false 597623 0755322835 9780755322831 118 23 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1176147261m/597623.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/597623.Smoke_and_Mirrors 1221698 Neil Gaiman 283013 26209 3 0 false Fri Jul 03 07:25:11 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 03 07:46:48 -0700 2009
Chivalry: An old lady buys the Holy Grail from Oxfam, and a knight comes along asking for it. Cutely quaint, almost doddering in writing style, but perhaps a little dry.

Nichlas was...: An 100-word dark Christmas drabble which leaves you feeling quite sorry for Santa.

The Price: A black cat appears on their doorstep, sustains mysterious wounds every night. This has a colloquial feel, although halfway through sidesteps into a flight of fancy that is initially a little jarring but does add a sense of mystique.

The Troll Bridge: Quite depressing, it's strength is in the beginning, when the narrator is a child of 7. The story then flashes forward to 15, then to an indeterminate middle-age. I think the most striking moment is when the troll looks all sad and lonely.

Don't Ask Jack: Not the best of the lot, short and creepy and unsatisfying.

The Daughter of Owls: This has a fable-like feel, but written in ye olde style English, full of odd spellings which some readers may find distracting.
]]>