Claudia Mair Burney has carved out her own niche, writing honest, urban, spiritual, and always entertaining novels that defy categorization. I loved the first in this series, "The Exorsistah." Emme Vaughn was a great character, with flaws and strengths, not to mention a kickin' pair of Prada boots.
This second installment never quite entertains the way the first did, but the continued development of Emme's character--past and present--is done with consummate skill. Emme's immaturity separates her from the love of her life, forcing her to learn new things about love, family, and demon-hunting. Yes, she does confront sulfurous foes, as well as sensual ones, but in this book those scenes are separated by long portions of her own spiritual journey. Burney also throws in humor and romance in equal measure.
The plot of "X Returns" loosely follows elements of the Book of Tobit, from the Catholic canon, and Burney offers a palatable mix of Catholicism that focuses on its theological strengths. She gives some information about saints and monastic orders, never letting us forget that the lessons from these these must carry over into real-world struggles. More important, Emme's battle against evil is not focused on evil but on God and His goodness. In a world tainted by physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, Emme Vaughn and her friends remind us that our primary task, as given in Scripture, is to "watch and pray."
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