In a Glass Darkly - Rambling Readers

English language

ISBN:: 978-0-19-283947-3

(1 review)

In a Glass Darkly is a collection of five stories by Sheridan Le Fanu, first published in 1872, the year before his death. The second and third stories are revised versions of previously published stories. The first three stories are short stories, and the fourth and fifth are long enough to be called novellas (the fourth is over 44,500 words long, and the fifth is over 27,500 words long). The title is taken from 1 Corinthians 13:12, a deliberate misquotation of the passage which describes humanity as perceiving the world "through a glass, darkly".

5 editions

Arbieroo reviewed In a Glass Darkly by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

Review of 'In a Glass Darkly' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Five supernatural (or are they?) tales from Le Fanu, the best of which, is the longest; The Room in the Dragon Volant, an amusing historical romance set in a politically unstable France, complete with mysterious beautiful woman in distress, gentleman hero, mysterious circumstances, oriental magic, conspiracy, secrets and jealousies. This story is eclipsed in fame by the last, Carmilla, despite it really being not as good; that's what feeding Victorians with such sensations as lesbian vampires will do! The story builds a tremendous mood of Goffick mystery and horror only to blow it with the denouement which has no tension at all. Such a waste.

The other stories are less memorable but not bad and I would suggest that any fan of the Goffick or supernatural really needs to read this collection.