With her roots in Dublin, Leeanne O’Donnell enters the literary scene with her astonishingly ambitious debut novel, “Sparks of Bright Matter”. O’Donnell, known for her past work producing radio documentaries, diverts her abilities to the creation of an historical fiction novel embedded with unseen supernatural elements, pleasing fans of this literary genre.
The narrative fluidly transitions through the 18th century, drawing upon the lives of Peter Wodefe, a prosperous natural scientist, Sukie Bulmer, a street swindler, and her fortune-telling aunt, Bridey Leary. The twisting tale sweeps from the savage streets of London, where Peter and Sukie lead contrasting lives, to the untamed hills of Mount Gabriel, west Cork, home ground of the protagonists.
United by their captivation of a mysterious, ancient alchemical document, Sukie and Peter’s paths converge. The book, aflame with enigmatic images of unclothed men and women manipulating elixirs and heated by ethereal angels, ignites Sukie’s inaccessible witching abilities ingrained in her genes. Meanwhile, Peter toils relentlessly in his laboratory, pursuing the ‘Great Work’: transmuting lead into gold, both physically and symbolically, translating to the soul’s transformation.
The fusion of authors Hilary Mantel, Neil Gaiman, Susanna Clarke, Liam O’Flaherty, Lady Gregory, WB Yeats and the Celtic Revival is echoed in O’Donnell’s immersive story-telling, creating an absorbing page-turner that is as breathtakingly profound, visually pleasing, and philosophical as it is gripping and well-structured. This literary work caters exceptionally to individuals intrigued by the occult, esotericism, and Irish mythology, from which O’Donnell skilfully draws inspiration. Still, any historical mystery fiction enthusiasts will be enthralled by the enchantment of this novel.
What’s intriguing about “Sparks of Bright Matter” is how O’Donnell gracefully melds two distinct spiritual traditions: European alchemy, regarded as a science in the 18th century, and ancient Irish animistic paganism. She weaves these into a fabric leading to a sublime divine source that exudes immanence and transcendence.
Author Jonny Sweet humorously compares the book to what would result if the Coen Brothers were to direct PG Wodehouse, referring to its droll, thriller essence.
“Sparks of Bright Matter, an alchemic masterpiece, provides dual reading options: firstly, as captivating written amusement and secondly, as an enlightening document capable of cracking the human mind wide open, extending it into realms far beyond human comprehension. The author, O’Donnell, possesses an extraordinarily expansive imagination. It certainly piques one’s curiosity, pondering where this expansive creativity will steer her.”