The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Description

The Bloody Chamber is her best-known work and a natural starting point: a collection of unsettling fairy tale retellings that highlight women’s rage, sexuality, and the often-monstrous nature of love and desire. The titular story is based on the traditional French folktale of “Bluebeard;” other stories in the collection draw from “Beauty and the Beast,” “Puss in Boots,” “Sleeping Beauty,” and “Little Red Riding Hood.” These tales vary in length and tone, but you can count on Gothic elements, body horror, and strong, unflinching female characters throughout.