The Moon's Wife: A Hystery

This literary modern fantasy by the author of Wyvern wraps the trappings of Wicca, or witchcraft, around the classical myth of the god who takes a human wife. The orderly life of small-town bookkeeper Sigrid Lindo is turned upside down when the moon proposes marriage to her. ``Siggy'' becomes plagued by inexplicable orgasms at inopportune times and places, has visions and hears voices. Fearing she is going insane, she enters a psychiatric clinic. Her afflictions, however, are really the courtship gifts of the Moon, who inhabits the body of a fellow ``lunatic'' in order to woo her in the more acceptable way. With the help of this ``moon-in-the-man'' and two elderly Pagan witches, Siggy embarks upon a grand adventure to discover her true potential. Though unmistakably adult, this story has the youthful exuberance of such children's fantasies as the works of E. Nesbit, peopled with engaging, picturesque characters. The ancient, sexist motif of divine rape is transformed here with a fresh contemporary twist, as the old Moon-god has to learn the modern way to win a bride. Wicca has been extensively mined for fantasy material, but Attanasio uses its symbolism and rituals imaginatively, creating an echanting and emotional tale. (May)