SAFFRON & BRIMSTONE REVIEW

Library Journal -- starred review

Hand, Elizabeth. Saffron and Brimstone: Strange Stories. Milwaulkie Pr:. Nov. 2006. c.275p. ISBN 1-59582-096-5 [ISBN 978-1-59582-096-9]. pap. $14.95. F

Lovely and unsettling, these eight stories by Hand (Maze of Deception) give a sensual and apocalyptic perspective on modern society, with art, death, and sex all swirled together. Lines between human and animal, past and future, and imagination and action become blurred, as in "Cleopatra Brimstone," in which a young entomologist finds that she may have some traits in common with her research subjects, or as in "The Least Trumps," in which a tattoo artist discovers a mysterious deck of tarot cards that may be able to alter reality. The stories are beautifully crafted but are not simply an exercise in style—they reveal deeper themes and connections, echoing one another in subtle ways that enhance the collection as a whole. Hand is often classed as a fantasy writer, but this book also belongs in literary fiction collections. Highly recommended for larger libraries.

[This is an expansion of the limited U.K. release Bibliomancy, which won the World Fantasy Award in 2005.—Ed.]—Jenne Bergstrom, San Diego Cty. Lib