A review by Nimue Brown of Gather Around The Flame by Daniel Boyle, Bia Helvetti, Roe Malan and Rae Smith. ~
Gather Around The Flame is a charming set of seasonal tales, dark, witty, playful and surprising. Four contributors; Daniel Boyle, Bia Helvetti, Roe Malan, and Rae Smith offer an array of poems and short stories that fit the moods of the seasons, rather than being wholly focused on the agricultural cycle. While not being overtly Pagan, it would be of likely appeal to Pagan readers and anyone with a taste for subversive approaches to fairy stories. Of the four authors, Bia Helvetti very much dominates in terms of contribution, so I came away with the clearest sense of her as a writer (she’s excellent), and feeling thoroughly enchanted. I very much enjoyed reading this book and can heartily recommend it.
As money raised from Gather Around the Flame is going to the charity Shelter, you are reading in a good cause! A most worthy project all round, and entirely deserving of your support.
Copies can be found on Amazon or bought via www.childoftheisland.com
