"Dreams of Shadow and Smoke" brings the atmosphere and style of Sheridan Le Fanu's work to the 21st century. All of the tales in this anthology succeed in drawing the reader into the gothic landscape that so inspired Le Fanu. This landscape - whether it be the timeless Irish countryside or elsewhere - plays a central role in all of these stories. The tales that most impressed me were "Let the Words Take You" by Angela Slatter. This wonderful Australian writer's tale takes place in the Blue Mountains, a magical range of eroded plateaux inland from Sydney. Like Ireland, it is a part of the world that is full of superstition and mystery, and her hauntingly clever tale is a highly original work of gothic fiction. "Seaweed Tea" by Mark Valentine is another tale that takes the reader on a mysterious and dark journey. His development of Le Fanu's fascination with green tea is delicious. "Echoes" by Martin Hayes and "Princess on the Highway" by Peter Bell were also two tales which took me to that other place. Fans of Le Fanu won't want to miss this eerie tribute to the invisible prince.
Reading updates
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11 October, 2014:
Finished reading
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11 October, 2014:
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