Elephantasm

Rating:
Summary: Lush, ethereal adult fairy tale
Review: "Elephantasm" is an excellent introduction to the writing of Tanith Lee. Everything is here: the lush prose, the exotic settings, the forboding, phantasmorgic atmosphere. Highly reminescient of the work of Angela Carter, "Elephantasm" takes on the 18th Century gothic novel, and adds the subtexts of racism and sexism. Very simply put, the novel is about a foundling who brings about the downfall of a British officer/opium dealer's house. But the various levels, and historical description make this much more than a simple horror story or fairytale. The reader gets to see both gritty, Dickensian London and the Raj's India, with liberal doses of British grotesques and Indian mysticism. If you are looking for fantasy/horror with depth and bite, or are a lover of gothic lit, or are a huge fan of Angela Carter and Rikki Ducornet, this book is for you

Rating:
Summary: "Out of the crumbling empire, into the land that never dies"
Review: After her sister kills her abusive husband and hangs for his murder, 16-year-old Annie Ember is without family or home; therefore, she is sent to work at the Smolte estate in a raja-like palace located in the English countryside. Here the young housemaid is kept a slave in both literal and sexual terms by the owner's son Rupert, who enjoys involving Annie in his sadomasochist, drug-induced fantasies. As the story progresses, the house and all its surroundings gradually begin to transform into the landscape of India, a place that holds special significance to the inhabitants of the house.

Although "Elephantasm" isn't my favorite Tanith Lee book, I'd still recommend it if you're a fan of her horror/dark fantasy novels or just want to try something new. It's quite similar to a lot of her other books ("Heart-Beast" is one book that comes to mind), with the seemingly helpless heroine, the exotic atmosphere and surreal storyline.