Customer Reviews

The Hidden Library of Tanith Lee: Themes and Subtexts from Dionysos to the Immortal Gene

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I've been fascinated by Tanith Lee's books ever since encountering _Red as Blood_ as a preteen. Since then, I've been acquiring more of them, and have noticed (both consciously and not) a number of the themes that weave throughout her work.

_The Hidden Library_ discusses many of these, largely as expressed through Lee's novels rather than her copious short stories. Since many of these novels are now out of print, Mavis Haut thoughtfully summarizes them before proffering analyses. Some of the summaries are a bit confusing-- not too surprising in view of the twists and turns which Lee's plots can undergo-- but generally there's enough information to understand the discussions that follow: recurring symbolism, mythological roots, the significance of names, structural parallels, and so on.

Truthfully, while I enjoyed the book and found that it offered some insights that would've never occurred to me, I still have to consider it a bit slim for the price. However, the book also contains a lengthy interview with Lee, as well as information about forthcoming books in the "Flat Earth" and "Blood Opera" series; these features are, as far as I know, available nowhere else.

In conclusion, while I can recommend this book for Lee fans, I must do so with mild reservations. True completists may have fewer quibbles with it than I do, as one of my frustrations with the book was being intrigued by summaries of novels which are now out of print and nearly impossible to acquire, except at rates even higher than for this book.