13 August 2010

The Bloody Chamber

I have an interest in short stories but i never feel i read enough of them. I'll pick up a volume of stories by mulitple authors but rarely read a whole book of short stories by the same person. I usually enjoy those books when i do read them.

The Bloody Chamber, by Angela Carter, is a book of folk tales retold. Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Puss in Boots, Bluebeard, and Red Riding Hood get some dark twists. Carter writes such drippy, gothic prose you can almost taste it. It is gorgeous stuff. I would have to say my two favorites were the longer ones, "Puss 'n Boots" and "The Bloody Chamber" which is the modern Bluebeard.

I just wish i'd known a couple of the tales Carter's stories were based on. I've got no idea what was going on in "The Erl-King". I must not know the basis behind a few others because i think there were 2 "Beauty and the Beast" stories and 3 "Red Riding Hood"s. But i may be wrong. Overall a 6. And now i have to read more by Angela Carter!
at 5:14 PM
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5 comments:

  1. Ditto! This is the only Carter I've read too but I want to read much more of her stuff! I loved the story The Bloody Chamber too. Probably my favorite in this collection.
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  2. Yep, they were a little repetitive with multiple versions of the same stories, but then again, I think I remember liking all the versions (just thought it was lazy not to diversify a bit). Love her prose as well. Glad you liked it overall!
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  3. Andi- i liked the two Beauty stories but didn't really get the last Wolf story. ah well.
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  4. This is the only Carter I've read, but I loved it. I've actually read several of the stories more than once. The Lady of the House of Love is my favorite story in the collection, but there are many other really good ones. Someday I have to get around to reading more of her work.
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  5. I've only read Carter's non-fiction (a collection of her magazine work and other non-fic stuff), but I love her voice. I look forward to reading some of her fiction soon.
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