Forrest’s Reviews > The Double Star and Other Occult Fantasies > Status Update
Forrest
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Mesmerism and a strange form of vampirism combine in the decadent tale "Reincarnation". And by "decadent," I mean clearly in the vein (pun intended) of the Decadent writers of the end of the 19th-century. A Dorian Gray-esque mechanism of transference is used to restore life and love. This story ended differently than I had expected, but in a guilty-pleasant surprise. I shouldn't have liked the ending, but I did. 4*
— Jul 09, 2020 10:43AM
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Forrest’s Previous Updates
Forrest
is on page 236 of 256
"The Dream of Myses" is, indeed, a nightmare, albeit a poetic one. The story is of the much and rightfully-maligned "it was all a dream" type, but in an inverse fashion. I'm also not a big fan of stories set in ancient Egypt - I don't know why, I just don't like the setting. It's a good story with strengths, but it didn't astound me like some of the others in this collection. Three stars over the Nile here.
— Jul 27, 2020 10:41AM
Forrest
is on page 216 of 256
I'm not overly fond of fiction set in ancient times. Not sure why, but by and large the "Classical" ages of Egypt, Greece, and Rome mostly bore me. Still, if this story goes as horribly wrong as I expect it will, that will over-ride my feelings about setting.
— Jul 26, 2020 09:20AM
Forrest
is on page 194 of 256
Another circus story, this one entitled "Red Lust," isn't quite as effective as "Sapho," as it misses the cleverness of the former tale. La Vaudere has a fascination with black panthers and circuses, I've noticed. Still, a good story, well-told. It could have benefited with a little more background on the antagonist, Antonia. A solid four stars, though.
— Jul 23, 2020 11:45AM
Forrest
is on page 190 of 256
"Sapho" is a clever little story. Very clever. Very short. Who is the real hunter and prey in this tale? It all depends on your perspective. Five stars.
— Jul 23, 2020 10:55AM
Forrest
is on page 186 of 256
"Yvaine" is a convoluted, engrossing tale of love, betrayal, incest, murder, black magic, and spectral vengeance. The framing mechanisms' dated feel do not lessen the impact of the story. Like all great horrific tales, this one extends far beyond the pages, with an ending full of frisson. How this story was not anthologized several times over, I don't know. To me, it is a Classic. This story is worth the book's $. 5*
— Jul 23, 2020 10:12AM
Forrest
is on page 164 of 256
"Sorcerer". Huh. Didn't see that one coming. This tale has become even more intriguing.
— Jul 21, 2020 11:08AM
Forrest
is on page 158 of 256
And there's the story's pivot. And the twist . . .?
— Jul 20, 2020 08:15PM
Forrest
is on page 137 of 256
A bit of a slow start to "Yvaine," but I've warmed up to it. Sometimes languorous beginnings lead to exciting endings!
— Jul 19, 2020 09:02PM
Forrest
is on page 127 of 256
"Astral Amour" suffers from the same structural weakness-of-frame as "Reincarnation", and is more predictable in its ending. It is not quite as effective as the preceding tale, but it still stands with a high degree of quality and writerly aplomb. Four stars.
— Jul 11, 2020 09:25PM
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rated it 4 stars
Jul 09, 2020 10:44AM
4 stars and not 5, because the story became a little long in the tooth with elaborate explanations of occult philosophy in the middle. It wasn't unbearable, but it was tedious.
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I felt exactly the same way about this story. I love de La Vaudere's writing, but the occult sections read like theosophical texts. I had the same response to Balzac's Seraphita—how could such an amazing writer have created such a dry, textbook-like novella?
Damian wrote: "I felt exactly the same way about this story. I love de La Vaudere's writing, but the occult sections read like theosophical texts. I had the same response to Balzac's Seraphita—how could such an a..."It's funny because my first instinct, as a writer, would be to cut that text for the sake of brevity. On the other hand, though, it might be even better to let it "breathe" and have the theoretical elements shown, rather than explained in the boring way they are explained. But then, that would push "Reincarnation" into novel territory and it might lose its "bite". Tough call. In the end, though, I think I would cut the explication and use hints rather than beating the reader over the head with a dictionary. Still, I really did enjoy the story, overall.
I find that occult content in fiction can be made far more interesting when people take a novel and creative approach to the material. It can be approached in the same way that Hitchcock or Godard (in the early years) approached film, or the way that Clarice Lispector approaches text—the possibilities are endless, which makes it all the more baffling when people handle it in a dry way. (OTOH, de la Vaudere didn't have any of these examples at the time she was writing)
I prefer that content to be more integrated in the story so that it can emerge as a part of it. The occult essay > story [interrupted by explanatory material about esoteric systems] feels choppy. I like things to feel at least a little bit more organic. I noticed that she used the same format for "Astral Amour" (which I'm just starting).
That's the most notable thing about its inclusion in de La Vaudere's stories—it breaks with the very compelling and intricate writing that leads up to it.
Damian wrote: "That's the most notable thing about its inclusion in de La Vaudere's stories—it breaks with the very compelling and intricate writing that leads up to it."She would have made a fine essayist, as well. But probably never would have seen those essays published, given the time period. Though maybe . . .
