Dressing With Purpose: Belonging and Resistance in Scandinavia

as a whole, the argument surrounding the value of such engagement is a welcome addition: ‘it provides a chance to interact with our heritage and shape the direction it takes in the future’—for instance at the Choeung Ek Killing Fields in Cambodia (173). Despite some content verging on the grisly, the authors manage to keep the topic light—a relief when encountering a subject with the potential to be gratuitously grim. They sustain a united voice throughout the text, with academic rigour simmering under the surface of their often delightfully devilish tone. Dark Folklore is a book that holds the sweet promise of all things sinister, and it does not fail to disappoint our human fascination with the macabre. While first appearing to be a light-hearted romp through the more malevolent side of folklore, the book punches well above the weight of The History Press’s usual fare. It is certainly a book that will stay with the reader well into the night—and one to add a pinch of delicious darkness to any bookshelf.