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lamphouse's review against another edition
read "Theodora: A Fragment" by Victoria Cross, "Suggestion" by Ada Leverson, "A Cross Line" by George Egerton, "She-Notes" by "Borgia Smudgiton", "Miss Grief" by Constance Fenimore Woolson, and "Lady Tal" by Vernon Lee
jake_'s review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
There are a number of underread and underpublished authors in here, but the George Egerton and Vernon Lee stories stood out as being especially good - the former an early modernist and ardent feminist, the latter a brilliant writer of things Bohemian and decadent.
cmapilado's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of the few books that I was expected to read for a college English course that I actually enjoyed and kept the book.
traciannecan's review against another edition
4.0
This book contains one of my favorite short stories (The Yellow Wallpaper). All of the stories contained in the book are just as genius and poignant. It is a recommended read for anyone who loves women writers and if you don't love women writers, you should read it to change your mind.
rociog's review against another edition
4.0
In the 1880s and 1890s, the so-called ‘woman question’ —does society owe women the same liberties and advantages afforded to men?— was brought to the forefront of British and American fiction. Short stories by and about 'New Women', women who were upfront about their desires, unhappiness and genius,began to crowd literary publications.
This collection brings together many such stories. It includes the classic ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ alongside many other tales of stifled female freedom. I particularly enjoyed the horrors of Charlotte Mew’s ‘ A White Night’ and the quiet heartbreak of ‘The Buddhist Priest’s Wife’ by Olive Shreiner.
An interesting thread running through some of these stories is the precarious situation of the woman author within the male republic of letters. Tales of appropriated work, appropriated lives and unappreciated talent from Mabel Wotton’s devastating ‘The Fifth Edition’ and the unassuming sadness of ‘Miss Grief’ by Constance Fenimore Woolson, to Vernon Lee’s delightful send-up of Henry James in ‘Lady Tal’. Of these, my favorite was Edith Wharton's 'The Muse's Tragedy', which touches on the loneliness of a life immortalized by a great poet.
Though not usually a fan of heavy-handed symbolism, I rather enjoyed the feminist allegories at the end of the volume. According to Showalter in the introduction, Schreiner's in particular were favourites of imprisoned suffragettes. In their lowest moments, they turned to these fables for strength, to renew their faith in the world they wanted to build for women.
This collection brings together many such stories. It includes the classic ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ alongside many other tales of stifled female freedom. I particularly enjoyed the horrors of Charlotte Mew’s ‘ A White Night’ and the quiet heartbreak of ‘The Buddhist Priest’s Wife’ by Olive Shreiner.
An interesting thread running through some of these stories is the precarious situation of the woman author within the male republic of letters. Tales of appropriated work, appropriated lives and unappreciated talent from Mabel Wotton’s devastating ‘The Fifth Edition’ and the unassuming sadness of ‘Miss Grief’ by Constance Fenimore Woolson, to Vernon Lee’s delightful send-up of Henry James in ‘Lady Tal’. Of these, my favorite was Edith Wharton's 'The Muse's Tragedy', which touches on the loneliness of a life immortalized by a great poet.
Though not usually a fan of heavy-handed symbolism, I rather enjoyed the feminist allegories at the end of the volume. According to Showalter in the introduction, Schreiner's in particular were favourites of imprisoned suffragettes. In their lowest moments, they turned to these fables for strength, to renew their faith in the world they wanted to build for women.
kelchup's review against another edition
5.0
Phenomenal collection of short stories by women writers in the fin-de-siècle. Some of my favorites were Lady Tal, The Yellow Wallpaper and The Muse's Tragedy.
traciannecan's review
4.0
This book contains one of my favorite short stories (The Yellow Wallpaper). All of the stories contained in the book are just as genius and poignant. It is a recommended read for anyone who loves women writers and if you don't love women writers, you should read it to change your mind.
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