Dappled Light

by Various

This is a delectable collection of short stories that are unique in their originality. The authors will impress you with their vivid ideas, their skillful imagination, their exceptional understanding of the nuances of the dark and bright side of characters, and the fine balance they achieve with the interplay between plot and people. A must-read book if you are looking to be pleasantly surprised.

120 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2013

About the author

Various is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).

If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.

Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.

Reviews

[Fionna Guillaume · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read! This superb work of historical fiction reveals the Victoria world in four distinct levels of complexity, from four very different cultures. The characters begin disparate, each as unlike the other as the primary colors. Gradually, there stories mingle and intertwine, until by the end we finally understand how they all come together. I loved the unique depth and background of each character; this was one of those books that made me a bit sad at the end, because I was sorry to say goodbye to these people I had come to know and care for.

Besides being a great read - the cause of many late nights to me, trying to finish a chapter - "Dappled Light" is also an elegant exploration of Victorian behavior and norms. It was such a conflicted age, full of over-moralizing, exploitation of workers, religious absolutism, and a ridiculous prudery about certain body parts. At the same time, it was an age of exploration and discovery, social revolution, and lasting change. It's easy to laugh at those old explorers, traipsing around Africa in corsets and top hats, but there is something truly admirable about them for the very reasons they seem so ridiculous. Markwell captures these many elements of the Victorian character, and expresses them as they may have been felt by actual people in such times and situations. I especially appreciated her thoughtful and well-researched portrayal of the African character, Lokim. His story is told in a sensitive and revealing manner, which also makes him one of the more memorable characters for me.

Like all great historical fiction, this one blends true history and speculative storytelling so well, it is hard to tell what is made up and what is straight out of someone's old journals. Amazing voice, engaging story, and memorable characters - this book is a must-buy for anyone who loves historical fiction.

[Christoph Fischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Dappled Light” by Jessica Markwell is a well written and complex novel, comprising initially of four separate narratives that begin in Scotland and Africa in 1860, and which later merge in some unexpected ways.
With remarkable ease the author reels her audience in: the characters and stories are all equally instantly appealing and intriguing; the settings are authentic and fascinating.
Prison life, Victorian morals, racial attitudes and the topic of slavery are handled with delicacy and insight. The book filled a few gaps in my knowledge about Victorian life and the general conditions in the colonies at that time.

Despite the separate narratives, the book is easy to follow and hard to put down. The character development was a particular strong point. I must admit that the successful blending of facts with fiction in this particular case was difficult for me to assess as, prior to reading the book, I was not familiar with the real life individuals concerned. Reading it as a purely fictional account within a well portrayed historical setting however, worked very well for me.
I reviewed this book for the Historical Novel Society Indie Reviews.