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- The Blue Fairy and other tales of transcendence Reviewed By Andrea Coventry Of Bookpleasures.com
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- The Blue Fairy and other tales of transcendence Reviewed By Andrea Coventry Of Bookpleasures.com
The Blue Fairy and other tales of transcendence Reviewed By Andrea Coventry Of Bookpleasures.com
- By Andrea Coventry
- Published September 6, 2009
- GENERAL FICTION REVIEWS ,
Andrea Coventry
Reviewer Andrea Coventry: Andrea is a Montessori child - turned educator. An avid reader and writer, she is published on several websites. Click Here to find a listing of Andrea's sites where you can find many of her writing contributions.
Author: Ernest Dempsey
ISBN:
978-1-932-690-92-7
Publisher: Modern History
Press
Click Here To Purchase The Blue Fairy and other tales of transcendence
Ernest Dempsey opens his short story collections
with a moving dedication to his Aunt Farahana, who passed away in
November 1992. Her passing had a profound effect on Dempsey, as
familiar to him today as it was 17 years ago. His description of her
influence on his life literally moved me to tears.
Dempsey
has collected several short stories he has penned over the years, to
put into the collection entitled The Blue Fairy and other tales
of transcendence. He takes a look at death from many points of
view.
Some are told in the first person, almost
seemingly like he is literally telling about someone he knew in real
life. Others are third-person looks inside the troubled mind of one
who is dealing with death. Stories are about the loss of a child,
impending death from illness, and mysterious people floating in and
out of one's life.
On occasion, a story would leave me
wanting for more. Either I didn't understand the point, or felt that
the point was lacking. I frequently find this to be the case when
reading a short story collection by an author, as well as when
rereading some of my own short stories. Sometimes, a story would seem
like it was trying too hard to be deep. Again, I think it is a common
issue in short story collections.
Luckily, the more that
I read, the more I was drawn into the stories, the more I was able to
understand them, and the more I was able to emotionally feel
connected to some of them. I am particularly drawn to stories of the
loss of a child or a sibling, as I feel like I can relate to those
best after losing a baby cousin some years ago.
"Recreating
Stone" was particularly painful to read, as it is a story of
unrequited love that is lost forever. Here, I can see the parallels
drawn between Dempsey and his 19th century counterparts, referenced
by other reviewers.
I also found ones like "Just a
Kilometer" to be reminiscent of a Stephen King short story. A
man is shot far away from civilization, and is striving to find his
way back to the love of his life, despite the bleeding and the pain.
Stephen King has been one of my favorite authors for the last 20-plus
years, and I enjoy finding well-written stories within the same
genre.
Short story collections should never be read in
one sitting, as each piece is designed to stand on its own. The same
holds true of The Blue Fairy. It also should only be read when
the reader is in a mood that can accommodate darker stories without
being thrust into an emotional depression. Stories such as Dempsey's
have the potential of striking a chord deep within, especially if one
has experienced a similar situation.
Click Here To Purchase The Blue Fairy and other tales of transcendence