In many ways, it feels like Neil Gaiman needs no introduction. His surge in popularity in recent years has been, well, pretty hard earned. American Gods, Stardust and Coraline have been some of my favourite stories I've read recently, but I'm typically less charmed by his short fiction. Down to a Sunless Sea is beautiful in a way that reminds me more of poetry than of a story, and that sort of works for it. This tale of a woman who's lost everything to the water and the men who try to tame it. It's good and perfect for these Brisbane rainy days."I told him not to go to sea. I'm your mother, I said. The sea won't love you like I love you, she's cruel. But he said, Oh Mother, I need to see the world. I need to see the sun rise in the tropics, and watch the Northern Lights dance in the Arctic sky, and most of all I need to make my fortune and then, when it's made I will come back to you, and build you a house, and you will have servants, and we will dance, mother, oh how we will dance...
You can read 'Down to a Sunless Sea' over on The Guardian's website here.
No comments:
Post a Comment