The final book in my Neil Gaiman binge is M is for Magic, a YA book of short stories. All of the stories have some sort of fairy tale or supernatural element in them, trolls, ghosts, witches, the Devil. The holy grail even makes an appearance as do some alien life forms. The stories range across the board, but what they all have in common is a matter-of-fact tone and tell it like it is style that I found very appealing and well suited to the stories.
Most of the protagonists are boys in their pre to early teen years. You’d think this would mean lots of gore or at least gross things but that is not the case. These stories are more of the in your head sort with the occasional chill running down the spine.
My favorite story in the book is called “The Price” and it made me cry. It is about a family that lives in a house just outside of town and always ends up taking in stray cats that the city people brig out and dump. One day a black cat arrives, adopts the family, and soon they notice in the mornings the cat is scratched and looking like its been in a fight. This goes on and on, the cat getting progressively more and more beat up. I’ll say no more except when you find out what the cat is doing, it rivals any loyal dog story you can think of so have the tissues handy!
The story I like second best is called “October in the Chair” and has the months sitting around a campfire at their er–monthly–meeting, bickering over procedure and finally getting down to the purpose of sitting around the campfire: telling stories. October, who is chairing the meeting, tells a good one full of tension and foreboding with an edge of sadness. And at the end of it I found I had been holding my breath.
I’ve never read any Neil Gaiman short stories before and these are all marvelous. The intended audience is probably the 10-13 year-old set but they are so clever that anyone can enjoy them, except I wouldn’t recommend them for the under 9’s you’ll find yourself having to explain everything or providing comfort after a nightmare.
That’s three for the RIP Challenge. Woo! And hopefully in a week or so I’ll be digging into a Wilkie Collins for the first time. Don’t know which one yet though.
I’ve never Gaiman’s short stories either but these sound intriguing. Thanks for reviewing M is for Magic.
I can’t wait to hear what Collins you choose — he’s such a fun writer!
I just read The Woman in White — my first Collins, and it was great!!
Oh, I love The Price – I didn’t think that anybody but me would tear up at the end, I’m happy to be in such good company!
You are doing great with your R.I.P. Challenge! I’ve finished one book, which I still need to blog about, and am in deep with The Woman in White. So curious to hear which Collins you’ll choose!
I second rebeccareid’s recommendation of “The Woman in White.” – a lovely book. He is a writer of very delicate sensibilities.
Is there a master list of books for the challenge, or do you just propose what you want? I can’t find “rules” anywhere!
My first Wilkie Collins was The Moonstone. I loved it so much I went on to read The Woman In White and The Haunted Hotel (I started reading it on-line and it grabbed me so much I ordered it straight away). I am now just finishing The Dead Secret. It’s differs a bit from the others in that he gives the answer to the mystery at the beginning. I am enjoying it very much, but a little less so than the others. Can’t wait to find out which Collins you read and what you think of it (him).
I definitely think I might try these…. and maybe see whether I can tempt my son. It’s worth a try!
Suko, they were a lot of fun and I am such a scary story wimp one of them made worry I might have nightmares. I didn’t, thanks goodness!
Dorothy, it’s so hard to choose. I keep waffling on which one!
Rebecca, I’m thinking it’s between Woman in White and The Moonstone but I can’t make up my mind.
Charlotte, oh I am so glad I am not the only one for whom The Price brought tears! And there is no prescribed reading list for the RIP Challenge, here’s the “rules”. It’s not too late to join!
Iliana, it is a surprising accident that I am doing so well. We’ll see if I can get the Collins read!
Polaris, there seem to be so many Collins fans each with a favorite it’s hard to decide!
Grad, it’s nice to know that no matter which Collins I choose they all seem to be good! That makes choosing harder though, you’d think it’d be easier.
Litlove, well, none of them are about ocean fishing, so I don’t know
He might like them anyway though.
Thanks Stefanie – I feel late but I am in!
I vote for Collins’s The Moonstone, if you still haven’t decided. Meanwhile, I love the fact that Gaiman’s stories for children and YAs don’t resort to gore. I haven’t read this one, but see now that I must.
Charlotte, excellent!
Emily, oh you especially have to read this book. I thought of you multiple times throughout it.