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Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
The Last Vestal Virgin by Lorraine Carey is a contemporary teenage drama with a paranormal and richly historical twist. Drawing on the ancient ways of the Vestal Virgins of Rome, the novels centres on Christina Ciccone and the strange, all-consuming dreams that begin to haunt her life. As her overbearing Italian-American family put all their efforts into convincing Christina that boys and marriage are her next big step, the retiring youngster’s nightmares of ancient places and foreign people push her physical and emotional strength to the limit. It’s only when Christina takes the opportunity to visit Rome on a class trip that the terrifying truth of her nightmares is revealed, and it seems that the past is a lot less in the past than she thought it was.
Although there are some faults in the editing of Christina’s speech and inner thoughts, I would encourage any reader to overlook these issues and continue reading, because The Last Vestal Virgin is a tale that truly grows on you, and has a very enjoyable and surprising conclusion. Once I became used to Lorraine Carey’s dialogue-driven style, I found that the pace of the story picked up, especially once the action moved to the great city of Rome. It’s clear to see that the author has drawn on some beautifully vivid memories and historical facts to illustrate Christina’s paranormal adventure, and created a cast filled with engaging additional characters from the present and past to guide us through the tale. Overall, I found it to be a fresh, original read, ideal for lovers of drama, family-oriented tales and historical fiction.
