homeI want to try incorporating reviews of older books that I love on I Believe In Story because, although it's awesome to promote new releases that I enjoy, I also want to share some great classics that other readers may not have encountered. While this book was first published in 1979, it's an absolute favourite and should be a staple on many bookshelves.
From familiar fairy tales and legends - Red Riding Hood, Bluebeard, Puss-in-Boots, Beauty and the Beast, vampires, werewolves - Angela Carter has created an absorbing collection of dark, sensual, fantastic stories.
Exactly as the description says, The Bloody Chamber is a collection of short stories that are inspired by classic fairy tales. Believe it or not, Carter crafts these tales into something even darker than the originals and adds yet another level of social, moral, and ethical issues to the lesson-filled stories.
I first picked up the collection when it was an assigned reading for a class on ghost stories and horror literature. I am a huge fan of short stories in general, but it will appeal to readers who aren't necessarily interested in that genre. If you like fantasy or paranormal elements, this book will not disappoint. The collection is also laced with feminist beliefs, exploring the roles of personality, sexuality, and individuality - and how all three of these things intersect with one another.
The Bloody Chamber is both a creative spin on well-loved tales and a new look at the issue of forming an identity as one battles expectations from within and from the outside world. My favourite stories in the collection are "The Snow Child" (it's only one page), "The Werewolf," and "Wolf-Alice." My copy of The Bloody Chamber is well-loved; the pages are filled with comments and excerpts are highlighted and underlined. It's truly an inventive, unique, and meaningful collection.
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