Sarah Richardson and her sister Katherine grew up knowing they were never to speak of their gifts — of what made them different from others. Their insight into people’s feelings was enough to make others scorn their family, but if it were ever revealed that they could not only see people’s auras but were also clairvoyant, they would become targets.
As the girls grow, so too do their powers, and when connections become overwhelming and visions of abuse can no longer be ignored, it becomes a matter of getting involved — even against the direct wishes of their father and grandmother. Although their intentions are good, watching Katherine carted away to the St Louis City Lunatic Asylum in a straitjacket gives Sarah the insight her father tried to instil in her: the world does not take kindly to people poking their noses into others’ business.
I found myself instantly drawn into The Seer by Raquel Y. Levitt, the characters immediately compelling and the intricacies of their powers fascinating. To read how those around you feel, what their intentions are, and whether they are good people appears on the surface to be useful — but it follows Sarah like a curse. To see and feel the good in people is one thing, but to sense the evil is another entirely. Getting involved for the sake of others’ safety seems the only logical choice, yet when her grandmother — who has lived her life with the same powers — so desperately advises against it, and after witnessing her sister torn away, Sarah has reason to hesitate.
The guilt that tears at her, keeping to herself truths that would prove her sister innocent despite knowing that no one would believe her regardless, is penned with remarkable clarity. I truly felt Sarah’s plight while reading. She is kind-hearted, eager to prove herself and help others, but fear grips her heart. How can she put her powers to good use when they have only ever landed others in trouble?
Sarah truly comes into her own when she leaves her family home and journeys to St Louis in an attempt to reconcile with her sister. The world is at a turning point, with the suffragette movement beginning to make itself known, yet real change remains elusive. Sarah finds herself in the company of highly regarded society and fumbles her way forward, attempting to fit in despite her upbringing placing her firmly below those around her.
The differences in society highlighted in this novel are stark, and the contrast between Sarah and her fellow boarder, Laura, at Digby’s Boarding House for Women only intensifies this. The way the two young women are treated, and the regard in which they are held within the house, differs greatly. This divide in class and opinion is further amplified by the introduction of Rebecca. Rebecca runs Larsen’s Market, a shop that offers Sarah employment when she finds herself rapidly running low on funds. At Larsen’s Market, Sarah is easily accepted: her friendship is valued, and her time and efforts appreciated. Unlike the residents of Digby’s Boarding House, who look down their noses at her and believe a woman should not be working, the people Sarah meets at the market are welcoming and make her feel at ease.
As Sarah becomes acquainted with St Louis, she begins to recognise the people she encounters. Surrounded daily by the auras of others, it does not take her long to pinpoint the darkness surrounding Nathaniel Malone, nor to notice the timid nature of his wife, Norma. Harkening back to an earlier point in her life — to her sister’s claims of abuse within the home of a local couple, and her subsequent confinement in the asylum — Sarah is torn. Getting involved may prove dangerous, but could she truly stand by knowing that Norma was not safe in her own home?
The narrative is written with such care and draws the reader in so deeply that it is impossible not to feel the pain and sorrow radiating from the dark, clouded auras Sarah perceives. It is easy to sympathise with her: she has seen first-hand the consequences of involving herself in others’ affairs, and despite her understandable hesitation — and the strong moral pull urging her to help — I never once felt she was a coward for her reluctance.
Amid the emotional turmoil experienced both by Sarah, as she attempts to determine her place in the world, and by the reader, drawn into the intricate lives of those around her, there is a glimmer of light — a gentle tinge of pink surrounding matters of the heart. Joy and safety are felt in the presence of the one who captures her affection, and yet Sarah remains torn. The man who has stolen her attention, and to whom she finds herself inexorably drawn, belongs to someone else.
Sarah’s relationships — with friends, acquaintances, and those whose company she does not particularly enjoy — are intricate, forming a web of secrets as she conceals different parts of herself from different people, revealing them only to a select few. Sarah is a character I found impossible not to like. She strives to do right by everyone she meets, even when it does not bode well for herself. She longs to be true to who she is, yet is desperately afraid to do so for fear of rejection. My heart went out to her at every turn.
The Seer by Raquel Y. Levitt is a novel that does not merely capture the reader’s attention, but holds it rapt from the first page to the final sentence. I found it almost impossible to put down, even momentarily. With its utterly entrancing prose and enchanting characters, it keeps you captive until the very end. This is a truly wonderful novel, and one that is certain to remain close to my heart for a long time to come.
Review by Ellie Yarde
The Coffee Pot Book Club
Buy Link:
