{"id":19172,"date":"2022-01-23T19:11:15","date_gmt":"2022-01-23T19:11:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/?p=19172"},"modified":"2023-01-03T13:25:05","modified_gmt":"2023-01-03T13:25:05","slug":"tales-of-the-weird-the-face-in-the-glass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/archive\/tales-of-the-weird-the-face-in-the-glass\/","title":{"rendered":"The Face in the Glass – Tales of the Weird"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"The\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Tales of the Weird<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

The Face in the Glass: The Gothic Tales of Mary Elizabeth Braddon<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

by <\/i>Sarah Johnson<\/p>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Face in the Glass: The Gothic Tales of Mary Elizabeth Braddon, edited by Greg Buzwell and published by The British Library, is part of the British Library\u2019s Tales of the Weird series. This is a series I\u2019ve grown to love, celebrating as it does the work of a variety of authors, and much of which has not been published in recent years. <\/b>Mary Elizabeth Braddon (1835-1915) wrote novels and short stories of crime, mystery, and the supernatural. Much of her work was considered \u2018sensation fiction\u2019 by critics of the time, with Professor Catherine J. Golden writing in 2006 that she was the \u2018undisputed queen of Victorian sensation fiction.\u2019 As a genre, it was popular, of its time, and frequently derided by reviewers for emotional excess and lurid storylines, being indicative of \u2018a widespread corruption\u2019 according to Henry Longueville Mansel in 1863. Nevertheless, Braddon\u2019s writing was commercially successful, challenging Victorian ideals regarding marriage, domesticity, and female sexuality. As Greg Buzwell writes in the introduction, Braddon is probably best known for the novel Lady Audley\u2019s Secret, while her tales of the supernatural attract less attention. This collection of fourteen stories celebrates her accomplishments in the genre, offering a variety of tales that span the years 1860 to 1896.<\/p>

As a regular reader of horror anthologies, I am familiar with some of the stories, such as \u2018The Shadow in the Corner<\/i>\u2019 and \u2018The Higher Life\u2019<\/i>. The latter is memorable for its Dickensian touch, with Braddon writing \u2018There is no paradise for the soul that has forgotten man\u2019s duty to man,\u2019 as Sir Stephen Stilyard discovers upon death a different type of suffering than that usually prescribed in Christian theology. Reading these again is a pleasure, but when included in a collection of Braddon\u2019s stories, they gain significance with regard to the themes and characters that populate her work. The introduction by Buzwell also provides context and insight.<\/p>

My real enjoyment of the collection, however, lies in those stories that are new to me, \u2018Three Times<\/i>\u2019 being a highlight. I found this inventive, with elements of the unexpected that defy genre boundaries. The vivid descriptions evoke a strong sense of time and place, with imagery that makes the setting and characters dynamic and flamboyant.<\/p>

\u2018The music quickened, broke into a stirring march, and then, at a fortissimo chord from the full orchestra, the lion-tamer bounded on to the stage \u2013 a striking figure, broad-shouldered and muscular, in close-fitting flesh-coloured raiment, a scarlet girdle round his waist, and a leopard\u2019s skin over his shoulder.\u2019<\/p>

Braddon was an actor before becoming an author, and as \u2018Three Times<\/i>\u2019 is set in the theatre, it might be her experiences that help to create the sense of reality which makes the characters believable. I think it is the most modern story in the collection \u2013 richly visual in conjuring images that are cinematic in nature. A touch of humour adds levity, but this does not detract from the growing feeling of unease the characters experience as the protagonist, Herr Rudolph Prusinowski, approaches a fate that is avoidable but inevitable. As to the supernatural elements, it is left to the reader to decide whether or not malign influences determine the outcome, and I enjoy this ambiguity.<\/p>

A more traditional Gothic tale, \u2018At Crighton Abbey<\/i>\u2019, satisfies the desire for haunted mansions, cursed aristocrats, ghostly omens, and blameless governesses. As with \u2018Three Times\u2019, the writing is strongly evocative and it is easy to imagine Crighton Abbey and the people who attend the Christmas party where tragedy occurs. Narrated by Sarah Crighton, a poor relation of an aristocratic family, the numerous references to her lowly position in life illustrate the plight of a penniless woman of rank reduced to employment as a Governess, apparently \u2018a dreadful thing for a Crighton to be obliged to do.\u2019 Through the narration it becomes apparent there is little status in being single, aging, poor, and female in the world described. Sarah Crighton at the age of thirty-three considers herself \u2018a confirmed old maid\u2019 and \u2018life at its best was calm and colourless, like a grey sunless day in early autumn, serene but joyless.\u2019<\/p>

It is striking how this character accepts the role in life allocated to her by conventional society, so unlike Braddon herself, who took to the stage to support her family and lived with a married man from 1861 to 1874, becoming step-mother to his five children. The details of Sarah Crighton\u2019s life and her observations regarding other characters do not drive the narrative, but provide insight into a woman\u2019s place in conventional Victorian society. Her level-headed attitude lends credence to the reality of the supernatural events she experiences, accepting them with the stoicism she applies to life in general. For Sarah, the real horror of the story seems to be her position in society, rather than the ghostly figures she encounters.<\/p>

There is much to be enjoyed in The Face in the Glass: The Gothic Tales of Mary Elizabeth Braddon<\/i><\/b>. Numerous stories offer the traditional delights of Gothic and supernatural fiction, whereas others are more original in characters, settings, and events. The writing is consistently evocative and the descriptions a joy to read, whether of people or places. The horror tends towards the eerie, occasionally disturbing, but always atmospheric and is perfect for gentle thrills if this is what you seek.<\/p>

\"The<\/a>
Purchase The Face In The Glass<\/figcaption><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Picture\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSarah Johnson\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Sarah is a filmmaker, writer and lecturer. She\u2019s spent a lifetime pulling apart and putting films back together, and still enjoys every minute of it.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"support\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTales From The Crypt (1972)\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Tales From The Crypt 1972 \/ Freddie Francis Where does one start with examining arguably Amicus\u2019 greatest portmanteau film? Well, for me, wiping away the<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t20\/09\/2023\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThe People That Time Forgot (1977)\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

The People That Time Forgot 1977 \/ Kevin Connor The success of Amicus\u2019 first two Edgar Rice Burroughs-based fantasy adventures in 1975 and 1976 led<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t19\/09\/2023\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tAt The Earth’s Core (1976)\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

AT THE EARTH’S CORE 1976 \/ Kevin Connor Amicus\u2019 first foray into the science fiction adventure, The Land That Time Forgot (UK, Kevin Connor, 1974)<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t19\/09\/2023\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThe Land That Time Forgot (1974)\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT 1974 \/ Kevin Connor The Land That Time Forgot\u00a0(UK, Kevin Connor, 1974) is a film I have a lifelong bond<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t19\/09\/2023\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tMadhouse (1974)\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

MADHOUSE 1974 \/ Jim Clark You don\u2019t have to be crazy to work here, but it helps! It may be a well-worn cliche, but you<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t19\/09\/2023\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tFrom Beyond The Grave (1974)\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

From Beyond The Grave 1974 \/ Kevin Connor Amicus has always been a crueller studio than Hammer. I consumed so much horror in my youth<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t19\/09\/2023\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tAnd Now The Screaming Starts (1973)\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

And Now The Screaming Starts 1973 \/ Roy Ward Baker Formed in the early 1960s by two American expatriates, Milton Subotsky and Max Rosenberg, Amicus<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t19\/09\/2023\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThe Vault Of Horror (1973)\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

THE VAULT OF HORROR 1973 \/ Roy Ward Baker As a kid, the dull and drawn-out limbo of a school summer holiday was punctuated by<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t19\/09\/2023\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tAsylum (1972)\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Asylum 1972 \/ Roy Ward Baker Robert Powell races his sports car through the torrential rain of the English countryside, as the whirling, pounding sound<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tRead More \u00bb\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t19\/09\/2023\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sarah Johnson celebrates the genre accomplishments of Mary Elizabeth Braddon, a commercially successful Victorian writer, in her review of The Face in the Glass from the British Library\u2019s Tales of the Weird…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19180,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2030],"tags":[722,1973],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/The-Face-In-The-Glass-1.png?fit=1454%2C833&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19172"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19172"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19172\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19182,"href":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19172\/revisions\/19182"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19180"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}