time of the Library of Alexandria to the conclusion of World War II. The story creatively alternates back and forth through time, from what Semele is reading in the manuscript to the mystery she is experiencing in the present. Semele’s character is a bluestocking strong women, who doesn’t back down from a fight. Gwendolyn Womack has created another irresistible story to follow her gripping debut novel The Memory Painter (2015). Her writing is engaging and captivating. The Fortune Teller should not be missed, it’s a fabulous read.

A mesmerizing tale that keeps the promise of Ms. Womack's stunning debut, "The Memory Painter".
With some of the same themes such as time, memory, history, fate, and mystery she weaves a
magical, mystical story.

Semele Cavnow is a rare documents appraiser for a prestigious New York company.
While in Switzerland to disband a document collection she discovers a 2,000 year old manuscript that is both a memoir and predictions for a future that has already happened.

Ionna Callas is the author of that manuscript. She lives in Egypt in the time of Cleopatra. She has the gift of divination.
Her father is a librarian at the library in Alexandria.
When she is 18 she finds a box with a mysterious deck of tarot cards and a message from the Oracle of Wadjet.
The Oracle wants Ionna to do something for her.

Ionna wants Semele to do something. too.
Their lives, past and future, are interconnected.

The manuscript that Semele has discovered holds the key to a 2,000 year old secret.

A secret that some will stop at nothing to get their hands on....

Semele Cavnow has been sent, as an antiquities expert, to go through the estate of a collector. Although excited about the treasures she may unearth in his world renowned collection, what she never expected to find was a diary over 3000 years old…yet, which seems to be reaching through time and speaking directly to her. The book throws Semele into intrigue revealing the mysteries of the past and mixing them with present day machinations.

I loved this book! I requested it on a whim having never read this author before but liking the sounds of the blurb. Womack does a fantastic job of throwing you back into the past through different individuals who takes us all over the world at different points in time and weave us a story that carries straight through to present day. We take this journey with Semele as she slowly translate the documents and comes to the realisation that this book was written directly to her. Which, should be impossible as it’s over 3000 years old. I was hooked.

This book was a little slow to start with, but the more I read, the more intrigued I was, I wanted to know how everything was connected. Who was writing to Semele? Why were they writing to her? I was especially enthralled with the parts of the book set in the past, the translation from the diary, it showed familiar places at different times and it lent an exotic appeal to the whole book. There was also a dash of romance in The Fortune Teller although, it wasn’t really the main focus. It was all about Semele discovering who she was, and the plot that seems to be emerging around her.

This is my first book from Womack, but it definitely won’t be my last and I recommend you pick this up if you want an interesting mystery with elements of romance and magic. It won’t disappoint.

Where do I begin with this review? How about with what a great book The Fortune Teller is. I really enjoy historical fiction, especially when it is done in a dual storyline format where the past and present storylines work cohesively with each other to tell the entire story. And that is exactly what Womack has done here.

I thought this book had a very unique plot and the way it is written, it is so compelling that you just don’t want to put the darn book down. I would describe it as part thriller, part supernatural mystery. The entire time I was reading it, I kept thinking about how much it reminded me of The Da Vinci Code (which I loved). The conspiracy theory, translations of historical artifacts, the significance and hidden meaning in the antiquities, the race against time to solve a puzzle and how the past, present and future are entangled to bring you to the final outcome.

Both storylines were equally captivating, in my opinion. I was just as engrossed in the manuscript translation as I was of Semele’s modern day story. I never found myself wishing one would end so I could get back to the other, which sometimes happens in dual storyline books. If my schedule would have permitted, I would have finished this book in one sitting, it was that good.

I would highly recommend this book

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book and overall I enjoyed it (I read in one day). But there were a few areas it fell short. First, I'm not sure how this is ranks as a romance as the couple in question is hardly together in the book. We're made to believe there is a sense of destiny between them, but the few times there's supposed to be sparks feels forced. The only time the really spend time together is at the end, but I didn't get any sizzle between them.

Second, I don't like how Semele treats her boyfriend (not the guy she ends up with). If he was a douche, it might be okay that she's so dismissive and often disrespectful. But he's just a sap who loves her, so her leading him on and ignoring makes her unlikable at times.

There was some information thrown in that could have been better woven in earlier. All of a sudden we're told she had premonitions as a kid, when the perfect time to indicate that was when she had the vision of her boyfriend being married to someone else. Instead, we're told it in the last quarter of the book.

However, I did enjoy the way she revealed the mystery through the manuscript and how it related to her life.

If you're looking for a romance, this isn't it. But if you want an interesting tale that blends history and modern day, this is an intriguing read.

Really strong start, intriguing premise. But the climax of the story was waaaaaay too contrived and rushed. The author seemed to be trying to outdo the author of The DaVinci Code (which was....waaaaay too contrived!).

Real psychics don't work like that. Plus, time isn't linear and set in stone. So I had a hard time accepting the premise.

It was quite a page-turner, intelligently written, and original, so I'll still give it 4 stars. It's definitely still worth reading, but be prepared to get a little annoyed at the end. I liked it enough to read her other book, The Memory Painter, and that is MUCH better...it's a 5-star book! Better characters and more plausible premise.

I will definitely read her next book. This author has a lot of promise.

Tarot, ancient mysteries, and dual time-lines that stretch across continents and millennia. One of my favorite types of books.

Illona's wise, timeless voice, relays the journey of wise women from the times of the Library of Alexandria to the present.

"Time and memory go hand in hand. Without our memories, time would not exist. What we perceive as the world is really memory in motion."

Seleme is a wonderful modern-day heroine, discovering herself and the wisdom of the world.

"To divine is to imagine the world rightly, to see past the illusion that we are separate from the entire fabric of reality."

The tale is fast-paced and full of action, but also deep and awareness-expanding.

The premise of the story has so much potential, but the author failed to deliver. The main character is especially disappointing, thoughtlessly crafted, full of bad cliches and rather unlikable. Furthermore, there are way too many fillers in the book, which sole purpose seems to show off the extent of the author's research. Most notably, her obsession with graphology, so many words wasted on something, that does nothing to move the narrative along. Poor storytelling!

Semele Cavnow appraises antiques for a Manhattan auction house. When she discovers a manuscript written in the time of Cleopatra, she knows it will be the find of her career. But the manuscript is more than it seems. Semele discovers that the author was a relative of hers, a psychic, who has left a dangerous but important legacy to her. Somehow this legacy is connected to a man, Theo Bossard, but others are interested in obtaining it to the point of murder. Not only does the manuscript end up in the wrong hands but so do ancient tarot cards that are part of Semele’s legacy. I found this story interesting, especially the history of tarot cards.

The Fortune Teller: A Novel
Strong writing. Compelling story For all who believe in the 6th sense, this book is for you. A highly educated young woman taken on curating a private collection of letters and books. She is connected people who have lived in caravans and have traveled throughout Europe and are despised by people who live in those areas. They were exploited. This is a story of her accepting and developing that consciousness. After many trials, all heroines have them, she finds her gift and a man who will support her work.

I was surprised by how many people liked the Memory Painter better! That book kept my interest enough to finish it, but the writing was disjointed and the ending felt rushed and unfinished. The premise was good, but the story was predictable. With The Fortune Teller, the writing has improved drastically. It flows seamlessly and is much more interesting to me! I am only about a third of the way through it but am enjoying it much more than the previous book.

I love, love, love this book. It weaves in metaphysical concepts, ancient history, self-discovery, romance, and mystery. It bends your mind around the concept of the future and the past and how they can influence each other. As someone who has had some mind-bending sorts of experiences myself in real life, I felt like the book really spoke to me. I love how the Tarot is woven into the tapestry of this novel. This book is fiction but you can tell it was written by someone who has thought a lot about intuition and metaphysical and maybe even quantum mechanical types of things.

Wow..... What a fantastic tale, and on a subject so close to my heart.. The Fortune Teller by Gwendolyn Womack captured my restless psyche from beginning to end, and took me on an amazing adventure into an intriguing world of the tarot, void of time....! Highly recommended for tarot lovers....!