I was entranced within the first few paragraphs, and galloped through this book. Following the grand tradition of gothic writers, Mr Katriel creates a twilight world from which you won't easily escape. The Portrait of Alatiel Salazar is a masterful tour de force of Gothic mystery and macabre: Throughout, dark sinister prose and even stranger unexplainable happenings hypnotise and immerse the reader into this fascinating and wildly imaginative tale of horror.

At times, there is a deliberate confusion. Is the narrator mad? Does the evil only exist in men's hearts? Exactly what is the true nature of Cristian Salazar? Events unfold and secrets are revealed at a satisfyingly brisk pace - or maybe it was me, anxiously turning pages, desperate to discover what on earth (or in hell) would happen next.

This is easily the most original novel I've read this year. The theme manages to be reminiscent of the great gothic writers: Bronte, Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Wollstonecroft-Shelley, et al while exploring a fresh approach on possession, from three points of view: Those watching, those being possessed, and finally the demon who slowly but surely takes possession of tortured souls. I look forward to seeing what Mr Katriel's imagination comes up with next.