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DeanBookseller at Lake Forest ParkAfter washing upon the shores of some distant land, Dean has found solace in the realms of art, horror, feminist literature, graphic novels, witchery and stitchery. |
Delightful! Story-wise it's Lewis Lewis Carroll meets Umberto Eco and centers on a 92 year-old woman who has been deemed useless by her family and shipped off to a home. There she meets an eccentric gaggle of gals and adventure ensues. It's and enchanting story that focuses on the bonds between and the power of older women. A great porch read.
This is a raw and intimate account of one's relationship to the context of one's body. Gay lays herself bare as she explores the 'why' of her body, all the while forcing the reader (at least this one) to do the same. An amazing read for anyone currently residing in a body.
The reclamation of the word "Queer" has miffed some and confused other. "Isn't that a derogatory slur?" some have asked, "If you are not gay or straight what else can you been??" Consider this book an accessible intro to gender and Queer theory. Come out wherever you are!
With bold vision and glittering prose Carter brings us her own reteling of classic fables such as Bluebeard and Little Red Ridinghood. Simply captivating! With roaring sensuality we are carted straight to the dark mythic heart of these tales, made all the more beautiful by Carter's care and craft. It's not wonder she has gone on to inspire such authors as Emma Donaghue and Sara Waters (go check them out as well!). Put on your warmest cloak, find a quiet wood, and enjoy.
Margaret Prior is spiraling into spinsterhood and has just failed at an attempt at suicide. As part of her recovery she is to act as a visiting lady at Victorian London's Millbank women's jail. Here she is enthralled by one Selina Dawes, a recondite spiritualist imprisoned after hosting a seance that left an elderly woman dead. What ensues upon this union is an ever twisting game of 'Do you believe?'. Waters is in pristine form in this haunting, bleak, and pearl-clutching mystery.
So I know what you're thinking, but forget about the sensationalization machine that was the film adaptation and give this 'theological thriller' a shot. Blattey, himself a comedic writer, gives us a thoughtful, sincere, and truly funny look at faith as a whole. To be honest it reads more like a detective novel more than horror. Religiosity and potential proselytizing aside, I walked away from this book feeling... warm. Who knew??
"Women have been retrieving each other from the Dustbin of history for several thousand years now..."
Jacky Fleming is doing just that with this work of wit. In it we are confronted with the laughable ideas about women held by male 'geniuses' of the past, ideas that have facilitated the erasure of women's voices and accomplishments throughout history. Dripping with sarcasm and accompanied by charming illustrations, this is an easy laugh out loud read that you will want to share.
Whew! What a ride! Allow me a moment to loosen my bodice that I may think more clearly... there we are! This is a gothic, neo-Victorian, deeply Dickensian mystery with gut-punching twists. sue was raised in a house of thieves in the Burroughs of London where she is scooped up into a plot to swindle a naive heiress out of her fortune. Would that it were so simple. This book has it all: Drama, deceit, history, mad houses, eccentric villains, lesbian romance, all the good stuff.
Well, Jackson did it again! This beautifully strange novel leaves quite a distinct and lingering impression. In this tale of mystery and isolation we are met by two sisters cut off from the world. They live alone, happily and ferally in their dilapidated family home in an almost mundanely mystical lifestyle à la Grey Gardens. Delivering an effortless sense of unease, this captivating and understated story will leave you in a satisfying state of unknowingness.
Shifting focus from her usual Vampire Chronicles, Rice walks us through the doors of a New Orleans manor and introduces us to the long line of Mayfair Witches. With a sophisticated blend of the preternatural, macabre, and dramatic, we explore the sprawling history of the Mayfair family tree and discover the origins of the women's power as well as the ominous male entity that has haunted them for generations.
Now a horror classic, Rosemary's Baby finds the titular character eager to start a family with her husband in their new NYC apartment. Unease sets in as their eccentric neighbors take a disturbing interest in Rosemary and her future child. Told from Rosemary's perspective, this brand of 'domestic horror' explores the potential terrors of pregnancy and the claustrophobic dread of 60's housewifery. A goreless and beautifully paced psychological thriller that has stood the test of time.
This is a hauntingly melancholic tail (get it??) about the nature of desire wrapped in history and placed upon the Hudson River. We follow the captain of a steamboat as he discovers a wounded and mostly mute mermaid on board. Secretly nursing her back to health, his relationship with the delicate creature takes an otherworldly turn. Illustrated in the softest of charcoals, this sweetly somber story is great for a drizzly day with a cup of tea.
