Beyond the Dark Veil : Post Mortem and Mourning Photography from the Thanatos Archive

I got this for my wife as a present and she absolutely loves it.

I've always been interested in these types of images, and The Thanos Archive have never let me down. So, this book was a must for me. Visually the book itself is quite beautiful with the cover text and page edges in a rich gold. Once opened everything is in sepia which really compliment the photographs. Whilst I'd seen probably 70% of the images already (on the internet) however, I still enjoyed reading about them as each photograph has text underneath to accompany it. The images themselves are hauntingly beautiful, not macabre or gruesome (as some people might and do say). Each photograph captures the tragedy of death itself, and knowing these were often the only photographs had of their loved ones makes my heart ache (especially with the mothers holding their deceased babies).My one and only teeny tiny gripe is that the text that is under each of the images is too close a match to the sepia colouring of the page itself, so even in good light I really struggled to read it....thats the only reason for the dropped star, otherwise it would have been a perfect 5 out of 5.

Beautiful quality, style, design & craftsmanship it’s a beautiful book

This book is beautiful, the cover is very nice and detailed. The contents though they may seem quite morbid to many people. I found the whole thing very interesting and have always found it an interesting topic. These post mortem photographs were essentially a means for people to preserve an image of there lost loved ones and as photograph was a bit expensive this was the one point when people would have popped money together to take these photographs.

Lovely book- I really recommend this for anyone with an interest in the Victorian era, mourning traditions or post mortem photography. Some wonderful photos, and lots of information about post mortem photography and mourning. A very emotional book- some photos within evoke a sad feeling, others give off a feeling of peace and tranquility. All are beautiful in their own way.The book itself is beautiful- the black and gold colour scheme of the cover is lovely and the embossed floral pattern on the cover is beautiful. The gold edges of the pages is a nice touch. Altogether just a lovely book.

Beautifully presented book which portrays a fascinating insight into post mortem and mourning photography. The photographs are lovely and clear and they capture the loss of a loved one in a very sad but beautiful manner. Celebrating the life of a loved one in a mourning photograph was an important keepsake in the Victorian era because an early death was such a common occurrence due to ill health and lack of medications and vaccinations. I would definitely recommend this quality book because it will not disappoint.

I cannot believe I finally have this book, I've been after it since its UK release last November and eventually I have my own copy! The pictures are so clear and so very emotive and the binding is beautiful. The only issue I had was that a few of the pages were slightly stuck together along the edges and opening the pages has damaged them ever so slightly. But other that that the book is perfect! So glad to have my own copy after nearly a year!

Really beautiful book. Nicely presented in a way that shows the pictures well, and it's good to know who the people were, not just unattributed images. The text could be a bit easier to read, but there you go.Sadly, it was a Christmas gift, and the person I bought it for died before they got a chance to open it, is that irony?