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kimib79's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This wasn't written for me. It can best be described as "WTHeck did I just read?"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and Grief
ciebeanie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
for perspective i did this collection for my a-level coursework and to this day i still go back and reread it. despite the pain it caused me i routinely return!
angela carter is a master of prose. she revels in the dark, the gory and the sexual and boy does she do it well - these short stories will leave you thinking about them for weeks. deeply entwined with the second wave of feminism and themes of female identity and sexuality, carter’s work is unrestrained and shines brilliantly because of it, even in all of its complexity. the deeper you start to dive into these stories, the more you find, though they’re certainly enjoyable as surface-level fairy tales, too!
my personal favourites are ‘the bloody chamber’, ‘the erl king’ and ‘the tiger’s bride’.if you’re a fan of british band wolf alice, this collection is where they got their name from.
i would very heavily recommend carter’s essay ‘the sadeian woman’ as an accompaniment to this collection, as it explores more explicitly her thoughts on pornography and women’s sexuality. speaking of which - this book does not shy away from darker topics, though it does handle them with grace, complexity and thought (and the occasional bite of humour to balance the equation). carter was master of her craft and this is arguably her magnum opus - enjoy!
angela carter is a master of prose. she revels in the dark, the gory and the sexual and boy does she do it well - these short stories will leave you thinking about them for weeks. deeply entwined with the second wave of feminism and themes of female identity and sexuality, carter’s work is unrestrained and shines brilliantly because of it, even in all of its complexity. the deeper you start to dive into these stories, the more you find, though they’re certainly enjoyable as surface-level fairy tales, too!
my personal favourites are ‘the bloody chamber’, ‘the erl king’ and ‘the tiger’s bride’.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Animal cruelty
james1star's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Really didn’t like this all that much. It’s somewhat well written but also confusing, things do happen but it’s hard to fully know why/how and what the point of it is. This made it rather convoluted and I needed to revisit parts to try and get any semblance of what’s going on. It’s billed as a feminist adult retelling of folkish tales but honesty a lot of the time women were being controlled in some way by men, bowing to them, and really didn’t do much. At times they have sexual agency but was very meh. The best story was the titular one but still nothing much to write home about. I have sadly been put off wanting to read anything else by Carter, at least for the near future, but it may change.
These are my thoughts on each story, I’ve tried to avoid spoilers but it’s my initial notes:
The bloody chamber - 17 yo marries older man, honeymoon in his childhood castle by French coast, he goes to USA, finds his dungeon and previous 3 wives dead, what will happen to her, slightly vampiric? Bluebeard retelling - 3.5
My Lyon - ‘modern’ beauty and the beast retelling but he’s a lion - 3
Tigers bride - woman’s dad bets with her and loses so goes to a desolated palace later finding out this person is a tiger - 2
Puss-in-Boots - cat helps his master contact a woman he’s become in love with who’s trapped in a bad marriage, very camp - 2
Erl-King - lovely nature writing but no clue on the plot, think it’s an allegory about a woman losing her virginity or emotional abuse in a relationship? Confusing - 2.5
Snow child - started great about a count dreaming up a child (was getting snow white vibes) who appears in the snow but his wife wants rid, girl falls after pricking her finger on a rose and then he ‘unfastened his breeches and thrust his virile member into the dead girl.’ I’m sorry what? How tf did it get there - 1 star worst thing I’ve ever read! Would gladly give it less if I could! Dis-gust-ing!!
Lady of the house of love - queen of the vampires lives in an old ruined château feasting on young men her mistress brings, then a soldier arrives and possibly breaks her ‘spell’ but at what cost…? - 3
Werewolf - girl set to visit grandma but encounters a wolf, chops off the hand and finds out her grandma is a witch who’s also that werewolf so town turn on her, potential but too convoluted and quick - 2.25
Company of wolves - red riding hood kinda but make it confusing, felt uncomfortable reading it, possibly making reference to the beastliest of man in the way some turn into/are (were)wolfs? - 2
Wolf-Alice - [note: why three werewolf stories all tougher?!] feral child ‘raised’ by wolves is a mix, stays with ‘another werewolf’ (?), starts puberty and the stress/unknowing of her first period, confusing and boring - 2
Average 2.33 ⭐️ but because of that vile snow child one I’m manually downgrading to a straight 2.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Animal death, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, and Classism
ameliethemoomin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
this may be my new obsession!! there's so much to say that i can't even begin! one thing: i had heard of angela carter but never of how beautiful her prose is. if you're thinking of reading this, i highly recommend checking content warnings first.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence and Violence
adri_c's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Violence
decepticons's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Slavery
francescaastraea's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
DO NOT accidentally give this to a child to read as a bedtime story
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Sexual violence
Moderate: Animal death and Violence
rowanelisa's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
rgiulia96's review against another edition
I really wanted to like this book. I love retellings of fairy tales and I thought this feminist collection would be top tier. But when did feminism start to mean that every male character is after virginal women who they wish to exploit. The first story, The Bloody Chamber ,was graphic but I thought it was the best out of all that I read (and I gave it a good go before I gave up). I think the first story felt the most feminist due to the strength of the mother, particularly at the end of the story but every other story was filled with flimsy female characters and sex driven men (even in puss and boots the cats are the same). I actually had to stop because the back to back graphic nature of violence in sex was turning my stomach and making me feel like I wanted to vomit.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Violence
oirving44's review against another edition
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.0
Note to self: don't read anything else by Angela Carter
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail