The Collected Enchantments by Theodora Goss
Mythic Delirium Press (February 2023)
Reviewed by Joshua Gage
Cemetery Dance readers familiar with the name Theodora Goss are most likely familiar with her Victorian Gothic historic mystery series The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club trilogy, which begins with The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter. For those who don’t know, it follows the exploits of Mary Jekyll, daughter of Henry Louis Stevenson’s character Dr. Jekyll, as she unites with the daughters of various other fictional characters, as well as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, to discover and foil the plots of a cabal of mad scientists. However, for readers who might not be aware, Goss isn’t just an overnight success, but a talented author with a rich literary history stretching back to 2002 with the publication of her short story, “The Rose in Twelve Petals.” Fortunately for all of us, Goss has released her complete bibliography in one mammoth volume titled The Collected Enchantments.
The Collected Enchantments is a lush collection of Goss’s short prose and poetry. Goss’s primary source material are folk and fairy tales, but her interpretations are more than simple retellings. Each one is a delicate masterwork, tightly wrought and gilt with the most exquisite skill and patience. They flow naturally and elegantly with a language that can only be described as poetic, and answer the questions that sometimes readers of fairy tales forget to ask, such as what happens after “happily ever after.” Furthermore, Goss’s knowledge of folklore is rich and deep, and she does not shy away from the bloody and bone of tales. These stories and poems appear gentle, that is often a mask to hide their teeth, and there are stories and poems from Goss’s rich literary past that will certainly haunt readers.
What makes The Collected Enchantments even more appealing is the new work included. From the opening, incantatory poem “Why You Might Be A Witch,” which serves as an alchemical invitation to the collection, to the narrative allegory of “Lady Winter,” which is an interstitial poem of ancient courtesies and magic, the new poems in this collection are as strong as anything Goss has ever written, and serve almost as section headings for the other tales. But the new works are not just poems, but also rich stories. Perhaps the most standout of all of these is the multi-layered “Saint Orsola and the Poet,” which is a folkloric hagiography of Saint Orsola, but is also a tale about the importance and necessity of stories and poems, and serves almost as a metaphor for the very collection itself.
Theodora Goss has been publishing her stories and poems since 2002, and her writing has been nominated for nearly every major speculative award, including the Nebula, Locus, Mythopoeic, World Fantasy, and Seiun Awards. Finally, her complete bibliography of short fiction and poetry has been gathered into one exquisite volume, including over a dozen new stories and poems for readers to partake in. The Collected Enchantments is a requirement for any readers of fantasy and dark fantasy, whether it be poetry or fiction, and is strongly recommended for any reader who wants to partake in some of the finest speculative literature written in the 21st century.
