The Canberra Times' Colin Steel reviews The Girl With No Hands and other tales
Brisbane based, Angela Slatter writes in the magical dark fantasy mould of Angela Carter. Slatter believes "colonised fairytales offer us a particular mode of living and interacting", which Jack Dann, in his introduction, says "explode the patriarchal messages embedded in traditional fairytales". Women thus strive to take control of their lives, for better or for worse. The overall standard of the sixteen stories is extremely high, particularly the haunting "The Jacaranda Wife", set in rural nineteenth century Australia, and "The Living Book" where a young woman is literally born to be read. Slatter also provides fascinating background to her stories in an Afterword. Slatter is an Australian author to watch.
(From Sunday Canberra Times, 30/01/11)