Genres
Publication
William Morrow (2006), Edition: Later Printing, 400 pages
Description
A collection of more than twenty-five short fictional works follows a theme of the intersections between life and death, perception and reality, and darkness and light.
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User reviews
LibraryThing member elbakerone
Although I am a huge fan of Neil Gaiman's work, I was sightly disappointed by Fragile Things. It is difficult to review this collection because the few high points were easily 4-5 star stories, but I found the majority of the works to be less memorable and easily marked as works from earlier in
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Gaiman's writing career. The few stories that most captivated me, I had already encountered in other collections so overall Fragile Things left me unimpressed. Show Less
LibraryThing member xicanti
Neil Gaiman sneaks up on me. I'm reading along, certain that I don't much care about what's happening, when I suddenly realize that I'm speed reading because I'm so desperate to know where all this is going. It's all about the buildup. Gaiman's narratives gradually gain momentum until the story
The trouble is, Gaiman's short fiction is short. (Stating the obvious: a proud tradition). There's not always enough time for the tale to build up the momentum I need to really get into it. It becomes about the overall effect, rather than the buildup. How engaging is the story? How creative is the language? What do I think of the payoff?
In most of these cases, I think it's good. Not fantastic, not breathtaking, just good. Gaiman's short fiction is entertaining, but it rarely moves me. It rarely forces me to reconsider any of my previously held views or inspires me to dig deeper into the story. It's fun, but it's fleeting.
There are a few notable exceptions, though, and one of them just so happens to be in FRAGILE THINGS. "The Problem of Susan" is one of my very favourite stories. I first read it several years ago, shortly after this anthology was released. Narnia was, for many years, my favourite place that never was, and the problem of Susan always bothered me. Gaiman does such a beautiful job of discussing Susan's Afterwards that I just couldn't contain myself. I slammed the book closed and cried my eyes out.
The rest of the book is very good. It's readable. It's fun. It's easy to just whip on through this, fast as anything. Gaiman plays around with some interesting premises and produces many entertaining, elegantly crafted stories and poems that display a true understanding of both modern expectations and traditional storytelling. But as far as I'm concerned, "The Problem of Susan" is the main reason this collection is so worthwhile. It's the only Gaiman story that's ever truly moved me.
As a side note, I highly recommend the audio presentation. Gaiman narrates many of his own audiobooks, including this one, and he's a fantastic reader. He elevates many "just good" stories to "really bloody good." It's worth checking out.
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takes flight.The trouble is, Gaiman's short fiction is short. (Stating the obvious: a proud tradition). There's not always enough time for the tale to build up the momentum I need to really get into it. It becomes about the overall effect, rather than the buildup. How engaging is the story? How creative is the language? What do I think of the payoff?
In most of these cases, I think it's good. Not fantastic, not breathtaking, just good. Gaiman's short fiction is entertaining, but it rarely moves me. It rarely forces me to reconsider any of my previously held views or inspires me to dig deeper into the story. It's fun, but it's fleeting.
There are a few notable exceptions, though, and one of them just so happens to be in FRAGILE THINGS. "The Problem of Susan" is one of my very favourite stories. I first read it several years ago, shortly after this anthology was released. Narnia was, for many years, my favourite place that never was, and the problem of Susan always bothered me. Gaiman does such a beautiful job of discussing Susan's Afterwards that I just couldn't contain myself. I slammed the book closed and cried my eyes out.
The rest of the book is very good. It's readable. It's fun. It's easy to just whip on through this, fast as anything. Gaiman plays around with some interesting premises and produces many entertaining, elegantly crafted stories and poems that display a true understanding of both modern expectations and traditional storytelling. But as far as I'm concerned, "The Problem of Susan" is the main reason this collection is so worthwhile. It's the only Gaiman story that's ever truly moved me.
As a side note, I highly recommend the audio presentation. Gaiman narrates many of his own audiobooks, including this one, and he's a fantastic reader. He elevates many "just good" stories to "really bloody good." It's worth checking out.
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LibraryThing member ragwaine
A Study in Emerald (6.5) - Sherlock Holmes with a touch of Cthulhu, great idea but I'm not really sure how the old ones fit in.
The Fairy Reel (poem,6.5) - Pretty good but forgettable.
October in the Chair (6.5) - Having the manifestations of the months sitting around telling stories was really cool.
The Hidden Chamber (4.0)- Prose poem? Not sure I get it).
Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire (6.5) - I think this was a story about a guy writing a story and the 2nd narrative was what he was writing. Pretty confusing, especially on audio. Still kind of fun though.
The Flints of Memory Lane (6.5) - No plot except that some stories don't have plots. Not bad.
Closing Time (7.0)- Kids in a horror story very reminiscent of King's -Stand By Me-
Going Wodwo (poem, 6.5) - Nice, and short.
Bitter Grounds (6.5) - Guy runs away from his life and assumes the identity of a professor. The other professor guy was great but the story didn't seem to have much of a plot.
Other People (5.0) - One version of hell. Not all that creative, more like a vignette.
Keepsakes and Treasures (5.0) - Orphan becomes murderer and works for rich guy that buys love slaves from exotic cultures. Slave dies. No real ending or climax.
Good Boys Deserve Favors (3.0) - Not much of a story. Boy plays instrument poorly except when visiting musician shows up. Then can't remember how to play well.
The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch (3.0) - Dumb. She disappears with circus and sabertooth tigers.
Strange Little Girls (3.0) - Not sure what this was all about, gothic blather.
Harlequin Valentine (7.0) - Interesting, who eats the heart of the harlequin becomes the harlequin. Very Gaiman.
Locks (5.0) - About reading stories to your children. A bit too sentimental for me.
The Problem of Susan (6.5) - About Narnia which I've never read. But not bad.
Instructions (5.0) - Again not much of a story. The interesting format isn't enough to make it worth reading.
How Do You Think It Feels? (6.0) - Cheater decides to leave his wife then girlfriend leaves him instead. He meets her later, they have (extremely detailed) sex and then he wakes up and is not sure if he'll ever see her again but he doesn't care anymore. Not sure what the point is or how the title fits.
My Life (6.5) - Drunk guy tells crazy stories about his family. Short & funny.
Fifteen Painted Cards from a Vampire Tarot (7.5) - Cool format, each card a vignette with a punch line.
Feeders and Eaters (6.5) - Horror story about woman that eats living tissue to become younger.
Diseasemaker's Croup (6.5) - Pretty funny. Disease affects people that catalog diseases.
In the End (4.0) - A genisis type myth but I'm not sure what the point was. Very short.
Goliath (6.0) - Matrix like story about (programmed) reality breaking down and narrator sees what's happening. When Gaiman tries to do Sci-fi it comes out strange. All the trappings, aliens, spaceships etc... just become tools to tell a bigger story. It seems a bit condescending.
Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox . . . Don't remember this one at all. That's not a good sign.
How to Talk to Girls at Parties (6.0) - This was kind of like a joke that just went on too long. The narrator doesn't normally know how to communicate with girls so when he finally tries it ends up being with a bunch of aliens. He doesn't realize there's anything wrong.
The Day the Saucers Came (7.0) - Short, funny and creative.
Sunbird (7.5) - Again very Gaiman. Original, colorful characters, not too serious, not too funny. Very nice.
Inventing Aladdin (6.5) - Short but deep. Sharazad as a metaphor for how some people stay alive every day.
The Monarch of the Glen (6.5)- Interesting but a bit of a deus ex machina. I never thought Shadow was that interesting of a character. I guess that's a failing of Gaiman's books, his main characters are boring but his other characters are very colorful and interesting.
The Fairy Reel (poem,6.5) - Pretty good but forgettable.
October in the Chair (6.5) - Having the manifestations of the months sitting around telling stories was really cool.
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The story told was dark about a boy that gets no love at home running away and meeting a ghost. But mostly about his dreams of being loved.The Hidden Chamber (4.0)- Prose poem? Not sure I get it).
Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire (6.5) - I think this was a story about a guy writing a story and the 2nd narrative was what he was writing. Pretty confusing, especially on audio. Still kind of fun though.
The Flints of Memory Lane (6.5) - No plot except that some stories don't have plots. Not bad.
Closing Time (7.0)- Kids in a horror story very reminiscent of King's -Stand By Me-
Going Wodwo (poem, 6.5) - Nice, and short.
Bitter Grounds (6.5) - Guy runs away from his life and assumes the identity of a professor. The other professor guy was great but the story didn't seem to have much of a plot.
Other People (5.0) - One version of hell. Not all that creative, more like a vignette.
Keepsakes and Treasures (5.0) - Orphan becomes murderer and works for rich guy that buys love slaves from exotic cultures. Slave dies. No real ending or climax.
Good Boys Deserve Favors (3.0) - Not much of a story. Boy plays instrument poorly except when visiting musician shows up. Then can't remember how to play well.
The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch (3.0) - Dumb. She disappears with circus and sabertooth tigers.
Strange Little Girls (3.0) - Not sure what this was all about, gothic blather.
Harlequin Valentine (7.0) - Interesting, who eats the heart of the harlequin becomes the harlequin. Very Gaiman.
Locks (5.0) - About reading stories to your children. A bit too sentimental for me.
The Problem of Susan (6.5) - About Narnia which I've never read. But not bad.
Instructions (5.0) - Again not much of a story. The interesting format isn't enough to make it worth reading.
How Do You Think It Feels? (6.0) - Cheater decides to leave his wife then girlfriend leaves him instead. He meets her later, they have (extremely detailed) sex and then he wakes up and is not sure if he'll ever see her again but he doesn't care anymore. Not sure what the point is or how the title fits.
My Life (6.5) - Drunk guy tells crazy stories about his family. Short & funny.
Fifteen Painted Cards from a Vampire Tarot (7.5) - Cool format, each card a vignette with a punch line.
Feeders and Eaters (6.5) - Horror story about woman that eats living tissue to become younger.
Diseasemaker's Croup (6.5) - Pretty funny. Disease affects people that catalog diseases.
In the End (4.0) - A genisis type myth but I'm not sure what the point was. Very short.
Goliath (6.0) - Matrix like story about (programmed) reality breaking down and narrator sees what's happening. When Gaiman tries to do Sci-fi it comes out strange. All the trappings, aliens, spaceships etc... just become tools to tell a bigger story. It seems a bit condescending.
Pages from a Journal Found in a Shoebox . . . Don't remember this one at all. That's not a good sign.
How to Talk to Girls at Parties (6.0) - This was kind of like a joke that just went on too long. The narrator doesn't normally know how to communicate with girls so when he finally tries it ends up being with a bunch of aliens. He doesn't realize there's anything wrong.
The Day the Saucers Came (7.0) - Short, funny and creative.
Sunbird (7.5) - Again very Gaiman. Original, colorful characters, not too serious, not too funny. Very nice.
Inventing Aladdin (6.5) - Short but deep. Sharazad as a metaphor for how some people stay alive every day.
The Monarch of the Glen (6.5)- Interesting but a bit of a deus ex machina. I never thought Shadow was that interesting of a character. I guess that's a failing of Gaiman's books, his main characters are boring but his other characters are very colorful and interesting.
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LibraryThing member devenish
This is Neil Gaiman's second collection of short stories and his poorest book to date.
Let us pick over the bones (heh heh) and see what we can make of this body of work.
A Study in Emerald is excellent,but has already appeared in Shadows over Baker Street (which is readily available.
The Fairy Reel
October in the Chair is quite a clever story,which doesn't however take us very far.
Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire.Crikey ! The title is nearly a short story in itself.Now this one I did like.Not a lot of funny horror stories about are there.
Other People.Yes,this is also a good one A story straight from Hell !
Harlequin Valentine. Sad-Quite liked it I suppose.
The Problems of Susan. A new take on Narnia,and a somewhat unpleasant one at that.
Feeders and Eaters. The title says it all
Goliath. A tie-in with the Matrix trilogy of films.If you haven't seen them,don't bother to read this,it won't make sense.
The Monarch of the Glen. For me the best of the lot.This is a follow-up to American Gods and the longest story in the collection.
As for the rest-a poor sad lot.
Let us pick over the bones (heh heh) and see what we can make of this body of work.
A Study in Emerald is excellent,but has already appeared in Shadows over Baker Street (which is readily available.
The Fairy Reel
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-this and the other poetry I will ignore as,let's face it,it is not very good at all.October in the Chair is quite a clever story,which doesn't however take us very far.
Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire.Crikey ! The title is nearly a short story in itself.Now this one I did like.Not a lot of funny horror stories about are there.
Other People.Yes,this is also a good one A story straight from Hell !
Harlequin Valentine. Sad-Quite liked it I suppose.
The Problems of Susan. A new take on Narnia,and a somewhat unpleasant one at that.
Feeders and Eaters. The title says it all
Goliath. A tie-in with the Matrix trilogy of films.If you haven't seen them,don't bother to read this,it won't make sense.
The Monarch of the Glen. For me the best of the lot.This is a follow-up to American Gods and the longest story in the collection.
As for the rest-a poor sad lot.
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LibraryThing member indygo88
I find myself really wanting to like Neil Gaiman -- he has so many loyal fans out there -- but I just can't say that I do. Granted, after reading other reviews, I don't think I've come upon his best works yet, and for that reason, I'll probably keep giving him a try before I completely give up.
As an audiobook itself, I had mixed feelings. Gaiman did do a superb job narrating his own stories. He has the type of voice that's made for audio. But I found my mind frequently wandering during these stories, and the formatting on audio was just a bit confusing. In this case, I may actually have enjoyed Fragile Things more in writing than on audio. So many of the stories just seemed to end suddenly, leaving the reader with a "Wha...??" feeling, and I assume that's part of Gaiman's style, but it just didn't work for me. I think I'll seek out Neverwhere, and if I can't appreciate that one, I'll move on. But like I said, I'm not quite ready to give up on Gaiman yet.
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I've previously read The Anansi Boys (which was okay in my opinion) and now this short story collection. I'm not typically a huge fan of short stories, so this probably wasn't the best choice as a follow-up, but I had access to it on audio, so I went for it. As an audiobook itself, I had mixed feelings. Gaiman did do a superb job narrating his own stories. He has the type of voice that's made for audio. But I found my mind frequently wandering during these stories, and the formatting on audio was just a bit confusing. In this case, I may actually have enjoyed Fragile Things more in writing than on audio. So many of the stories just seemed to end suddenly, leaving the reader with a "Wha...??" feeling, and I assume that's part of Gaiman's style, but it just didn't work for me. I think I'll seek out Neverwhere, and if I can't appreciate that one, I'll move on. But like I said, I'm not quite ready to give up on Gaiman yet.
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LibraryThing member PghDragonMan
Fragile Things is a collection of works from the fertile mind Neil Gaiman that spans such a range, it is difficult to classify, except to say it is brilliant. Within this collection are some short stories, poems, sketches for works that were later expanded and one longer work that is not exactly a
A Study In Emerald was a real attention grabber. Paraphrasing Gaiman’s explanation in the introduction, it is a Sherlock Holmes mystery as it might have been written by H P Lovecraft. Gaiman does credit to the iconic characters and the story has all the elements of a classic Holmes mystery. As with any successful work of this genre, Gaiman keeps the reader in suspense until the final twist is revealed.
Keepsakes and Treasures deserves special mention because of the characters introduced. You will meet some of them again in another story. Excellent narrative and a twisted plot line will keep you interested. I think there is more in store for these characters than their short lives in Fragile Things. (NB: My apologies. I originally had an incorrect title here, but that has been corrected)
The two poems, The Fairy Reel and Going Wodwo demonstrate Gaiman’s ability to write in any style and be successful. If poetry is not you thing, these may not do it for you, but as examples of fantasy poetry, they are excellent. Fairy Reel reminded me of something Mr. Norrell might have brought back with him.
Shy kids, or those with memories of being shy kids, will love How to Talk to Girls at Parties. Not only do shy kids really succeed better than their more overt mates, they end up safer, too.
Finally, with The Monarch of the Glen, we get the almost sequel to American Gods. We meet Shadow, the main character of AG, two years after the events of that book. It seems his work is not completely finished and he must battle Grendel. Described as a novella, the story is self-contained and may be read apart from AG, yet I was left hoping that is just an interlude to a much longer proper sequel. This and Study In Emerald were easily my favorite stories in the collection. Or maybe this and How to Talk to Girls at Parties. Or maybe this and . . . I think you get the idea I’m trying to get across.
As a whole, this collection is excellent. If you are a Gaiman fan, you need this to fill in your collection. If you are looking to introduce someone to Neil Gaiman, this is an excellent place to start. As with any collection not all works are created equal, but the overall effect is just short of perfection as even the weaker offerings are wonderful. Four and a half stars for Fragile Things!
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sequel to American Gods, but is sure to please fans of that hallmark Gaiman work. With 32 stories, including one "Easter Egg" included in the introduction, I cannot begin to review them all, so I’ll just point out some of my favorites.A Study In Emerald was a real attention grabber. Paraphrasing Gaiman’s explanation in the introduction, it is a Sherlock Holmes mystery as it might have been written by H P Lovecraft. Gaiman does credit to the iconic characters and the story has all the elements of a classic Holmes mystery. As with any successful work of this genre, Gaiman keeps the reader in suspense until the final twist is revealed.
Keepsakes and Treasures deserves special mention because of the characters introduced. You will meet some of them again in another story. Excellent narrative and a twisted plot line will keep you interested. I think there is more in store for these characters than their short lives in Fragile Things. (NB: My apologies. I originally had an incorrect title here, but that has been corrected)
The two poems, The Fairy Reel and Going Wodwo demonstrate Gaiman’s ability to write in any style and be successful. If poetry is not you thing, these may not do it for you, but as examples of fantasy poetry, they are excellent. Fairy Reel reminded me of something Mr. Norrell might have brought back with him.
Shy kids, or those with memories of being shy kids, will love How to Talk to Girls at Parties. Not only do shy kids really succeed better than their more overt mates, they end up safer, too.
Finally, with The Monarch of the Glen, we get the almost sequel to American Gods. We meet Shadow, the main character of AG, two years after the events of that book. It seems his work is not completely finished and he must battle Grendel. Described as a novella, the story is self-contained and may be read apart from AG, yet I was left hoping that is just an interlude to a much longer proper sequel. This and Study In Emerald were easily my favorite stories in the collection. Or maybe this and How to Talk to Girls at Parties. Or maybe this and . . . I think you get the idea I’m trying to get across.
As a whole, this collection is excellent. If you are a Gaiman fan, you need this to fill in your collection. If you are looking to introduce someone to Neil Gaiman, this is an excellent place to start. As with any collection not all works are created equal, but the overall effect is just short of perfection as even the weaker offerings are wonderful. Four and a half stars for Fragile Things!
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LibraryThing member WinterFox
Having read a bunch of Gaiman's work in the past, and also his previous collection of short stories, I pretty much knew what to expect from this collection, and I largely got it. He's definitely got his own style and tone, and it appears in most of the work, but in a few cases, he departs from his
Anyway, there are a few misses in the collection, but it's mostly quite strong; I particularly enjoyed Sunbird, A Study in Emerald, The Monarch in the Glen, and How to Talk to Girls at Parties. Most of the rest was good, but some didn't quite do it for me (probably the worst from my view was Feeders and Eaters). I liked most of the poetry, as well. It's a solid collection, and it's worth going through if you're a fan, but I'd start with the novels if you want to try his work for the first time, personally.
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own style and tries to write in the style of someone else, often to quite good effect. I really enjoyed Sunbird, for example, his take on a Lafferty story.Anyway, there are a few misses in the collection, but it's mostly quite strong; I particularly enjoyed Sunbird, A Study in Emerald, The Monarch in the Glen, and How to Talk to Girls at Parties. Most of the rest was good, but some didn't quite do it for me (probably the worst from my view was Feeders and Eaters). I liked most of the poetry, as well. It's a solid collection, and it's worth going through if you're a fan, but I'd start with the novels if you want to try his work for the first time, personally.
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LibraryThing member afterthought
Author of StarDust (which I loved by the way) does not disappoint here.
Most of the stories in the book are page-turners and before I knew it, I was at the last story already. The poems though aren't really my thing but no harm done.
I would love it if he had carried on a little longer with the
And my fav would definitely go to "Feeders and Eaters"; downright horrific and disturbing!
Would certainly like to try out other books by him though I've heard from a fren's fren about Anansi Boys but that's another story..
Most of the stories in the book are page-turners and before I knew it, I was at the last story already. The poems though aren't really my thing but no harm done.
I would love it if he had carried on a little longer with the
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story "October in the chair"..would prefer a more proper closure rather than the current ending in the book. And my fav would definitely go to "Feeders and Eaters"; downright horrific and disturbing!
Would certainly like to try out other books by him though I've heard from a fren's fren about Anansi Boys but that's another story..
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LibraryThing member in_flux
What a great book! I didn't think I would love a book of short stories, but as always I love Neil's work. each little story is like a window into another world, mostly similar to ours but just a bit stranger. There were a few stories that were told from the first person, as if Neil was telling
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them, and I think he provided some interesting little tidbits of personal history. I liked that he interspersed the stories with poems as well, it made a good palate cleanser. Thinking about the title helped me to analyze the stories individually, as they DO all have a "fragile" element, whether it's a person or and thing or an idea. Show Less
LibraryThing member verenka
Collection of short stories and poems with a high creepiness factor. I found that Neil Gaiman's short stories seem much more personal than any of his novels and graphic novels. Often the main character is a journalist travelling for work, alone in a big, dark city where creepy things happen to him
This collection contains the creepiest sentence I’ve ever read:
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"On the milk-train back to the city I sat opposite a woman carrying a baby. It was floating in formaldehyde, in a heavy glass container. She needed to sell it, rather urgently, and although I was extremely tired we talked about her reasons for selling it and about other things, for the rest of the journey."
It messes with your expectations and makes the ending very unsatisfying: why did she have to sell? There’s a whole new story in it!
This also contains another story about Shadow, the main character of American Gods in which his real name and identity is revealed.
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(or other people).This collection contains the creepiest sentence I’ve ever read:
p276
"On the milk-train back to the city I sat opposite a woman carrying a baby. It was floating in formaldehyde, in a heavy glass container. She needed to sell it, rather urgently, and although I was extremely tired we talked about her reasons for selling it and about other things, for the rest of the journey."
It messes with your expectations and makes the ending very unsatisfying: why did she have to sell? There’s a whole new story in it!
This also contains another story about Shadow, the main character of American Gods in which his real name and identity is revealed.
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LibraryThing member takieya
An enjoyable collection of Neil Gaiman’s short stories. I found most of these ones much darker than the stories in Smoke and Mirrors. It was a most enjoyable read, and I recommend it to anyone who’s liked other Neil Gaiman stories, or to anyone who enjoys dark tales of fantasy. Like any other
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Neil Gaiman novel that’s got an audio version, I suggested picking the audio book up as well. Listening to Neil Gaiman read his own stories is a spectacular experience. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rhinoa
A collection of short stories, a follow up to Smoke and Mirrors, by acclaimed Fantasy author Neil Gaiman. I won’t go through each story, just the ones that I particularly enjoyed. The first was A Study in Emerald that matches Sherlock Holmes with Cthulhu myths. Everything is twisted around in
women not quite of this world. Teenage angst with a sci fi twist.
The Problem of Susan is a tale I had often wondered about myself and it was interesting to read Gaiman’s take on what happened to Susan after the events of The Last Battle. She isn’t taken by Aslan as she is too into fashion and make-up. Harlequin Valentine was another dark and fun tale looking at love and is included in a Lisa Snellings-Clark book inspired by her artwork. The final tale is a novella which catches up with Shadow after American Gods finishes. American Gods is my favourite Gaiman book and it was a lot of fun catching up with him again. A strange tale, but one that will stick in my mind for some time to come.
There were a couple of stories I had read before in other collections, but for the most part they were all new to me. I read Smoke and Mirrors about 8 years ago and I don’t remember enjoying it as much as this set. There were a couple I didn’t take to, but overall a fun and freaky read. Everything you would expect from Gaiman.
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this excellent detective story. How to talk to Girls at Parties was a fun look at what happens when two human teenagers stumble into a party filled with women not quite of this world. Teenage angst with a sci fi twist.
The Problem of Susan is a tale I had often wondered about myself and it was interesting to read Gaiman’s take on what happened to Susan after the events of The Last Battle. She isn’t taken by Aslan as she is too into fashion and make-up. Harlequin Valentine was another dark and fun tale looking at love and is included in a Lisa Snellings-Clark book inspired by her artwork. The final tale is a novella which catches up with Shadow after American Gods finishes. American Gods is my favourite Gaiman book and it was a lot of fun catching up with him again. A strange tale, but one that will stick in my mind for some time to come.
There were a couple of stories I had read before in other collections, but for the most part they were all new to me. I read Smoke and Mirrors about 8 years ago and I don’t remember enjoying it as much as this set. There were a couple I didn’t take to, but overall a fun and freaky read. Everything you would expect from Gaiman.
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LibraryThing member reading_fox
26 (very) short stories and a novella "Monach of the Glen" from the American Gods universe. From the back cover "All are fragile things made of just 26 letters arranged and rearranged to form tales and imaginings ... move you to the very depths of your soul" the last line is overdoing it somewhat
A must have for Gaiman fans, and a pretty good offering for any lover of the short story format, I found it darker than I prefer to read, and won't often be re-reading it. Few of the stories, genuinally caused me to stop and ponder, the way C J Cherryh continually does.
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but it captures the quirky sense of all the tales. The opening story is a strange Sherlock pastiche, others feature just poems or more connected tales. My favourite is probably "how to talk to girls at parties" which was weird, but fun. Others are darker and more disturbing. More fantasy and less connected than Jeff Noon's "Pixel juice" it somehow captures the same spirit of quirky sideways glances at the world around us. There are re-occuring characters, but not as a continual thread. "The Monarch of the Glen" - the novella set a couple of years after american gods - was good enough that I shall consider buying American Gods when I see it.A must have for Gaiman fans, and a pretty good offering for any lover of the short story format, I found it darker than I prefer to read, and won't often be re-reading it. Few of the stories, genuinally caused me to stop and ponder, the way C J Cherryh continually does.
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LibraryThing member valke
A wonderful collection of short stories, poems, and snippets by Neil Gaiman showing his versatility in forms and genre. Some were too weird for me, such as the "Miss Finch" story, while others I just don't get. There are several ghost stories, a few of which seem to be semi-autobiographical. My top
"A Study in Emerald" for the wonderful way in which the Sherlock Holmes world bleeds into Lovecraft and also for the League of Extraordinary Gentleman-esque Victorian epigraphs.
"October in the Chair" is the typical people-gathered-around-a-fire-telling-ghost-stories with the twist that the people are actually incarnations of the month. It reminds me of my favorite Sandman comics, which are the standalone ones that involve telling stories.
"Keepsakes and Treasures" is one of my favorites, despite being an unpleasant tale of an amoral murdering henchman called Smith with a penchant for little girls. Smith reminds me of Croup and Vandemar, characters that are so deliciously evil and horrific, that you're more fascinated than repelled by them. The story and the character stands out, larger than life.
"Harlequin Valentine" delights me with its vivid imagery and the naturally rhythm of the narration. You could almost hear the story being narrated by Harlequin, whose mercurial nature is revealed by his speech patterns. Even before the comic and the audio versions came out, I had a clear idea of what it would look and sound like.
"How to Talk to Girls at Parties" reminds me of C.L. Moore's "Vintage Season" in plot device and atmosphere, which is one of the reasons I love it. I also love how the narrator's cluelessness about girls makes him oblivious to the enormous implications of the incredible things the girls say when they talk to him.
Other notables include:
"The Problem of Susan" for making me look at The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Last Battle in a different light. (Damn him.)
"Forbidden Brides..." for a playful look at tropes of gothic fiction.
"Bitter Grounds" for the creep value.
"Goliath" for reminding me of The Animatrix, and that the Matrix world can be really cool if we don't depend on Keanu to save the world.
"Sunbird" for being a fun story.
"Monarch of the Glen" for being an American Gods story that I like more and more upon each rereading.
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five are: "A Study in Emerald" for the wonderful way in which the Sherlock Holmes world bleeds into Lovecraft and also for the League of Extraordinary Gentleman-esque Victorian epigraphs.
"October in the Chair" is the typical people-gathered-around-a-fire-telling-ghost-stories with the twist that the people are actually incarnations of the month. It reminds me of my favorite Sandman comics, which are the standalone ones that involve telling stories.
"Keepsakes and Treasures" is one of my favorites, despite being an unpleasant tale of an amoral murdering henchman called Smith with a penchant for little girls. Smith reminds me of Croup and Vandemar, characters that are so deliciously evil and horrific, that you're more fascinated than repelled by them. The story and the character stands out, larger than life.
"Harlequin Valentine" delights me with its vivid imagery and the naturally rhythm of the narration. You could almost hear the story being narrated by Harlequin, whose mercurial nature is revealed by his speech patterns. Even before the comic and the audio versions came out, I had a clear idea of what it would look and sound like.
"How to Talk to Girls at Parties" reminds me of C.L. Moore's "Vintage Season" in plot device and atmosphere, which is one of the reasons I love it. I also love how the narrator's cluelessness about girls makes him oblivious to the enormous implications of the incredible things the girls say when they talk to him.
Other notables include:
"The Problem of Susan" for making me look at The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and The Last Battle in a different light. (Damn him.)
"Forbidden Brides..." for a playful look at tropes of gothic fiction.
"Bitter Grounds" for the creep value.
"Goliath" for reminding me of The Animatrix, and that the Matrix world can be really cool if we don't depend on Keanu to save the world.
"Sunbird" for being a fun story.
"Monarch of the Glen" for being an American Gods story that I like more and more upon each rereading.
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LibraryThing member isabelx
This signed hardback was a present from my brother.
Some novelists just can't hack it as short story writers, but Neil Gaiman isn't one of them. I enjoyed this collection even more than "Smoke and Mirrors". It stated off with the brilliant "A Study in Emerald", which I have read before as I own the
Other favourites were the creepy sort-of ghost story "Closing Time", and "Goliath" which was written for the film company that made "The Matrix" to go on a website about the film and the book ends on a high note with "The Monarch of the Glen". A few years after the events in "America Gods", Shadow is travelling through Scotland when he is offered a couple of days work as a bouncer and finds himself caught up in a yearly ritual that has been performed by the oldest of old money families for over a thousand years.
Some novelists just can't hack it as short story writers, but Neil Gaiman isn't one of them. I enjoyed this collection even more than "Smoke and Mirrors". It stated off with the brilliant "A Study in Emerald", which I have read before as I own the
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anthology of Sherlock Holmes meets Lovecraft stories for which it was written. It starts off like a typical Doctor Watson account of one of his friend's cases, and it's only right at the end that I realised who actually wrote it and who the 'Holmes' character is likely to be. As for "The Problem of Susan", I think that everyone who has read the Narnia books feels that Susan was hard done by, to be left in the real world when everyone else got to live in Narnia forever, so I really enjoyed that one.Other favourites were the creepy sort-of ghost story "Closing Time", and "Goliath" which was written for the film company that made "The Matrix" to go on a website about the film and the book ends on a high note with "The Monarch of the Glen". A few years after the events in "America Gods", Shadow is travelling through Scotland when he is offered a couple of days work as a bouncer and finds himself caught up in a yearly ritual that has been performed by the oldest of old money families for over a thousand years.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Short stories and poems—a couple try too hard to have a twist at the end, and I was left completely cold by the series of drabbles Gaiman wrote for two Tori Amos albums, but at his strongest Gaiman can really mesh the creepy and the cute. The drabble-esque format worked for me best with Fifteen
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Painted Cards from a Vampire Tarot, where vampires serve as the template for all kinds of encounters with alien-ness, and the collection also includes A Study in Emerald (Holmes/Cthulhu) and The Problem of Susan (Narnia), the strongest pieces. Not incidentally, they’re also the ones that wear their specific predecessors most clearly, though Gaiman writes about Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, and Robert Sheckley as key influences and he’s plainly right about that. Show Less
LibraryThing member colinflipper
This collection of stories and poems sticks with the usual Neil Gaiman genres of modern fantasy and mythology, but mixes things up a lot within those boundaries. The mood ranges from creepy to funny to sweet and every story form is represented from a page-long poem up to a novella or two.
Many of
Many of
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the shorter pieces aimed to be clever and carefully constructed, but I think that the novellas and longer stories are much stronger for the most part. 'A Study In Emerald', in particular, is fantastic. Show Less
LibraryThing member CherieDooryard
I don't, in general, enjoy short story collections and despite Gaiman being one of my favorite authors, I picked away this one for a long time in-between other reads.I found the collection to be really uneven, and many of the stories felt like they'd been included simply as filler. Nothing was bad,
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but a few were pretty half-hearted. I think Gaiman is good at launching into a story and at creating mood, but his short story pacing feels weak. However, the American Gods novella at the end really highlights what he can do in a slightly longer form--and it's just great. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sile
Loved it!
Proper review to follow.
Why did I read it? Well, I had listened to two other books by Neil Gaiman: one being a collaboration with Terry Pratchett, "Good Omens"; and the other being the 10th anniversary edition of "American Gods", which I truly enjoyed. Given this was a selection of short
What's it about? Bizarre tales, short stories, the odd poem, and, finally, a little epilogue to "American Gods". A rather odd collection, though nicely set out, which I imagine can be dipped in an out of at random (if you have the hard copy, and aren't listening to Neil Gaiman narrate them himself). Tales of mythical creatures, legends, and some snatched from fragments of folklore. Included are stories from Neil Gaiman's early writings revised, edited and included here; one is a birthday gift to his daughter; and each is a wonder tale.
What did I like? Every, single story, and poem. Really, I did! This collection kept me engaged, wanting to listen to every word, and not miss a moment. Neil Gaiman is a writer of the odd, the unusual, the supernatural, the otherworlds and so his tales have twists not found in other stories, but once found in the myths of old.
There is a sense of humour to be found in the works, as well. Sometimes authors forget to include this in darker tales, but life, or indeed fantasy, is not just one dimensional - or shouldn't be. Neil Gaiman incorporates the whole of life, death, and everything in between in these tales.
Neil Gaiman is also rather good at narrating his own work. This author knows how to bring a story to life, and doesn't seem to falter in his delivery. It's kind of refreshing to hear an author read his own words, even if you will never hear him do so live.
The audio version, provided by Audible, was clear, and without fault.
What didn't I like? Nope. Can't think of anything.
Would I recommend it? Oh yes! To anyone who has read Neil Gaiman's other works, or even those of Terry Pratchett. If you want to read something a little different, this is it. I'll definitely be listening again.
Proper review to follow.
Why did I read it? Well, I had listened to two other books by Neil Gaiman: one being a collaboration with Terry Pratchett, "Good Omens"; and the other being the 10th anniversary edition of "American Gods", which I truly enjoyed. Given this was a selection of short
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stories, and prose, I thought it would be entertaining for my commute. And, so it was!What's it about? Bizarre tales, short stories, the odd poem, and, finally, a little epilogue to "American Gods". A rather odd collection, though nicely set out, which I imagine can be dipped in an out of at random (if you have the hard copy, and aren't listening to Neil Gaiman narrate them himself). Tales of mythical creatures, legends, and some snatched from fragments of folklore. Included are stories from Neil Gaiman's early writings revised, edited and included here; one is a birthday gift to his daughter; and each is a wonder tale.
What did I like? Every, single story, and poem. Really, I did! This collection kept me engaged, wanting to listen to every word, and not miss a moment. Neil Gaiman is a writer of the odd, the unusual, the supernatural, the otherworlds and so his tales have twists not found in other stories, but once found in the myths of old.
There is a sense of humour to be found in the works, as well. Sometimes authors forget to include this in darker tales, but life, or indeed fantasy, is not just one dimensional - or shouldn't be. Neil Gaiman incorporates the whole of life, death, and everything in between in these tales.
Neil Gaiman is also rather good at narrating his own work. This author knows how to bring a story to life, and doesn't seem to falter in his delivery. It's kind of refreshing to hear an author read his own words, even if you will never hear him do so live.
The audio version, provided by Audible, was clear, and without fault.
What didn't I like? Nope. Can't think of anything.
Would I recommend it? Oh yes! To anyone who has read Neil Gaiman's other works, or even those of Terry Pratchett. If you want to read something a little different, this is it. I'll definitely be listening again.
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LibraryThing member extrajoker
Of course I enjoyed this Gaiman collection! I'd read a small handful of the selections before, but still had fun with them on the second go-round. My particular favorites are "A Study in Emerald" (for its wonderful wit and surprisingly convincing splicing of the Cthulhu Mythos with the world of
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Sherlock Holmes), "Instructions" (for simple magic and ability to inspire nostalgia), and "Feeders and Eaters" (for sheer horror and gore). Show Less
LibraryThing member ewalrath
But don't read right before going to sleep. This also requires the HP Lovecraft method of reading more than one at a time in the hopes of rendering your nightmares absurd rather than traumatic. But, damn, if it isn't tremendous writing.
LibraryThing member dvf1976
Parts were enjoyable, but I found myself wanting for the story I was reading to end so I could get to the next story...
I think I've read the Matrix story that was in this book (which I liked a lot), but I don't know where.
I think I've read the Matrix story that was in this book (which I liked a lot), but I don't know where.
LibraryThing member tairngire
A delightfully eerie set of short stories. Many read like ghost stories, told by a protagonist who blurs the lines of real/unreal and makes the reader wonder about it's veracity. When Neil Gaiman does horror, he does it different than many horror writers. It creeps up on you slowly, you don't
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realize it for what it is initially, until something reminds you of the story you just read and your hair stands on end. Show Less
LibraryThing member FourOfFiveWits
I love Neil Gaiman but this was a struggle to get through. The two best stories are at the beginning and the end. I loved A Study in Emerald, How To Talk To Girls At Parties, and the Monarch of the Glen but the rest bored me.
It isn't that the other stories are bad, Gaiman continues to write
The Monarch of the Glen just made me crave for more stories about Shadow. I know he isn't the most popular of Neil Gaiman's characters but there's something about Shadow that speaks to me, plus I am a sucker for Beowulf.
It doesn't help that I have never been to fond of short stories in general. Give me a 700 page novel anyday versus any short story.
It isn't that the other stories are bad, Gaiman continues to write
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beautiful prose but none of that characters really stood out. Basically it came down to not caring what happened in the stories.The Monarch of the Glen just made me crave for more stories about Shadow. I know he isn't the most popular of Neil Gaiman's characters but there's something about Shadow that speaks to me, plus I am a sucker for Beowulf.
It doesn't help that I have never been to fond of short stories in general. Give me a 700 page novel anyday versus any short story.
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LibraryThing member MyriadBooks
Gaiman is a favorite author of mine, and I snapped up a copy of Fragile Things as soon as I could. As with any short story collection, there were some stories I loved more than others, but overall this collection ranks as my second favorite of Gaiman's collections.
The one thing that seriously
But that's the only gripe I have, and the only thing I would change.
The one thing that seriously
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irritated me was how the running heads were arranged. The publisher (probably not Gaiman) decided to alternate between Gaiman's name and the collection title on every single page. This made it incredibly hard for me to flip through the book and select the story I wanted, or even just to browse. I'm used to story anthologies utilizing this kind of format (with running heads showing lead editors and anthology title), but for collections with a single author the standard format is to show the collection title and the title of the story. Simple. Arg.But that's the only gripe I have, and the only thing I would change.
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ISBN
0060515228 / 9780060515225