Saturday, October 29, 2016

A Feast of Sorrows by Angela Slatter Book Thoughts



The Blurb

"A Feast of Sorrows—Angela Slatter’s first U.S. collection—features twelve of the World Fantasy and British Fantasy Award-winning Australian author’s finest, darkest fairy tales, and adds two new novellas to her marvelous cauldron of fiction.

Stories peopled by women and girls—fearless, frightened, brave, bold, frail, and fantastical—who take the paths less traveled by, accept (and offer) poisoned apples, and embrace transformation in all its forms. Reminiscent of Angela Carter at her best, Slatter’s work is both timeless and fresh: fascinating new reflections from the enchanted mirrors of fairy tales and folklore."

My Thoughts

A very entertaining read! Dark and disturbing fairy-tales with their plots/characters interwoven. Trigger warnings for infanticide/miscarriages/children being stillborn. Rape, both attempted and successful. Incest, both attempted and successful. Bestiality of a kind, necrophilia of a kind. Violence and pedophilia. Most of the above happens off-screen as it were, but it is talked about, mentioned and hinted at.

An awesome set of stories of vengeance and good vs. evil in fairy-tale settings. Good may indeed win at the end but evil gets in a lot of good hits first.

The continuity was great! The stories take place in the same world but at different times and locations.

I loved the complexity of the characters and heroines. They may (or may not) be good and clever like in most traditional fairy tales but they are also scared, angry, at times evil, determined, loving etc. They're very complex, sometimes unlikeable, with varied motives and worldviews.

The collection includes: (With what I rated each beside them)
1. Sourdough 5 stars
2. Dresses, Three 3.75 stars
3. Bluebeard's Daughter 4.5 stars
4. The Jacaranda Wife 5 stars
5. Light as Mist, Heavy as Hope 5 stars
6. The Coffin-Maker's Daughter 3.5 stars
7. By the Weeping Gate 2.75 stars
8. St. Dymphna's School for Poison Girls 4 stars
9. By My Voice I Shall Be Known 3 stars
10. Sister, Sister 5 stars
11. The Badger Bride 3.75 stars
12. The Tallow-Wife 4.5 stars
13. What Shines Brightest Burns Most Fiercely 4 stars
14. Bearskin 3.75 stars

Averaged together is 4.11 stars, which is incredibly high for an anthology for me!

Oh and I got this as an Ebook from Netgalley.

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