DeAnn Lubell
Reviewed by Anne B. for Readers Favorite
DeAnn Lubell, author of "The Last Moon", transports readers back to May 8, 1902, when Mt. Pelee on the island of Martinique erupted in one of the most deadly and destructive events recorded in history. The pleasure of reading this book comes in the minute details. Lubell shares the philosophy, the Creole language, the routines, the topography, and the ecological phenomena with regard to the eruption. While Lubell accurately portrays the events, it is the people that make this book special. The tale begins with Captain David desperate to arrive in Martinique. The ocean around his ship was littered with human and animal bodies. He prayed Mt. Pelee had not erupted. Lubell skillfully weaves the threads of Yvette, Andre, David, Aza, Father Roche and the evil, greedy politicians together into a tapestry upon which the events are played out. The women are portrayed as resilient yet elegant. Voodoo and brothels are part of the accepted culture. Politicians can think only of what it will take to win a racially charged election.
It is obvious DeAnn Lubell spent much time researching the event she writes about. She brings the eruption to terrifying life. Her descriptions of the island before the eruption are magnificent. I have never been to Martinique but after reading the vivid descriptions I plan to vacation there. The descriptions of the aftermath are horrifying. "The Last Moon" is a historical novel but it also has intrigue, action and romance. I found the book riveting, mesmerizing and a must read tale.
DeAnn Lubell is a writer, publicist, and a teacher of the arts for more than thirty years. She produced seven well-known ballets and wrote one original. She has written many articles for the Palm Springs Life magazine, the Desert Sun, and the Desert Magazine. Published works include a novelette, historic and educational books for Little Folk Visuals, as well as a medical educational guide on the functions of the human body. The author is on the Governing Auxiliary Board of the Eisenhower Medical Center and public relations and development consultant for Angel View Crippled Children's Foundation, The Friends of the Rancho Mirage Library, Daughters of the American Revolution, Desert Samaritans for the Elderly, Palm Springs Women in Film and Television, Helping People Hear Again, as well as many other nonprofits and private enterprises. DeAnn has been a member of the National League of American Pen Women since 1981, and has served as President for the Boca Raton and Palm Springs branches.
ABOUT THE LAST MOON:
A page turning read awaits everyone as prize-winning author DeAnn Lubell presents a historical novel The Last Moon. Set in the island paradise of Martinique, near to its coastal town of St. Pierre (often referred to as the Little Paris of the West), this book will let readers rejoice for its intoxicating colonial charm, mystical culture, and truly alluring forbidden offerings. But as the dangerous and ugly side of St. Pierre unfolds, a deplorable sight will catch them by surprise.
The Last Moon provides an insight of those who bore witness to the picturesque and splendor of St. Pierre at the turn of the century and its formidable inactive volcano, Mt. Pelée, blessed with rich dense jungles and mineral-healing waters. But behind Mt. Pelée's innocence is an unpredictable nature--mighty enough to annihilate all life forms--reminding those living and working within its umbra of its supremacy. And true to its nature, this tale conveys the exterior refinement and loveliness that cloaks the interior dark, invisible nature akin to the world of crime and injustice that destroys a vulnerable city.
As Mt. Pelée erupted in a cloud of gas and fire in one of the most awesome and destructive pyrotechnic displays ever offered by nature on May 8, 1902, thirty thousand citizens lay dead or dying, and engulfed the town in flames. Mother Nature was not entirely to blame for this disaster. Who were the real culprits responsible for the occurrence of this devastating catastrophe?
Through The Last Moon, readers will discover various realizations and will find an amazing story that portrays the world of corrupt white French officials and men of business who placed politics, greed, and racial intolerance above the welfare of the island people.
DeAnn Lubell first learned of this fascinating story at 18-years-old while attending college as a journalism student. She immediately vowed to visit the island and do proper research before writing a historical novel based on the incident. It took twenty-plus years for opportunity to present itself. By freakish happenstance, Yves Clerc, the grandson of one of the actual historical characters from that time in 1902, Fernand Clerc, came to view the home of DeAnn and Joe Lubell for sale in Boca Raton, Florida. Upon learning of DeAnn's ambition and passion regarding this enormous tragedy, Mr. Clerc immediately arranged for a two week visit to Martinique with an introduction to local officials and historians.
All fictional characters are composites of the people who lived in Martinique prior to the eruption; others mentioned are actual individuals of the time. The Creole language, native costumes, diversified lifestyles, ethnic foods, voodoo, witchcraft, floods, earthquakes, tidal waves, lava and mudflows, volcanic eruptions, foreign ships, deadly reptiles and insects, rich topography and sequence of events portrayed in the novel are all genuine and based on fact.
For the first time in more than a century, a highly charged, fast-paced, romantic historical adventure novel has risen out of the ashes to reveal the horrific magnitude of this true story.
"A riveting read from first page to last," posts the Midwest Book Review from MBR Editor-in-Chief, James A. Cox on July 9, 2010. "The Last Moon is a novel set against the 1902 eruption of Mount Peleé on the West Indies island of Martinique that resulted in the death of some thirty thousand people and the seaport town of St. Pierre consumed by fire - an impressive historical novel, author DeAnn Lubell has paid careful attention to detail and accuracy with respect to historical facts including the Creole language spoken there, the culture, lifestyles, geography, and the geological phenomena that occur with respect to the eruption of a volcano. Against this superbly presented background is an engaging story of lust, greed, corruption, and murder, as well as friendship, love, sacrifice, faith, hope -- and survival. Deftly written from beginning to end, and available in both a hard cover and a soft cover edition, "The Last Moon" is very highly recommended for community library historical fiction collections."
