The Demon of the Absurd
Rachilde
Translated by Shawn Garrett
There is no other reality than things invented by an inimitable imagination. Everything else is foolishness or error. . . . If Rachilde is the only one to be frightened by mirrors, to contemplate in the glory of the sunset or the hermetic castle where she will never enter, to experience the pangs of death for a pulled tooth, it is because she sees further than we. The master of the absurd has entered our bodies, according to Jesus’ permission, and our sight has become obscured. If Rachilde’ s tales seem absurd to the demon named “Legion,” we can be sure that they contain an invaluable part of the truth.
Thus wrote Marcel Schwob in his introduction to Rachilde’ s classic collection of Decadent stories, The Demon of the Absurd, first published in 1894 and here presented for the first time in English, in a translation by Shawn Garrett.
These tales and pièces de théâtre, uniting tragedy and comedy, horror and deep mystery, in their sum total, represent a major work by the Queen of Decadence.
About the Author
“Rachilde” was the pen name of Marguerite Vallette-Eymery (1860–1953), one of the most important writers of the Decadent Movement. Her most famous work includes the novels Monsieur Vénus (1884), La Marquisede Sade (1887), and La Jongleuse (1900). She also wrote a 1928 monograph on gender identity, Pourquoi je ne suis pas féministe (“Why I am not a Feminist”).
About the Translator
Shawn Garrett is a freelance editor, critic and short fiction aficionado. He currently co-edits the horror fiction podcast Pseudopod and posts weekly columns with Rue Morgue. His translations include Robert Scheffer’ s Prince Narcissus and Other Stories (Snuggly Books, 2019), and Gabriel Mourey’ s Monada (Snuggly Books, 2021).
Paperback, 142 pages. Release date: May 7, 2024
ISBN-13: 978-1-64525-151-4
Price: US$17.00
Hardcover, 144 pages. Limited edition of 70 copies.
Release date: May 7, 2024
Price: US$ 30.00
Other books by Rachilde:
The Blood-Guzzler and Other Stories (Snuggly Books, 2024)
The Princess of Darkness (Snuggly Books, 2023)