Wednesday 15 October 2014

This Is The End by Stella Benson

A Shiny New Review from Shiny New Books - of an old book, now reprinted by Mike Walmer. I loved I Pose by Stella Benson (review here) and leapt at the chance of reading her next book, This Is The End. Even though I kept singing 'Skyfall' every time I picked it up...

Here's the beginning of my review:

One of the more unusual novelists being reprinted at the moment is Stella Benson. Her work is issued by Michael Walmer, a one-man publishing house that is reprinting various neglected novelists in the order their novels were originally published. This Is The End is Benson’s second (from 1917), and comes immediately before the one that is probably most remembered now,Living Alone, about very curious witches.
I want to say that This Is The End is not supernatural, but any definite statement about a Benson novel feels like a trap waiting to happen; the reader never quite knows which genre they’re reading, or what sort of response is required. Except that laughter will always be involved somewhere.

6 comments:

  1. I've never read any Stella Benson, but am now putting her on my list. Thanks for the recommendation!

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    1. Hope you enjoy, Helen! Let me know what you think of her - she is very strange!

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  2. I loved this one, Simon - and found it very powerful in places.She's a very individual writer, but that's no bad thing! :)

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  3. Thanks for the tip. I am now off to buy at least one Stella Benson.

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    1. She will be right up your alley, John, I feel sure :)

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