T.E. W. (terez93) reviewed Casting the Runes: And Other Ghost Stories (Oxford World's Classics) on + 345 more book reviews
As several other reviewers have noted, this book is a masterpiece of English literature, but it has been sadly overlooked. M.R. James is a savant storyteller: he provides ample opportunity for a reader to employ their imagination, based on their own memories and experiences, while simultaneously weaving a rich tapestry of imagery that transports one to another time in another world. Taking great pains to describe his scenes, he scrupulously constructs a detailed backdrop against which to set his subtle, yet disturbing, tales of the supernatural and bizarre. He celebrates the sublime of the everyday and ordinary (in the author's own mind, as well: he is clearly an avid golf enthusiast!) while suggesting ever so gently that even the mundane can be horrifying, in ways not expected.
I can understand how a handful of reviewers have commented that some of the stories are rather "slow;" to me, however, this method lulls the reader into a sense of (false) security, rendering them unaware that all the while, James is masterfully building momentum, which makes the quotidian all the more horrifying and disturbing. Even a seemingly-innocuous prayer book, along with other familiar, even banal objects, can betray and deceive with terrifying results. I highly recommend this collection to ghost story aficionados who love a good tale well-told. I also think that only a light reworking would render some of these stories into adept screenplays! Enjoy!
I can understand how a handful of reviewers have commented that some of the stories are rather "slow;" to me, however, this method lulls the reader into a sense of (false) security, rendering them unaware that all the while, James is masterfully building momentum, which makes the quotidian all the more horrifying and disturbing. Even a seemingly-innocuous prayer book, along with other familiar, even banal objects, can betray and deceive with terrifying results. I highly recommend this collection to ghost story aficionados who love a good tale well-told. I also think that only a light reworking would render some of these stories into adept screenplays! Enjoy!
