Amalia Gkavea
‘'Though my soul may set in darkness, itWill rise in perfect light;I have loved the stars too fondly to beFearful of the night.'' Sarah Williams
In a land that closely resembles the islands of Scandinavia and Iceland, the winter lights are harbingers of prosperity or doom. The red lights are omens of the plague, of decay and death, a threat unknown and unpredictable, a murderer that claims innocent lives, that separates mothers from their children. Ósa came into this world seventeen years ago when the plague last struck. Now, as the curse is ready to work its dark ways in her land, Ósa is determined to change the course of an unfair future. But there is one more threat hiding in the forests, an even greater threat than the red lights...
‘'Skane was built on superstition. Always enter your home right foot first. When you sneeze, someone who bears you ill will has just spoken your name. Don't whistle while looking towards the sun or you might bring rain.But mostly, the superstitions were about the lights. Bright, colourful lights that danced for us in the clear night sky. Green was common. It meant the Goddess was happy, and everything was as it should be.Blue meant snow, and lots of it. Best round up your sheep and haul in some firewood before those first few flurries started to fly.And then there was red. Red was different, rarer.Red was a warning.''
Lisa Lueddecke creates an exciting adventure, based on our beloved Norse legends, focusing on the convictions associated with the Aurora Borealis and the mysterious creatures that find refuge in the caves of the frozen forests in the heart of Scandinavian Mythology. The first instalment in Ósa's story showcases a world of old when myths are alive and heroines and heroes have to defy every hurdle and fight against lethal odds. There are mythical creatures, fascinating deities, enticing cultural elements but above all, there is the powerful depiction of the strength of the human spirit, the determination and bravery of a young woman, her intelligence, kindness and honesty, her fight to protect her loved ones.
This is a YA adventure that doesn't insult the readers' intelligence by wasting time in ridiculous relationships and even more hideous dialogue. This is a novel where we meet interesting characters in an exciting plot and a beautiful setting that will take you right into the heart of the Norse myths. I am really really looking forward to reading the second volume of Skane's chronicle.
*If a certain plotline reminds of another plotline in a series of books that was turned into a successful TV series, it is because that particular writer who refuses to conclude his bloody work has borrowed elements from every myth of every culture of our world. And frankly, Tolkien did it first in a much better way than the writer who shall not be named here.''
Rant ended. Sorry, not sorry.
‘'I cannot change history, but the future is still mine to live.''
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
“The most wonderful fairytale is life itself. “Hans Christian Andersen
A little girl travels with her mother to Copenhagen. It is going to be a long and tedious journey and the little one isn't enthusiastic about it. But there is also a very special passenger in the carriage that takes them to the capital. An elderly gentleman that seems to know many tales and all the mysteries of life.
He will share his finest story with the little girl. He will narrate the tale of a young boy whose father loved fairytales until the day he died, broken by the war. He will share his dreams and frustrations, his love for theatre and music. And writing. He will tell her all about Thumbelina, The Wild Swans, The Princess and the Pea, The Ugly Duckling, The Tinker Box, The Ice Queen.
His name was Hans Christian Andersen.
A beautiful book, movingly written by Heins Janisch, gloriously illustrated by Maja Kastelic. Watch out for references to the most beloved heroines and heroes of our childhood, all well-hidden in the gorgeous illustrations.
This is easily one of the most beautiful books for our little readers.
Many thanks to NorthSouth Books and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'She loved to be out in the stoep at night, her only companions the wind that sang in the long grass and the nights calls of distant animals. And the crickets, with their non-stop night-time prrp - prrp - prrp - prrp. If stars made a noise - and she couldn't see why they wouldn't - she imagined they'd sound like crickets, thousands upon thousands of crickets.‘Listen to the stars', she'd say sometimes to visitors sitting on her step, looking out into the Mashonaland night.''
Your land is not yours. It hasn't been yours for years and years. Your land belongs to the white population. You cannot lease it, you have no rights at all. And why? Because you are occupied. Because greed and tyranny are the most powerful fellowship in the service of Evil. There are times when war cannot be avoided and women are always the greatest victims in every conflict. And the greatest fighters.
‘'Now is a good time to sing this song, my sister. When the suffering seems greatest.''
In this powerful novel by Kay Powell, we witness the Zimbabwe War of Liberation that lasted from 1964 to 1979 through the eyes of three women. Nyanye, a young woman who has fled to a Mozambique camp, Beth, a nun in an African reserve and Susan, a fiend who hates everyone and everything. Motherhood, sisterhood, the faith in God and in yourself, and the fight to take back what is yours form a memorable narrative, rich in beautiful descriptions of the natural environment, depicted in lyrical and raw writing that flows without being shocking just for the sake of exposition. The novel offers a powerful insight into the personalities of Nyanye and Beth and the immense, unthinkable hardships they face to survive and contribute to their course without losing themselves and the values they hold dear in the process.
But Susan? Jesus! I don't even want to write her name. I could hardly read her thoughts: ‘'Freedom from what?'' Yes, bitch, you wouldn't exactly have a party if someone occupied your precious Britain, right? ‘'There hadn't been ANY African history until the European arrived!'' ‘'So-called African civilizations''. A black Christ on the cross is something unfathomable to her as is the fact that an African family can raise a child properly. What an entitled, racist demon! I dare to suppose that her character is there to present the tyrannical views of a portion of the white population but I felt seek just by reading her name on a page. Her character diminished my overall reading experience and I would be a liar if I denied the fact that I would have preferred a different point of view.
So, let the demon rot sixteen feet under. The closure has an ethereal, almost whimsical beauty and soothes the wounds caused by violence and creatures like the Susans of our world. It gives the promise of peace, justice, equality and unity. The four greatest values, so desirable, so fragile, and most of the times, almost unattainable.
‘'-My name means ‘the second twin.'‘'Oh, you're a twin? And your twin's name? Is it a name that means the first twin?The woman laughed and looked at the Sister. Nyanye was about to say ‘Theresa'. But because of the woman's laughter, she said.-No, it does not mean that.-What does it mean, then?-'We have conquered.'
Many thanks to Kay Powell and Weaver Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'It was nearly dark. The house felt suddenly very quiet and empty. It was a lonely house, two miles from a village, two miles, as Molly put it, from anywhere. She had often been alone in the house before - but she had never before been so conscious of being alone in it.''
Welcome to the wintry world of crime and mystery.
‘'The snow beat in a soft flurry against the window - panes. It made a whispery, uneasy sound.''
Three Blind Mice: Utterly brilliant! The well-known Christie technique of using haunting childish rhymes that hide the essence of the mystery delivers an exciting story. A young couple decides to turn their estate into a guest house. The assembly of newcomers is very particular, not to the mention that they are in grave danger of being murdered. Two blind mice have already gone down. Who shall be the third?
‘'It was a wild night. Outside, the wind howled malevolently, and the rain beat against the windows in great gusts.''
The Chocolate Box: Hercule Poirot and Captain Hastings discuss one of the unsuccessful cases of our beloved Belgian detective over a chocolate box.
‘'There was what I can only describe as a curiously eerie feeling in the air. There seemed to be something weighing on us all. A feeling of misfortune.''
A Christmas Tragedy: Miss Marple narrates the chronicle of a murder foretold by the evil disposition of the killer. A Christmas tragedy indeed...
‘'A good night for ghosts to walk'', said Portal with a reckless laugh. ‘All the devils in Hell are abroad tonight.'
The Coming of Mr Quin: On New Year's Eve, a group of upper-class people find themselves involved in a crime of sadness and strange visitors. This one was rather perplexing, requiring my utmost attention. Brilliant!
The Clergyman's Daughter: Tommy and Tuppence, our quirky duo, are called to investigate a poltergeist case that threatens the happiness of a charming girl. This was a wonderfully spirited story but quite predictable.
‘'They are so busy knocking that they do not notice that the door is open.''
The Plymouth Express: The little grey cells of Poirot are called in to solve the murder of a woman found in a first-class compartment of the Plymouth Express.
Problem at Pollensa Bay: Majorca in the winter. What could be more enticing? Add a questionable social circle, a mother who behaves like a dictator, an oppressed young man and the suspicious behaviour of a potential gold digger. In my opinion, this story was rather boring and had nothing to offer to the collection.
Sanctuary: A man mortally wounded is discovered in a church by Miss Marple's brightest goddaughter. Is it a suicide or a well-planned murder? The two women form the perfect dup and London hides all the answers.
The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge: Captain Hastings replaces Poirot when a crime is committed in an isolated manor in the moors of Devonshire. But not even influenza can stand in the way of our Belgian genius.
The World's End: An isolated village in Corsica hides the secret of a strange theft and a man who was wrongly accused. A very atmospheric story.
The Manhood of Edward Robinson: Yes, this story is as weird and melodramatic as its title. A brilliant example of social satire.
Christmas Adventure: A bunch of teenagers believe they are a match for Hercule Poirot.
Yeah, right.
Twelve stories to be read in the heart of winter, in the company of a hot cup of cocoa.
‘'After all, said Poirot reflectively, ‘it was an experience! I, who have undoubtedly the finest brain in Europe at present, can afford to be magnanimous!''
Many thanks to William Morrow and Edelweiss for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
“I have often found that the best way to persuade anyone to do something they suspect is to explain that they really need not do it.”
Sir Osmond Melbury, of Flaxmere. The patriarch. The know-it-all. The ‘'general'' of the family. The one who has practically blackmailed each one of his daughters in order not to leave the home nest and abandon their father to eternal loneliness...The one who measures people according to the width of their wallet. Not exactly easy to live with. So, no one really sheds a river of tears once he is found dead on Christmas Day, discovered by a guest who had been dressed as a Santa Claus (imagine that!). Who might the culprit be? A member of the family, one of the repressed daughters, who is now free to live her life? A guest who has much to gain from Sir Osmond's death? The candidates are many and Colonel Halstock has much to look out for.
The Santa Klaus Murder is a classic example of the locked-room mystery. The authoritarian patriarch, the psychologically troubled children, the long list of suspects, the obvious motives. However, in Hay's novel nothing is THAT obvious. Motive or suspect. Each time I thought I had managed to discern the case, I discovered that I had merely followed a red herring and started all over again. And while the dialogue seemed a tiny bit stilted (not unnatural, given the era), I loved the descriptions of the imposing country house and the festive atmosphere that gets darker and darker. After all, Aunt Mildred was right. Nothing good can come from family gatherings...
Yes, broken record alert but bear with me. One can't get enough of the gems found in the British Library Crime Classics Series.
“I nearly went off the deep end at that. The house seemed to be full of lunatics who never gave away anything they knew until it was just too late. But I did manage to tell the fool to explain himself.”
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'The horrors on the train, great though as it may turn to be, will not compete with the horror that exists here, in this house.''
It is Christmas Eve and several passengers have found themselves cooped up in a train, heading to their destinations, loaded with presents and dubious intentions. As the train proves to be no match for the greedy snowfall, the strange, newly-formed fellowship decides to venture out and find shelter away from the locomotive. A cosy, yet imposing, country house welcomes them out of the blue. ‘'It'' being literal because there is absolutely no one else to receive them. The fires are lit, tea is ready, the cupboards full of provisions. But not a single soul in sight. Only a portrait oozing authority. And a knife left in the kitchen...
No one does the country-house mystery better than the British. Many try, all fail. This novel is a perfect example of festive mystery, intrigue and spookiness. J.Jefferson Farjeon created a strong plot, rich in all the little, tiny elements that form a highly satisfying mystery, seasoned with elegant and atmospheric references to premonitions and ghosts, faithful to the British tradition of the bond between the Festive and the Spooky. In my opinion, the story excels in atmosphere and characterization. As doors open and close, as the snow keeps on falling and the wind doesn't stop howling, as death is looming, the passengers have to face the unexplained and unsolved, and the fragile dynamics that develop when the company is new and the nerves are being tested by the minute.
An elderly scientist with a great passion for the paranormal, a young woman and her brother that form an exceptionally clever duo, a chorus girl sensitive to the calling of the house, a highly troubled secretary, a cockney scoundrel, a rude businessman. A good (and this one is so much more than ‘'good) doesn't need a thousand twists to shine. An interesting cast, a strong plot and the proper background work wonders.
Mystery In White is an exceptional example of the quintessential British Country House festive mystery and one more gift by the British Library to the readers who adore the Golden Age of crime stories.
‘'No, if a tiger eats you, it isn't really his fault,'' answered Lydia. ‘'God gave him his appetite.''
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'Christmas days have come and gone, the New Year lies ahead. Strange things happen Between the Years in the days outside of time. Minutes go wild, hours vanish. Idleness becomes a clever thief, stealing the names of the days of the week, muting the steady tick of watches and clocks. These are the hours when angels, ghosts, demons and meddlers ride howling wind and flickering candlelight, keen to stir unguarded hearts and restless minds.''
Eleanor, Adelaide and Beatrice. The three most famous witches in New York in an era when the gaslight didn't manage to shed light in the darkest of corners. As the new year is about to make its entrance, the three witches accept invitations to a great ball. Danger is hidden among the revellers in a night when the veil between the two worlds has become thinner...
‘'The storm subsides. The day begins. For a brief while in the early morning, the city is a perfect winter scene - church steeples and storefronts flocked and frosted, sidewalks and streets made clean and new - a snow globe at rest in Nature's hands.''
Although Ami McKay's The Witches of New York has been on my list for quite some time, Fate decided that this beautiful novella would be my introduction to the world of the three witches. And what a journey it proved to be, brief yet so exciting! The atmosphere of New York during the era of elaborate masquerades and visions under the gaslight, the winter wonderland of old, the traditions of Christmas Past, and most importantly, the stormy, unbreakable bond between the mortal world and the land beyond our own. In a winter's tale ghosts, demons and angels walk among us, witches cast their spells against dark forces, pagan deities acquire human form to survive.
See your future with the help of chestnuts and fire in an imaginative divination. Eat Engelszopf, the angel's braid dedicated to the goddess Perchta, the heathen goddess of the Alpine legends, the Mistress of Yule. Taste syrup made of elderflower, a holy plant with medicinal and magical qualities. Let Eleanor, Adelaide and Beatrice welcome you to their world. After all, we all needed a bit of magic during this weird Christmas.
It won't be long until I start reading The Witches of New York.
‘'In the corners of the world where ancient forests shelter mystical creatures, and sacred springs hold the voices of nymphs, wise women pause Between the Years to honour the one who rules them all, the Queen of Witches. Some call her the Mistress of Yule, others call her Frau Perchta, or Holle, or Bertha, or Bright One, or the Lady of the Dead. Her name does not matter half as much as her gift, for she alone has the power to lead the Wild Hunt.''
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'Για τους Κρι, τα παραμύθια είναι πλάσματα ζωντανά. Λένε πως ζούνε στα χωριά. Λένε πως αφηγούνται το ένα στο άλλο τις ιστορίες τους. Λένε πως ταξιδεύουν να βρουν κομμάτια που τους λείπουν. Άραγε όλα αυτά να'ναι αλήθεια; Ή μήπως είναι μονάχα κάποια ξεχασμένα παραμύθια;''
Ποιά είναι τα παραμύθια που μένουν χαραγμένα στη μνήμη μας; Ποιά είναι τα παραμύθια που έδωσαν - και δίνουν ακόμη - τροφή για νέες εκδοχές προσαρμοσμένες στους καιρούς μας; Μα φυσικά τα πιο σκοτεινά. Εκείνα τα παραμύθια που ξεκινούν με πλάνες κι οδύνη, απελπισία κι αδικία, και τελειώνουν με την ελπίδα. Ή όχι. Δεν έχει σημασία. Δεν χρειάζεται πάντα ένα ευτυχισμένο τέλος...
Σε αυτόν τον όμορφο τόμο, η Λίλη Λαμπρέλλη κοινωνεί δέκα παραμύθια με ρίζες στο σκοτάδι και κλαδιά στο φως. Παρακινούμενη από την αμφισημία της φιγούρας του Κορακιού στην παγκόσμια παράδοση, μας παρουσιάζει ιστορίες από την Ευρώπη, την Αφρική, την Ασία, την Αμερική. Από τον Παγωμένο Βορρά και τα έπη του μέχρι τις Χίλιες και μια Νύχτες. Ιστορίες με γενναία κορίτσια κι αγόρια που αψηφούν τις δυσκολίες στο δρόμο για το πεπρωμένο, την ενηλικίωση και την ανεξαρτησία, ηλικιωμένες γυναίκες που δείχνουν την οδό της Σοφίας, της Σύνεσης και του Σθένους, πανέξυπνες (και λιγάκι άπιστες...) γυναίκες με μεγάλη καρδιά, ποταμούς που ενώνονται με τους ανθρώπους, θηρία που συνεργάζονται με τους ήρωες.
Στη ζωή υπάρχει και το σκοτάδι και το φως. Πώς θα μπορούσε να ισχύει κάτι διαφορετικό στα παραμύθια;
‘'Στη γη των πάγων εκείνη τη χρονιά είχε μεγάλη βαρυχειμωνιά..'' Στη γη του άγχους, του κακού προαισθήματος, των καταστροφικών σεναρίων, εκείνη την κρίσιμη στιγμή που η εύ-λογη ανησυχία υποχωρεί και το ά-λογο καλπάζει, πάντα το κρυο καίει το δέρμα, παραλύει τη βούληση, κόβει την ανάσα. Εκεί που σκοτεινιάζει τόσο γρήγορα, μέσα απ'τη σβησμένη καμινάδα της συγκρότησης μας φανερώνονται κοράκια που τριγυρίζουν γύρω μας και μιλούν για θάνατο.''
Αυτό το βιβλίο κατέχει ξεχωριστή θέση στην καρδιά μου και στη βιβλιοθήκη μου. Η δική μου νόνα είχε ενα αστείρευτο ενδιαφέρον για το μεταφυσικό και τις παραδόσεις του τόπου μας. Φυσικά, δεν άργησε να μου το μεταφέρει από αρκετά μικρή ηλικία. Στα ενδέκατα μου Χριστούγεννα μου δώρισε αυτό το υπέροχο μυθιστόρημα στο οποίο συγκεντρώνονται οι πιο δυνατές παραδόσεις της Ελλάδας μας.
Από τη Λάμια μέχρι τη φοβερή Μόρα, από τον καταχανά, τον φύλακα του θυσαυρού, τη γριά της συκιάς με τα κόκκινα δόντια, μέχρι τα τελώνια και με κεντρικό αφήγημα τα κόλπα των καλικάντζαρων, ο μικρός Χρήστος προσπαθεί να εξορκίσει το Κακό που βρίσκεται αγκιστρωμένο πάνω του από την ημέρα της γέννησης του.
Μια υπέροχη και σκοτεινή Χριστουγεννιάτικη ιστορία...
‘'If I had my way,' said Scrooge, ‘every idiot who goes about with ‘'Merry Christmas'' on his lips, would be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.''
No Christmas holidays is ever complete without a new copy of A Christmas Carol. This is a beautiful abridged edition of Charles Dickens' festive masterpiece for our little ones. Illustrated with black-and-white drawings, A Christmas Carol is once again there to remind us of door knockers coming alive, the horrible sound of chains forged by the sins of the wealthy, the sad school of the troubled youth, the jokes on the expense of our protagonist, the frightening moment of dying alone, unloved and robbed, and the warmth that touches our hearts each time we visit the Cratchits' happy home.
‘'God bless us, every one!''
Many thanks to Sweet Cherry Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The tender story of a kind-hearted girl who goes in town searching for a foal and a cat, amidst the preparations for Christmas. What drives Ruby forward is her deep wish for giving, sharing and understanding. No one should be left without a gift on Christmas, no one should be left alone...
Beautifully illustrated by Nate Jensen, the tale transports us to Colorado in 1896 and a time when Christmas was a day for true companionship.
Many thanks to Filter Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Murder at Christmas: Ten Classic Crime Stories for the Festive Season
‘'Murder under the mistletoe - and the man who must have done it couldn't have done it. That's my Christmas and I don't feel merry, thank you very much all the same.''
The Snapdragon and the C.I.D. by Margery Allingham: A Christmas murder, a crook, and the lost jewels of a formidable Lady. A very telling story of the suspicious links between the shady side of London and the aristocracy.
Let Nothing You Dismay by Ellis Peters:A young woman and a duo of burglars meet in the same house. Do not be fooled, though. The girl is there for the same reason as the crooks and she intends to stand her ground. So, a truce between professionals while the choir is spreading Christmas cheer? Maybe, maybe not...
The Lion's Tooth by Edmund Crispin: An amateur detective investigates the abduction of a girl from a nunnery. This one was a tiny bit confusing but interesting nonetheless.
Rumpole and the Spirit of Christmas by John Mortimer: A ridiculous feud between two families ends up in a serious assault. While the trial of a seventeen-year-old boy is underway, the battle between the prosecutor and the advocate reveals strange secrets and peculiar motives.
The Assassins' Club by Nickolas Blake: The Assassins' Club is reserved for the esteemed representatives of the Law and the crème de la crème of detective writers. But what happens when one of them - a vile, cruel writer - is found murdered during the Christmas dinner? This one had so much potential but fell rather short in the end. Disappointing. I expected more from Cecil Day-Lewis. (I assume that you know that ‘'Nickolas Blake'' was a pseudonym...)
The Ascham by Michael Innes: Lord and Lady Appleby are forced to find shelter in a manor when their car breaks down. There, along with other guests, they find themselves in the middle of a rather elaborate fraud. A good old British mystery.
A Scandal in Winter by Gillian Linscott: A brilliant teenage girl tries to solve a mystery in a luxurious hotel in Switzerland. A very interesting story, written with a healthy dose of elegant irony over the ridiculous indulgence and snobbery of the upper class. And I won't reveal the famous duo included. No, no.
‘'Eleven o'clock. The lights are out. The porter has just locked the door. I can hear his footsteps echoing down the corridor. They grow fainter. Now there is silence. I am alone.''
‘'Familiarity breeds contempt.''
Waxworks by Ethel Lina White: Sonia, a promising young journalist, decides to investigate two suspicious deaths that took place in the Waxworks Museum. How? By spending one of the last days of the year there. All alone. In my opinion, this is the finest, most memorable (and heart-pounding) story in the collection.
Twixt the Cup and the Lip by Julian Symons: A very entertaining story seen from the eyes of the perpetrator and a painstakingly planned robbery that goes...Well, you can imagine...
Nebuchadnezzar by Dorothy L.Sayers: The death of a beloved young woman haunts the festive company of actors and artists. An imaginative game of charades provides the chance for the truth to be revealed.
Ten brilliant stories that reflect the true spirit of the British Mystery genre.
‘'Eight o'clock. The Christmas bells are ringing and it is wonderful just to be alive.''
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'It was a wild and lightning-struck night. The kind of night that changes everything. Jagged forks of light ripped across the sky and thunder rolled in tidal waves over the rooftops and spires of London.''
Georgian London. Cordelia is the youngest member of the honourable family of the Hatmakers, one of the Makers ‘'Houses'' that are entrusted with the duty of creating the clothes of the royal family. This is a turbulent time. Cordelia's father, Prospero, is lost at sea and the threat of a war between England and France is always looming. King George is...well, king George, and the duty of the protection of the country has fallen on the shoulders of the kind Princess Georgina. Treachery and revenge have set a dangerous game in motion and our Cordelia is at the heart of this magnificent adventure.
‘'Isn't keeping secrets sort of what got everyone into this big mess in the first place?', Cordelia asked. Goose shifted in his boots. ‘My aunt told that the seventh star in the Makers' crests means we're stronger when we all work together; we're best when we're united.''
This is the first instalment in a series of adventures centred around Cordelia Hatmaker, one of the most brilliant child-protagonists you'll ever meet. Tamzin Merchant has created an absolutely beautiful, magical story of a world where hats can help people or harm them in terrible ways, where the mood and intentions of each are reflected on each creation. Where family, loyalty and peace have to stand firm against greed, despair, treachery and war, the greatest Malice of all. Where one can understand that you are never too young to set things right.
This was an amazing reading journey, perfect for Christmas and beautiful wintry nights. Written in beautiful language, full of elegant, smart, refreshing humour. The scene of Sir Hugo's visit to the Hatmakers' shop was pure perfection and I was delighted to see a sentence in perfect Modern Greek. The atmosphere of London was brilliantly depicted and the marvellous twists and surprises won't disappoint you. Sprinkled with Shakespearean references, beautiful illustrations by Paola Escobar and including a Glossary of the magic Ingredients and a very serious note of caution of their menacing cousins, this book is an unforgettable adventure.
I can't wait for Spring 2022.
‘'Forgotten magic is like a flower in winter. It disappears down into the depths of the person, and anyone looking could be forgiven for thinking it has gone away completely. But it hasn't gone - it just has to be woken up again.''
Many thanks to Penguin Random House Children's UK and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'Imagine a midwinter night, an early sunset, a long drafty evening spent by candlelight. The season of Christmas coincides with the shortest days of the year and, for middle-class Victorians, a chance for families to reconnect in story-telling circles.''
The Tapestried Chamber by Sir Walter Scott: A veteran spends the night in an impressive tapestried chamber but a nightmarish visitor forces him to cope with the most powerful fear he has ever experienced.
The Old Nurse's Story by Elizabeth Gaskell: No Christmas Ghost Stories collection is complete without this classic story by our beloved writer. A dark tale of innocence lost in the Northumberland moors.
‘'I try to be patient, but my cross has been heavy and my heart is empty and weary, and I long for the death that comes so slowly to those who pray to die.''
Horror: A True Tale by John Berwick Harwood: A woman narrates the incident of utter terror that changed her life forever. A haunting story steeped in Scottish legends.
‘'The vast monotonous moor, the threatening sky and the fierce rushing blast had something for me sublime and invigorating.''
Bring Me A Light by Anonymous: Between sunset and moonrise, strange occurrences take place in an isolated manor in the moors. A young heir learns the story of his ill-fated ancestors. A marvellous tale, atmospheric and memorable.
‘'There is said to be a skeleton in some out-of-the way cupboard of every house.''
Old Hooker's Ghost by Anonymous: A strange story of hauntings that plage the offsprings of an old, noble family and an exciting masquerade celebrating Twelfth Night. Snapdragon always creates the proper atmosphere for a mystery.
The Ghost's Summons by Ada Buisson: A young doctor witnesses the death of a wealthy gentleman under mysterious, supernatural circumstances. However, the secrets of the deceased and his family are much more terrifying. A powerful tale of (very) mortal wickedness with a fantastic closure.
Jack Layford's Friend by Anonymous: This was horrible! Bad writing, boring plot, loathsome narrator. In my humble opinion, this story had no place in this collection.
How Peter Parley Laid a Ghost by Anonymous: Why did we need a story in which the narrator calls everyone either a fool or an idiot? Why did we need ten pages over the differences between Gothic and Norman architecture?
The Mysterious Visitor by Ellen Wood: A tale that makes use of the visitation of the dead as a deathly premonition. The utterly stupid wife spoiled the entire story for me...
The Haunted Rock by W.W.Fenn: Following three uber-stupid tales, we are finally treated to the moving story of a rock haunted by the ghost of a young woman who lost her beloved in the sea. A tale rich in unique Cornish atmosphere.
The Lady's Walk by Margaret Oliphant: A West-Highland tale dedicated to the hearth goddess that protects the ancient families of the lochs. Outstanding descriptions of the Highland nature, beautiful tale.
The Captain of the Pole-Star by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: A story of strange visions set in the Arctic Cirle? Dare I say that this one was a bit boring?
The Doll's Ghost by F.Marion Crawford: A moving, dark tale of the bond between a girl and a doll, seen through the eyes of a troubled dollmaker.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'When television becomes tiresome, and party games pall, the prospect of curling up in the warm with a good mystery is enticing - and much better for the digestion than yet another helping of plum pudding.'' Martin Edwards
Martin Edwards has given us one more beautiful literary gift. An atmospheric collection of good old British mysteries set during Christmas. The days when lights and goodwill can't actually scare the monsters away, when festivities and revelry can't always conceal evil intentions. And let's be honest. What can be better than a British crime story?
The Blue Carbuncle by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Our favourite Holmes and Watson duo has yet another mystery to solve and this one involves stolen jewels and a goose.
Parlour Tricks by Ralph Plummer: A mystery where a magician and a retired officer meet to play their one mind-games. Superbly done!
A Happy Solution by Raymond Allen: An elaborate game of chess can lead to the perpetrator. Beware of lost pawns...
The Flying Stars by G.K.Chesterton: A sleuth-priest investigates a mystery where politics, Commedia Dell'Arte and theatrics hold the key.
Stuffing by Edgar Wallace: A mighty entertaining mystery of lost addresses, food stuffing and a very fortunate couple.
The Unknown Murderer by H.C.Bailey: A team of sleuth-guests investigate the attempted murder of a boy and uncover the dark secrets that have been well hidden in an old manor.
The Absconding Treasurer by J.Jefferson Farjeon: Who said that only the wealthy can be murdered over money? This is a rather predictable but well-written story.
The Necklace of Pearls by Dorothy L.Sayers: One of the jewels in the collection. An ingenious theft of valuable pearls acquires a new dimension once the solution is revealed.
The Case is Altered by Margery Allingham: Oh, the ways to win a young lady's heart...
Waxworks by Ethel Lina White: This is the second time I've encountered this story in a Christmas collection and I can honestly say that I loved it even more! A haunting, heart-pounding, nightly adventure of a brilliant young journalist and a series of mysterious deaths.
Cambric Tea by Marjorie Bowen: One of the most exciting stories in the collection. A young doctor is reunited with the woman he still loves. Unfortunately, she chose to become the wife of a terrible man. A story full of twists until the very end.
The Chinese Apple by Marjorie Bowen: Possibly my favourite story in the volume. A wealthy woman returns to the manor of her troubled childhood to meet her niece who has lost both of her parents. But the enigmatic young lady hides so much more than meets the eye and the timing proves to be less than perfect when a vicious murder takes place next door. Dark, foggy London provides the best setting for this gem.
A Problem in White by Cecil Day-Lewis: An interesting twist in the classic British trope of the murder in the train.
The Name on the Window by Edmund Crispin: No collection would be complete without a traditional locked-room mystery and the whispering of the name of the culprit. But what if everything is just a smoke screen?
Beef for Christmas by Leo Bruce: Never underestimate a boisterous Sergeant.
‘'Christmas may be when we dream of peace on Earth and entertain feelings of goodwill, but there are limits. It is a mysterious, as well as magical, time of year. Strange things can happen.'' Martin Edwards
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'It's fruitcake weather.''
‘'Now a nude December fig branch grates against the window. The kitchen is empty, the cakes are gone; yesterday we courted the last of them to the post office, where the cast of stamps turned our purse inside out. We're broke.''
A boy takes our hand to lead us to the USA of the (not so distant) past when equality was non-existent, when everything was either good or evil, when money was everything. Left by a mother who decided her career mattered more, left by a father who seemed more like a weird stranger than an actual father, the body tries to fathom the world around him. And, frankly, the world isn't doing him any favours...
But a gentle friend is there to look after him and guide him down a road that is loaded with all kinds of hurdles. And Christmas. Christmas is there to form a different reality, even if it is only for a few days. This collection is a journey to an outrageous, sad, yet strangely nostalgic era.
‘'Think of the quietest thing. Like snow. I'm sorry you didn't get to see any. But bow show is falling through the stars.''
A Christmas Memory: Buddy introduces us to his quirky family and his very peculiar friend, a woman named Sook. This story contains some of the most beautiful descriptions of the familiar Christmas hullabaloo.
The Thanksgiving Visitor: Buddy has to face his nemesis when Sook invites the class bully to their Thanksgiving dinner. A story with a moving closure.
One Christmas: Buddy travels to New Orleans to spend Christmas with his father and discovers the truth of his mother's words. Brilliant, moving writing.
Master Misery: I encountered this story of thwarted dreams and surreal ambitions in the brilliant collection New York Stories by Everyman's Library. I devoured it for the second time and my fear for Central Park has grown no less...
Children on their Birthday: Buddy introduces to a very special lady with pretty original ideas on God and the Devil.
Jug of Silver: A contest becomes the ground for feuds, secrets and magic births.
‘'By now it was almost nightfall, a firefly hour, blue as milkglass; and birds like arrows swooped together and swept into the folds of trees. Before storms, leaves and flowers appear to burn with a private light, colour, and Miss Bobbit, got up in a little white skirt like a powderpuff and with strips of gold - glittering tinsel ribboning her hair, seemed, set against the darkening all around, to contain this illuminated quality.''
Many thanks to Penguin Classics and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'Draw in close, throw another log on the fire if you will. It's a chill night. I shall just add some of that coal. Now, this may take quite a while so settle in. All right? Then I'll begin.''
‘'There are some things you have to find out for yourself. Or else what's the point of the journey?''
Septimus and the Shaman: An elderly gentleman reminisces of his time in Iceland during the Second World War and his strange meeting with a Sami shaman.
‘'Her first was Sooty. A rather unoriginal name, it was true, but she had never anticipated having a pet. Not least a cat. She had thought them rather cruel beasts, aloof and haughty and cold. Too independent by far and fickle with their affections. Much, she thought, like herself.''
Snowy: A very touching story of an elderly lady and her musings on cats and their peculiar nature. If the ending doesn't break your heart, you are more heartless than I am...
‘'Though locals would avoid the house at all costs, for they said, and still do, that on dark nights like this you could hear the dead ones' cries in these here lanes leading to the house.''
The House on Savage Lane: Accurate title is accurate. This is the wild, nightmarish story of an unfortunate young woman and her twin sons, one of which develops extremely particular instincts. Pure twisted perfection!
Easily Made: Two idiotic social workers commit a terrible mistake in their ridiculous effort to transport cats to a so-called ‘'refuge''. I mean, if this is how they treat pets over there...
In the Bag: A hilarious story about a tormented husband, his bossy mother-in-law and a very opinionated vacuum cleaner.
Jocelyn's Story: An obnoxious, spoiled, vain woman gets what she deserves for her ruthlessness and greed in a story that reminded me of the finest British horror movies produced in the 70s.
Death Becomes Her: A young police officer is cursed with the ability to see Death at the shoulder of his future victims. The ending of this story is phenomenal!!!
‘'At that moment the wind chose to increase its strength and the moon, which had been nearing full and shining, was obscured by turbulent clouds that had appeared from nowhere. The gloom thickened. An eerie silence crept over the land.''
She Saw Three Ships: Every year, on the Feast of All Angels, the villagers are faced with retribution for the crimes committed by their ancestors. An unaware tenant has to cope with the repercussions. A marvellous story that makes use of the horrible crimes of the shipwreckers.
‘'The streetlights, I noticed, were shaped like crucifixes, their lights fixed either side of the cross. They pointed firmly out to sea, forming a linear barrier to any unholy visitors who might consider sailing in. Or perhaps, I considered later, to keep them in.''
‘'The landscape felt besieged and anxious. Tense. Like it was waiting for something to happen.''
Madness In A Coruña: Such perfection this story was! A haunting trip to Coruña provides the backdrop for a tale steeped in Galician lore, legends, myths, frenzy and omens. The best stories are the ones that show little and reveal even less. When your mind receives an invitation to decipher and decide. This tale is the epitome of eeriness.
Christmas Eve at the Witch Museum: A very entertaining story set on Christmas Eve as the Witch Museum is all decked out and ready for the great night. Pagan rituals, commercial habits, lore and Spring-heeled Jack in a wonderful mixture. And love. Let us not forget love...
‘'A beast, perhaps a wolf cries in the distance and I am pulled back into the fields. In the moonlight they gleam, though I cannot see the beast on them. He may be near, or he may be far. The blanket of snow does muffle the howl, so I cannot tell. But, peculiar now, I have no fear. Not of the beast. No.''
‘'For how long, I wonder, have I walked like this - barefoot over snow?''
Barefoot Through the Snow: The spirit of a wrongly- convicted ‘'witch'' residing in the Museum returns to reclaim her children. A moving, harrowing confession.
A Christmas Carole: A member of Parliament is visited by apparitions of old friends and relatives as a warning to alter her stance in life before it becomes irreparable. A beautiful rendition of Dickens' classic.
Naturally, I didn't have the patience to read one story every day. I finished this collection in two days and it was wonderful. There are no ‘'duds''. In fact, I had a hard time to decide which story was the finest. I may sound like a broken record but books like this one make us more and more aware of a deliciously frightening, darker side of Christmas.
‘'Suddenly Essex, with its witches and assortment of oddities, seemed the most wonderful place in the world.''
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ‘till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
‘'The second Mrs. Ryder was a young woman not easily frightened, but now she stood in the dusk of the passage leaning back against the wall, her hand on her heart, looking at the grey-faced window beyond which the snow was steadily falling against the lamplight.''
The Four- Fifteen Express by Amelia B.Edwards: A young man meets a peculiar passenger on his way to East Anglia.
The Curse of the Catafalques by F. Anstey: A very willing suitor must pass a test and meet the curse of a noble family with the blessings of his beloved. But which is this curse and why does it haunt the Catafalques?
Christmas Eve on a Haunted Hulk by Frank Cowper: The story of a man spending Christmas on a wuthering island and a haunted boat. Quite original and extremely atmospheric.
The Christmas Shadrach by Frank R. Stockton: I adored this one. A tale about a scoundrel that decides to finally grow up, a young lady in love and a strange paper-weight that seems to alter the personality of its owner. Marvellous!
Number Ninety by B.M.Croker: A young man decides to defy the legends of a haunted house and prove them wrong...Well, wrong choice...
The Shadow by E.Nesbitt: An eerie story of premonitions and harbingers of death plaguing parents and children.
The Kit-Bag by Algernon Blackwood: A trial, a murder, a strange spectre, an unreliable witness...
The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance by M.R.James: A very peculiar Punch and Judy show and cruel murder.
Boxing Night by E.F.Benson: The uncanny tale of two sisters living in a remote farm, prophetic dreams that warn of danger and strangers seeking shelter from a nightly storm on a haunting Boxing Night...
The Prescription by Marjorie Bowen: A fishpond, a low door, arsenic and a doctor who found himself at the wrong place in the wrong time.
The Snow by Hugh Walpole: In my favourite story of all, a young woman has to face her mercurial nature and the vindictive presence of her husband's first wife. Snow becomes a silent witness in a tragic tale.
Smee by A.M. Burrage: The hide-and-seek game of a jolly company on Christmas becomes rather unsettling when an unknown guest shows up...
The Demon King by J.B.Priestley: A play turns into a sinister pantomime when those involved ‘'play'' with fire. There is always a feeling of uneasiness when plays about the supernatural are performed. This story accurately depicts the reason why.
Lucky's Grove by H.Russell Wakefield: A haunted grove, a cursed tree and an unfortunate family...
Fourteen beautifully haunting stories about the darker side of Christmas nights, part of a lovely collection by British Library.
‘'Nothing satisfies us on Christmas Eve but to hear each other tell authentic anecdotes about spectres. It is a genial, festive season, and we love to muse upon graves, and dead bodies and murders, and blood.'' Jerome K. Jerom
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'Tonight the moonlight makes the floor of the Great Hall into a game board. Every high window casts a bright lattice, dividing the hall into black and white, squares and margins. The ranks of wooden benches face one another on three sides; in the space between them, there is nothing but straight shadows on stone, an abstract in pen and ink. It is as still as a held breath.''
In a country ruled by the Party, a minister who has fallen out of favour returns to the place that marked his course in life twenty years ago. A time of immense potential and endless egotism. Montverre is the beating heart of the grand jeu, the game where music, maths, dreams and concentration neet to form a peculiar combination. The jewel of the land, the pride of the nation, the mirror of the ‘'purity'' enforced by the Party. It is there that Leo meets Claire, the Magister Ludi. It is there that the past returns, demanding retribution. For every betrayal must be punished...
‘'There were grands jeux played in the Hagia Sophia, and in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and at the Western Wall. It is modern arrogance to imagine that the divinity we hope to touch through the grand jeu is better than, or even different to the deities of other religions. A young way to worship is not necessarily a better way; nor is it the only way.''
‘'We remake the world so that we can submit to it.''
Bridget Collins has created a world that is claustrophobic, ruthless, secretive, yet enticing. Frighteningly so. A country that vaguely resembles France in an era that seems to fall between the 30s and 40s, is ruled by a ruthless version of an Orwellian government. Religion -especially Christianity- is persecuted, the believers are placed in the margin of society and women are seen as a commodity with few exceptions that are closely monitored and controlled. The atmosphere is full of threat and persecution, betrayal is the only way to advance. Through the eyes of a disgraced politician, a magister that has defied the adversities in her way, and a strange girl called the Rat, we dive into a world where a game is all there is and life and freedom have been labelled as expendable.
‘'Show weakness, and you're doomed.''
With its dragon laws, the mystery and vague setting, I was reminded of the world created in Gormenghast. I can't describe the feeling of ‘'walking'' down the nightly corridors or trying to grasp the concept and essence of the grand jeu. Collins took me on a journey through moonlight and silence, steps lit by the all-seeing moon in a place stuck in time. Night provides the perfect scenery, creeping in hiding places and keeping secrets that must not see the light of day. Secrecy is a major theme in this beautiful novel, reflecting the tempest of oppression and repressed feelings in a harrowing danse macabre. The dynamics between Claire and Leo are brilliantly depicted and Claire is a formidable, memorable character as is Rat whose haunting presence elevates the novel.
From the mystery of winter to the magic of Midsummer's Eve, this is a story that stays with us and transports us to a powerful ‘'what-if''.
‘'Look at me, I can bleed without being wounded. I can empty myself again and again and again.''
Many thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
A comprehensive and extremely informative volume of essays, eyewitness accounts, diary entries, reports and legal documents concerning the most unexplainable and terrifying phenomenon in all cultures. Demonic possession and exorcism.
From France to India, from Tibet to Sudan, from Haiti to the United States, throughout the centuries, throughout traditions and convictions. From Hippocrates and his greatness of perception to the story of St Anthony and St Juliana, the saint who humiliated a demon, the travelling ‘'shows'' of Brossier's exorcisms, the famous case of the Ursuline nuns of Loudun and their possession (the inspiration behind the marvellous 1971 film The Devils by Ken Russell. Exorcisms performed in North America during the 18th century, in Toledo, in Mexico. The conflict between the Jesuits, the Methodists, the curanderos. The Jewish tradition of the dybbuk, the fox spirits of the Chinese and Japanese lore, the Tibetan spirits, the rusalki of the Slavic cultures.
Naturally, the 20th and 21st century cannot be overlooked. Exorcisms in South Africa, the Philippines, and the USA (in Iowa and Indiana) are described in extreme detail. Despite our preconceived notions, moulded in images influenced by famous films and TV series and regardless of the fact of our faith, this is a field that will never cease to amaze, frighten and fascinate us. This volume is a necessary addition to the collection of every lover and investigator of the paranormal.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
Classic Ghost Stories: Spooky Tales to Read at Christmas
‘'If the picture within was bright and cheerful, the prospect was dreary enough without. The fairy forest of snow-wreathed trees, the white valleys and undulating banks of snow had vanished, and the rain dropped slowly and sullenly upon a darksome expanse of sodden grass, and a dismal background of leafless timber. The merry sound of the sledge-bells no longer enlivened the air; all was silence and gloom.''
In my household, Christmas is the time for mysteries, fairytales, Classics and ghosts. The ghosts of old, given voice in stories written by the Great ones, the writers that are always there to remind us of what Literature once was...
In this beautiful volume, the reader finds 19 ghost stories written by the likes of Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, Edith Wharton, H.G.Wells, M.R.Jones, O.Henry, Arthur Conan Doyle, Henry James and many more. You will experience disembodied cries and whispers in the dark, strange hands seen through windows, faces looking right into our souls, silent and sad. Apparitions of loves lost and forgotten and betrayed, of children seeking consolation, men and women trapped within curses and mortals who are left to tell the tale.
‘'Christmas came by and by - a real old English Christmas - frost and snow without, warmth and revelry within, skating on the great pond in the park, and sledging on the ice-bound high-roads, by day; private theatricals, charades, and amateur concerts by night.''
A signalman witnesses a spectre that warns of danger, a young woman experiences the warmth of a child's love while another is present in a powerful premonition of a death in the family. A skeleton apparition tricks a guest and a house-keeper understands the meaning of devotion beyond the grave. Two passengers on a train share a dark moment on a cold winter's night and two old friends experience the odd events following the death of a rather unlikeable acquaintance. A girl elopes with a ghost while a woman haunts an old ship. In The Furnished Room by O.Henry, the story that moved me to the core, a desperate young man searches for his beloved in a room full of shadows and whispers.
No better way to start this year's Christmas reads, methinks.
‘'He heard someone laughing, laughing in a manner that was neither happy nor pleasant. From other rooms he heard a woman talking too loudly; and he heard people playing games for money; and he heard a woman singing to a baby and he heard someone weeping. Above him there was music. Doors opened and closed. The trains outside rushed noisily past. Some animal cried out in the night outside.''
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'The twins were standing there, the blind one still holding on to her sister's arm, her sightless eyes fixed firmly upon him. He felt himself held, unable to move, and an impending sense of doom, of tragedy, came upon him. His whole being ragged, as it were, in apathy, and he thought, ‘This is the end, there is no escape, no future.''
On the back cover of this edition, there is a quote found in the Daily Telegraph, ‘Du Maurier has no equal.' The truth of these words can be found in practically every work of hers. She created a seamless blend of reality and the world beyond. She hypnotizes the readers and they find themselves in a conundrum of darkness and doubt where the only explanation is the least plausible one, where you simply have to believe that the solution to each mystery cannot be found within the mortal world. And when the (very) realistic closure kicks in, you are left speechless. Many consider Rebecca as their favourite, but for me, the masterpiece that contains every element I have come to associate with Du Maurier's brilliance is Don't Look Now.
‘'The canal was narrow, the houses on either side seemed to close in upon it, and in the daytime, with the sun's reflection on the water and the windows of the houses open, bedding upon the balconies, a canary singing in a cage, there had been an impression of warmth, of secluded shelter. Now, ill-lit, almost in darkness, the windows of the houses shuttered, the water dark, the scene appeared altogether different, neglected, poor, and the long narrow boats moored to the slippery steps of cellar entrances looked like coffins.''
Don't Look Now: There could have been no other setting for this unique story of loss, premonition, omens and raw violence. The fragile balance between a couple that tries to get through the loos of their daughter sets the scene for a tour-de-force in the City of Cities, where blood is found in the dark waters of the canals and strange presences haunt the narrow corners. Where footsteps don't cease to follow you...
‘'Most of the fairy lights had been extinguished, but the chalet that stood on its own, on the extreme point still had its light burning in the balcony.''
Not After Midnight: A teacher decides to spend his off-season holidays in Crete, the land of myths where antiquity is mirrored in every corner. When he meets a bizarre married couple, he finds himself involved in shady situations that take place after midnight...One of the most powerful twists that can be found in Du Maurier's stories and a hymn to the past of Greece's most famous island.
‘'The trouble with you is, Jinnie, you must grow up. You live in a dream world that doesn't exist. That's why you opted for the stage'. Her father's voice, indulgent, but firm. ‘'One of these days', he added, ‘ you'll come to with a shock.''
A Border- Line Case: When Jinni's father dies in front of her eyes, she finds herself on the verge of an absolute break-down. In her attempt to leave everything behind and find some peace of mind, she meets a mysterious man and becomes involved in the Troubles. Her adventure will give her - and us - a tremendous shock.
‘'Jesus was doing precisely the same thing two thousand years ago.''
The Way of the Cross: A group of tourists from England bite more than they can chew during their visit to the Holy Lands. As no one seems to be there for the sake of their faith and as everyone seems utterly incapable of grasping or feeling the reverence with which Jerusalem must be approached, they find themselves amidst marital problems, pseudo-political and social dilemmas, stupid accidents and all their vices are exposed. This is poignant social satire at its finest.
The Breakthrough: A group of scientists try to prove that intelligence may survive with the human body after its death. I admit I didn't like this one. Did it seem a bit silly? Dated? Oh, well, it hardly matters.
Nowadays, we tend to compare every novel that may sound remotely ‘'Gothic'' to Du Maurier's work and style.
No.
‘'The air was sharp and clean, like a sword's blade. No wind - the air alone made the cutting edge. The stony path led downwards, steep and narrow, bound on either side by walls. [...] Tonight with the pale yellow moon coming up behind is and the dark sky above our heads, even the low hum of the traffic beneath us on the main road to Jericho seems to blend and merge into the silence. As the steep path descended so the city rose, and the valley separating it from the Mount of Olives down which they walked became sombre, black, like a winding river-bed. Mosques, domes, spires, towers, the roof-tops of myriad human dwellings fused together, blotted against the sky, and only the walls of the city remained, steadfast on the opposite hill, a threat, a challenge.''
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
‘'Since I was a little girl, I've disliked the thirtieth of December. I could always get through the thirty-first by telling myself that the year was finally over, but the thirtieth was confusing somehow, neither here, nor there. Cooking the traditional New Year's dinner, cleaning the house, shopping - none of my tasks were completely finished.''
Yoko Ogawa deserves a very long chapter in the Bible of World Literature. She epitomises all that is brilliant and glorious and exciting about the Short Story genre, she represents the finest features of Japanese Literature. She contains every theme and every feeling in paragraphs like these:
‘'It was a beautiful day outside. Sunlight covered the ground like a shower of gold dust. The shadows of trembling ginkgo leaves were etched sharply on the wall of the church, and the breeze blowing through the curtains carried the first hints of summer.''
‘'It's peaceful eating outside by myself, looking up at the night sky. The evenings are warmer now that spring is almost here, and the air feels soft. My hands and feet pressed against the mat are dull and numb, but everything else - the crepe myrtle, the bricks lining the flower beds, the twinkling stars - is sharp and clear. Except for a dog barking in the distance, the evening is perfectly still.''
The Diving Pool: A young girl watches her foster brother as he engages in his favourite hobby, diving in the local pool. Her feelings for him are mixed with her resentment towards her family and their way of living. She gradually loses control of her actions and the outcome is deeply perplexing.
‘'Everything was bathed in light. The windshields of the cars in the street seemed to glow, and the spray from the fountain in the park sparkled. I walked along, staring at the ground and mopping the sweat from my face. Two children in straw hats ran past. The gate to the elementary school was closed, and the playground was deserted. Farther on there was a small florist's, but I saw no sign of a salesperson or any customers. A tiny bunch of baby's breath lay in the glass case.''
Pregnancy Diary: A young woman creates a chronicle of her sister's morning sickness and daily moods during her pregnancy. What starts as simple, daily -if acute- musings on the upcoming change in their lives quickly become an uncanny, troubling sequence of a mental break-down and a disturbing view of the insecurity that comes with being a mother.
‘'It was audible only at certain moments, and not necessarily when I wanted to hear it. I heard it once as I was staring out at the lights of the city from the window of the last bus of the evening, and another time at the entrance to the old museum, as a melancholy young woman handed me a ticket without looking up. The sound came suddenly and unpredictably.''
Dormitory: A woman returns to the college of her youth, as she prepares to join her husband in Sweden. In this cryptic and bitter story, we enter a world of whispers, slander and despair while a wounded man is trying to make peace with the ghosts of the past.
You are never safe in the world of Yoko Ogawa. And this is a token of her immense talent. It's a shame that books like this one pass under the radar while piles and piles of...paper garbage are becoming more and more...popular.
‘'But somehow, even though I was alone, I wasn't afraid. In the middle of the storm, I felt quite calm - the sort of peace that comes from being far away from everyday life. The storm had carried me off to a distant place that I could never have reached on my own. I had no idea where it was, but I knew that it was peaceful, I lay in the darkness listening to the storm, trying to see this far-off place.''
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/