Elizabeth Walter, SNOWFALL
bbar...@peabody.jhu.edu
EVENTS I thought I'd post a few comments and solicit discussion from others
who've read it.
This collection seems a little flat, I didn't enjoy it as much as THE SIN
EATER collection. Possibly that's the result of reading Walter immediately
after reading Marjorie Bowen, and Walter simply suffers by comparison.
Here's the category breakdown: one ghost story, two witchcraft stories, one
supernatural prediction of death, and the standout story, "The Island of
Regrets".
"The Island of Regrets" is the tale of Peter Quint and his fiancee, Dora
Mathews. It seems Peter wants to back out of the marriage, but instead of
doing so directly, proposes a motoring tour of Europe (or France, at least),
which will force Dora to realize that they cannot have a satisfactory life
together. (Very Seinfeldian...) But then they discover the mysterious Breton
island that is shunned by the natives... On a basic level, this is simply a
story on the dual themes of: 1) It behooves you to honor local superstitions,
and 2) Be careful what you wish for. But Walter goes beyond that in laying
out a rather complex, vaguely antagonistic relationship, and the last section
departs from reality into an unclear (but decidedly grim) ending. If this
sounds like a story by You Know Who, well, that's how it reads. And what
about that ending?!
<spoiler> Am I wrong in concluding that Peter ends up in two places at the
same time? It seems the groundwork was laid for such a conclusion. Help!
</spoiler>
"The Tibetan Box" is a nice little witchcraft story, but Walter's mechanics
were a little too evident and gave away the ending too soon. (Or maybe I
guessed early out of familiarity with Walter's style.)
And speaking of grim endings, that's one thing all five stories have in
common. I think rbadac would give this collection two (suspender) snaps up
for morbidity. Anyway, I wholeheartedly recommend "The Island of Regrets",
and three-quarter-heartedly recommend the rest of SNOWFALL AND OTHER CHILLING
EVENTS.
Bill B.
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rba...@hotmail.com
bbar...@peabody.jhu.edu wrote:
> And speaking of grim endings, that's one thing all five stories have in
> common. I think rbadac would give this collection two (suspender) snaps up
> for morbidity.
Yup. <snap> OW !! <snap> OWWWW !!! Arrrgggghhh, my nipples...
Anyway, I wholeheartedly recommend "The Island of Regrets",
> and three-quarter-heartedly recommend the rest of SNOWFALL AND OTHER CHILLING
> EVENTS.
>
I liked THE SIN EATER better, too...but the Fiona MacLeod 'Sin Eater' is
still the best eaten sin available.
rbadac, putting off those piercings for awhile longer if you don't mind...