Fantastic Tales is a collection of nine Gothic tales that were written during the 19th-century Italian fictional movement by Iginio Ugo Tarchetti. Originally published in Italian, the collection has since been translated to English by Lawrence Venuti and otherworldly languages without comprising its essence.
The literature of the collection is illustrious as it covers supernatural aspects of Heaven and Hell, fairy tales, goth, ghosts, sorcery, and mystic beasts in the regions of East Asia. Fantastic Tales pays homage to the era-defining tropes of Italian fiction. Tarchetti’s characters are weird and often come off as obsessive but humorous nonetheless.
The author’s incorporation of metaphysics is unprecedented as he constructs superb atmospheres that provide fitting and open-ended culminations. The translations of the original collection do not diminish its impact. The tales retain their creepy and old nature while becoming more accessible to modern readers.
The tales cover similar story points that provide the written with the opportunity to blur the lines between different stories. They come together seamlessly without disintegrating the integrity of each tale. Fantastic Tales is delightful and captivating, to say the least. Tarchetti made sure that he didn’t sound offbeat or too immersed in his imagination.
There’s a hint of humor in every tale as he attempts to lighten the more tense and complex aspects of the collection. The author is completely self-aware throughout the whole process, making sure he does not lose himself in the narrative. In this collection, there’s a unique take on horror and fantasy that often lacks in most anthology publications.
Tales include; The Elixir of Immortality, The Letter U, The Lake of Three Lampreys, The Legends of the Black Castle, A Spirit in a Raspberry, The Fated, A Dead Man’s Bone, Captain Gubart’s Fortune, and Bouvard.
