Pazuzu's Girl
By: Rachel Coles
ISBN: 9781936564361
Expected Publication: February 10, 2012 by JournalStone
Available format: Hardcover, paperback, ebook
My Rating: ★★★★★
Publisher's Synopsis: Morpho Wilson thought her life was difficult enough. Her father is Pazuzu, the Mesopotamian demon of plague and the Southwest wind. As a teenager Morpho struggles against her father, while trying to adjust to high school in a new neighborhood. The family is constantly moving in an attempt to elude Pazuzu’s murderous ex-wife, a demoness known for killing children.
Then something unique happens. A socially-impaired classmate becomes so intrigued by Morpho that he pursues her, despite the mystery surrounding her family and the danger that accompanies it.
But before their romance can grow the demoness tracks Morpho down, and now only needs an ancient artifact called the Tablet of Destiny to complete the destruction of the world. The tablet confers on its owner the ability to control the fate of everything and everyone on earth.
Once the tablet is discovered in the Middle East, the oldest and most powerful gods begin a battle for its possession, with the human population caught in the middle. Morpho, her family, and her new friend must decide, do they escape from the horrifying demoness or fight for their own destiny. How far will Pazuzu go to save his daughter from a hellish fate? Will his banishment from Heaven so many millennia ago end up being a curse...or a blessing?
I love working with JournalStone because I have been fortunate enough to get an early look at so many amazing novels. Pazuzu's Girl is definitely in those ranks! It has such an interesting, unique plot and is so well written. I continue to be impressed by the caliber of writers who are being discovered or re-discovered by this company.
One thing that always snags me is when the seemingly bad characters, Pazuzu in this case, turn out to really be the good guys. Pazuzu is almost like any other normal, single father, trying to raise his rebellious teenage daughter right. Sure, he can dissipate into a swarm of locusts, and he's been known to spread a plague or two. A guy has to make a living, right? Deep down, Pazuzu has real heart, and the author does such an amazing job developing his character, keeping in his scary side and melding it with his humanity. We all have a scary side; admit it.
Another great thing about this novel is Morpho's character. We get to see her grow and come into herself, much like the butterfly she is named after. We get to see her in the normal, angsty teenage life of an outcast. Our heartstrings are tugged as she finds love, and then we are crushed when her whole world comes apart around her. Morpho is able to find her strength, cling to her morality, and stand up to the evil that plagues her life and the world as a whole.
There are so many familiar yet revamped ideas included in this novel along with a lot of great, new ideas. I love anything that has to do with gods and goddesses. Heck, you might even find a zombie or two in this one as well—or are those ghosts?? Hmmm…guess you'll have to read to find out!
