Disturbed By Her Song is a collection of dark, sensual stories ostensibly written by two fictional characters. Writer Tanith Lee “channels†these gay siblings and refers to them as the real authors. She emphasizes in the introduction that she writes “as and with†the fascinating brother and sister as a creative technique and not as a way to distance herself from the gay and lesbian experiences chronicled in the book.
The surreal stories are linked by a common gothic undercurrent and take place in gorgeously diverse settings: Victorian Paris; a passenger train barreling through snow-covered Eastern Europe; and Egypt during World War II. There are hints of ghosts in the French hotel, allusions to lovers haunted by partners they’ve not yet met, and suggestions that a lithe and sexually voracious man who roams the train at night may, in fact, be a werewolf. The collection successfully eludes any attempts we may make at genre categorization, as it combines the conventions of fantasy, romance, and horror with lyrical language and literary allusions.
This title is cleverly crafted and recommended for most adult collections.
Reviewed by, S. Annelise Adams
Librarian II
Chicago Public Library
