Demons of the Night: Tales of the Fantastic, Madness, and the Supernatural from Nineteenth-Century France

by Joan C. Kessler (Editor), Charles Nodier, Honoré de Balzac

Demons of the Night is a trove of haunting fiction—a gathering, for the first time in English, of the best nineteenth-century French fantastic tales. Featuring such authors as Balzac, Mérimée, Dumas, Verne, and Maupassant, this book offers readers familiar with the works of Edgar Allan Poe and E. T. A. Hoffman some of the most memorable stories in the genre. With its aura of the uncanny and the supernatural, the fantastic tale is a vehicle for exploring forbidden themes and the dark, irrational side of the human psyche.

The anthology opens with "Smarra, or the Demons of the Night," Nodier's 1821 tale of nightmare, vampirism, and compulsion, acclaimed as the first work in French literature to explore in depth the realm of dream and the unconscious. Other stories include Balzac's "The Red Inn," in which a crime is committed by one person in thought and another in deed, and Mérimée's superbly crafted mystery, "The Venus of Ille," which dramatizes the demonic power of a vengeful goddess of love emerging out of the pagan past. Gautier's protagonist in "The Dead in Love" develops an obsessive passion for a woman who has returned from beyond the grave, while the narrator of Maupassant's "The Horla" imagines himself a victim of psychic vampirism.

Joan Kessler has prepared new translations of nine of the thirteen tales in the volume, including Gérard de Nerval's odyssey of madness, "Aurélia," as well as two tales that have never before appeared in English. Kessler's introduction sets the background of these tales—the impact of the French Revolution and the Terror, the Romantics' fascination with the subconscious, and the influence of contemporary psychological and spiritual currents. Her essay illuminates how each of the authors in this collection used the fantastic to articulate his own haunting obsessions as well as his broader vision of human experience.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fantasy, Anthologies, France, Horror Thriller

347 pages, Paperback

First published April 15, 1995

Reviews

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually the text ends on 326 with footnotes following, so it's not quite 400 pages.

I found this to be a superbly-stunning collection of tales from various French writers from the 19th century -- the authors are listed below:

Charles Nodier
Balzac
Prosper Merimee
Theophile Gautier
de Nerval
Jules Verne
Villiers de l'Isle Adam
de Maupassant
Marcel Schwob

As a sort of overall description of what's in this book I give you what the editor says in her introduction to the authors whose writings have been selected here:

"Their works repeatedly probe the subject of the unconscious, often through the metaphor of the divided self or the landscape of dream and madness. As they gravitate toward those areas of experience inaccessible to rational understanding, they actually lead us to a more complete notion of our own minds, with their web of tangled, contradictory motivations and impulses."

Overall, this has proved to be another favorite book, one that I can absolutely without any hesitation recommend to all. I get that French literature of the 19th century isn't everybody's thing, and also, if you're looking for something solely to scare the bejeezus out of you, this just may not be it. These stories are things of beauty, not something you read simply in the hope of getting a few chills up your spine, although it happens quite a bit here. Beyond great, really; I live to find collections like this one.

Unfortunately I felt very chatty when writing a post about this book, too long for Goodreads so click below to get there. Beware: while I do not provide spoilers, the stories in this book are briefly annotated so for those who want to know nothing, you may want to pass.

http://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/2018...

[Shawn]

PLACEHOLDER REVIEW

"The Sign" ("L'intersigne") from 1867, by Auguste de Villiers de l'Isle-Adam is a fairly familiar story - a moody and depressed man of some standing decides on an impulse to go visit a family friend, an old abbe, at his rural home in order to do some autumn hunting. But on his arriving he has two strange visions/moods, and an even stranger, detailed dream that prove to be a premonition of the future. The story itself is old hat, but the mood and feeling of the piece, especially the spooky dream, is quite solid and gothic in feeling.

[aman · Rating 4 out of 5]

very fun

[Rebecca Rosenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I collect books that explore the dark and frightening sides of humans, because I find in history, there are many unexplained things that have happened, such as in my novel, The Secret Life of Mrs. London, the real Charmian London had visions throughout her life, of past people who lived before, and of the world beyond this one. She called thee visions her "Beatitudes." It was a trait which Charmian's husband, Jack London loved to explore and used in his novels.

Demons of the Night is a treasure trove of wickedness and surreal. If you like this sort of thing!

Rebecca Rosenberg
The Secret Life of Mrs. London

[Quicksilver Quill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice collection of French short stories, but very specifically 19th century supernatural/fantastic type tales. Of course every reader will have his or her own favorites, but for my part, the only author I could have done without was Verne—who seemed out of place with his Hoffmannesque Master Zacharius. But most everything else in the anthology is enjoyable. Some standouts include Merimee, Gautier, and Dumas. The editor also provides an excellent introduction to the tales and authors. So for anyone who has a yen to feast on some fantastic 19th century French short stories, Demons of the Night will certainly serve up a delightful read.

[Khellamendra Dueir · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely collection of French tales of the supernatural that explores the darker side of the human mind. Anyone that enjoyed writers such as Edgar Allan Poe or just a good dark story that makes you think, this collection of works is a definite choice.

[Missberet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lorenzo arrives in Thessaly craving the love of his Lisidis, dreaming of the perfumed bed to lie upon with her. Greeted by his friend Poleman after basking in the pleasures of tree filled valleys and divine floral. Poleman had served with him in the Siege of Corinth and was assumed dead. Surrounded by Myrthe, Thelaire, Smarra, Meroe, Lisidis and Theis sensual are the words of Poleman as they are surrounded by phantoms, Achrones,Morphosis and Asproles and Dwarfs. Unassumed is their eternity in the story Smarra. In Aurelia or Dream and Life one woman represents mythical and Christian women in these delusions seemingly Schizophrenic as the Author describes divine dimensions which cross into transmigration back in time of creation to his present state mostly in hospitalization. Awake Dreams is also Schizophrenic as the subconscious overtakes the conscious mind. He claims to live shortly as Napoleon while the scenery of Macrocosm and Microcosm brings him to the state of knowledge of exactly where he is. The Red Inn holds a few stories of its own. The Venus of Ille claims to be married to the one who has given her a ring. Theophile Gautier's The Dead in Love presents a priest who has fallen in love, but really who is she? or rather what is she? Arria Marcella lives on in Pompii, Octavian's obsession in which his dreams come true in one night, but, can he survive the rest of his life?. Alexandre Duma's tale " The Slap of Charlotte Corday" mixes a good deed with an unexpected outcome. Jules Verne's Master Zacharius travels to a clockmaker in Geneva who dedicates his life to making the best watches . He puts his whole heart into his craft as well as his whole life...Abbe Maucombe receives a visit from an old friend who spends a long night hallucinating then is called off on business, but leaves him with a Cloak.....Vera is the fear all lovers experience and the madness in which the fear brings on. The Horla and Who Knows by Guy de Maupassant reach a point of absolute lunacy in the frantic mind of insanity at its best.

[Edi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have only read "The Slap of Charlotte Corday" by Alexander Dumas (father) in a separate short story non attached to this particular book.

However, this book collections sound yummy.

Alexander Dumas' story was almost to the macabre. Very well written. It catches your attention to the point of continuing reading. I got goose bumps just to think about the topic because I believe it's true.
I've seen it in small animals only, not humans.

Anyways. Do NOT be alone when you read it...LOL

[stuti · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, i liked some stories better than others, but the collection overall is well-selected and interesting.

i only read 8 of the 13 short stories and it's hard to review a collection of short stories like this one....... but i still want credit goddamnit!!!

[Marya · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my college quest to read lesser known works of major authors, I stumbled on this gem. Verne is in here as is Dumas and Balzac. For the most part, these are great little stories with the same atmosphere that you remember from their larger works. But Nerval? Is nuts. Maupassant? Also nuts. Of course, it probably doesn't help that no modern audience can be terrified by furniture that moves of its own accord; at least, not unless "Be Our Guest!" send shivers down their spine.

[Kappie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good assortment, well translated. Not quite what I was looking for for the class I'm preparing on medieval-influenced fantasy, but great if you're working on or a fan of classic horror