Reviews

The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter

yanna22's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

My favorite story was the first one, the title story „The Bloody Chamber“.
I also really enjoyed „The Lady of the House of Love“.

but as a non-native English speaker, this was tough for me to read ngl

oxnard_montalvo's review against another edition

The only problem I had with this collection was that the first story was the best and none of the others, while excellent, could really match up. That being said, I did give it five stars, so I couldn't have been that disappointed. I love how dark and subversive the stories are, the prose luminous and seductive. As an introduction to Angela Carter's writing, this is an excellent place to start. I've read a number of her novels now, and Black Venus, but this is the collection that has stayed with me the longest after reading it, and the one that left the deepest impression.

pizzledmilk's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

3.25

venushaze's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

sm_moon's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Bloody Chamber is a book I already know I need to come back to. Each story played so interestingly on fairy tales. What was more impressive was the Carter was able to retell the same tale more than once and have it feel completely different. I also adore her writing style. I think part of the reason I am already thinking about reading it again was because I didn’t take the time to appreciate her prose - I was too busy loving her plot! I wish some of the stories, especially towards the end had more concrete endings. I also think her modern references took me out of the story sometimes. Often they were so immersed in fairy tale world that when she mentioned a car it was odd. This is the kind of shit I want to write. 

z0bii's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

scam_likely's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

martafunk's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

2.25

batrick_pateman's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

"I remember how, that night, I lay awake in the wagon-lit in a tender, delicious ecstasy of excitement, my burning cheek pressed against the impeccable linen of the pillow and the pounding of my heart mimicking that of the great pistons ceaselessly thrusting the train that bore me away from the white, enclosed quietude of my mother's apartment, into the unguessable country of marriage." 
What an opening! These stories had me hooked from that first sentence onward. The book becomes a bit of a slog after the first story, but picks back up after The Erlking and stays excellent until the end.

amevillalobos's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25