where troubles melt like lemondrops

Friday, February 25, 2011

Psyche in a Dress - Francesca Lia Block

Francesca Lia Block's short work of poetry and prose, is a retelling of the Greek myth, set in a more familar contemporary setting.

Psyche is also a book about what it is to be woman. She takes a lover, Eros, though she is forbidden from seeing his face. Convinced by her sisters to expose him in candlelight, Eros flees, and Psyche is forced to spend her years searching for her lost love. In that time, Psyche is personified as several other mythological women, including Persephone, queen of the underworld, Demeter, goddess of the harvest and Eurydice, wife of Orpheus banished to the underworld.

Manipulative and deeply sexual, Blocks gods and goddesses are both delicate and beautiful yet terrible and cruel. Psyche in a Dress is filled with complex metaphors. I admit to not being able to decipher them all myself! However, I was able to appreciate the uniqueness of Block's writing, and the nature of the stories being (re)told - although set in a modern world, the stories and characters maintain a classic mythological feel.

Psyche in a Dress is worth a read by anyone with an interest in Greek mythology, though Block's particular style may not be for everyone.

Other blog reviews:
Stella Matutina
Rhinoa's Ramblings
The Written World
Things Mean A Lot

Sunday, February 20, 2011

The End Of The World!

Like zombies? Want to support an amateur author who is poised to take the world by storm with his interactive online story about the end of the world? Look no further!

A friend of mine is writing said work and needs your help. His story is based upon the trials of a range of characters, beginning on Sunday January 1st 2012 when their lives are changed by a catastrophic event! You can see a timeline of events, read about each character (spoiler: this includes their current status - dead or alive!), and even see their current location.

The story is online in blog format, so you should scroll to the first entry written on December 1 and start from there. Each chapter is broken down into the stories of each individual character. At the end of each chapter, you will be encouraged to cast your vote to save your favourite character, and control where the story leads us...who lives and who dies at the end of this world...you decide!

Dorling's End of the World

Not suitable for children

The Woman in Black - Susan Hill

Read mainly because I would like to see the play (and upcoming film), The Woman in Black has been one of my rare forays into ghostly fiction.

This well known and popular story revolves around a young solicitor, Arthur Kipps, who is sent to a small town on the east coast of England to attend the funeral of an elderly widow. While tending to the deceased's affairs, Kipps decides to stay in her home, the secluded Eel Marsh house, accessible only at low tide. There he is subject to the hauntings associated with the area...the sounds of a horse and cart, the screams of a drowning child and himself sees the apparition of the infamous Woman in Black.

I really enjoyed this tense and atmospheric gothic tale. I really felt for the young and naive Arthur Kipps, a man who is determined to do his job well and impress his boss, thus making a good life for himself and the woman he loves. I won't ruin the story for anyone who does not already know it - all I will say is, although this feels like a simple ghost story, it still surprised me! Hill masters the simplicity of horror and tension so much that I barely noticed I was on the edge of my seat until I allowed myself to breathe again!

I've heard nothing but good things about the stage play, which I hope to see this year if its still on. And now I am curious about the forthcoming film, starring...Daniel Radcliffe of all people! I am a latecomer to this type of thriller fiction - can you recommend any other titles?

Other blog reviews:
A Striped Armchair
Book Gazing
Melody's Reading Corner
Things Mean A Lot

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Harp of the Grey Rose - Charles de Lint

Cerin is an orphan raised by a country witch by the village of Wran Cheaping, where he is seen as somewhat an outsider. It is there that he catches his first glimpse of a girl he knows only as the Grey Rose. He befriends and soon falls for the mysterious beauty, only for her to be stolen from him by a powerful enemy. Cerin must rescue her armed only with his tinker's knowledge and gift for weaving song.

Harp of the Grey Rose is old school fantasy - naive small town guy meets mysterious girl in peril and goes on a quest to save her and ultimately win her love. Nothing particularly new there then. Though the story is not original, the storytelling has a certain magic and poetry to it, creating an interesting world and readable characters. And that is something I have heard often when it comes to the well-loved author.

This was my first Charles de Lint novel, and enjoyable enough, though one that I know is quite different to much of his other urban fantasy work. Which should I read next?

The Book of Flying - Keith Miller

Described in one review that I read as unexpectedly lovely, The Book of Flying is exactly that. In search of the Book is Pico, a gentle, lonely librarian and poet who falls in love with a flying girl. In his city, those who fly keep themselves apart from those bound to the earth. To win his love, Pico embarks on a quest to a fabled Morning Town in order to find the titular book and earn his wings.

Along his journey, Pico encounters an array of interesting characters, a robber queen, a minotaur, a cannibal, and an immortal beauty. Pico must face the beauty and horror of his world and his most unexpected challenge, coming face to face with himself.

This book is truly beautiful. Pico is such a gentle soul, facing challenges and situations he could never have dreamed of from his sheltered library. His choices along the road are difficult ones. But to attain his goal and earn his wings, Pico may have to pay the ultimate price.

For a debut novel, Miller's writing is truly astounding. He has created a touching poetic story, with the most loveable of characters. Pico is sweet, kind and naive, yet capable of such strength of will and character...a true fantasy hero. I cannot recommend this book enough, and owe Chris my heartfelt thanks for his review leading me to read it!

Other reviews:
Stuff as Dreams are Made on
The Written World
The Zen Leaf