Rough Magic

Follow the interwoven stories of two girls and one woman, their lives all tied to the enigmatic figure of Caliban, the character first introduced by Shakespeare in The Tempest, his famous play of love, loyalty and magic. Rough Magic forms both prequel and sequel, telling the stories of the sorceress Sycorax, Caliban's mother; Miranda's daughter Chiara, who becomes like a daughter to Caliban; and Calypso, a magical young woman with ties to them all. All three women must fight against a world that sees magic as evil and uses women as political pawns. Finally, it is the island and its power that draws them all back, demanding amends from the humans who have exploited its natural wonders. A magical story that combines an old-fashioned tale of shipwrecks, adventure and sacrifice, with an inspiring message of the earth's power and our environmental responsibility.

Caryl Cude Mullin grew up on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, and as a result developed an abiding fascination with islands and odd characters. She now lives in Montreal, Quebec, where she works as a teacher and writer.