Dark Fairies Review

Career Press, July 20, 2010
Paperback, 192 pages
ISBN: 9781601631107
Ordering Information:
Amazon.com

We all know about fairies-- they’re usually helpful, ethereal creatures in children’s stories and Walt Disney films, flitting about doing good, right?

Wrong!

In ancient times, the concept of fairies was rather different. They were the often-dangerous embodiment of the land, dark and unpredictable spirits that watched Humanity with a jaundiced and hostile eye. And, according to conventional folk wisdom, they were to be feared rather than trusted. Indeed, in their original form, many of our “fairy tales” read more like late-night horror stories.

Dr. Bob Curran investigates the folkloric roots of the fairy kind, tracing their origins from the sprites and maenads of Classical times to the sanitized versions of the English Victorians. Among other aspects, he examines the connections in the Christian mind between the fairy kind and demons; the links between fairies and ancient, pagan gods; and the often-strained relations between fairies and humans across the ages.

This is not a book for those who believe that fairies are friendly, kindly creatures. With the growing and anticipated interest in fairies--particularly given the forthcoming Disney film Wings, starring Miley Cyrus--Dark Fairies is a timely and valuable new title.

I must first compliment the illustrator Ian Daniels. The cover art and illustrations in this book are beautifully done. Almost makes you feel like you're not reading a nonfiction novel, but don't let it fool you. Dark Fairies is not a tremendously light read.

I thought I knew a great deal about fairies. I certainly knew they weren't all of the Tinkerbell variety. A few pages in to the book, I realized there was so much more information concerning the subject I had yet to come across. Dark Fairies not only covers the sinister side of these creatures but also goes in to depth their connection to trolls, elves and even angels. The transitions between each story are smooth. The material is not too hard to understand. Of course, I always manage to find some kind of flaw.

As previously stated, the illustrations in this book are fabulous. However, I wish there was some photos mixed in as well. Curran provided background information concerning a series of photos of alleged fairies but didn't include any of the actual photos. So, if anyone wasn't familiar with the case, they would either miss out or have to look it up. In my case, the next book I'm reading for review covered the same story and included a couple of the photographs.

Overall, I would recommend this book for anyone who loves the subject of fairies.

Comments

Jessica Penot said…
This book looks wonderful! I love folklore and history. I'll have to look for it. Thanks for a good review.
1:26 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Black Aggie

Image
First of all, I would like to wish everyone a Happy Horror Day. Later on tonight, you will have a chance to win 1,000 BlogMad credits. Keep checking for that. Now on to tonight's first story. Henry Adams hired American sculpture Augustus St. Gaudens to construct a memorial for his beloved wife, Marian "Clover" Adams who committed suicide after the death of her father. After four years, the piece was finished in 1891. It was never officially named, but it was mostly known as the "Adams Memorial" and later "Grief". Stories vary as to how it received that nickname. The statue was so fascinating that a sculpture named Eduard L.A. Pausch copied it. The statue would go to be named "Black Aggie". General Felix Agnus purchased the copy in 1905 to place at his family's tomb. Then had a monument and pedestal created that would closely match the setting of the Adams Memorial in Washington. No one knows exactly why he chose this statue. A year later,...
Read more

Reader Submission - The Creeper

Image
There is a true life story, about a little boy at the time called Richard. Richard was baker/acted into the Waverly Hills Sanatorium WHGC way back in 1967. The two doctors and three nurses that were present in the ECT room on August 20th 1967 9:32 am, all signed and swore it to be true. The Creeper actually manifested inside the ECT room, and shrouded the child from electrocution. They also say the child had entities all around him while in his stay. Richard was said to be one of the most powerful Clairsentient Empathetic children, to ever walk threw the Waverly Hills Sanatorium doors, and the same goes for the St Albans Sanatorium. My father and his friends have been collecting files, along with me and my team on this child for over 50 years now. All this broke in May 20th 2015 when one of the last living WHGC nurses was found alive in California. She had some how found this child in order to give him a case files she stole over 50 years ago out of the Wood Haven Geriatrics Center...
Read more

Edna Collings Bridge

Edna Collings Bridge also known as Edna Collins Bridge was built in 1922 over Little Walnut Creek. It was the last covered bridge built in Putnam County, Indiana replacing a concrete bridge washed out in high waters. And it's believed to be haunted. The most common story is Edna Collins was a little girl who went swimming in Little Walnut Creek often as she lived nearby. Her parents would drop her off on their way to town. When they returned, they would honk the horn three times to let her know it was time to leave. One day, her parents followed their usual routine except this time Edna failed to respond. Upon searching the creek, she was found dead (allegedly by her father), having drown. Circumstances concerning her death unknown. Variations of this story has her mother following her in death. Grieving over lost of her child, her mother placed a noose around her neck and hung herself. Another piece has her father being the one who built the bridge and named it after his daugh...
Read more