3 stars for The Mistletoe Bride & other Haunting Tales by Kate Mosse.
The Mistletoe Bride & other Haunting Tales is the first time the author is writing short stories – 14 tales and a play - as a collection and according to her, are works of fiction inspired by either a particular time and place or the English and French folklore.
This anthology has a good mix of traditional ghost accounts written in first person narratives as well as those told in the third person. Though it is centered on the supernatural theme - the haunting of a house by the dead that has not been laid to rest; the seeking of revenge by the spirits that have returned from the dead - the stories are not in the least bit terrifying, at least, I am relieved to say that I have neither been spooked nor scared out of my wits reading them. Instead, I am mostly overcome with sadness and a sense of loss or guilt for the fictional characters. Coincidentally, my favourite story is the one gracing the book cover; The Mistletoe Bride is beautifully written with a melancholy tone of love lost that echoes over time and space.
Interestingly, I am charmed by the Author’s Note - a narrative of the narrative - that follows after each story, explaining the context and original inspiration of how the story comes about from beginning to end. It certainly provides an insight into the making of each tale and presents the author as a very real person, not just a printed name on the book cover.
While I appreciate the efforts the author puts in on coming out with this many creative short stories all by herself of which I enjoy reading most, I cannot help but feel dissatisfied upon flipping to the last page of each. Unfortunately, this is but an effect due to the nature of short stories itself where there is just that much depth a writer can cram into each story.
Publisher: Orion (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd); First Edition edition
Publication date: 24 Oct 2013
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A wonderfully atmospheric collection of stories from one of our most captivating writers, inspired by ghost stories, traditional folk tales and country legends from England and France. These tales are richly populated by spirits and ghosts seeking revenge; by grief-stricken women and haunted men coming to terms with their destiny – all rooted deep in the elemental landscapes of Sussex, Brittany and the Languedoc.
The collection includes The Mistletoe Bride, La Fille de Melisande, Red Letter Day, The Lending Library, and The House on the Hill.
*Blurb from author's website*
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