TITLE: In a Glass Darkly

AUTHOR: J. Sheridan Le Fanu

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DESCRIPTION:

This remarkable collection of stories, first published in 1872, includes Green Tea, The Familiar, Mr. Justice Harbottle, The Room in le Dragon Volant, and Carmilla. The five stories are purported to be cases by Dr. Hesselius, a 'metaphysical' doctor, who is willing to consider the ghosts both as real and as hallucinatory obsessions. The reader's doubtful anxiety mimics that of the protagonist, and each story thus creates that atmosphere of mystery which is the supernatural experience. This new annotated edition includes an introduction, notes on the text, and explanatory notes.

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REVIEW:

Rating: 3.5

In a Glass Darkly is a collection of 5 possibly "paranormal" or mystery stories, first published in 1872, includes Green Tea, The Familiar, Mr. Justice Harbottle, The Room in le Dragon Volant, and Carmilla. The five stories are purported to be cases by Dr. Hesselius, a 'metaphysical' doctor, who is willing to consider the ghosts both as real and as hallucinatory obsessions.

Green Tea, The Familiar and Mr. Justice Harbottle all involve hauntings of some kind - demonic monkey or otherwise. These three short stories weren't particularly memorable. The Room in le Dragon Volant is not so much a ghost story as a gothic historical mystery novella with a mysterious lady in distress, a mysterious and jealous count, conspiracies and just plain weirdness. This was the best story in the collection. Carmilla is the story of the famous lesbian vampire written 25 years before Bram Stoker's Dracula.

by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

Carmilla pre-dates Bram Stoker's Dracula by 26 years, but has some similar themes. It is the story of a young woman, Laura, who comes under the influence of a female vampire, who first comes to her when she is a child, comforting her in her bed.

The narrative has the same sort of melancholy moodiness and intimacy that has become familiar to Dracula movie watchers, but I think better expressed in the prose of this story. The developing relationship between Carmilla and Laura crosses lines of intimacy at times and was probably ahead of its time, expressing a form of love that confuses Laura at times. Her friend Carmilla often drifts off into a sort of dreamy quality, sometimes worrying those who care for her because some sort of epidemic seems to be spreading, where young women weaken slowly and eventually die.

Blood often features in Laura's dreams about Carmilla and somehow she and her family don't question that their guest never comes down from her room until late in the afternoon.

I found it a very atmospheric read, though some points were a little difficult to suspend disbelief. Carmilla often deviates from normal behaviour for young women of her time, yet no one questions or demands anything of her.

As classic vampire fiction goes, I'm amazed that I never heard of the story before now. It's not the most action packed story I've ever read, but I think essential reading for fans of the genre.

The first half or so of this book is very leisurely paced so make sure you set yourself down in a quiet place with no distractions so you will be able to immerse yourself into its world and leave reality behind. I live in a small house with people, too loud TV’s, paper thin walls (good for spying but not so good when you want quiet!) and super needy animals and I found it best to hide myself outside where the dog always eventually found me, haha.

All Hallows is very dialogue heavy. If I had to guess, I’d say the book was 80 – 90% dialogue. I don’t know if I’ve ever read a book written in this manner and it took a little getting used to – thus the hiding outside to get away from distractions so I could 100% focus on the story. I found it best to read big chunks at a time rather than pick it up and put it down a million times like I typically do with most of the things I read. 

Maren is a crusty old witch who doesn’t put up with anyone’s nonsense. She has this practical cruelty and fairness about her that I just adored. I could never anticipate exactly what she was up to and I loved that. She’s been on the planet a very long time and she knows how to take care of herself. She has a bag of tricks including her treasured night worms – a creation she’s spent her entire life perfecting and she will need them this All Hallows eve as terrible creatures crawl out of the woodwork to accost her and put her skills to the test. To say too much will ruin the experience for you. Just know this book is gruesome and everything in it is completely unexpected. It is unlike most anything I’ve read in the horror genre and there’s one scene with a young mom and her screaming baby that is complete madness. I had NO clue what was going on but I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what the hell was happening. 

I have to admit that All Hallows was a bit tricky for me to follow at times because Maren sometimes goes off on thought tangents and doesn’t always finish a conversation but I liked that off-kilter feeling once I got used to the style. Maren’s thoughts and conversation are also peppered with dark sarcasm which I found highly amusing. She thinks and says things that would have most people cringing and she made me laugh so much with her honest observations. 

The ending leaves room for another adventure featuring Maren and her otherworldly friends and frenemies but it also ties up this adventure well without leaving me hanging and I appreciated that! This would be a great choice to read on a cold autumn night with a fire crackling for ambiance. It has that type of old-timey charm with some added gore and sarcasm to make things lively.

So here are my Classic Crime books:

The Hound of the Baskervilles (Sherlock Holmes #5) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 

The death, quite suddenly, of Sir Charles Baskerville in mysterious circumstances is the trigger for one of the most extraordinary cases ever to challenge the brilliant analytical mind of Sherlock Holmes. As rumours of a legendary hound said to haunt the Baskerville family circulate, Holmes and Watson are asked to ensure the protection of Sir Charles' only heir, Sir Henry - who has travelled all the way from America to reside at Baskerville Hall in Devon. And it is there, in an isolated mansion surrounded by mile after mile of wild moor, that Holmes and Watson come face to face with a terrifying evil that reaches out from centuries past . . .

Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poriot #10) by Agatha Christie. 

What more can a mystery addict desire than a much-loathed murder victim found aboard the luxurious Orient Express with multiple stab wounds, thirteen likely suspects, an incomparably brilliant detective in Hercule Poirot, and the most ingenious crime ever conceived?

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe.

A murderer is convinced that the loud beating of his victim's heart will give him away to the police.

The Hollow Man by John Dickson Carr. 

Professor Charles Grimaud was explaining to some friends the natural causes behind an ancient superstition about men leaving their coffins when a stranger entered and challenged Grimaud's skepticism. The stranger asserted that he had risen from his own coffin and that four walls meant nothing to him. He added, 'My brother can do more... he wants your life and will call on you!' The brother came during a snowstorm, walked through the locked front door, shot Grimaud and vanished. The tragedy brought Dr Gideon Fell into the bizarre mystery of a killer who left no footprints.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot #1) by Agatha Christie.

Who poisoned the wealthy Emily Inglethorpe, and how did the murderer penetrate and escape from her locked bedroom? Suspects abound in the quaint village of Styles St. Mary--from the heiress's fawning new husband to her two stepsons, her volatile housekeeper, and a pretty nurse who works in a hospital dispensary. Making his unforgettable debut, the brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is on the case.

Here are my Classic Horror books:

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. (Blue's comment-I couldn't finish this). 

rankenstein tells the story of committed science student Victor Frankenstein. Obsessed with discovering the cause of generation and life and bestowing animation upon lifeless matter, Frankenstein assembles a human being from stolen body parts but; upon bringing it to life, he recoils in horror at the creature's hideousness. Tormented by isolation and loneliness, the once-innocent creature turns to evil and unleashes a campaign of murderous revenge against his creator, Frankenstein.

Dracula by Bram Stoker.

When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase a London house, he makes horrifying discoveries in his client's castle. Soon afterwards, disturbing incidents unfold in England: a ship runs aground on the shores of Whitby, its crew vanished; beautiful Lucy Westenra slowly succumbs to a mysterious, wasting illness, her blood drained away; and the lunatic Renfield raves about the imminent arrival of his 'master'. In the ensuing battle of wills between the sinister Count and a determined group of adversaries - led by the intrepid vampire hunter Abraham van Helsing - Bram Stoker created a masterpiece of the horror genre, probing into questions of identity, sanity and the dark corners of Victorian sexuality and desire.

Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin.

Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse, an ordinary young couple, settle into a New York City apartment, unaware that the elderly neighbors and their bizarre group of friends have taken a disturbing interest in them. But by the time Rosemary discovers the horrifying truth, it may be far too late!

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu.

A classic Victorian vampire novella, which influenced Bram Stoker's later treatment of the vampire mythos in Dracula.

The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen. 

The Great God Pan" is a novella written by Arthur Machen. A version of the story was published in the magazine Whirlwind in 1890, and Machen revised and extended it for its book publication (together with another story, "The Inmost Light") in 1894. On publication it was widely denounced by the press as degenerate and horrific because of its decadent style and sexual content, although it has since garnered a reputation as a classic of horror. Machen’s story was only one of many at the time to focus on Pan as a useful symbol for the power of nature and paganism. The title was taken from the poem "A Musical Instrument" published in 1862 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, in which the first line of every stanza ends "... the great god Pan.

1. Out of the Night #5 - which there isn't a cover for.  It's one of those horror comic books from the 1950s.  

2. Uncle Silas and A Glass Darkly - if you haven't read Le Fanu, you haven't read horror, and Uncle Silas is just that hook filled book.

3. 2666 - not strictly horror, but I was reading this book and when I came home late, I was frightened when walking the half block from the trolley stop to my house, so that has to count for something.

4. M R James - he makes jars scary.

5. Watership Down - not horror I know, but you get to that chapter about the black rabbit of death and the rabbit poker game when you're like seven, and you sleep with the lights on.

I may I also suggest 50 Shades of Grey which I don't like but it is truly frightening when you read this and wonder why so many people think it is good.