Product Description

These are stories of immense confidence, the faith they have in the believability of the worlds they describe is such that they explain nothing, concede nothing but still leave you entranced because of the beauty of the writing and the intense clarity of the characters. Whether a family singing their daughter to her death, a young boy braving pestilential angels to give his grandmother the death she deserves and himself the freedom he deserves, or clowns on a sniper spree at a clown convention these are people you believe in, peopling stories of quite extraordinary power.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #727830 in Books
• Published on: 2006-02-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Roz Kaveney, TLS
"These simple tales are far more than they seem. Lanagan's work deals at once in charming inventions and overwhelming sadness."

Review
"Her imagination is a powerful beast, encompassing clowns and angels, dreams and nightmares - mostly nightmares. She writes with wit and detachment, and a certain exuberant ruthlessness. It cries out for a sticker - 'If you like Angela Carter...'" (KATE SAUNDERS THE TIMES )

"A delicate light suffuses . . . the remarkable, luminous, mysterious short stories of Margo Lanagan. Each story delineates with startling intimacy a decisive event in a world which is not our own, or not quite. In Lanagan's hands the implications of words and phrases, the meanings folded into them, balloon out into landscapes as complex and interrelated and hence indeterminate as life itself." (Colin Greenland GUARDIAN )

"These simple tales are far more than they seem. Lanagan's work deals at once in charming inventions and overwhelming sadness." (Roz Kaveney TLS )

"Coming across like a punky version of Angela Carter crossed with Geoff Ryman, Lanagan conjures up a series of bizarre and arcane worlds. It's all described with rich, detailed prose and a wonderfully strange approach to language. All we need now from her is a full length fantasy novel that maintains this level of eye-opening quality, and we'll know for sure that a seriously talented new voice has arrived." (Saxon Bullock SFX )

"An outstanding collection of stories. Every single story in it is, quite simply, perfect. A landmark collection from one of the most talented authors you are ever likely to have had the pleasure of reading." (Steve Robinson OUTLAND )

"A collection heady with emotion and atmosphere. Magic realism merges its hard and humorous edges in this dreamy selection of vignettes." (EDGE )

"Margo Lanagan has crafted a great collection of stories that entertain the reader throughout, her cast of characters benefiting from an outstanding and unique set of situations. The relation to our own world is sometimes tentative, but even when there are glimpses of our own society the timeframe or point of history is never openly discussed. That uncertainty of time and place only adds to the joy of tales where the characters burn brightly at the expense of unnecessary exposition.' (DREAMWATCH )

"The opening story, Singing My Sister Down, is both eerie and horrible and guaranteed to give nightmares. This one alone is a brilliant example of a great horror story. Black Juice deserves to be picked up and read." (David Howe SHIVERS )

About the Author
Margo Lanagan lives in Sydney. She is a mother of two boys and the author of many acclaimed short stories. She has sold encyclopedias, washed forks and written corporate annual reports. She has also travelled widely and studied history.

Customer Reviews

A haunting light.
My god, what a delight this book is. Ms Lanagan presents us with glimpses into other worlds, in some ways similar to our own but in other ways very different indeed. These are not short stories but fragments of lives, windows through which we experience fully formed worlds and characters for a brief moment before the window is closed on us. These stories are beautifully written, delicate and intimate, with delightful, hypnotic similies and metaphors painting a picture of such outlandish realness that you are compelled to read on. Although some of the stories have elements of fantasy, sci-fi and horror, in truth they are much more then these genres. They are tales of heart and experience, of sorrow and silence. Each story, for all its brevity, has a weight, a depth of history keeping it anchored in a sense of reality.

It is now months since I last read Black Juice and I can still recall the worlds that Ms Lanagan let me visit. Some haunt me more vividly than others, but I remember quite keenly the joy, the pain and the wonder of each.

Black Juice
A very compelling collection, the first short story 'Singing my Sister Down' was particularly memorable. Margo Lanagan's stories are set in worlds we almost recognise, but with a strange flavour - a strong thread running through them all is the notion of belonging, either by creating a new family or by characters realising their potential. I would definately recommend this to anyone, whether you like horror, fantasy or well written fiction.

Wow - what an amazing read
This is the most powerful book i have read in a very long time. Every world is so different from the next, the people are real and the emotions created are strong.
Even if you dont have time for reading you make time for this book. Elephants, Clowns, Angles, monsters. Every idea is unique and powerful. I dont know how i will not finish this book and start it again staight away.