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A review by joecam79
The Pilgrims by Mary Shelley
4.0
This is the second Mary Shelley anthology to be published in the Hesperus Classics series. The first one, built around the eerie supernatural tale [b:Transformation|960450|Transformation|Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1295807297s/960450.jpg|1626634], emphasized the eclecticism of Shelley's fantastic fiction, from the diablerie of the title tale to the proto-scifi of "The Mortal Immortal" (see review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1234310015?book_show_action=false ).
On the other hand, all the five stories in this collection fall squarely within the classic "Gothic" genre, sharing such familiar tropes as decaying castles/towers, family feuds, mistaken identities, lovelorn maidens, forbidding atmospheric conditions (storms, mists and rain keep the weatherman busy) and protagonists prone to fainting at every unexpected twist of the plot. The first three stories: "The Pilgrims", "The Dream" and "The False Rhyme" also share a medieval, chivalric setting and deliberately archaic dialogue which makes them come across as the literary equivalent of Pre-Raphaelite paintings.
But there are deeper concerns at work here than just the telling of a good tale. As novelist Kamila Shamsie points out in her insightful foreword, all the stories share a theme very close to Shelley's heart - the uncomfortable triangle between father, daughter and lover. It is only natural to draw a parallel with the life-story of the author herself - young Mary had incurred the wrath of a father she greatly loved when she eloped with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. With this context in mind, it is hard not to be moved by these works, particularly the poignant "The Mourner" which brings the volume to an emotionally shattering close.
On the other hand, all the five stories in this collection fall squarely within the classic "Gothic" genre, sharing such familiar tropes as decaying castles/towers, family feuds, mistaken identities, lovelorn maidens, forbidding atmospheric conditions (storms, mists and rain keep the weatherman busy) and protagonists prone to fainting at every unexpected twist of the plot. The first three stories: "The Pilgrims", "The Dream" and "The False Rhyme" also share a medieval, chivalric setting and deliberately archaic dialogue which makes them come across as the literary equivalent of Pre-Raphaelite paintings.
But there are deeper concerns at work here than just the telling of a good tale. As novelist Kamila Shamsie points out in her insightful foreword, all the stories share a theme very close to Shelley's heart - the uncomfortable triangle between father, daughter and lover. It is only natural to draw a parallel with the life-story of the author herself - young Mary had incurred the wrath of a father she greatly loved when she eloped with poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. With this context in mind, it is hard not to be moved by these works, particularly the poignant "The Mourner" which brings the volume to an emotionally shattering close.