The Bloody Chamber ~Angela Carter
–published 1979
–164 pages, Harper and Row
–4/5 stars
Despite what reviewer Helen Simpson, of the Guardian, and the author herself seems to assert, at the core the 10 stories compiled in this collection are indeed retellings of traditional fairy tales, or at the very least re-workings. These tales are indeed ‘adult’ versions, in most cases, of familiar and known fairy stories, but they are not ‘adult’ in the sense that they are some form of erotic literature. They are ‘adult’ because they are by turns dark and treacherous and, as Angela Carter mentions, tales that “extract the latent content from the traditional stories”. If you have taken the opportunity to read the beloved fairy tales in a more original format, as opposed to the Disney-fied versions, you of course know that these tales are indeed full of latent sexuality and violence. What Angela Carter has done is to take these fairy tales and make something that feels both familiar and new at the same time. By doing so she has succeeded in crafting 10 tales that could not be more perfect for the kind of reading that sends a chill up your spine.
I chose Angela Carter’s collection for a R.I.P. III Challenge read after seeing it on several people’s lists over the past 2 years. It is a collection of stories that has generated a great deal of critical acclaim over the past [almost] three decades and not long into the titular tale it is easy to see why.
Angela Carter molds words in such a way that these stories do not feel like something written during the later days of disco and bell bottom jeans…instead they feel as though they were resurrected from some long forgotten trunk, lost in an attic, or a dungeon, for over a century. And yet, on occasion, Carter slips in a reference to something vaguely modern that appears to tie the setting of most stories in the early 20th century. At their very best, this collection contains some true masterpieces in the genre of re-imagined fairy tales.
The Bloody Chamber is far and away one of my favorite stories in the collection, only topped by the The Lady of the House of Love–a story that felt to me like an ancestor of the tales included in last year’s phenomenal novel, Lord Baltimore, or the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire by Christopher Golden and Mike Mignola. I couldn’t help thinking during the reading of these stories how much I would like to see them in a collection with interior illustrations by Mike Mignola. The Lady of the House of Love is a unique vampire story that had me hungrily devouring each deliciously macabre word. Each story in this collection was an entertaining read, but these two, and In the Company of Wolves were by far my favorites.
Angela Carter infuses each story with a gothic flair that makes it a perfect read for one looking for something that feels nostalgic. Angela’s has a way with words that makes her stories drip with atmosphere. There is certainly, as many critics assert, a degree of feminism at work within her stories, but not to a degree that if feels that she is preaching a message or asserting a feminine presence by denigrating males. No, these are simply tales that often portray a strong female character and as such they are quite enjoyable.
Make no mistake, despite my early comments that these are not erotica–something to be shelved behind the counter with a label over the cover to protect the kiddies–there is a strong sexuality present in several of the stories. As she asserts, her goal was to bring out these ideas that are latent in the original tales and I believe she does this in a way that is not gratuitous or titillating. Instead the sexuality inherent in these tales adds to the sense of menace and suspense her tales are so good at building up.
I am thrilled that I finally was able to read this collection and I’ll certainly be curious to check out more of Angela Carter’s outstanding short stories in the future.
Update: For an excellent overview of Angela Carter and more thoughts on The Bloody Chamber, check out Ken’s fantastic post here.
I agree completely about your comment on the timeless element to these stories, something from long ago but also something from now. I adored them when I first read them as a teenager but it took me a re-read in my mid twenties to get a fuller idea of what they are. Must recommend The Magic Toyshop for your next Angela Carter read!
one of the things about this challenge of yours is hearing of so many authors that you had not heard of before! I will check this one out.. but.. well.. ya know, chances are slim since I have such a limited interest in blood and gore lol..
It seems a shame that some people are intimidated by Angela Carter’s work, or get completely the wrong idea about her themes of sexuality and avoid her. I am a great lover of fairy tales and shall be reading this for my RIP and short story challenges. Glad you enjoyed it!
“What Angela Carter has done is to take these fairy tales and make something that feels both familiar and new at the same time.”
I completely agree. I love this book so much. I’m glad you enjoyed it too, Carl!
Nymeth: I am glad so many people posted about it or I would never even have heard of Angela Carter.
Mariel: I certainly don’t find this book intimidating. It is probably understandable when you read on Wiki how this book is taught in college classrooms and has several things written about it. The stories are certainly good, though and weren’t any more difficult to read than, say, H.P. Lovecraft’s short stories.
Deslily: There really isn’t a lot of blood and gore in this book…very little at all really. There is violence, but by that I mean violence in the sense that the Big Bad Wolf eats Little Red Riding Hoods’ Grandmother. She doesn’t describe it in modern day ‘all its bloody glory’ detail. These feel like old fashioned stories to a degree in that sense though they do include the more dark aspects of the original fairy tales. I don’t know, but I suspect you might enjoy these, particularly The Bloody Chamber, the retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and The Lady of the House of Love.
Stormfilled: I was surprised to discover that these stories were written so long ago. When so many people read them for challenges over the last 2 years my assumption was that this was a book that had just come out. I do look forward to more of her stories in the future.
“they feel as though they were resurrected from some long forgotten trunk, lost in an attic, or a dungeon, for over a century.” – spot on, they seem in some ways more authentic than the Grimm’s versions…
I would LOVE to see Mike Mignola illustrate this collection – what a great idea!
…and I second Stormfilled’s recommendation of The Magic Toyshop
Ok you convinced me! I’ll have to ILL it when I go back to the library this weekend.
Ladytink: I look forward to your thoughts on it, I think you’ll enjoy it.
Ken: You think Mike would do it for me if I said ‘pretty please’? 😉
I do love Angela Carter! I can’t remember if I have read this one or not. It seems so very familiar. Must go check my lists and if it isn’t there then it will go on the list for next year’s RIP!
I’ve heard so much about this one lately and I had never heard of it before. Odd. Sounds awesome though. I’m pretty new to the retelling of fairy tales genre as it wasn’t a big thing of mine before, but I’m really starting to dig it now. I’ll have to check it out.
Well, now I’m kicking myself! When Rich and I were off on our little vacation, I carried this book around the store for two hours one evening before ultimately putting it back. Sure wish you’d have reviewed this one a month ago. 😉 Why do I have a feeling RIP is going to be the end of my book-spending ban?
Angela Carter rocks. An underrated movie was made several years back, inspired by some of her work, called “The Company of Wolves.” I recommend it, as I believe it is still available on DVD.
Wayne: There was a film indeed, Ken talks about it in his post that I linked to. I added it to my Netflix list because I’m very curious in checking it out!
Debi: Sorry Debi! 🙁 about both things! 😉
Chris: This is certainly a good place to start, though it may spoil you. Despite my opening comments Carter does do an admirable job of not simply (and I say ‘simply’ jokingly) retelling the tale but creating something different, if not entirely divorced from the original tale. You’d really enjoy this collection.
Stefanie: I know several people have read it for various challenges because it was the frequent mention of it that finally got me to order it from the library.
Sounds like a great book. I loved reading Baltimore during last year’s RIP challenge. I’m full up for RIP this year but I think I have my first book to add to my pool for RIP IV! 🙂
I definitely want to read this one someday!! Sounds like a great compiliation!! Glad you enjoyed it!
Hello again! I left a comment but it seems your blog ate it 😉
I just wanted to say that it’s been a while since I last came here and in the meanwhile you showed lots of interesting and good pieces. Thanks for presneting The chamber because because I am intrigued and fascinated by the originsand meaning(s) of fairy tales and definitely don’t like Disney savorless views. Thanks to you I have my new book-to-read (well I don’t actually have it but ordered it yesterday ;D)
I have Burning your Boats on my list for this year which contains this collection. I can’t believe I still haven’t read it as it is just my kind of collection. I am really glad you liked it so much.
Man, as if I didn’t have enough books I wanted to read. I have owned this book forever and now I REALLY want to read it… Off to dig it off my TBR pile. I put short story collections off because I don’t really like them, but I do love fairy tales. I’m weird. haha
I’d heard of this before, but I’d never really read anything about it. I think your review has finally convinced me I need to seek it out and greedily devour it.
Oh! I like Angela Carter, what a great writer, sadly she left us to early but left us with great reads.
If I make it back to Sligo before the end of this challenge I’m going to add this to my list. I have read it before, but that was ages ago and it is well overdue a reread 🙂
Fence: I can certainly see why you would want to reread it. I put it back on the pile to send back to the library and then decided to hold off on doing so in order for me to read a couple of the stories aloud to my wife.
Madeleine: I hadn’t checked to see if she was still living but was actually asked this the other day, thanks for mentioning this, it prompted me to do a little reading about her on the internet. She certainly seemed to have lived an interesting life!
Memory: I hope you enjoy it and hope you share your thoughts on it once you’ve read it.l
Kailana: You’re not alone in not being fond of short story collections. I myself love them and appreciate the genre so much. Especially this time of year where a good creepy short story really fits the bill.
Rhinoa: I look forward to your review of that book when you get around to reading it and I too am really glad I enjoyed this one so much since I had read such positive things about it.
Sabbio: Great, nice to have you back! I hope you pop back over and let us know what you thought of Bloody Chamber after you read it.
Stephanie: I think you’d enjoy this one as well.
Jeff: It certainly is different than Baltimore, but the one short story in particular, The Lady of the House of Love, felt, to me, like one of the stories the various travelers would have told.
One day, One day….I have it in the pile, I just have to pick the right time! I know Halloween approaching makes it a good time, but there’s so many other books I want to read…*sigh* It’s a tough life.
anyway, I nominated you here:
http://valentinasroom.blogspot.com/2008/09/i-was-nominated-for-award.html
“There is certainly, as many critics assert, a degree of feminism at work within her stories, but not to a degree that if feels that she is preaching a message or asserting a feminine presence by denigrating males. No, these are simply tales that often portray a strong female character and as such they are quite enjoyable.”
ah, but see Carl, that IS feminism: it isn’t male-bashing, but simply not bashing females.
i love Angela Carter’s short stories. usually, the form seems either too rushed or simply not well-fleshed-out enough for me; more of a sketch than a fully realized idea. not true for most of hers, thankfully. and the one novel of hers i read earlier this year, ‘nights at the circus’, was just as wickedly magical. love it.
like Sabbio, i re-stumbled onto you after a long absence, so i’m probably going to miss out on this challenge, but i’ll catch up with you on the next!
Fireweaver: Any time, any time. The problem is that the term ‘feminism’ is a long way from losing the negative connotations it got from the 60’s and 70’s when the media chose to focus, as it always does, on the more extreme proponents of a very extreme agenda. So to me, the term ‘feminism’ and the great idea of a ‘strong and assertive female character’ are not always one and the same.
Valentina: It is a tough life indeed. 😉 And thank you so much for the nomination, that is awesome!!!