Mizuki's Reviews > Deadly Dolls: Midnight Tales of Uncanny Playthings

(1) The Doll by Daphne du Maurier

I like how du Maurier wrote the passion and madness a man had for a mysterious woman called Rebecca!

(2) The Sandman by E. T. A. Hoffman

OMG I recognized this story from Angela Carter’s The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman! So Carter's novella is based on this story ne?

(3) The Dancing Partner by Jerome K. Jerome

It is a short, simple but very haunting story.


(4) Crespain and Clairan by Joan Aiken

Interesting and engaging details about a boy’s childhood and the activities kids would love to do during Christmas. The author was well known for her children’s books, and I can see why. However, he story ending feels a bit flat

(5) The Devil Doll by Frederick E. Smith is such a charming story about an ventriloquist, scary dolls and revenge. 5 stars.

(6) The Doll by Vernon Lee

This story is too flat, don't like it, 1.5 stars.

(7) The Love of Lady Purple by Angela Carter:

I supposed I had read this story from Angela Carter’s Fireworks, which was inspired by Ms. Carter's trip to Japan.

The story about the wicked puppet Lady Purple is delightful enough in Ms. Carter's usual over-the-top way, although it really brings hardly anything new to the table and it seems to do nothing to debug the wicked seductresses from the East myth? Although Lady Purple is a bit so over-the-top to the point of unreal sometimes. 4.3 stars.

(8) The Haunted Doll House by M. R. James

The opening part is quite humorous in a subtle way! The married couple just can't wait to get rid of the doll house!

(9) The Inner Room by Robert Aickman

One doll house, and a family of four. The kids started having nightmares. I like the description of the doll house and the not-very-clear explanation to the haunting very much. 4.2 stars.

More to come.