SnapDragon and other delights

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Snapdragon and other delights

Last Free Dates: 24th Jan 15 to 25th Jan 15
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...Brilliantly written and engaging, but also a hard depressing read about a very grim and pointless world....

This collection of short stories is an interesting read, and widely varied in style, genre, and theme.

Sleeper, a tale about a man who collapses in the street, is ambiguous – whether there is something actually going on or it is simply paranoia is left for the reader to decide. Remembering Jack covers a schoolboy making the worst best friend a boy could have. Medical nightmares are common, happy endings are few, and most of the heroes are victims, but these stories definitely leave an impression.

These stories are not for children or those who like happy endings: the self-mutilating child, the Star Trek parody, to the stories about the homeless. The Delights in the title is a bit of a misnomer, as many of the stories are depressing. There are no good people in this, just an endless parade of violent thugs, the self-interested and short-sighted, and the cruel. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, they may all be lying in the gutter, but looking at the stars gets a boot to the face.

These are touching and memorable stories, brilliantly written and engaging, but also a hard depressing read about a very grim and pointless world.

Literary readers should love it. Horror readers may find it too dark and oppressive. It really wasn’t for me, but even so I have to acknowledge it is a very well-written and memorable collection.

Rating: 4
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