Neil Gaiman is one of the greatest authors of all time; his talents extend to graphic novels, horror novels, comedy-dramas, kids' books, and beyond. He has also released two collections of short stories, Fragile Things and Smoke and Mirrors. Both are must-reads. Both books also contain one piece that should be classics in the horror genre. For Fragile Things, that honor goes to "Harlequin Valentine," which is just so beautiful. In Smoke and Mirrors, we have the greatest of all Gaiman short stories: "Snow, Glass, Apples."
There are some ideas that are just so obvious we never see them. The stories and movies that arise when these obvious ideas are captured tend to be my favorites. Gaiman has the uncanny ability to find most of
these; take, for instance, "Snow, Glass, Apples," which is a twist on the classic tale "Snow White." The brilliance here is that it's told from the "Evil" Queen's point of view, and Snow White is, shall we say, not so innocent. Or human. The genius just oozes off the page. I will never look at that girl in the glass coffin in the same way. It's creepy, true to the folklore Snow White's condition is linked to, and the voice is so distinct and convincing that old Queenie becomes a sympathetic character.
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