Weird Women: Classic Supernatural Fiction by Groundbreaking Female Writers, 1852-1923 by Leslie S. KlingerMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
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This was an interesting anthology, suitable for people who are intrigued by the history of horror fiction and/or the role of women as authors. As the editors point out in their introduction, writing was a way that women could earn the cash to support themselves and their dependents if there was no man in their lives. Like the Bronte women, they often used pseudonyms or went by their initials to disguise their femininity.
I forget where I read that Louisa May Alcott wrote supernatural stories, but now I have read one of them. In my opinion, it is one of the most enjoyable offerings in the book. She writes a pretty good Mummy's Curse. There are some other well known names: Elizabeth Gaskell, Charlotte Gilman Perkins, Frances Hodgson Burnett, for example.
I was also pleased to read that the anthologists photographed one story from a Special Collections volume in a university library's collection. This made me happy, as I finished out my career as a special collections cataloguer at a university library. Unfortunately I didn't really care for the story (The Swine Gods by Regina Miriam Bloch). It was far too moralistic for my taste, although I appreciated that it is now back in print.
I am a cautious horror reader, having an active imagination and being easily spooked. This collection didn't set my nerves on edge. It could be read after dark without concern—I didn't end up in bed with the covers over my head. Recommended to those who want to dip their toes in the horror genre without scaring their socks off.
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