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A review by ec_newman
Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions by Neil Gaiman
3.0
My immediate thoughts below (in reverse order). One story I didn't read because it made me uncomfortable and not in a way that I felt like I needed to be uncomfortable (some literature is made for that). So, yeah. Not my favorite, but I'm glad I read it.
--
"Snow, Glass, Apples - I just kept thinking of Angela Carter's Bloody Chamber, this story has that feel."
"Murder Mysteries - a quick look online for interpretations tells me that my not completely understanding this one puts me firmly with everyone else."
"Babycakes - A Modest Proposal II"
"Desert Wind - good little story to be based on a song I've never heard."
"When We Went To See The End of the World - made me sad. Of course it did. Poor Dawnie."
"The Sea Change - I adore the imagery."
"Mouse - this just made me angry and I'm not sure that was the point."
"Vampire Sestina - it's a sestina! A bout vampires!"
"The Sweeper of Dreams. - more in love with the idea than the actual story."
"Cold Colors - sometimes I just can't follow Gaiman's thoughts. I like his words though, and that inability to understand but enjoy word choice makes me think of Dylan Thomas."
"The moorcock story - ehhh"
"We can get them for you wholesale - more human than anything."
"Bay Wolf - I see the connection with Gaiman's Beowulf."
"Only the End of the world again - uh. Ok."
"Virus - seems like a 'technology is consuming' warning."
"Shoggoth's Old Peculiar - yessssssss"
"Daughter of Owls - creepy but well done. And those jerks got what they deserved."
"Changes - fascinating and icky"
"Queen of Knives - creepy but kinda knew where it was going."
"The White Road - reminds me of Angela Carter."
"The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories - yes, that is exactly what Los Angeles is like and the people who work in the industry."
"don't ask jack - seems too short. Like there's a missing piece."
"Troll Bridge - uh, weird. Not unlikable, but not like 'yay!' either."
"The Price - I don't even like cats, I liked this one."
"Nicholas was...- Santa Claus. Gaiman would make it like that."
"The introduction was just as delightful as his stories. Chivalry was fun, I like Gaiman's oft-used device of the mundane and fantastical co-existing."
--
"Snow, Glass, Apples - I just kept thinking of Angela Carter's Bloody Chamber, this story has that feel."
"Murder Mysteries - a quick look online for interpretations tells me that my not completely understanding this one puts me firmly with everyone else."
"Babycakes - A Modest Proposal II"
"Desert Wind - good little story to be based on a song I've never heard."
"When We Went To See The End of the World - made me sad. Of course it did. Poor Dawnie."
"The Sea Change - I adore the imagery."
"Mouse - this just made me angry and I'm not sure that was the point."
"Vampire Sestina - it's a sestina! A bout vampires!"
"The Sweeper of Dreams. - more in love with the idea than the actual story."
"Cold Colors - sometimes I just can't follow Gaiman's thoughts. I like his words though, and that inability to understand but enjoy word choice makes me think of Dylan Thomas."
"The moorcock story - ehhh"
"We can get them for you wholesale - more human than anything."
"Bay Wolf - I see the connection with Gaiman's Beowulf."
"Only the End of the world again - uh. Ok."
"Virus - seems like a 'technology is consuming' warning."
"Shoggoth's Old Peculiar - yessssssss"
"Daughter of Owls - creepy but well done. And those jerks got what they deserved."
"Changes - fascinating and icky"
"Queen of Knives - creepy but kinda knew where it was going."
"The White Road - reminds me of Angela Carter."
"The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories - yes, that is exactly what Los Angeles is like and the people who work in the industry."
"don't ask jack - seems too short. Like there's a missing piece."
"Troll Bridge - uh, weird. Not unlikable, but not like 'yay!' either."
"The Price - I don't even like cats, I liked this one."
"Nicholas was...- Santa Claus. Gaiman would make it like that."
"The introduction was just as delightful as his stories. Chivalry was fun, I like Gaiman's oft-used device of the mundane and fantastical co-existing."