Smoke and Mirrors - Neil Gaiman

Rating: 3 1/2
Read for: The RIP Challenge, TBR Challenge 2008 and read as an additional book for The Short Story Reading Challenge

First published ten years ago, Smoke and Mirrors is Neil Gaiman’s first full collection of short stories, spanning a good portion of his career. Overall, it is a very dark and compelling collection of stories, many adapted from old fairy tales and classic myths, including Beowulf and the Holy Grail. Gaiman’s writing style is unique, drawing on his experiences as a novelist, graphic novelist, poet and screenwriter. Some of his stories are magical, enticing and very thought-provoking, however, I will be honest, I did zone out for some of them! Smoke and Mirrors is a dark collection, and certainly for adults, as there are some very graphic moments of sex and violence, which may be unsuitable for some readers.

And now for some of my favourite stories:

Chivalry is the tale of an old woman who finds the Holy Grail in a charity shop, only to have a young knight come looking for it. A wonderful start to the collection with this unusual, imaginative but amusing story.

The Price is the story of an ordinary family adopted by a stray cat who is found each and every morning with the most terrible wounds and injuries. Is he fighting another cat, or a fox? Or perhaps his battles are against something far more terrifying..

The Case of the Departure of Miss Finch is an amusing tale of Gaiman and two friends entertaining one of their friends at the circus. There they discover it is important to be careful what you wish for. I loved the imagery at the end of this story, like being transported to another time.

The Daughter of Owls is a short story that reminded me beautifully of the writing of one of my favourite authors, Susanna Clarke and her world of Faerie. Wonderfully creepy.

Babycakes is a short, amusing tale, questioning what humans would do if all the animals one day disappeared. What would we find to eat, to farm, and to test our chemicals on?

Murder Mysteries is perhaps my favourite story. The angels are busy with the creation of the world, in order to complete His vision, when one of their own in found dead. Raguel, the Angel of Vengeance, is called upon to investigate the death and bring vengeance upon those responsible. But nothing is that simple. This is a heartbreaking tale of the angels' destiny, to create our world, but not to understand it or its purpose, and not to be part of it. He has a plan, and it is not for them to know or understand. I am not a religious person, nor do I believe in a God like this, but I was very moved by this tale.

And the final story, Snow, Glass, Apples, the dark and twisted tale of the classic fairy tale Snow White. Written from the point of view of the stepmother, Snow White is far from the innocent young girl I remember from my childhood. Instead she is an evil, sadistic murderess, responsible for the death of her own father. You'll never think of her the same ever again!

An entertaining collection of stories, though sometimes hit and miss, but well worth a read. A fabulous introduction to the writings of Neil Gaiman.

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