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Antique Dust Ghost Stories Robert Westall 8601422517637 Books

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Antique Dust Ghost Stories Robert Westall 8601422517637 Books

Robert Westall is one of my favorite short story writers and I have several of his books, but not Antique Dust, so I was pleased to find it on Kindle; only two of the stories in Antique Dust are already familiar to me. The book contains excellent examples of Westall's work. His characters are well-developed and complex and even the nastier characters are interesting--there are times when I'm not sure which character I should be rooting for, and sometimes I quit rooting for one and change sides in the middle of the story, because the layers of characterization are built up throughout the story. The plots are always engaging. This book includes an interesting introduction with information about Westall, and I didn't notice any of the formatting, spelling, or grammatical errors which seem to pop up in Kindle books, even the well-written ones. It is a pleasure to read this book.


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Antique Dust Ghost Stories Robert Westall 8601422517637 Books Reviews

4.5 stars

ANTIQUE DUST Ghost Stories, by Robert Westall is a collection of short stories similar in style to the writings of M.R. James. Geoff Ashden, an antique dealer is the central character in this theme of stories relating to either he, his antique dealings, or (as he ages) people who know and tell their tales to him. "...odd things still happen to people, even though they no longer seem to happen to Geoff Ashden."

Whether it be a cursed item or a haunted local, Westwall weaves these stories of gothic-style horror that subtly draw the reader into their webs. The buildings, mannerisms of the characters, and even the dreary weather brought into tales, all blend together into these riveting, unsettling occurrences.

A special "thank you" to Valancourt books for bringing these forgotten stories back into the light.

Highly recommended for those who enjoy old-fashioned ghost stories!
I find it startling to admit that until recently I had never heard of Robert Westall. Yet here I am having just finished, in record time, Antique Dust a truly wonderful memorable and highly entertaining collection of ghost stories. These are unusual by the fact that so much of the author's writing was directed at teenagers and below and this is really his only anthology for adults. However that is not to say that his other works, many based on his 2nd ww experiences cannot be read and enjoyed by all. A special mention must also be made to Valancourt Books bringing back to life rare, neglected, and out-of-print fiction. They were kind enough to send me a gratis copy of Antique Dust to read in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.

It should be noted if you are expecting horror of the gory and blood-stained variety then Robert Westall might not be to your liking. If however you appreciate the subtleties and imaginative storytelling of M R James then the variety of tales within Antique Dust will astound you. We are in the hands of antique traders and in particular Geoff Ashden who "wheels and deals"...."ducks and dives" as he attempts to make a living in the colourful world of antiquity. "Dealers are undertakers of a sort. When a man dies, the undertaker comes for his body, and quite often the dealer comes for the rest"

Every story in this collection is memorable but in particular the following were exceptional; "The Dumbledore" Ashden rediscovers a 2nd ww public house still actively serving and entertaining customers many years after the conclusion of hostilities...."The Dumbledore was still there...The same garish neon light the boys from the base had fixed up on VE night, saying The Dumbledore in big Hollywood handwriting. Relive the heroic lives of Major Stepanski, Captain O'Connell and Big Tex in a story with a very poignant and apt conclusion. "The Woolworth Spectacles" What happens when young impressionable Maude Cleveland purchases some spectacles from the Woolworths lost and uncollected spectacles counter....she will see life in a totally different way. "Portland Bill" Geoff attempts to help a young frightened mother in her frantic search for her missing son along the treacherous cliffs known as Portland Bill. It would appear that all is not as it seems with this young lady and her unusual story.

Westall's simple yet highly addictive style of writing and his imaginative prose paint a magical picture of both the people and the countryside...."Mainly, they were brown, hard-wrinkled pensioners who had come by ancient, highly polished cars, bring their own deckchairs to save money. They were wrapped up in overcoats, tucked deep into tartan rugs, determined to enjoy Easter Sunday as was their right."....."She was beautiful my bowels moved with lust for her"...."You don't survive as a dealer long without getting an eye for class, in a chair, a racehorse or a woman."

As a keen reviewer and blogger I read and review many books and I can honestly say this is probably one of the most imaginative and enjoyable collection of stories I have ever read. Highly...highly...recommended! So say hello to Tony Blackbarrow, Clocky Watson, Cunning Burridge and Sir Bernard Spilsbury as they bring to life the pages of Antique Dust.
Met my expectations
If you are tired of books that use jumping around in time as plot device, try this book. It's old-fashioned story telling with the luxury that implies for the reader.
This is a most enjoyable collection of ghost/supernatural stories that revolve around the British antiques trade. The stories are intriguing and well-written and bring to mind the the wonderful ghost stories of M. R. James, albeit in a more contemporary style. If you are fan of such works, you will find this book to be a real treat.
This book is so close to the writing of James that you would think he discovered the blueprint the older author used to map his storied much like Robert Aickman, Robert Bloch, Hugh Walpole and William Sansom, Westall can write anything (as is clear by his bibliography, but he is a master of the scary tale. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes the authors I mention.
I am not a big reader of horror, fantasy, mysteries or ghost stories. However, Michael Dirda, a reviewer for the Washington Post, dips into classic books in these genres and writes such great reviews I have new reading paths to follow. So I dip into Oliver Onions, Angela Carter, Agatha Christie, Hugh Walpole and now Robert Westhall.

This was a great blast from the 70's. Our narrator weaves an excellent tale. There's a little sex going on! The clever bits are really clever! The creepy bits are really creepy (one of the best evil dolls story is in this book). A clock with a curse on it? Why not. This book was so well-written that I feel for the author. Why didn't he have a bigger writing career. He deserved it.
Robert Westall is one of my favorite short story writers and I have several of his books, but not Antique Dust, so I was pleased to find it on ; only two of the stories in Antique Dust are already familiar to me. The book contains excellent examples of Westall's work. His characters are well-developed and complex and even the nastier characters are interesting--there are times when I'm not sure which character I should be rooting for, and sometimes I quit rooting for one and change sides in the middle of the story, because the layers of characterization are built up throughout the story. The plots are always engaging. This book includes an interesting introduction with information about Westall, and I didn't notice any of the formatting, spelling, or grammatical errors which seem to pop up in books, even the well-written ones. It is a pleasure to read this book.