canadian

Like most anthologies similar to this there were stories I couldn't read fast enough and others that I had to force myself to finish (fortunately, those were few). What these stories all have in common is a well developed sense of dread and/or despair and general unease whether the tale is dealing with paranormal elements or just flat out human evil. I didn't care for "Cerberus" or the story that followed it "The Beautiful Children" because the they just didn't grab me. "These Are Ghost Stories" with its dreamlike style couldn't hold me long enough and I ended up skimming most of it. But the others were dread-filled morsels that I gladly devoured. "The Last Ferry" was hands-down my favorite and kept me anxiously turning the pages wondering exactly where the protagonist was headed and for what reason. The ending threw me for a loop and haunted me in a way few stories do. "Letters" was another thoroughly enjoyable tale that makes one stop and think. Was the letter writer simply mad or living a bizarre, surreal existence? Whatever the answer the story was a nice blend of bland realism and weirdness.

This is a gripping compilation of wonderfully diverse stories which look at our dark side. If you haven't yet felt the delightful tingle of New Gothic, this is a great introductory read. The choices are choice: varied literary styles, imaginative plots, fresh writing. It was a book I HAD to put down -- each tale called so much to question that I had to stop and think: to ruminate for a day or two before starting the next story. But, in as much as I had to let it go occasionally, I was also utterly compelled to pick it back up. Do not think of witches or angels here, but rather the tenor and mood of Poe -- all in a modern context. Delicious!