This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 When I opened this small grey book a few days ago I had no idea what to expect. I had been hearing some buzz about this title and how great the writing was but didn't really know what it was about. And the gold horses combined with the blurb from Erin Morgenstern made me think I was in for some sort of magical circus story. In case you were under the same impression let me set the record straight - that is not at all what this book is about. In actuality The Enchanted is a dark yet gorgeous novel about life, hope, and the death penalty. 
 The story opens on Death Row. Our narrator has been in the "dudgeon" for some time now. He doesn't speak, he simply observes. But the world he observes is much different then the one you or I might see should we visit that same place. Everything he sees and hears is affected by his belief that the prison is an enchanted place, and that gives his words a magical quality. He is particularly focused on the comings and goings of "the warden," "the priest" and perhaps most importantly, "the lady" - a death penalty investigator who is on the case of the inmate in the cell next to him. All the characters are interesting but "the lady" was the one that stood out for me above all the others. She had a foot in both worlds - in the darkness of the prison and in the light of hope and humanity. 
 Before reading this novel I had no idea that "death penalty investigator" was even a job and I was fascinated by the lady's process and the information she discovered. She looks into the childhood of one of the inmates and some of the things she discovers are incredibly disturbing. It's not that her efforts are trying to excuse the crime but simply better understand it. I think through her eyes the reader is given a very balanced look at both perpetrator and the consequences of his actions. 
 In addition, The Enchanted provides a bit of an inside look into the correctional system. It's a very honest and at times difficult account of what that life is like. This takes place in the United States, so of course there are a number of differences from our own system. But there are a lot of similarities as well. I have a number of family members who work in corrections and from listening to them I can attest that there are definitely some issues in this book that pop up in the Canadian system as well. Things like food, corruption, contraband, rape etc. Denfeld doesn't sugar coat anything, but rather lays out the truth for you to draw your own opinions and tap into your own humanity. 
 What really amazes me about this book is how Denfeld uses such beautiful prose to describe such horrific things. Her writing is lyrical and poetic and I dog eared so many pages of my copy because I knew there were passages I would want to come back to over and over again. The way this book touches on hope, on love, on compassion - even in the midst of all the darkness and despair - is a beautiful thing. There is magic inside this book, just not in the way I expected. The magic is in the prose, in the characters and in the story. Trust me when I say this book will defy your expectations and blow you away.