Book Review: Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman

Title: Smoke and Mirrors
Author: Neil Gaiman
Published: 1999
Rating: 9/10

Smoke and Mirrors is not actually a novel. It is a collection of some of Neil Gaiman's short stories.
Because of the fact that the book is more of a collection than actually one continuous novel, I will be highlighting three short stories that bring out the best of this marvelous book.

1.Nicholas was...
Basically, "Nicholas was..." is a rather humorous take on Santa Claus. The yearly Christmas gift giving is described as some sort of horrible torture inflicted upon him by God. Also, the elves seem to be slobbering, mindless grunts that are trying to kill dear old Nicholas every day.

2.Don't Ask Jack
Neil Gaiman can be side-splitting funny when he wants to and when he wants to write a good old-fashioned horror story, you will no doubt be chilled to the very bone. "Don't Ask Jack" is about a demonic Jack in the Box, very possibly forged from the very furnace that powers Hell. It is shut in a huge box locked away in an orphanage. The children who once played there now are all grown up but are drawn back there to once again face the evil that is the Jack in the Box...

Truth to be told, the story isn't that original, but the way it is told, you can't just help but turn on all the lights in the house and start praying for your very soul...

3.Snow, Glass, Apples
A very interesting take on the age-old fable "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" . In Neil Gaiman's retelling of this tale, the Queen is actually the protector of the kingdom, and she is trying to protect the good people of the land from Snow White, who is actually a vampire! Snow White's heart is given to the Queen, but the undead horror that is Snow White continues to stalk the land, in search of fresh blood. The Queen has no choice but to try to poison Snow White, but fails when the Prince of a Land Far Away comes to awaken the Eldritch Monstrosity Snow White.
The Queen is burned at the stake as Snow White watches on with glee.

The other short stories do not fail in bringing surprise and twists around every corner. Every single one really delivers as promised, each a tale of suspense and reading pleasure. This was a book that I could not put down.

Sweet and concise, this book really packs a punch.

Sean