Fool's Bells

Fiona Hart is a Ph.D. candidate in sociology and women’s studies at
the University of Toronto.

Fool’s Bells is the final volume in a trilogy that also includes Sing
Me No More (1992) and RagTimeBone (1993). It is the powerful story of
four women—Naomi, Baby, Sra, and Imp—who are victims of incest and
sexual violence. Imp, who is Sra’s “only friend,” escapes her
tormentor through suicide early in the story. Naomi is an oppressed wife
whose father’s sexual violations continue on into her adulthood. The
author’s use of myth and magic realism is apparently part of an
attempt to mirror the inner experiences of the four protagonists.
Unfortunately, the technique is confusing and detracts from the stark
reality of the narratives being woven. The novel is at its best when the
focus is on the concrete as opposed to the mythic. Ultimately, it is
D’anna’s unflinching portrayal of the brutality of incest that makes
Fool’s Bells so memorable.