- Library Binding
- Publisher: San Val (December 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1417721987
- ISBN-13: 978-1417721986
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
In the latest addition to the Fairy Tale Series created by Terri Windling, fantasy author Frost (Tain; Lyrec) provides a fresh and highly readable spin on the classic Bluebeard tale, setting his version in New York's Finger Lakes district during the 1830s. Charismatic preacher Elias Fitcher, the Bluebeard figure, has set up a utopian community that prays and works while awaiting the end of the world prophesied for 1843. Into this hotbed of religious fervor comes the Charter family from the nearby town of Jeckyll's Glen. The father and stepmother succumb to Fitcher's mesmerizing preaching, but it is the three daughters-Vernelia, Amy and Catherine-who listen to household spirits and end up, each in turn, marrying Fitcher, then vanishing, except for Catherine, the youngest. In order to survive, Catherine must use her wits and the understanding passed on from her sisters. Exploring such adult themes as lust, masochism and desire, Frost neatly counterbalances the underlying threads of wifely curiosity and disobedience with the growing awareness of true evil in Fitcher, the elements that have made the fairy tale such a timeless story. Some readers may want to save Windling's introduction, which traces the historical legend through its roots in folklore to the narrative of Frenchman Charles Perrault, for last, in order to enjoy the novel for its own sake.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Swept up in the Rev. Elias Fitcher's apocalyptic predictions, the Charter family moves to upstate New York to await the final days as the gatekeepers of Fitcher's mansion, Harbinger House. When Fitcher chooses Vernelia as his bride, younger sisters Amy and Kate envy her happiness until events hint at a sinister purpose behind Fitcher's marriage and an even darker secret at the heart of Harbinger House. Frost's contribution to the popular "Fairy Tale" series, created and edited by Terry Windling, takes a unique approach to the horrific tale of Bluebeard, setting a seemingly cautionary tale about the dangers of curiosity against the messianic fervor of the mid-19th century. The author of The Pure Cold Light blends dark fantasy and social commentary in an intriguing tale that belongs in most libraries. Highly recommended.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
THEY CLIMBED THE GANGPLANK to the steamboat, the three Charter sisters. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
THEY CLIMBED THE GANGPLANK to the steamboat, the three Charter sisters. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
The Fallen Brides,
By BADASSGIRLHEAD (Chicago,IL,USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Fitcher's Brides (Paperback)
Firstly, let me say this. The book really isn't all that bad. It just really didn't end up as one of my favorites. I thought that was rather too bad, because I was excited about reading, one of the less retold fairy tale storiesI thought the story was slow passed and I didn't like the fact that abuse was such a key plot line in the story. I honestly don't mind such stories, but I just didn't really care for the way that it was represented. I found it very little entertaining and thought the writer switched writing sequences quiet a bit. Not the worst retelling fairy tales that I have ever read, but not the best either.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Powerful and finely written,
By JGM "JGM" (South Florida) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Fitcher's Brides (Paperback)
Fitcher's Brides is as engrossing as any fairy tale I've ever read, but with so much more depth. The young maidens are more than just innocent fools; Fitcher is more than just your generic evil guy. How this man, both mesmerizing and menacing, maintains his power over not only his wives but over a growing congregation (which he actually refers to at one point as his "sheep") is what makes this story fascinating and universal. I had trouble putting Fitcher's Bride down; even if you're familiar with the morbid Bluebeard fairy tale, chances are you will keep reading to see how this particular version of it unfolds.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fairy tale for grown-ups.,
By Bill Kent (Wynnewood, PA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Fitcher's Brides (Hardcover)
The Bluebeard legend sliced, diced and transplanted to the 19th century in the "burned-over land," that section of upstate New York from which were born the Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists and other modern religious cults. Frost takes this somewhat forbidding fantasy landscape to the edge of gothic horror for a tale that is really about female empowerment: how long will we suffer from monstrous evil before SOMEBODY fights back? The fight is worth the wait, and the gruesome details leading to it. Clever readers will see that Frost is using the story to analyze why it is that the intolerance and xenophobic hatred that powers the mindless fanaticism of an era that, for all its historical trappings, seems curiously contemporary. For fans of Frost's short but very accomplished body of work, this novel is a definite joy. Frost is writing at the peak of his powers: literate, intelligent fantasy doesn't get much better than this.
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