Gaiman is just one of the best today.

books:

	• Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders (P.S.) Neil Gaiman Harper Perennial, 2007 - 416 pages average customer review:based on 66 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Keepsakes and Treasures.

Another fantastic collection of treasure shorties from the wonderful imagination of Neil Gaiman comes Fragile Things. From the very start of the fun and interesting Introduction, in which; Gaiman explains where the ideas stem from to the special treat for 'American God' fans - the sequal 'The Monarch of Glen' in a short novella form. In between, is a readers delight with a vast mixture for any fans of the genres: horror, goth, sci-fi, mystery, mythology, romance, and more!

As always in a short story collection not every story is for everyone. However, I have more than a handful of personal fav's: A Study in Emerald, October In The Chair, The Flints of Memory Lane, The Facts in the Case of the Depature of Miss Finch, The Problem of Susan, and Fifteen Painted Cards From a Vampire Tarot. Favorite poems: The Fairy Reel, The Hidden Chamber, Instructions, My Life, The Day The Saucers Came, and Inventing Aladdin.

At the end there is even a list of great publications of where the short stories where originally published.

I highly recommend Fragile Things for every type of reader. I guarantee you will find your favorite genre in this collection and walk away with more than a few favorite short stories and poems!

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It came fast

Everything was ok, and it arrived before Christmas, although they'd told me I would receive it at december 31. =)

Correu tudo bem, e os livros ainda chegaram antes do Natal, mesmo eles dizendo q chegaria só dia 31/12. =)

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Interesting mix of stories and poems

I have only discovered Gaiman recently; I read Coraline and The Graveyard Book both of which I loved, and I am now working my way through his back catalog. Fragile Things is a collection of short stories and poems. I am not a huge fan of the short story, because I always find I want more than I get and often resent the ending to the story as I have just begun to get into the rhythm of the story. This collection was a very mixed bag, so I really liked several of the tales and others were just okay. Because the two previous books I read were children's books I was a little surprised by the language and some of the sex scenes, but it's just because I wasn't expecting it. I would have to say my favorite story was October in the Chair, where the months of the year have a sort of board meeting, and one month gets to tell a story. I would have loved to hear each month's story. I also really liked The Monarch of the Glen which featured an enigmatic character named Shadow; I'd really like to read something more substantial featuring this character. The few poems were lovely and because I listened to this on audio there is always the added bonus of Neil Gaiman's beautiful voice. Overall this was an interesting if not great collection of horror/fantasy/sci-fi tales. And now I will be moving onto Anansai Boys.

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Gaiman is just one of the best today.

One of my favorite things when reading a collection of short stories is when the author shares some insights about how the stories came to be. Gaiman's comments are often just as entertaining as the stories themselves with comments ranging from one discerning line to an in depth analysis of the story. He makes sure the reader knows that each story and poem have their own story to tell.

Some well-told tales...
"A Study in Emerald" is an incredible mash-up of Doyle and Lovecraft with a great twist. A story that rewards a second or third reading.

The Fairy Reel" True pain wrapped up in a fantasy.

"October in The Chair"- All 12 months have their own stories to tell and October's is as spooky as you would think. I'm waiting for the rest of the month's to tell their tales; if there all as good as this one it will make a tremendous read.

"Forbidden Brides of Faceless Slaves...-"What would happen if a character from Poe or Hawthorne tried to write some escapist fare? Would it involve a toaster?

"Closing Time"- A story I've read a number of times now to try to figure out why it's so disturbing. I still don't know why but Gaiman touches on something very creepy here, the reader's own imagination.

"Other People"- It's really frightening when an imaginative writer takes a look at what hell would be like.

"Good Boys Deserve Fairies"- A boy and his double-bass. A short and intriguing slice of life.

"Harlequin Valentine" Harlequin finally gets his or does he? An excellent use of the commedia dell'arte's great trickster.

"Locks" Goldilocks and fatherhood make for an interesting pairing in this poem.

"The Problem of Susan" I remember reading the Narnia books to my younger siblings and having the same problem that Gaiman does with Lewis' treatment of Susan Pevensie. Gaiman decided to do something about it.

"Instructions" Surviving fairy tales and fantasies in 10 easy stanzas.

"My Life" As Gaiman says himself-The Weekly World News put to verse.

"In The End" The Book of Genesis backwards-seems about right.

"Goliath" A great take on the science fiction stand by "Which world is the real one?" but with more heart than most.

"How to Talk to Girls at Parties" Sometimes you just go to the wrong house...

"The Day the Saucers Came" A sci-fi version of "My Life." This one works, too.

"Sunbird" Predictable, but in a good way with depth and characters that remind of the better fantasy stories of writers like Bradbury.

"Inventing Aladdin" A new look at Scheherazade with a brilliant last line "We save our lives in such unlikely ways."

"The Monarch of The Glen" AMERICAN GODS fans rejoice-Shadow's back! (If you don't know what I'm talking about go read [ASIN:0060558121 American Gods: A Novel]]

Not quite as good or tales that didn't hold my interest

"Hidden Chamber" -A Gothic poem that really doesn't build to much.

""The Flints of Memory Lane"- "This is my ghost story and an unsatisfactory thing it is too." Yep.

Going Wodwo"- A Green Man poem that takes you unconvincingly into the wild.

"Bitter Grounds"- A meandering tale of zombies, Voodoo, and New Orleans-All atmosphere without depth.

"Keepsakes and Treasures" A very unlikable group of people inhabit this story. Gaiman write there may be more to this story; my response is "Why?"

"The Facts in The Case" One of those stories when you get to the end and say, "That's it?"

Strange Little Girls"/"Pages From A Journal" Tori Amos does not bring out the best in Gaiman's writing.

"How Do You Think It Feels?" I've never really understood the pain of the one who commits the betrayal so this one was lost on me.

"15 Painted Cards from a Vampire's Tarot" Might work better with the paintings Gaiman mentions. As it is some stories are more intriguing then others but they are just sketches.

"Feeders and Eaters" You know where this one is going right from the start. No surprises here.

Diseasemaker's Croup- Probably worked better in its original setting. Here it's just adrift in much better material.

Plenty to like here and even the weaker stories have merit. Throw in the great intro and this is a great collection of stories from one of today's most imaginative writers.

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Wonderful collection...

FOUR AND A HALF STARS

As a fan of Neil Gaiman's, I'd been wanting to pick up this collection of his short stories (with a few poems thrown in for good measure) for a while. I'm glad I finally did. It's a very enjoyable read. Very easy to sit and read in short chunks or reading it as one would a regular novel. Basically, most of the content has been previously printed elsewhere but is collected here, much to the relief of the wallets of Gaiman fans.

Just a few highlights -

"Other People" - This was a very creepy story about one man's torment in hell. While Gaiman is no stranger to the surreal and gothic, I liked this foray into terror. And I completely understand his hesitance to spend much time there.

"Harlequin Valentine" - This was a rather bizarre tale of love on St. Valentine's Day that is sure to leave its mark on me. The subtle twist at the end is also quite quaint.

"The Problem Of Susan" - As a childhood fan of the Narnia books, this was a fitting tribute.

"How Do You Think It Feels?" - Gaiman himself has stated that he was somewhat shocked by the sex in this story and so was I. Not that it hampered the story any, it just was a bit of a surprise.

"Feeders And Eaters" - I had a very eerie feeling about where this story was going, and I was right. Chilling and unsettling.

"Goliath" - This piece was written before the release of The Matrix for the film's website. It's a little strange. I can see the groundwork (or guiding hand) The Matrix played in this story, but I was more enthralled with the endless sense of deja vu that somehow got mixed up with space aliens?

"The Day The Saucers Came" - I really enjoyed this poem of a sort. I can see why Gaiman likes to read it aloud.

"Sunbird" - This was my favorite piece in the collection. Written for his daughter, Gaiman has crafted a stroy that makes you think you know whats going on throughout the story only to twist your thoughts at the ending. I really likes this. A must for fans of mythology.

"The Monarch Of The Glen" - This novella is a continuance of Gaiman's novel American Gods. I always felt that novel lacked some sense of resolution and this story helped ease my loss. It was enjoyable to read about Shadow again, with hints of old characters thrown in for good measure. Reading it felt like spending time with an old friend.

So if you're looking for an engaging short story collection, give this one a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I wasn't.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

A mysterious circus terrifies an audience for one extraordinary performance before disappearing into the night. . . .

In a Hugo Award–winning story, a great detective must solve a most unsettling royal murder in a strangely altered Victorian England. . . .

Two teenage boys crash a party and meet the girls of their dreams?and nightmares. . . .

These marvelous creations and more showcase the unparalleled invention and storytelling brilliance?as well as the terrifyingly dark and entertaining sense of humor?of the incomparable Neil Gaiman. By turns delightful, disturbing, and diverting, Fragile Things is a gift of literary enchantment from one of the most original writers of our time.

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