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Plateresca's Reviews > The Haunting Season: Ghostly Tales for Long Winter Nights
The Haunting Season: Ghostly Tales for Long Winter Nights
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I am a fan of ghost stories, so I was interested in what modern writers would make of the genre.
Curiously, none of the stories takes place in the present-day world as we know it (I mean, with the Internet and cell phones and all that). I wonder why - I don't think there are fewer ghosts now.
Most of the stories take place in this or that version of Victorian England, modified by the author's predilections. For instance, Purcell's story has strong and active female characters, one of them a maid - not at all typical for Victorian lit, but very characteristic of Purcell, as I understand. So I think it's a good way to get to know the authors a bit.
Now for the particulars...
'A Study in Black and White' is a very elegant, atmospheric piece with snow and a creepy chess board (or, I should say, creepy chess boards).
'The Eel Singers' deals with the characters from The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, so the story is a bit confusing at first to those who haven't read the novel. However, I found it delightfully memorable, - with quirky humour in the footnotes, a device I love dearly.
'The Chillingham Chair' is interesting in that it has plenty of literary allusions (various parts of it reminded me of Austen and Dickens and Polidori). Like in The Silent Companions, something that can arguably be called 'furniture' is very active, and (view spoiler).
'Lily Wilt' is a kind of black comedy; not the typical ghost story, but curious enough.
'Thwaite's Tenant' and 'Monster' deal with gender-based violence more than with ghosts.
'The Hanging of the Greens' uses the device I hate most, i. e., the dog (view spoiler). It was creepy at times, but mostly revolting.
'Confinement'. I was reading this story in a hospital and the story mentions blood endlessly, - it influenced my aversion to it. But also it's about a really cruel and ugly witch - obviously, I am not a fan of this kind of misrepresentation. (It surprised me in a book I would otherwise call pro-woman). Again, the 'good' woman is treated here in a cruelly restrictive manner, which was painful to read about - not at all an enjoyable read for me.
But an interesting experience overall. They're making a comeback next year: The Winter Spirits: Twelve Ghostly Tales for Festive Nights (I am not sure I want to read it, although I probably will in the end).
Curiously, none of the stories takes place in the present-day world as we know it (I mean, with the Internet and cell phones and all that). I wonder why - I don't think there are fewer ghosts now.
Most of the stories take place in this or that version of Victorian England, modified by the author's predilections. For instance, Purcell's story has strong and active female characters, one of them a maid - not at all typical for Victorian lit, but very characteristic of Purcell, as I understand. So I think it's a good way to get to know the authors a bit.
Now for the particulars...
'A Study in Black and White' is a very elegant, atmospheric piece with snow and a creepy chess board (or, I should say, creepy chess boards).
'The Eel Singers' deals with the characters from The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, so the story is a bit confusing at first to those who haven't read the novel. However, I found it delightfully memorable, - with quirky humour in the footnotes, a device I love dearly.
'The Chillingham Chair' is interesting in that it has plenty of literary allusions (various parts of it reminded me of Austen and Dickens and Polidori). Like in The Silent Companions, something that can arguably be called 'furniture' is very active, and (view spoiler).
'Lily Wilt' is a kind of black comedy; not the typical ghost story, but curious enough.
'Thwaite's Tenant' and 'Monster' deal with gender-based violence more than with ghosts.
'The Hanging of the Greens' uses the device I hate most, i. e., the dog (view spoiler). It was creepy at times, but mostly revolting.
'Confinement'. I was reading this story in a hospital and the story mentions blood endlessly, - it influenced my aversion to it. But also it's about a really cruel and ugly witch - obviously, I am not a fan of this kind of misrepresentation. (It surprised me in a book I would otherwise call pro-woman). Again, the 'good' woman is treated here in a cruelly restrictive manner, which was painful to read about - not at all an enjoyable read for me.
But an interesting experience overall. They're making a comeback next year: The Winter Spirits: Twelve Ghostly Tales for Festive Nights (I am not sure I want to read it, although I probably will in the end).
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Ilgatto1
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Nov 27, 2022 07:53PM
"none of the stories takes place in the present-day world as we know it" - perhaps it's time you fill the gap?
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You mean, right such a story myself? :)I did write one last Autumn, actually... and it is supposed to take place in our times, only, come to think of it, I'm not sure there are cell phones there either :)
