The Good Luck Girls

 

Shirley J.                  Adult Fiction                                  Magic, Ghosts, Enchanted Tattoos    

The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis   352 pages

Set in a country named Arketta, there are mystical elements to the story, historical leanings of the old west type landscapes and people as well as a comparison to the quadroon balls of old New Orleans, yet, set in a fictional location.    Young women are sold to welcome houses (bordellos) where rich white men come and pay high prices for a night with the women who begin their life as prostitutes at the age of 16.  Higher prices are charged to deflower virgins.   The women in the welcome houses are tattooed with flowers and each is called by the particular flower tattooed on their faces (Violet, Clementine, etc.) the flowers are magical in that as the child grows into a woman the flower tattoo grows from a bud into a full blooming version when they come of age for work.   There are ghosts and creatures akin to the dementors of Harry Potter stories.   The women are known as Good Luck Girls by their tattoos so escape is difficult but when a murder occurs several of the women band together and bolt for freedom.  There is a tale of a woman known as Lady Ghost who can remove the tattoos for a dear price.   Their one hope is to find her but with cruel men and inhuman creatures after them they may be caught before they find her.    A good story, it felt like it wasn't sure if it wanted to be Westworld or something new but a good story nonetheless.   I recommend this one for older teens on up.