A review by james1star
The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

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. 
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