Noyes, Deborah, ed. Gothic! Ten original dark tales.NOYES, Deborah, ed. Gothic! Ten original dark tales. Candlewick can·dle·wickn. 1. The wick of a candle. 2. a. A soft heavy cotton thread similar to that used to make wicks for candles. b. Embroidery made of tufts of this thread. Press. 241p. c2004. 076362737-2. $7.99. S This book is a must-have for fans of horror or gothic fiction Gothic fiction is an important genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. As a genre, it is generally believed to have been invented by the English author Horace Walpole, with his 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto. , dark tales meant to thrill and make one think. Noyes explains her definition of gothic and tells something about the authors and their tales in her introduction to the book. Then readers are in for a treat. There are some big names in this anthology--Joan Aiken, Neil Gaiman, Vivian Vande Velde, and Barry Yourgrau are just a few. Readers will not be disappointed in the least and will remember these tales when they are alone in the dark trying to convince themselves that there's really nothing out there. Or is there? There are some traditional settings, and pieces that take place in the past; but there are just as many stories that take place in the technology-saturated present and in modern suburban developments, as opposed to brooding lands shadowed by ruined castles. The surreal sur·re·al adj. 1. Having qualities attributed to or associated with surrealism: "Even with most facilities shut down ... and the supernatural Supernatural Twilight Zone, The tales of weird events involving ordinary people. [Am. Radio, TV, & Cinema: The Twilight Zone in Terrace] are king in this collection but there are creative and imaginative takes on a lot of hoary hoar·y adj. hoar·i·er, hoar·i·est 1. Gray or white with or as if with age. 2. Covered with grayish hair or pubescence: hoary leaves. 3. old stereotypes. Readers will be delighted by shape shifting witches, whiney vampires, houses that think, monstrous families, and more. Aiken and Vande Velde deliver chilling ghost stories--brooding, horrific, and sure to keep readers awake. Some offer humor humor, according to ancient theory, any of four bodily fluids that determined man's health and temperament. Hippocrates postulated that an imbalance among the humors (blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile) resulted in pain and disease, and that good health was , as Neil Gaiman does in a story with a title almost longer than this review. It will make you laugh and think about the genre as well. It's difficult to single out stories since all are well written and all deliver satisfying thrills and chills. Joseph DeMarco, Philadelphia, PA S--Recommended for senior high school students. |
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