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More Deadly than the Male
Readers are well aware that Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein: few know how many other tales of terror she created. In addition to Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote some surprisingly effective horror stories. The year after Little Women appeared, Louisa May Alcott published one of the first mummy tales. These ladies weren’t alone. From the earliest days of Gothic and horror fiction, women were exploring the frontiers of fear, dreaming dark dreams that will still keep you up at night.
More Deadly than the Male includes unexpected horror tales by Louisa May Alcott and Harriet Beecher Stowe, and forgotten writers like Mary Cholmondely and Charlotte Riddell, whose work deserves a modern audience. Readers will be drawn in by the familiar names and intrigued by their rare stories.
In The Beckside Boggle, Alice Rea brings a common piece of English folklore to hair-raising life, while Helene Blavatsky, best known as the founder of the spiritualist Theosophical Society, conjures up a solid and satisfying ghost story in The Cave of the Echoes. Edith Wharton’s great novel The Age of Innocence won her the Pulitzer prize, yet her horror stories are known only to a comparative few.
Readers will discover lost and forgotten women who wrote horror every bit as effectively as their male contemporaries. They will learn about their lives and careers, the challenges they faced as women working in a male-dominated field, the way they overcame those challenges, and the way they approached the genre—which was often subtler, more psychological, and more disturbing.
More Deadly than the Male includes unexpected horror tales by Louisa May Alcott and Harriet Beecher Stowe, and forgotten writers like Mary Cholmondely and Charlotte Riddell, whose work deserves a modern audience. Readers will be drawn in by the familiar names and intrigued by their rare stories.
In The Beckside Boggle, Alice Rea brings a common piece of English folklore to hair-raising life, while Helene Blavatsky, best known as the founder of the spiritualist Theosophical Society, conjures up a solid and satisfying ghost story in The Cave of the Echoes. Edith Wharton’s great novel The Age of Innocence won her the Pulitzer prize, yet her horror stories are known only to a comparative few.
Readers will discover lost and forgotten women who wrote horror every bit as effectively as their male contemporaries. They will learn about their lives and careers, the challenges they faced as women working in a male-dominated field, the way they overcame those challenges, and the way they approached the genre—which was often subtler, more psychological, and more disturbing.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2019
80 people are currently reading
1018 people want to read
About the author
Graeme Davis
130 books79 followersGraeme Davis was born at an early age and has lived ever since.
His enduring fascination with creatures from myth and folklore can probably be blamed equally on Ray Harryhausen and Christopher Lee. He studied archaeology at the University of Durham before joining Games Workshop in 1986, where he co-wrote the acclaimed Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay game among others.
He has worked on over 40 video games, countless tabletop roleplaying game products, and a few more sensible books in the realms of history, mythology, and folklore. Most recently, he has written multiple titles for Osprey Publishing's Dark Osprey and Myths and Legends lines.
He blogs at graemedavis.wordpress.com and tweets as @GraemeJDavis. His Facebook author page is at https://www.facebook.com/Graeme-Davis...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 16, 2021
Неровный, но полезный сборник, охватывающий примерно столетие женского готического рассказа, от Мэри Шелли до Мэри Уилкинс Фримен, который, увы, доказывает, что группировка авторов по какому-либо внешнему признаку – дело чаще всего бесполезное. Есть чрезвычайно сильные рассказы, есть невыносимо беспомощные (Маргарет Олифант читать невозможно даже из сострадания к ее несчастной судьбе), и единственный, пожалуй, заметный плюс сборника – это биографические справки об авторессах, призванные вытащить забытые имена из тумана прошлого, но стоит признать, что некоторые имена все-таки в этом тумане так и останутся.
January 25, 2020
4.5 stars on the blog.
As with most anthologies, especially multiple author collections, there was a wide range in writing quality. What surprised me was the weaknesses of the more well-known authors including: Mary Shelley, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Louisa May Alcott, and Pulitzer Prize winning Edith Wharton. They would build these solid stories and then the climax and ending would be but a droll whimper. The Edith Nesbit (of The Railway Children fame) story was dreadful.
The lesser, or relatively unknown authors' stories which fell pancake flat for me were for the most part wandering with characters going places that had zero to do with the story, and they also had tediously detailed descriptions of things like what was in the character's pockets, or where an ingredient for a recipe came from which also had nothing to do with the story. I have the feeling these wanderings and descriptions were only there to give the reader more to read, like reading the back of a cereal box when you just want to occupy your mind. Ha ha. I also saw some of this writing style with the famous authors' inclusions, so maybe it was popular for short fiction during those times. These stories all had either easily predictable conclusions, or confusing open-ended endings which left me rolling my eyes. This too seemed to be a popular thing. It was also interesting to see how what was considered Horror at the turn of that century is what we would consider Paranormal Fantasy in current times.
There were, however, three previously unknown to me authors whose stories were strong and extremely enjoyable: Annie Trumbull Slosson, Louise J. Strong, and Russian author Helena Blavatsky. They were in my opinion better offerings than those of the popular classics authors included in this collection. I will be looking into their other works very soon.
The addition of short bios infused with some of the history of the times the authors' lived in, placed at the beginning of each story, was what garnered the extra half star from me for this anthology. They were interesting and gave information about the writers' personal lives, careers, and the hurdles they faced and overcame as female authors in those times.
I was approved for an eARC, via Edelweiss, in return for an honest review.
As with most anthologies, especially multiple author collections, there was a wide range in writing quality. What surprised me was the weaknesses of the more well-known authors including: Mary Shelley, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Louisa May Alcott, and Pulitzer Prize winning Edith Wharton. They would build these solid stories and then the climax and ending would be but a droll whimper. The Edith Nesbit (of The Railway Children fame) story was dreadful.
The lesser, or relatively unknown authors' stories which fell pancake flat for me were for the most part wandering with characters going places that had zero to do with the story, and they also had tediously detailed descriptions of things like what was in the character's pockets, or where an ingredient for a recipe came from which also had nothing to do with the story. I have the feeling these wanderings and descriptions were only there to give the reader more to read, like reading the back of a cereal box when you just want to occupy your mind. Ha ha. I also saw some of this writing style with the famous authors' inclusions, so maybe it was popular for short fiction during those times. These stories all had either easily predictable conclusions, or confusing open-ended endings which left me rolling my eyes. This too seemed to be a popular thing. It was also interesting to see how what was considered Horror at the turn of that century is what we would consider Paranormal Fantasy in current times.
There were, however, three previously unknown to me authors whose stories were strong and extremely enjoyable: Annie Trumbull Slosson, Louise J. Strong, and Russian author Helena Blavatsky. They were in my opinion better offerings than those of the popular classics authors included in this collection. I will be looking into their other works very soon.
The addition of short bios infused with some of the history of the times the authors' lived in, placed at the beginning of each story, was what garnered the extra half star from me for this anthology. They were interesting and gave information about the writers' personal lives, careers, and the hurdles they faced and overcame as female authors in those times.
I was approved for an eARC, via Edelweiss, in return for an honest review.
September 29, 2021
Qué complicado valorar un libro con tantos cuentos y relatos. Muchos me encantaron y en otros cabeceé. Una de las sorpresas más grandes que me llevé es que el relato de La transformación de Mary Shelley pudo haber sido inspiración de Anne Rice para escribir El ladrón de cuerpos y vaya que es evidente en esa novela.
Mis favoritos fueron el de Shelley, El relato del ingeniero de Amelia Edwards definido por los ferrocarriles, un elemento muy presente en sus relatos y con esto me da muchas ganas de leer El carruaje fantasma y otras historias sobrenaturales
Uno de mis preferidos es el cuento de Louisa May Alcott sobre la maldición de una momia, así como los de autoras no tan conocidas como el de la madame Cabanel de Eliza Lynn Linton o El fantasma de Tyburn de la Condesa de Munster.
Probablemente mi cuento predilecto de esta serie es El terreno blando de Mary Wilkins Freeman, resultó una gran sorpresa, pues yo tenía muchas expectativas del Tapiz amarillo de Charlotte Perkins y aunque me gustó, no tanto como esperaba. El cuento de Mary Wilkins me pareció el más escabroso y tétrico, tiene una buena dosis de terror. Ahora tengo más curiosidad de leer El viento en el rosal y otras historias de lo sobrenatural
Me encantó que el editor incluyera un breve resumen de la vida y obra de las autoras, así me fue más sencillo recurrir a un abanico amplio de futuras lecturas.
Mis favoritos fueron el de Shelley, El relato del ingeniero de Amelia Edwards definido por los ferrocarriles, un elemento muy presente en sus relatos y con esto me da muchas ganas de leer El carruaje fantasma y otras historias sobrenaturales
Uno de mis preferidos es el cuento de Louisa May Alcott sobre la maldición de una momia, así como los de autoras no tan conocidas como el de la madame Cabanel de Eliza Lynn Linton o El fantasma de Tyburn de la Condesa de Munster.
Probablemente mi cuento predilecto de esta serie es El terreno blando de Mary Wilkins Freeman, resultó una gran sorpresa, pues yo tenía muchas expectativas del Tapiz amarillo de Charlotte Perkins y aunque me gustó, no tanto como esperaba. El cuento de Mary Wilkins me pareció el más escabroso y tétrico, tiene una buena dosis de terror. Ahora tengo más curiosidad de leer El viento en el rosal y otras historias de lo sobrenatural
Me encantó que el editor incluyera un breve resumen de la vida y obra de las autoras, así me fue más sencillo recurrir a un abanico amplio de futuras lecturas.
November 4, 2019
Stories included:
The Transformation by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley- 3 stars
The Dark Lady by Mrs. S. C. Hall- 4 stars
Morton Hall by Elizabeth Gaskell- 3.5 stars
A Ghost Story by Ada Travanion- 4 stars
An Engineer's Story by Amelia B Edwards- 3.5 stars
Lost in a Pyramid by Louisa May Alcott- 5 stars
Tom Toothacre's Ghost Story by Harriet Beecher Stowe- 5 stars
Kentucky's Ghost by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps- 4 stars
At Chrighton Abbey by Mary Elizabeth Braddon- 4 stars
The Fate of Madame Cabanel by Eliza Lynn Linton- 4 star (It is still applicable to today.)
Forwarned, Forarmed by Mrs J.H Riddell- 3 stars
The Portrait by Margaret Oliphant- 3 stars
The Shrine of Death by Lady Dilke- 3 stars
The Beckside Boggle by Alice Rea- 3 stars
The Hidden Door by Vernon Lee- 4 star
Unexplained by Mary Louisa Molesworth- 4 star
Let Loose by Mary Cholmondely- 5 star
The Cave of the Echos by Helena Blavatsky- 5 star
The Yellow Wall Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman- 4 stars
The Mass for the Dead by Edith Nesbit- 5 star
The Tyburn Ghost by Countess of Munster- 5star
The Duchess at Prayer by Edith Wharton- 4 star
The Vacant Lot by Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman- 4 stars
An Unscientific Story by Louise J Strong- 5 star
A Dissatisfied Soul by Annie Trumbull Slosson- 3 stars
The Readjustment by Mary Austin-3 stars
The Transformation by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley- 3 stars
The Dark Lady by Mrs. S. C. Hall- 4 stars
Morton Hall by Elizabeth Gaskell- 3.5 stars
A Ghost Story by Ada Travanion- 4 stars
An Engineer's Story by Amelia B Edwards- 3.5 stars
Lost in a Pyramid by Louisa May Alcott- 5 stars
Tom Toothacre's Ghost Story by Harriet Beecher Stowe- 5 stars
Kentucky's Ghost by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps- 4 stars
At Chrighton Abbey by Mary Elizabeth Braddon- 4 stars
The Fate of Madame Cabanel by Eliza Lynn Linton- 4 star (It is still applicable to today.)
Forwarned, Forarmed by Mrs J.H Riddell- 3 stars
The Portrait by Margaret Oliphant- 3 stars
The Shrine of Death by Lady Dilke- 3 stars
The Beckside Boggle by Alice Rea- 3 stars
The Hidden Door by Vernon Lee- 4 star
Unexplained by Mary Louisa Molesworth- 4 star
Let Loose by Mary Cholmondely- 5 star
The Cave of the Echos by Helena Blavatsky- 5 star
The Yellow Wall Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman- 4 stars
The Mass for the Dead by Edith Nesbit- 5 star
The Tyburn Ghost by Countess of Munster- 5star
The Duchess at Prayer by Edith Wharton- 4 star
The Vacant Lot by Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman- 4 stars
An Unscientific Story by Louise J Strong- 5 star
A Dissatisfied Soul by Annie Trumbull Slosson- 3 stars
The Readjustment by Mary Austin-3 stars
October 17, 2019
Entertaining and refreshing, the classics really wowed me this time.
October 30, 2018
Review coming to blog and Booklist soon
September 21, 2019
This was such a disappointment. I thought it would be better and I was looking forward to it. By far, the highlight is The Yellow Wallpaper. A few other stories were also a bit creepy but I wouldn’t really call most of these women “Queens of Horror.”
May 3, 2019
I got to meet/listen to Davis talk about this book at The Bookies in Denver and enjoyed the heck out of his talk and then the heck out of the book. The stories were, of course great, but the concept and the research are top notch as well.
Great pickup and I even got a signed one for my daughter.
Great pickup and I even got a signed one for my daughter.
February 3, 2019
"'Wal, I talked with Jed about it; and says I to Jed, says I, 'Now, ef you'll take my advice, jist you give that are old house a regular overhaulin', and paint it over with tew coats o' paint, and that are'll clear 'em out, if any thing will. Ghosts is like bedbugs,--they can't stan' fresh paint,' says I.'" -- Tom Toothacre's Ghost Story by Harriet Beecher Stowe
*I received a review copy from the publisher in return for an honest review*
Guys! This short story collection was amazing. All of the horror stories included were written by female authors between 1830 and 1908. The majority of those included are not well known or frequently anthologized. Each story was prefaced with a short blurb by the editor, Graeme Davis, to give some background on the author and some context about the style, genre, or importance of the piece. I enjoyed reading these, because I am much less familiar with what was typical of stories during this time period and it was nice to have a little stylistic background.
None of the stories included were frightening or scary, so if that is what you are looking for, you will probably be disappointed. However, being a fan of horror, it is great to see the history of specific horror sub-genres. All of the narratives were well crafted and interesting, and there was a huge variety of topics covered. Many of the pieces were hauntings/supernatural/ghost stories, but they also included vampires, mummies, sea stories, transformations, and psychological ruin.
by far, my favorite story was The Beckside Boggle by Alice Rea. The Beckside Boggle was set in England's Lake District (near the Scottish border) and Rea wrote characters who spoke in dialect that was difficult to get the hang of, but greatly enriched the authenticity of the piece. I don't want to ruin the plot for those of you who have yet to read it, but she perfectly captures the sense of unease the characters feel, throws a couple of twists in, and provides a really unique method of murder.
This is a small thing, and probably nit-picky, but I was a little disappointed that The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman was included in this collection. As much as I love that story, it felt out of place because of how well it is known. In so many of the before-story blurbs, Davis mentioned how little-known or less popular the stories he chose to include were. Finding such a popular story in this collection felt a little off-brand.
Despite that, I loved reading all of these horror stories by badass female authors of the 19th and 20th centuries. They deserve so much more credit than they have been given by society, and I am so happy that Davis put this collection together. 4 Stars
*I received a review copy from the publisher in return for an honest review*
Guys! This short story collection was amazing. All of the horror stories included were written by female authors between 1830 and 1908. The majority of those included are not well known or frequently anthologized. Each story was prefaced with a short blurb by the editor, Graeme Davis, to give some background on the author and some context about the style, genre, or importance of the piece. I enjoyed reading these, because I am much less familiar with what was typical of stories during this time period and it was nice to have a little stylistic background.
None of the stories included were frightening or scary, so if that is what you are looking for, you will probably be disappointed. However, being a fan of horror, it is great to see the history of specific horror sub-genres. All of the narratives were well crafted and interesting, and there was a huge variety of topics covered. Many of the pieces were hauntings/supernatural/ghost stories, but they also included vampires, mummies, sea stories, transformations, and psychological ruin.
by far, my favorite story was The Beckside Boggle by Alice Rea. The Beckside Boggle was set in England's Lake District (near the Scottish border) and Rea wrote characters who spoke in dialect that was difficult to get the hang of, but greatly enriched the authenticity of the piece. I don't want to ruin the plot for those of you who have yet to read it, but she perfectly captures the sense of unease the characters feel, throws a couple of twists in, and provides a really unique method of murder.
This is a small thing, and probably nit-picky, but I was a little disappointed that The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman was included in this collection. As much as I love that story, it felt out of place because of how well it is known. In so many of the before-story blurbs, Davis mentioned how little-known or less popular the stories he chose to include were. Finding such a popular story in this collection felt a little off-brand.
Despite that, I loved reading all of these horror stories by badass female authors of the 19th and 20th centuries. They deserve so much more credit than they have been given by society, and I am so happy that Davis put this collection together. 4 Stars
August 31, 2021
Hola a todos!!!⠀
⠀
Hoy les quiero hablar de unos cuentos que estamos leyendo junto a Jess de @aficionadaalalectura se trata del libro “Mujeres letales, obras maestras de las reinas del terror” de editorial @edhasaargentina este libro me lo regaló @chapterbychapter_books para mi cumple en el mes de abril, muchas gracias Barby!!!!⠀
⠀
La transformación de Mary Wollstonecraft (1830)⠀
"He oído decir que, cuando le ha ocurrido a un ser humano alguna aventura extraña, sobrenatural y nigromántica, ese ser, por más deseoso que esté de ocultarlo, en cierto período se siente hecho pedazos como un terremoto intelectual y se ve obligado a desnudarte las más íntimas profundidades de su espíritu ante otro"⠀
⠀
La dama oscura de Señora de S.C. Hall (1850)⠀
" A la gente le resulta fácil reírse de los cuentos de espíritus a plena luz del día, cuando los rayos del sol bailando en la hierba y los claros de los bosques más profundos sólo están salpicados y moteado por tiernas sombras de árboles frondosos; cuando el escabroso castillo, que tenía un aspecto tan misterioso y tan adusto en la noche amenazante, parece adecuado para el tocador de una dama"⠀
⠀
La casa solariega Morton de Elizabeth Gaskell (1853)⠀
"... no podía salir con espadas y armas bélicas contra un mujer; sus mismísimos preparativos para forzar una entrada lo volvían ridículo a sus propios ojos..."⠀
⠀
Estos tres cuentos son los primeros que leímos y adoramos. ⠀
Al inicio de cada uno te cuenta un poco de la vida de cada una de las escritoras y te da a conocer cuál fue su inspiración o como se vincula el cuento a la vida de la escritora, en algunos casos desgarrador y en otros apasionante. ⠀
Pronto les traeré más cuentos ya que nos propusimos leerlos de a poco para no terminarlos todos de una vez.⠀
⠀
Ustedes leen libros de terror escritos por mujeres? Cual me recomiendan?
⠀
Hoy les quiero hablar de unos cuentos que estamos leyendo junto a Jess de @aficionadaalalectura se trata del libro “Mujeres letales, obras maestras de las reinas del terror” de editorial @edhasaargentina este libro me lo regaló @chapterbychapter_books para mi cumple en el mes de abril, muchas gracias Barby!!!!⠀
⠀
La transformación de Mary Wollstonecraft (1830)⠀
"He oído decir que, cuando le ha ocurrido a un ser humano alguna aventura extraña, sobrenatural y nigromántica, ese ser, por más deseoso que esté de ocultarlo, en cierto período se siente hecho pedazos como un terremoto intelectual y se ve obligado a desnudarte las más íntimas profundidades de su espíritu ante otro"⠀
⠀
La dama oscura de Señora de S.C. Hall (1850)⠀
" A la gente le resulta fácil reírse de los cuentos de espíritus a plena luz del día, cuando los rayos del sol bailando en la hierba y los claros de los bosques más profundos sólo están salpicados y moteado por tiernas sombras de árboles frondosos; cuando el escabroso castillo, que tenía un aspecto tan misterioso y tan adusto en la noche amenazante, parece adecuado para el tocador de una dama"⠀
⠀
La casa solariega Morton de Elizabeth Gaskell (1853)⠀
"... no podía salir con espadas y armas bélicas contra un mujer; sus mismísimos preparativos para forzar una entrada lo volvían ridículo a sus propios ojos..."⠀
⠀
Estos tres cuentos son los primeros que leímos y adoramos. ⠀
Al inicio de cada uno te cuenta un poco de la vida de cada una de las escritoras y te da a conocer cuál fue su inspiración o como se vincula el cuento a la vida de la escritora, en algunos casos desgarrador y en otros apasionante. ⠀
Pronto les traeré más cuentos ya que nos propusimos leerlos de a poco para no terminarlos todos de una vez.⠀
⠀
Ustedes leen libros de terror escritos por mujeres? Cual me recomiendan?
July 11, 2021
Cuentos maravillosos, con ingredientes terroríficos 🧪☠️
Lo que más me gustó de esta recopilación, es la ambientación de cada historia. La gran mayoría presenta giros enormes, algunos previsibles, otros inesperados. Lo importante, se realiza un viaje en el tiempo lleno de magia y oscuridad 🔥
Ideal para leer y despejarse entre lecturas más pesadas.
Lo que más me gustó de esta recopilación, es la ambientación de cada historia. La gran mayoría presenta giros enormes, algunos previsibles, otros inesperados. Lo importante, se realiza un viaje en el tiempo lleno de magia y oscuridad 🔥
Ideal para leer y despejarse entre lecturas más pesadas.
May 12, 2019
So good, especially for fans of gothic horror. I love the creepy castles, the ghosts, the prophecies, twists of fate. It's all so good. And I love the stories the editor decided to compile for this anthology. Fun to read, and I was introduced to many female authors who I need to read more of!
December 13, 2019
WOW. This took me quite a while to get through just because I have a hard time reading short story collections straight through, and also it was like 500 pages. However, each story was phenomenal and I found dozens of new female horror authors to dive into!
November 18, 2025
Volvemos a la programación habitual
👻
Mujeres Letales reúne 26 relatos de fantasmas o sobrenaturales en todo caso de escritoras más o menos conocidas y digo mas o menos porque eso dependerá del conocimiento que cada uno de ustedes tengan de ellas. En mi caso salvo dos o tres, el resto no las tenía en orbita y eso por supuesto ha sido lo que mas me ha gustado: poder descubrirlas.
"A la gente le resulta facil reírse de los 'cuentos de espíritus' a plena luz del día".
¿Hay algunos relatos mejores que otros? Si obvio, como es natural que pase cuando reunís 26 escritoras a ofrecer lo que mejor saben hacer. Pero creo que lo mas importante ha sido que podamos descubrirlas, que no se pierdan en el olvido. Seguramente algunas de ellas pudieron alcanzar el reconocimiento y la fama y hasta vivir de la escritura, pero otras no y entonces me ha dado la impresión de que al menos se las podría honrar siendo recordadas.
"¡Los muertos permanecen aquí! Aun dura y fría, la tierra los sujeta, siguen junto a nosotros".
En esta antología vamos a encontrar relatos desde 1830 hasta 1908 y algunos de ellos si que asustan de verdad o por lo menos incomodan y los que no tanto también están bellamente escritos. Este libro -y este tipo de libros- es un tesoro que todos deberíamos tener y guardar para no olvidarnos nunca de quienes por un momento al menos dejaron un huella de paso por este mundo.
✍🏻
Mis relatos favoritos fueron:
1) La Dama Oscura de Señora de S.C. Hall (Anna María Fielding)
2) Perdidos en una pirámide de Louisa May Alcott
3) El fantasma de Kentucky de Elizabeth Stuart Phelps
4) Hombre prevenido vale por dos de Señora de J.H. Riddell (Charlotte Eliza Lawson Cowan
5) En libertad de Mary Cholmondely
6) La cueva de los ecos de Helena Blavatsky
7) El empapelado amarillo de Charlotte Perkins Gilman
8) Un alma insatisfecha de Annie Trumbull Slosson
👻
Mujeres Letales reúne 26 relatos de fantasmas o sobrenaturales en todo caso de escritoras más o menos conocidas y digo mas o menos porque eso dependerá del conocimiento que cada uno de ustedes tengan de ellas. En mi caso salvo dos o tres, el resto no las tenía en orbita y eso por supuesto ha sido lo que mas me ha gustado: poder descubrirlas.
"A la gente le resulta facil reírse de los 'cuentos de espíritus' a plena luz del día".
¿Hay algunos relatos mejores que otros? Si obvio, como es natural que pase cuando reunís 26 escritoras a ofrecer lo que mejor saben hacer. Pero creo que lo mas importante ha sido que podamos descubrirlas, que no se pierdan en el olvido. Seguramente algunas de ellas pudieron alcanzar el reconocimiento y la fama y hasta vivir de la escritura, pero otras no y entonces me ha dado la impresión de que al menos se las podría honrar siendo recordadas.
"¡Los muertos permanecen aquí! Aun dura y fría, la tierra los sujeta, siguen junto a nosotros".
En esta antología vamos a encontrar relatos desde 1830 hasta 1908 y algunos de ellos si que asustan de verdad o por lo menos incomodan y los que no tanto también están bellamente escritos. Este libro -y este tipo de libros- es un tesoro que todos deberíamos tener y guardar para no olvidarnos nunca de quienes por un momento al menos dejaron un huella de paso por este mundo.
✍🏻
Mis relatos favoritos fueron:
1) La Dama Oscura de Señora de S.C. Hall (Anna María Fielding)
2) Perdidos en una pirámide de Louisa May Alcott
3) El fantasma de Kentucky de Elizabeth Stuart Phelps
4) Hombre prevenido vale por dos de Señora de J.H. Riddell (Charlotte Eliza Lawson Cowan
5) En libertad de Mary Cholmondely
6) La cueva de los ecos de Helena Blavatsky
7) El empapelado amarillo de Charlotte Perkins Gilman
8) Un alma insatisfecha de Annie Trumbull Slosson
February 11, 2022
Subtitling this collection "Masterpieces from the Queens of Horror" is over-selling it. I say this not by way of disparagement, but caution: manage your expectations. About a third of the stories are worth reading; some of the rest are pretty underwhelming. Still, I'm happy I picked up this book, as otherwise I wouldn't have been exposed to a bunch of unfamiliar writers, and a bunch of unfamiliar tales from well-known names.
There's "The Fate of Madame Cabanel" by Eliza Lynn Linton - xenophobia or vampirism? What's real? How real are the monsters conjured out of fear and prejudice? Everyone knows Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley for Frankenstein, but "The Transformation" has a way of lingering with you, too. "A Dissatisfied Soul" by Annie Trumbull Slosson also stands out - I love me a gentle haunting.
(I'd already read "The Yellow Wall Paper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, so I knew it was good. Still worth saying again.)
And a few other honourable mentions:
- "An Engineer's Story" by Amelia B. Edwards (oh, these bitches gay, surely)
- "Kentucky's Ghost" by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps (straightforward plot, but has something to it)
- "The Beckside Boggle" by Alice Rea (conjures atmosphere and place well; sudden violence)
- "Unexplained" by Mary Louisa Molesworth (that village feels ever so slightly off, it's great)
I think Graeme Davis did a decent job pulling these together. Before each story, he includes a short biography of the author and a little background about the story. I noticed a few instances where he went for less often anthologised works, and these often paid off, so that's nice.
There's "The Fate of Madame Cabanel" by Eliza Lynn Linton - xenophobia or vampirism? What's real? How real are the monsters conjured out of fear and prejudice? Everyone knows Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley for Frankenstein, but "The Transformation" has a way of lingering with you, too. "A Dissatisfied Soul" by Annie Trumbull Slosson also stands out - I love me a gentle haunting.
(I'd already read "The Yellow Wall Paper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, so I knew it was good. Still worth saying again.)
And a few other honourable mentions:
- "An Engineer's Story" by Amelia B. Edwards (oh, these bitches gay, surely)
- "Kentucky's Ghost" by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps (straightforward plot, but has something to it)
- "The Beckside Boggle" by Alice Rea (conjures atmosphere and place well; sudden violence)
- "Unexplained" by Mary Louisa Molesworth (that village feels ever so slightly off, it's great)
I think Graeme Davis did a decent job pulling these together. Before each story, he includes a short biography of the author and a little background about the story. I noticed a few instances where he went for less often anthologised works, and these often paid off, so that's nice.
August 27, 2019
3.5- I really like the idea of compiling the works of lesser-known female horror writers for a collection like this. Several stories stood out for me and I definitely think their contributions to dark fiction should be recognized. Tales of note:
-The Transformation by Mary Shelley - Classic tale of body snatching; lush prose, written in a Frankenstein-like voice.
-An Engineer’s Story by Amelia B. Edwards - Pleasantly surprised that this was a more entertaining revenge/ghost story than I would have expected from the vague title.
-Lost in a Pyramid, or the Mummy’s Curse by Louisa May Alcott - A thrilling tale by Alcott that does not disappoint. Seeds of a poison flower bring madness and death to those who plant them.
-At Chrighton Abbey by Mary Elizabeth Braddon - A captivating tale of a family curse; the ghostly sight of a long-dead hunting party brings doom to the living family.
-The Fate of Madame Cabanel by Eliza Lynn Linton - Spellbinding tale of superstitious hysteria when an innocent woman is accused of vampirism.
-The Shrine of Death by Lady Dilke - Exquisite vampire-like dark fantasy/brides of death.
-The Beckside Boggle by Alice Rea - Odd, but creepy little tale of a strange lodger in the night.
-The Hidden Door by Vernon Lee - A paranoid, superstitious man is convinced that an evil entity is locked within a secret room. The buildup makes this one worth reading; echoes of Lovecraftian dread and Charles Beaumont.
-The Vacant Lot by Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman - Don’t fall into the trap of buying a cheap house near a vacant lot where shadowy figures are lurking.
-The Transformation by Mary Shelley - Classic tale of body snatching; lush prose, written in a Frankenstein-like voice.
-An Engineer’s Story by Amelia B. Edwards - Pleasantly surprised that this was a more entertaining revenge/ghost story than I would have expected from the vague title.
-Lost in a Pyramid, or the Mummy’s Curse by Louisa May Alcott - A thrilling tale by Alcott that does not disappoint. Seeds of a poison flower bring madness and death to those who plant them.
-At Chrighton Abbey by Mary Elizabeth Braddon - A captivating tale of a family curse; the ghostly sight of a long-dead hunting party brings doom to the living family.
-The Fate of Madame Cabanel by Eliza Lynn Linton - Spellbinding tale of superstitious hysteria when an innocent woman is accused of vampirism.
-The Shrine of Death by Lady Dilke - Exquisite vampire-like dark fantasy/brides of death.
-The Beckside Boggle by Alice Rea - Odd, but creepy little tale of a strange lodger in the night.
-The Hidden Door by Vernon Lee - A paranoid, superstitious man is convinced that an evil entity is locked within a secret room. The buildup makes this one worth reading; echoes of Lovecraftian dread and Charles Beaumont.
-The Vacant Lot by Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman - Don’t fall into the trap of buying a cheap house near a vacant lot where shadowy figures are lurking.
January 19, 2021
"From the earliest days of Gothic and horror fiction, women were exploring the frontiers of fear, dreaming dark dreams that will still keep you up at night." This intriguing promise from the book's dust jacket was what lead me to pick up this collection of stories; unfortunately, it was a promise the book itself was unable to keep. Not only did the majority of these stories fail to keep me up at night, more than one of them actually put me to sleep! Davis has obviously conducted his research into classic horror writers well, and has compiled an impressive collection of lesser-known short stories by female writers; what he appears to have failed to take into account is that many of these stories are not well known today because they are extremely tedious for a modern reader. I think this would be a nice enough book to read one or two pieces from every now and then, but reading through it all at once is a slog. It took me a few weeks to get through, and a lot of the stories have run together in my mind, to the point where I'm no longer 100% certain what happened in which tale, or which works I would recommend.
July 27, 2022
To be honest I found most of this book a bit boring. The stories are in the public domain and are arranged chronologically. The earlier tales rely more on ghosts and apparitions, and people dying of fright. Most terrors are not even described, which seems description and detail is more of a modern conceit. Once the stories reach the mid 1890s into the 1900s the context changes. There are more examinations of people as evil, rather than horror coming from the afterlife. There is also more description and vivid detail, and I perfectly pictured the corpse in "The Tyburn Ghost."
The best part of this anthology, however, is to explain how many of the female authors we are familiar with occasionally wrote ghost stories or weird tales. They just did not do so exclusively like Edgar Allen Poe or H.P. Lovecraft. Louisa May Alcott, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Edith Wharton and many others are all here, with their spooky stories.
The best part of this anthology, however, is to explain how many of the female authors we are familiar with occasionally wrote ghost stories or weird tales. They just did not do so exclusively like Edgar Allen Poe or H.P. Lovecraft. Louisa May Alcott, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Edith Wharton and many others are all here, with their spooky stories.
dnf
December 11, 2024I've read stories from most of the writers in the anthology, and they were so good I picked up this book so I could get more in their style. Unfortunately, either the editor did a sucky job compiling them or the only the one or two I've read from each writer is actually good.
I'm leaning toward the latter, just because the author is very forceful in explaining how he picked ones outside the more mainstream sources. Maybe in this case, mainstream is good.
Because I'm not 100% sure that's the case, I don't feel ok rating this one.
I'm leaning toward the latter, just because the author is very forceful in explaining how he picked ones outside the more mainstream sources. Maybe in this case, mainstream is good.
Because I'm not 100% sure that's the case, I don't feel ok rating this one.
August 31, 2025
All and all pretty good collection. Only two that I didn’t really care for / get invested in..
Some of my faves..
⭐️✒️The Dutchess Prayer; high society hypocrisy and a bad marriage - typically classic, elegant writing ✍️
⭐️✒️Let Loose; Crypts, vampire lore 🧛 🩸 🐺 ..
“There are diversities of gifts and if the Lord has entrusted you with a talent - look to it.”
⭐️✒️The Transition; gave me Rumpelstiltskin & slightly Ursula vibes .. don’t let your pride get the best of you!
⭐️✒️The Unscientific Story; a shorter Frankenstein, and I loved it 🥰
Some of my faves..
⭐️✒️The Dutchess Prayer; high society hypocrisy and a bad marriage - typically classic, elegant writing ✍️
⭐️✒️Let Loose; Crypts, vampire lore 🧛 🩸 🐺 ..
“There are diversities of gifts and if the Lord has entrusted you with a talent - look to it.”
⭐️✒️The Transition; gave me Rumpelstiltskin & slightly Ursula vibes .. don’t let your pride get the best of you!
⭐️✒️The Unscientific Story; a shorter Frankenstein, and I loved it 🥰
November 25, 2018
An incredible collection of lesser-known ghost stories from female writers of the 18th and 19th centuries. The collection includes stories from an array of famous female writers who weren’t known for horror, like Louisa May Alcott and Harriet Beetcher Stowe, in addition to lesser known authors lost to history, and the best ghost advice I’ve encountered all year: nothing drives off ghosts like a fresh coat of paint.
October 6, 2025
I was completely drawn in by the premise women writers from the 19th and early 20th centuries crafting horror that’s “more deadly than the male.” The stories are haunting, yes, but what stayed with me most was the sense of discovery. So many of these authors Mary Cholmondely, Charlotte Riddell, Alice Rea deserve to be household names. The collection doesn’t just entertain; it restores voices that were nearly lost to time. It’s both a chilling and empowering read.
July 9, 2019
Good old stories that illuminate society of >100 years ago. The highlight was The Yellow Wall Paper, a story of sinking into madness. Always good to have evidence that women have been full participants in literature since long before it was acceptable. However, none of these stories were at all scary or "horror."
September 22, 2024
Hay cuentos que me resultaron increíbles y otros un embole. En general, la mayoría están bien pero no son la gran cosa 🤷🏻♀️
Cuentos que se merecen las 5⭐️
UN CUENTO DE FANTASMAS de Ada Trevanion, 1858
RELATO DE UN INGENIERO de Amelia B. Edwards, 1866
EL DESTINO DE MADAME CABANEL de Eliza Lynn Linton, 1873
Cuentos que se merecen las 5⭐️
UN CUENTO DE FANTASMAS de Ada Trevanion, 1858
RELATO DE UN INGENIERO de Amelia B. Edwards, 1866
EL DESTINO DE MADAME CABANEL de Eliza Lynn Linton, 1873
October 16, 2024
The Yellow Wallpaper >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everything
Some solid entries from Beecher Stowe, Mary Shelley, and Louisa May Alcott. Truly good stuff. Some mid stuff in there that’s more gothic than spooky but hey! Who am I to judge? The fact that I finished the whole thing is a testament to both the writing and the editor.
Some solid entries from Beecher Stowe, Mary Shelley, and Louisa May Alcott. Truly good stuff. Some mid stuff in there that’s more gothic than spooky but hey! Who am I to judge? The fact that I finished the whole thing is a testament to both the writing and the editor.
August 30, 2019
These were so much better than Twilight series! Those women of past wrote some scary stuff.
September 30, 2019
Classic ghost stories from the 1800s.
January 8, 2021
A good book to read around Halloween.
April 26, 2022
Staré hororové příběhy. Některé mě vůbec nepřišli hororové a nudila jsem se u čtení. Oceňuji, že před každou povídkou bylo seznámí s autorem.
Ale knihu už si znovu určitě nepřečtu.
Ale knihu už si znovu určitě nepřečtu.
July 2, 2022
3.5 stars
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