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law_critter's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
brenna_law's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
sofipitch's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
4.5
Overall pretty solid collection. In 2021 I set out to read a ton of myth retellings, which was right before the peak of the feminist myth retellings, and read a lot of bad books that burnt me out on the concept. I don't think I would have picked this up if there hadn't been so many good names in it. Even the ones I didn't like weren't bad just boring, either just a plain retelling (no original spin) or kind of confusing (Leckie I love you but what tf did I read?)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Cannibalism
kleonard's review against another edition
5.0
This is a superb collection of short stories that retell myths and legends from various cultures, including ancient Greece and Rome, India, Jewish tradition, and many more. I absolutely loved it--there are no weak stories here. Every one is interesting and well-written, and they all offer fantastic new takes on previously existing work. I recommend it highly for all readers of SFF and those who enjoy reworkings of traditional tales.
missbookiverse's review against another edition
4.0
Note to self: do not listen to anthologies via audiobook anymore! I just find it so hard to concentrate on the plot, probably because it always restarts and sometimes I miss a few lines and feel lost. I also had trouble remembering some of the stories after only 1 day. Nevertheless, this is a great collection of diverse stories. The authors come from many different backgrounds, which you can tell by their wide variety of myth choices. On the one hand, I was a little saddened to only be familiar with so few of the myths, on the other I loved that they did not retell the same old stories. An inclusion of the originals might have enhanced my reading enjoyment though. Apart from that there's a good mix of futuristic sci-fi stories and more traditional fantasy settings. I preferred the latter, of course.
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Phantom of the Midway by Seanan McGuire 3/5
Neat carnival setting, a budding f/f romance, and a little twist towards the end.
The Justified by Ann Leckie 2/5
Too scifi and confusing (at least via audio) for my taste. The plot was decent though.
Fisher-Bird by T. Kingfisher 4/5
Very mythical and fable-like, which I loved.
A Brief Lesson in Native American Astronomy by Rebecca Roanhorse 3/5
Keeping dead people alive through your/their memories. Not bad but again: too scifi to my taste.
Bridge of Crows by JY Yang 4/5
Girl climbs mountain, has to give away her name. I just prefer the more traditional tales, this one had the perfect folklore feel to it.
Labbatu Takes Command of the Flagship Heaven Dwells Within by Arkady Martine 2/5
Frame narrative in which Labbatu's story is told. To be honest, I already forgot what happened in this one.
Wild to Covet by Sarah Gailey 4/5
Loved how old-fashioned this felt and that it gives voice and agency to a mythical female side character.
!Cuidado! !Que Viene El Coco! by Carlos Hernandes 4.5/5
This was great! I loved the mythical element because it was so weird and I had never heard of El Coco and the relationship between the couple and their communication with each other was excellent and heart-warming.
He Fell Howling by Stephen Graham Jones 4.5/5
So creepy to read from the perspective of this wolflike creature.
Curses like Words, like Feathers, like Stories 4/5
I really liked the cosy atmosphere but now that I think about it, I can't quite recall the plot... the narration was kind of disjointed.
Across the River by Leah Cypress 4/5
I had never heard of the myths surrounding the Sambaryon, so I enjoyed both, learning about the original mythology and the retelling of it.
Sysyphus in Elyisum by Jeffrey Ford 4/5
Great contemplation on the concept of eternity.
Kali_Na by Indrapramit Das 3/5
I enjoyed the Indian culture, including issues of race and the caste system. The virtual reality aspect was a great modern approach but not my cup of tea.
Live Stream by Alyssa Wong 4/5
Amazing how well it works to put the Artemis & Acteon myth into a modern setting including female gamers, cyber bullying, and sexual harassment.
Close Enough for Jazz by John Chu 3/5
Very diverse in terms of gender, race, and body type. Interesting angle of artificial body enhancement. Probably would've worked better for me in written format.
Buried Deep by Naomi Novik 3/5
My hopes for Novik's story were much higher, especially when I saw that she retold the story of Ariadne and the Minotaur. It didn't stray far enough from the original for my taste.
The Things Eric Eats Before He Eats Himself by Carmen Maria Machado 4/5
Weird and creepy and a little disgusting and I liked it. The title says it all.
Florilegia; or, Some Lies About Flowers by Amal El-Mohtar 4/5
Woman made of flowers, female agency, poison, what's not to like?
__________________________________
Phantom of the Midway by Seanan McGuire 3/5
Neat carnival setting, a budding f/f romance, and a little twist towards the end.
The Justified by Ann Leckie 2/5
Too scifi and confusing (at least via audio) for my taste. The plot was decent though.
Fisher-Bird by T. Kingfisher 4/5
Very mythical and fable-like, which I loved.
A Brief Lesson in Native American Astronomy by Rebecca Roanhorse 3/5
Keeping dead people alive through your/their memories. Not bad but again: too scifi to my taste.
Bridge of Crows by JY Yang 4/5
Girl climbs mountain, has to give away her name. I just prefer the more traditional tales, this one had the perfect folklore feel to it.
Labbatu Takes Command of the Flagship Heaven Dwells Within by Arkady Martine 2/5
Frame narrative in which Labbatu's story is told. To be honest, I already forgot what happened in this one.
Wild to Covet by Sarah Gailey 4/5
Loved how old-fashioned this felt and that it gives voice and agency to a mythical female side character.
!Cuidado! !Que Viene El Coco! by Carlos Hernandes 4.5/5
This was great! I loved the mythical element because it was so weird and I had never heard of El Coco and the relationship between the couple and their communication with each other was excellent and heart-warming.
He Fell Howling by Stephen Graham Jones 4.5/5
So creepy to read from the perspective of this wolflike creature.
Curses like Words, like Feathers, like Stories 4/5
I really liked the cosy atmosphere but now that I think about it, I can't quite recall the plot... the narration was kind of disjointed.
Across the River by Leah Cypress 4/5
I had never heard of the myths surrounding the Sambaryon, so I enjoyed both, learning about the original mythology and the retelling of it.
Sysyphus in Elyisum by Jeffrey Ford 4/5
Great contemplation on the concept of eternity.
Kali_Na by Indrapramit Das 3/5
I enjoyed the Indian culture, including issues of race and the caste system. The virtual reality aspect was a great modern approach but not my cup of tea.
Live Stream by Alyssa Wong 4/5
Amazing how well it works to put the Artemis & Acteon myth into a modern setting including female gamers, cyber bullying, and sexual harassment.
Close Enough for Jazz by John Chu 3/5
Very diverse in terms of gender, race, and body type. Interesting angle of artificial body enhancement. Probably would've worked better for me in written format.
Buried Deep by Naomi Novik 3/5
My hopes for Novik's story were much higher, especially when I saw that she retold the story of Ariadne and the Minotaur. It didn't stray far enough from the original for my taste.
The Things Eric Eats Before He Eats Himself by Carmen Maria Machado 4/5
Weird and creepy and a little disgusting and I liked it. The title says it all.
Florilegia; or, Some Lies About Flowers by Amal El-Mohtar 4/5
Woman made of flowers, female agency, poison, what's not to like?
e_l_smith's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall a fabulous collection. I wish a little recall of the myth being retold has been included though.
zngzag's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
katiegrrrl's review against another edition
5.0
I love short story collections and this one was great. Twists on classic myths from all over the world.
tigerlilly22's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 out 5 but rounded up
I liked or loved just about every story in this collection. I have some more new books to read from the authors too so hey, win-win.
I liked or loved just about every story in this collection. I have some more new books to read from the authors too so hey, win-win.