Reincarnation and Redemption

Occult themes and a preoccupation with the afterlife unite this collection’s three bizarre gothic novellas, all of which were published in France between 1882 and 1891 and are translated into English for the first time. In “Larmor’s Redemption,” a man who may be the reincarnation of the thief who hung on the cross next to Christ undertakes a pilgrimage that culminates in a strange encounter in an ossuary. “Rediviva” tells of a hard-hearted man transformed by grief who visits a spirit medium to resurrect his lover and begins an affair with the spiritualist when he believes his dead love speaks through her. In “The Beloved,” adulterous partners come to realize that they have been brought back to “traverse a second incarnation” to atone for the sins of their past life. Stableford’s historical annotations and fluid translation of Thierry’s transfixing text enhance the reading experience for those unfamiliar with Thierry’s work. These elegant, macabre stories will appeal to fans of Edgar Allan Poe. (Nov.)