Review of The Blood-Guzzler and Other Stories by Rachilde

An interesting introduction to Decadent literature.

Or a good choice for those already familiar with the genre.
Rachilde is apparently a big deal in the genre, having sparked much controversy in her time. I wonder why I hadn’t heard of her until recently.
Bravo to Snuggly books for making readily available, a few of her choice productions.
This short collection of brief stories contains 7 unique pieces, all of which display a carefully refined aesthetic. Rather than explaining the scenario or character motivations up front like most modern literature, the reader is left wondering at the bizarre and unaccountable behavior of certain characters. They are all the more quirky and inimitable for that reason. She spends most of her page count building up and adorning her atmosphere, festooning it with elegant descriptions and surprising observations.
She employs a rich and vibrant style, mingling historical figures from several eras, casting them in a light which partakes more of darkness than it does of ordinary light. One may consider her approach lurid, but it is fascinating. She chooses cool and brilliant word choices and I enjoyed the translation by Sue Boswell.
With titles such as “The Banquet of the Ghosts” and “Primordial Nakedness,” it would be hard to write something uninteresting. The writing seems to conjure up nightmarish visions, but goes down smoothly, burbling with sinister subtext and a touch of the inhuman. I do not require answers to all my questions when reading short fiction. The mere fact that I am wondering about novel concepts or inhabiting new avenues of thought is reward enough in most cases. These are peeks into a new realm, a mental landscape which may haunt you for a long while.
I certainly look forward to reading several of the author’s works. She was a daring experimenter deserving of the attention of any discerning reader intrigued by the darkness harbored in the human psyche.