The Blue Fairy and Other Tales of Transcendence (World Voices) by Ernest Dempsey

The Blue Fairy and Other Tales of Transcendence (World Voices) Reviews

• 
  Andrea

  Ernest Dempsey opens his short story collections with a moving dedication to his Aunt Farahana, who passed away in November 1992. Her passing had a profound effect on Dempsey, as familiar to him today as it was 17 years ago. His description of her influence on his life literally moved me to tears.
  
  Dempsey has collected several short stories he has penned over the years, to put into the collection entitled The Blue Fairy and other tales of transcendence. He takes a look at death from many points of view.
  
  Some are told in the first person, almost seemingly like he is literally telling about someone he knew in real life. Others are third-person looks inside the troubled mind of one who is dealing with death. Stories are about the loss of a child, impending death from illness, and mysterious people floating in and out of one's life.
  
  On occasion, a story would leave me wanting for more. Either I didn't understand the point, or felt that the point was lacking. I frequently find this to be the case when reading a short story collection by an author, as well as when rereading some of my own short stories. Sometimes, a story would seem like it was trying too hard to be deep. Again, I think it is a common issue in short story collections.
  
  Luckily, the more that I read, the more I was drawn into the stories, the more I was able to understand them, and the more I was able to emotionally feel connected to some of them. I am particularly drawn to stories of the loss of a child or a sibling, as I feel like I can relate to those best after losing a baby cousin some years ago.
  
  "Recreating Stone" was particularly painful to read, as it is a story of unrequited love that is lost forever. Here, I can see the parallels drawn between Dempsey and his 19th century counterparts, referenced by other reviewers.
  
  I also found ones like "Just a Kilometer" to be reminiscent of a Stephen King short story. A man is shot far away from civilization, and is striving to find his way back to the love of his life, despite the bleeding and the pain. Stephen King has been one of my favorite authors for the last 20-plus years, and I enjoy finding well-written stories within the same genre.
  
  Short story collections should never be read in one sitting, as each piece is designed to stand on its own. The same holds true of The Blue Fairy. It also should only be read when the reader is in a mood that can accommodate darker stories without being thrust into an emotional depression. Stories such as Dempsey's have the potential of striking a chord deep within, especially if one has experienced a similar situation.
  
  I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, which first appeared on Andi's Book Reviews.
• 
  Michele Collins

  Book Title: The Blue Fairy and other tales of transcendence
  Author: Ernest Dempsey
  Publisher: Loving Healing Press
  ISBN: 9781932690927
  Reviewed by Michele Tater for Review the Book
  
  “Death ends a life, not a relationship.”
  ~Robert Benchley
  
  Even though life and death are intertwined as a everyday occurrence, most people and cultures have a fear of dying and what happens after we die. Although the death of his Aunt affected him at a very young age, the author Ernest Dempsey, has used that experience to examine the event of death from the perspective of the survivors.
  
  In his book “The Blue Fairy” Mr. Dempsey writes 25 short stories that includes several different example of the dying and grieving process. Each story gives the reader a glimpse into people’s lives when they have been touched by death and shows how they are able to handle it. The old says of “everyone handles grief differently” comes to life in these beautiful written tales. This is not a morbid or even a sad book, it is just a look into a subject few people want to talk about even when they are in the grieving process.
  
  I found that life lessons, not necessary death lessons, are found in each story. It showed how to look at death as a part of life and living. We must be prepare for aspects of the process we will not understand, for example a need for someone to die or how someone else death was in vain. As we are not all the same in life nor are we all going to leave this life the same way. The people we leave behind are the ones that will have to come to grips with their lost while you just cease to be a part of their lives. One of the stories, was about the concept of “death” even when a person is alive. They are living life just going through the motions and not breaking out of the rut they have made for themselves. Another story shows also how someone can be obsessed with death; when, why and how it will happen, that they too can not live a full life.
  
  Living with the idea that death may be just around that corner can scare many individuals, but it is the truth. In this book I feel readers can get a new prospective on “living” through the many looks of death. It is not a depressing book it is actually a book of hope that all who read it will chose to live life; really live life.
  
  
• 
  Patty

  Death is something we all must face at some point in our lives, some more than others. We never know exactly when or how it is going to happen, and many cases, dealing with it can become an inner battle. The Blue Fairy and other tales of transcendence gives you an eye into other's worlds and situations dealing with either death itself, or knowing death is upon them. These 25 short stories are all filled with strength, and shows us how some deal with the loss of a loved one differently than others. Though each situation is unique, all of the stories are amazing tales of courage and are beautiful in their own way.
  
  
  Personally, I found this book to be a breath of fresh air, as I have struggled for years with the loss of my sister. These stories showed me that hiding and pretending those feelings don't exist inside, is not how one should heal. The Blue Fairy has actually encouraged me to open up about what how I feel, and I too have begun to find inner peace with the death of my sister. Realizing that I cannot stop life, and I still have mine to live, is what I have taken the most from this book.
  
  
  The Blue Fairy and other tales of transcendence will make you laugh at times, cry at others, and surprise you as to how differently people handle death. These stories are not depressing, most of them are actually light-hearted and show you how to take something like death and grow from it. Most importantly, The Blue Fairy helps you realize that you are not alone and that many do know what you are going through, as they too, have had to face death in some way.
  
• 
  Joni mitchell

  The Blue Fairy is an easy read of stories that are a little different. Many of the stories seem to go in so many different directions that I found it hard to follow them, even at 2-5 pages long each. There are some great stories throughout the book but not necessarily one I would recommend for others to read.