4 of 5 stars

An enjoyable collection of short stories from the 19th and early 20th century (1830-1922). I bought the book originally to get a copy of “The Yellow Wall Paper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. This story did NOT disappoint: an excellent tale that still resonates today with respect to women’s physical and mental health and how men often downplay women’s own understandings of their bodies and minds. The collection is worth it for this story alone.

There are some other great pieces. Marjorie Bowen’s “Scoured Silk” is a creepy and excellent read. I found Elizabeth Gaskell’s “Curious If True” to be an enjoyable piece of cotton candy, eminently enjoyable while consuming but it left little afterward. This is not a complaint, it was the perfect piece of horror consumed and enjoyed like a ferris wheel ride. Amelia B. Edward’s “An Engineer’s story” was fantastic. The Hall Bedroom by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman was great, just a perfect campfire “ghost” story. You can’t ask for much more.

The “Cold Embrace” was probably quite scintillating in Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s time, but it doesn’t stand up as much in the 21st century. I do absolutely love this author, especially her novel Lady Audley’s Secret, a piece worth seeking out. It was the second time I read “Transformation” by Mary Shelley. I gave it 2-3 stars on its own and I felt the same way this time. Not bad but not great.

The other pieces left me saying “ok” or “meh”. That’s just my opinion. But, the pieces mentioned above are well worth savoring and I think some would be enjoyable to revisit on a cold, dark evening in front of a fire…