Nancy Oakes’s Reviews > Flowers of the Sea > Status Update

"Charm" didn't float my boat and I could have done without "The Spooks of Shellborough" but "Between Four Yews" was unmistakenly awesome. I had to go back and reread M.R. James "A School Story" before going into that one, as it's posited as a "sequel and a prelude" to James' story. About to read "Come Into My Parlour" then there are only two stories left. I'll be sad when I leave this book.

re "Posthumous Messiah:" time to take out my copy of Street of Crocodiles by Bruno Schulz. You just never know what's coming next in this book.

Just finished "Didman's Corner" and holy crap -- it reminded me so much of something Aickman would have written. "Lord of the Fleas" was downright creepsville as well as stylistically very cool. Definitely making this a day read.

I may have to change this book to daytime reading if there are any more stories like "Hand to Mouth," set in an old chateau in the Dordogne. Not only did it keep me up after I'd finished it, but it's one of the stories which, when read in late night quiet, caused me to hear every little noise going on in my house. "A Child's Problem" - also a fine story.