Curious, If True: Strange Tales: Special Edition

by Elizabeth Gaskell

A collection of five spooky Victorian stories We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. The aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature, and our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.

Genres: Short Stories, Classics, Horror, Fiction, Gothic, 19th Century, Fantasy

246 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1860

About the author

Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, née Stevenson (29 September 1810 – 12 November 1865), often referred to simply as Mrs. Gaskell, was an English novelist and short story writer during the Victorian era. Her novels offer a detailed portrait of the lives of many strata of society, including the very poor, and as such are of interest to social historians as well as lovers of literature.

AKA:
Елізабет Гаскелл (Ukrainian)

Reviews

[Quirkyreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am giving this collection of stories only three stars. There were some good stories and some OK stories.

One of the OK stories was "Lois The Witch". It was set during the Salem witch trials. Gaskell could have made that story better.

I did enjoy "The Old Nurse's Tale". That story is wonderful on audio if you happen to have the right reader.

So there was a good creeper in this collection and some OK stories.

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENGLISH: The first two of the five short stories in this collection are also in the collection titled "The grey woman," precisely those in both titles. Two of the stories ("Curious if true" and "Lois the witch") are also in the Cranford collection I have.

"Curious if true" is a strange short story about a dream (if it was a dream) with strange characters, whose identity the reader discovers little by little. Every time I read it, I like it a little more... I suppose the idea behind the story is a little hard to swallow.
As I had read three of these stories not so long ago, this time I've read just the two I hadn't read before.

"The old nurse's story" is a ghost story with no less than three (or four) ghosts. Of course, as every ghost story, it's incredible, but I think the most difficult part to accept for the reader is that a nurse would tell such a gruesome story to the children under her care.

"The poor Clare" is a story where a supposed witch curses a man who has killed her dog, but the curse backfires against her own granddaughter.

ESPAÑOL: Los dos primeros de los cinco cuentos de esta colección también están en la colección titulada "The grey woman", precisamente los que se mencionan en los títulos de ambas colecciones. Dos de los cuentos ("Curious if true" y "Lois the witch") también están en la colección titulada "Cranford" que yo tengo.

"Curious if true" es un extraño cuento sobre un sueño (si es que es un sueño) con personajes extraños, cuya identidad el lector va descubriendo poco a poco. Cada vez que lo leo, me gusta un poco más... Supongo que la idea tras la historia es un poco difícil de tragar.
Como no hace mucho que he leído tres de estos cuentos, esta vez me he limitado a leer las dos que no había leído antes.

"The old nurse's story" es una historia de fantasmas en la que aparecen tres (o cuatro) fantasmas. Por supuesto, como toda historia de fantasmas, es increíble, pero creo que la parte más difícil de aceptar para el lector es que una nurse cuente a los niños que tiene bajo su cuidado una historia tan espantosa.

"La pobre clarisa" es una historia en la que una supuesta bruja maldice a un hombre que ha matado a su perro, pero la maldición recae sobre su propia nieta.

[Il Priorato Dei Bibliofili · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curioso, se fosse vero" è un racconto scritto in forma anonima nel 1860, la presente traduzione, ad opera di @bookcloudgazer e pubblicata da @caravaggioeditore, si rifà ad un testo del 1865.

Richard Wittingham, un gentiluomo inglese, si reca in Francia per condurre delle ricerche sui suoi antenati quando, passeggiando tra i sentieri campestri, perde la via del ritorno al suo albergo.

Arrivata la notte, Richard cerca riparo in un elegante castello nel quale si sta svolgendo una festa un po' particolare: gli invitati indossano abiti risalenti all'epoca vittoriana e ricordano alcuni personaggi delle fiabe...

Lo stile di scrittura è ricercato ed elegante ma con una punta di ironia: la Gaskell, utilizzando l'espediente delle fiabe per bambini, muove sottilmente una critica alla società dell'epoca, caratterizzata da egoismo, cinismo e dalla dilagante maldicenza.

"Curioso, se fosse vero" si presenta in un'irresistibile edizione da collezione, impreziosita da splendide illustrazioni in bianco e nero e arricchita da note a piè pagina necessarie per una comprensione ottimale del testo.

Un meraviglioso viaggio onirico ispirato al mondo delle fiabe con influenze gotiche e vittoriane.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. The Old Nurse's Story
2. The Poor Clare
3. Lois The Witch
4. The Grey Woman
5. Curious, If True.

My favorites are "The Old Nurse's Story"and "Curious, if True".

[Nadja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and atmospheric Gothic tales. Almost every story has an element of story within story (metafiction ahoy). I was really surprised how the stories took place around Europe as well New England and dealt with real historic events (Witch trials of Salem) or were inspired by other (fairytale) works.

The Old Nurse's Story: 3 stars.
The Poor Clare: 2 stars.
Lois The Witch: 3 stars.
The Grey Woman: 4 stars.
Curious, If True: 3 stars.

Victober 2019: Read a book by a Victorian female author & Read a Victorian book under 250 pages.

[Guguk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terus terang, ketimbang Jane Austen dan Charlotte Bronte, aku lebih kagum dengan Mrs. Gaskell ini (☆ω☆)
Ngarang kisah tentang penduduk kota kecil yang kocak...bisa!
Bikin kisah romance berlatar revolusi industri dan demo buruh...juga oke!

Dan kali ini, aku bersyukur dapat mencicipi kisah horor karya beliau (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))
Isinya ada 5 cerita :

- The Old Nurse's Story : gadis kecil, pengasuh yang setia, rumah tua dengan tragedi masa lalu, organ yang berbunyi sendiri...semuanya resep standar namun komplit dan tak pernah gagal untuk membuat sajian kisah hantu yang pekat dengan aroma gothic (^oo^) *mengendusendus* Memuaskan!

- Poor Clare : untuk yang ini aku kurang puas (^ ^;)>
Padahal jenis hantunya itu tipe yang bisa dibikin serem-seseru-serunya, tapi ini malah lebih berkutat di tokoh utama cowok yang lembek—selembek Kanebo basah, dan nyaris tak berguna—ga seperti Kanebo... *bukaniklan*

- Lois the Witch : yang ini benar-benar!! ∑d(✧ω✧)
Gadis Inggris yang patah hati dan sebatang kara, harus "mengemis" belas kasihan kerabatnya di dunia baru sana: di Amerika, tepatnya di Salem.
Yep, perburuan penyihir pun dimulai~
Tampak jelas bahwa "tindakan mematuhi hukum agama" yang timbul itu bukan karena rasa kasih dan bakti kepada Tuhan, namun lebih karena ketakutan dan ketidaktahuan, yang membawa manusianya kepada kepengecutan dan kefanatikan yang bersifat massal.
Endingnya...teriakan terakhir itu... (ಥ﹏ಥ) pas baca rasanya ikutan "ngek!"

- The Grey Woman : kisah seorang gadis Jerman yang pemalu, yang menikah karena pesona wajah bishie tampan seorang pria Prancis yang kaya, dan karena "terseret arus" orang-orang di sekitarnya...
Entah gimana, aku bisa ngebayangin situasinya bahkan di dunia modern sekarang ini~
Serius. Mungkin bagi cewek yang berwatak kuat, si tokoh utama kisah ini amit-amit mustahilnya, tapi kondisi perempuan yang terdesak lalu terjebak dalam kungkungan penjara bernama pernikahan itu bukan dongeng.
Ga ada hantu di sini, hanya ada kejahatan manusia...

- Curious, If True : ya ampun!! ｡ﾟ( ﾟ^∀^ﾟ)ﾟﾉ彡☆ *tepokmeja* (≧▽ლ) *tepokmuka* (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o))) *tepokpramuka* //stop
Aku bener-bener ga nyadar pas baca dan sempet: "Ini apa sih, kok ngebosenin gini..."
Dan ga taunya!! ⌒(o＾▽＾o)ノ Oke, awalnya:
Seorang pria Inggris, yang sedang keluyuran di Prancis, kemalaman dan menumpang di sebuah chateau, di mana ada pesta dengan sejumlah besar tamu.
Aku nebak-nebak :
- kastilnya berhantu
- tamu-tamunya adalah hantu
- bakal ada pembunuhan di pesta
Jawabannya : semua salah! (⁄ ⁄>⁄ ▽ ⁄<⁄ ⁄)

Yang benar : ternyata ada hubungannya dengan dongeng-dongeng Perrault (((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))

Aku langsung baca lagi, dan menarik banget berusaha nebak-nebak yang lagi ngomong sama si tokoh utama itu tokoh dongeng yang mana (^..^)

[Serena Smerilli · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

[Margaretmcmillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me because of an interest in re-told Victorian Fairy Tales. It literally kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I read the book on the train from Williamsburg to Philly, and after approximately 7 hours of train riding, I did not want the train to stop because I so wanted to finish my book.

My favorite in the series was the Old Nurse's Tale (which is often a favorite of the Norton Anthology as well as other Victorian compilations. I never actually read the story until I picked up this collection. I would recommend reading all of the stories at once, although they are not connected) and Lois the Witch (which also has been recommended to me because of the Puritan elements). However, the Grey Lady was also excellent, as were the rest of Gaskell's pieces. I was not thoroughly convinced by Gaskell's skills and ability until I read this collection so I would highly recommend it to anyone on the fence. Very suspenseful, very exciting.

Also, for those who have read the work,does anyone know if the plot to "The Others" has anything to do with the Old Nurse's Tale, or if "Crucible" and other similar witch-trail tales are simply a knock off of Gaskell? Lois the Witch has so many elements of the Crucible present in it that I fail to believe that Arthur Miller did not draw heavily on this piece of fiction for his play/screen play. Anyone? For all of those who love the 'Crucible' as I do, you are missing out if you do not read this short story! It's much better! Also, it is suspiciously similar to another old love of mine, "Witch of Blackbird Pond." Although, be forewarned, 'Lois the Witch' is a darker retelling and it shouldn't be read to children.

[Tocotin · Rating 3 out of 5]

All right, the book was definitely worth reading. "Lois the Witch" and "The Grey Woman" are the best stories IMHO, the first one very dark (it's about the witch hysteria in Salem and the first story I've ever read about it), the other dark also, but with a good (well kinda) outcome and a very interesting storyline which just begs for rewrite or reinterpretation. The few first ones weren't that absorbing though, hence 3 stars.

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not enjoying these stories -- the moralizing irritates me and the paranormal (ghosts and demons) bores rather than frightens. I read the first 2 stories and the first chapter of the third; the last two stories I have read previously in "The Grey Woman and Other Tales". Those two would be the best in this collection...

[Cecilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah, these are Victorian "scary" stories. Interesting to get perspective on what was creepy then versus what is creepy now. Three are a little creepy, the fourth more a morality tale. I would only recommend this to those into Victorian lit, and within that subset, those who like that style of gothic horror. The writing style is good though, so I can't completely pan it.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are expecting another Cranford, you are in for a big surprise! About as far from it as you can get. Who knew Gaskell could hop genres like this? Definitely worth a read.

[Neyly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of short stories:

1. "The Old Nurse's Story" (3 stars): ghost story.

2."The Poor Clare" (2.5 stars): from witchcraft to Poor Clare. Could have used some serious editing, i.e. overlong, but I did learn of the Poor Clares. I spent 12 years in Catholic schools but had never heard of the Poor Clares or don't remember hearing of them. https://cloisteredlife.com/poor-clares

3. "Lois The Witch" (4 stars): Salem 1691-2. All does not end well for the innocent young English girl.

4. "The Grey Woman" (4.5 stars): horror of a different kind. Marrying a man you don't know well can end in more than regret but rather in fear for your life.

5. "Curious, If True" (5 stars): fairytale-charming. I need to read it again and found the perfect link on which to do so.

https://multoghost.wordpress.com/2017...

https://exiw.wordpress.com/2017/01/16...


Recommend: The month of October would be a good time to delve into this collection, as 4/5 storylines involve ghosts - witchcraft (real or not) - and fairytale lore. Keep in mind that Gaskell wrote these short stories in the mid-1800s. Writing from that time period differs from that of today. You either like it or you don't.

*I want to read Gaskell's North and South.

[Elise Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I taught "The Old Nurse's Story" last time I taught Brit Lit and the students ate it up. They did a great job relating it's themes to the Victorian period and enjoyed it on its own terms as well. I decided I needed to check out the rest of her short ghost stories. All of the other stories are equally interesting. They are gothic, and unlike "The Old Nurse's Story," the rest are set in the past and in foreign countries. It surprised me how well Gaskell wrote within the dark and gothic vein.

My favorite was "The Poor Clare," which had some interesting complexity in terms of point of view; the practical, male speaker uses his position as a lawyer to dig into the history of strange women with witch-like powers -- he's on the edge of mystery and observes it, experiences it, but is still effectively an outsider to it.

"The Grey Woman" was also super interesting in its use of cross-dressing, female heroism, and sacrifice. Definitely a paper in there somewhere!

"Lois the Witch" was perhaps the most unexpected of all the stories as it was set in Salem during the witch trials. I wonder what got Gaskell interested in that! It rivals The Crucible's intensity. I wonder if Arthur Miller read this while researching for the play. Chris kept getting mad at me for reading it when I should have been cleaning or watching the kids, but I couldn't put it down.

I read in some of the reviews that people think the stories are too moralistic, and I have to say I didn't find them to be any more so than other works of the period. I also read that someone found the language to be too difficult and "old English." I'd have to argue that in terms of Victorian style, this is very readable and accessible.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would've thought Elizabeth Gaskell wrote horror? Well...suspense sometimes, although there are a couple of genuine spooks and witches in this collection, mostly presented in a historical vein. Victorians look back to the 17th century for their ghouls the way Tim Burton has us looking to the Victorians. The title story is more a clever parlor-reading exercise than great literature, but "The Grey Woman" is a gripping adventure tale in the line as Bluebeard, and "The Poor Clare" and "The Old Nurse's Tell" are genuinely freaky with spectors that aren't often in our contemporary horror (the soulless doppleganger is truly terrifying).

[Mikel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little set of Gothic stories. They're not what you would expect from the author of North & South and Wives & Daughters. It goes to show how diversified authors used to be. I really enjoyed reading some Mrs. Gaskell's less well know works.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting collection of stories. Lois the Witch was definitely my favorite, as it explored some really interesting themes in religion and hysteria. I found the last tale the least satisfying, but overall a great selection of stories.

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 44%. I've tried repeatedly to read this book, but the first tale in particular is a 101 on how to spoil a solid idea with tedious tangents, repetition and zero suspense. I like reading from this era and genre so I'm used to its conventions, but this bores me to tears.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, Lois the witch was the best story in this collection. The first two stories didn't manage to captivate my attention, however, I'm glad I didn't give up on the book since I also enjoyed the last two, The Grey Woman and Curious, if true.

[Naticia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Agree with other reviewers that "The Old Nurse's Tale" was the best of the lot. I'd also read "The Grey Woman" elsewhere, and it didn't really hold up well to a second reading. "Lois the Witch" may have been sensational at the time (or not, I don't know), but it held no surprises to me.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read ebook (Stanza on iPod Touch) from here: http://www.feedbooks.com/book/3335
Read 21 December 2009-20 January 2010

[Bettie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hahahah - Just slurped me up some Gaskill and wonder if this is the same short story sequence; we shall see.

[Cara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my favorite. I didn't even finish the whole book. The stories were just weird, not what I wanted to read.

[Lisa H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I very much enjoyed the plots of these tales I found the language to be overly heavy in the fashion of Victorian description of minute details.

[Jaimee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book was a little hard to follow and spend more time reading the dictonary to understand more than half the words. Would not recommend this book unless you have a masters in old english\french

[Velvetink]

epub version

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read the first couple of these. They were ghost stories, stories of exorcism, definitely not my thing.

[Nastia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gaskell, que intensa, mai.

[Coleccionista de finales tristes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esta autora escribe muy bien solo que este no es de los mejores. Lo leí después de “La bruja Lois” y me ha dejado deseando más

[Michela Cacciatore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Racconto carino con citazioni fiabesche.

Cute story with fairytale quotes.