Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions (P.S.)

Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions (P.S.)
by Neil Gaiman

Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions (P.S.)
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Book Summary Information

Author: Neil Gaiman
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-01-29
ISBN: 0061450162
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Book Reviews of Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions (P.S.)

Book Review: Inspiring and Imaginative
Summary: 5 Stars

Neil Gaiman might just be the best storyteller on the planet, and his short stories and poems in this collection are amazing. His twists on classic fairy tales are up there with anything I have ever read.

If you're looking to read some similar stuff, take a look some original writing from a college student at:

[...]

Summary of Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions (P.S.)

In the deft hands of Neil Gaiman, magic is no mere illusion . . . and anything is possible. In Smoke and Mirrors, Gaiman's imagination and supreme artistry transform a mundane world into a place of terrible wonders?where an old woman can purchase the Holy Grail at a thrift store, where assassins advertise their services in the Yellow Pages under "Pest Control," and where a frightened young boy must barter for his life with a mean-spirited troll living beneath a bridge by the railroad tracks. Explore a new reality, obscured by smoke and darkness yet brilliantly tangible, in this extraordinary collection of short works by a master prestidigitator. It will dazzle your senses, touch your heart, and haunt your dreams.


This anthology of short stories, and the occasional story poem, is vintage Neil Gaiman: quirky, sometimes very funny, often dark and disturbing. Most have been published before, but are hard to find elsewhere and cover all of Gaiman's writing life. As Gaiman says in his introduction, "most of the stories in this book are about love in some form or another," but not requited love. The stories in Smoke and Mirrors touch on all of Gaiman's themes: sex, death, dreams, and the end of the world. From "Chivalry," about the Holy Grail and where it finally ended up, to "Troll Bridge," a very adult version of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff"; from "Bay Wolf," a story poem that melds Beowulf and Baywatch, with interesting results, to "Murder Mysteries," which is about a murder, but also about angels, God's will, and Evil, these stories leave lasting impressions. Fans of Ray Bradbury's short stories and of Gaiman's other works will enjoy this collection. --Nona Vero

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