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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
Some of these stories I've loved, some were not my cup of tea. But still, I loved the stories the authors came up with based on their chosen myths and the takes they've given us
There wasn’t a story in this collection that I didn’t absolutely enjoy! All of them were amazing and I loved reading each one! Such a great collection!
the first thing i want to say is that i consider 3 stars to be a very good rating for anthologies like this. when you've got such a mix of authors and styles, it's inevitably going to be a mixed bag. any anthology i rate as 3 stars or higher is one i'd consider worth checking out.
so - i enjoyed this! i was a huge mythology nerd as a kid, and a lot of these stories really pushed those buttons. i found enough of the stories delightful (most by authors totally new to me, actually) to make up for the weaker ones. individual stories, quick-ish & dirty:
forbidden fruit by roshani chokshi (filipino)
this was a good one to start the collection with. it's short and feels very much like reading an oldschool fairytale. the language might be a touch too flowery for some, but imo it suits the vibe of the piece perfectly.
olivia’s table by alyssa wong (chinese)
an odd little story about hungry ghosts and grief, and learning to move on. i really enjoyed it, and particularly appreciated the not-oft-utilised setting and historical context that wong went with here.
steel skin by lori m. lee (hmong)
one of the few sci-fi stories in the colection, this was an Almost for me. i liked the writing style and the protagonist, who is trying to deal with the loss of her mother and the changes she sees in her father. the thing is, though—the topics this deals with (what it means to be human/what makes us human/etc) have been so thoroughly covered in scifi, that it's difficult to say anything particularly new or shattering about it in such a short story. i appreciate the intent here, but the execution is just okay.
still star-crossed by sona charaipotra (punjabi)
this is... hm. it has a dark and weird vibe that i appreciate, but it ends far too abruptly, even for a short story. i'm fine with open-ended stories, but this just feels unfinished. it's a shame, because reading the author's note & explanation of what she was going for made me go - oh man, i wish you'd written that. that sounds kind of messed up and great. there's potential in this one, but it doesn't really deliver.
the counting of vermillion beads by aliette de bodard (vietnamese)
this is based on the story of tam and cám, the ~vietnamese cinderella~, but not quite. another one that was very fairytale-like, and i enjoyed it. the plot and setting are a little vague and under-explained, but i was willing to go along with for the really fun gorgeous imagery and the sibling relationship.
the land of the morning calm by e. c. myers (korean)
a girl grieving the loss of her mother gets one last chance to say goodbye, by way of the mmorpg they both loved. to my utter surprise, this was one of my favourite stories from the collection. i find that these types of super current, 'fandomy' type stories can go into cringe territory reaaaaal easy, and go full on How Do You Do, Fellow Kids. this wasn't like that at all; it was quiet and sweet, and genuinely moving.
the smile by aisha saeed (south asian)
... eh. this didn't do much for me. the writing itself was solid, but it felt too heavy-handed with its Message, and the characters felt a little shallowly written.
girls who twirl and other dangers by preeti chhibber (gujarati)
i liked learning about the holiday of navaratri, which i will admit was totally new to me. the story itself, though, was pretty simple and felt REALLY young. i appreciate that it's a ya collection, but this feels more suitable for a middle grade audience. it didn't do much for me.
nothing into all by renée ahdieh (korean)
goblins! siblings! fairytale rules! this was a really fun read for me, both whimsical and grounded at the same time. that sibling relationship, in particular, is really killer. some really neat character stuff in a short amount of space.
spear carrier by rahul kanakia (south asian)
i'm not someone who cares too much about characters being likeable, but i do expect them to be compelling. the protagonist of this mahabharata-inspired story was, to be honest, neither. the story itself too felt a little muddled, both narratively and thematically. i didn't really felt that the author's intent (as explained in the post story note) really came through very clearly. not a fan of this one
code of honor by melissa de la cruz (filipino)
oh, nope. did not care for this at all. it's a tie-in for melissa de la cruz's blue bloods series, and you can really tell; i don't think it works as a standalone. it also felt very... dated? the tone/vibe reminds me of the ya i read when i was like, an actual teen. and not in a good way. it's a real bummer, because aswangs are super creepy and interesting; they deserve better than this story.
bullet, butterfly by elsie chapman (chinese)
a retelling of the chinese myth of the butterfly lovers. i mostly liked it, but it needed to be either shorter or longer. that's kind of an incoherent statement, but what i mean is—the first part, with the two lovers meeting and getting close takes up a lot of story, and then the dramatic conclusion is fairly brief in comparison, and it all feels a little unbalanced. i feel like either making it shorter (cutting out all the detailed courtship and ~characterisation and letting it be a morbid little fairytale) or longer (going full on novella and giving the conclusion more time to unravel) would've worked better.
daughter of the sun by shveta thakrar (south asian)
another one that's based on the mahabharata, and the more successful one, to my mind. it was a little too purple-prosey at times, to the point of distraction, but i enjoyed the way it really had fun with all those fairytale tropes.
the crimson cloak by cindy pon (chinese)
this may be my favourite of the bunch. it retells the folk tale of the cowherd and the weaver girl, by giving said weaver girl a voice and letting her tell the tale. to my mind, the most successful of the love stories in the collection, with some really great imagery and my favourite line of any story included (i don't want to spoil it here, but ask if you're curious). i love the vibe of it, with just enough sadness and melancholy to make the sweetness really stand out. great stuff-i've gotta go pick up more of cindy pon's work.
eyes like candlelight by julie kagawa (japanese)
i was wondering whether there'd be a kitsune story in here! and there is. i didn't like it quite as much as most people seem to have, but it was enjoyable, if a little messy for my money. it gets eerier and more unsettling as it goes on, which definitely bumped up my estimation of it.
so there you go! uneven as these things tend to be, but worth checking out if you are or ever have been a mythology nerd.
so - i enjoyed this! i was a huge mythology nerd as a kid, and a lot of these stories really pushed those buttons. i found enough of the stories delightful (most by authors totally new to me, actually) to make up for the weaker ones. individual stories, quick-ish & dirty:
forbidden fruit by roshani chokshi (filipino)
this was a good one to start the collection with. it's short and feels very much like reading an oldschool fairytale. the language might be a touch too flowery for some, but imo it suits the vibe of the piece perfectly.
olivia’s table by alyssa wong (chinese)
an odd little story about hungry ghosts and grief, and learning to move on. i really enjoyed it, and particularly appreciated the not-oft-utilised setting and historical context that wong went with here.
steel skin by lori m. lee (hmong)
one of the few sci-fi stories in the colection, this was an Almost for me. i liked the writing style and the protagonist, who is trying to deal with the loss of her mother and the changes she sees in her father. the thing is, though—the topics this deals with (what it means to be human/what makes us human/etc) have been so thoroughly covered in scifi, that it's difficult to say anything particularly new or shattering about it in such a short story. i appreciate the intent here, but the execution is just okay.
still star-crossed by sona charaipotra (punjabi)
this is... hm. it has a dark and weird vibe that i appreciate, but it ends far too abruptly, even for a short story. i'm fine with open-ended stories, but this just feels unfinished. it's a shame, because reading the author's note & explanation of what she was going for made me go - oh man, i wish you'd written that. that sounds kind of messed up and great. there's potential in this one, but it doesn't really deliver.
the counting of vermillion beads by aliette de bodard (vietnamese)
this is based on the story of tam and cám, the ~vietnamese cinderella~, but not quite. another one that was very fairytale-like, and i enjoyed it. the plot and setting are a little vague and under-explained, but i was willing to go along with for the really fun gorgeous imagery and the sibling relationship.
the land of the morning calm by e. c. myers (korean)
a girl grieving the loss of her mother gets one last chance to say goodbye, by way of the mmorpg they both loved. to my utter surprise, this was one of my favourite stories from the collection. i find that these types of super current, 'fandomy' type stories can go into cringe territory reaaaaal easy, and go full on How Do You Do, Fellow Kids. this wasn't like that at all; it was quiet and sweet, and genuinely moving.
the smile by aisha saeed (south asian)
... eh. this didn't do much for me. the writing itself was solid, but it felt too heavy-handed with its Message, and the characters felt a little shallowly written.
girls who twirl and other dangers by preeti chhibber (gujarati)
i liked learning about the holiday of navaratri, which i will admit was totally new to me. the story itself, though, was pretty simple and felt REALLY young. i appreciate that it's a ya collection, but this feels more suitable for a middle grade audience. it didn't do much for me.
nothing into all by renée ahdieh (korean)
goblins! siblings! fairytale rules! this was a really fun read for me, both whimsical and grounded at the same time. that sibling relationship, in particular, is really killer. some really neat character stuff in a short amount of space.
spear carrier by rahul kanakia (south asian)
i'm not someone who cares too much about characters being likeable, but i do expect them to be compelling. the protagonist of this mahabharata-inspired story was, to be honest, neither. the story itself too felt a little muddled, both narratively and thematically. i didn't really felt that the author's intent (as explained in the post story note) really came through very clearly. not a fan of this one
code of honor by melissa de la cruz (filipino)
oh, nope. did not care for this at all. it's a tie-in for melissa de la cruz's blue bloods series, and you can really tell; i don't think it works as a standalone. it also felt very... dated? the tone/vibe reminds me of the ya i read when i was like, an actual teen. and not in a good way. it's a real bummer, because aswangs are super creepy and interesting; they deserve better than this story.
bullet, butterfly by elsie chapman (chinese)
a retelling of the chinese myth of the butterfly lovers. i mostly liked it, but it needed to be either shorter or longer. that's kind of an incoherent statement, but what i mean is—the first part, with the two lovers meeting and getting close takes up a lot of story, and then the dramatic conclusion is fairly brief in comparison, and it all feels a little unbalanced. i feel like either making it shorter (cutting out all the detailed courtship and ~characterisation and letting it be a morbid little fairytale) or longer (going full on novella and giving the conclusion more time to unravel) would've worked better.
daughter of the sun by shveta thakrar (south asian)
another one that's based on the mahabharata, and the more successful one, to my mind. it was a little too purple-prosey at times, to the point of distraction, but i enjoyed the way it really had fun with all those fairytale tropes.
the crimson cloak by cindy pon (chinese)
this may be my favourite of the bunch. it retells the folk tale of the cowherd and the weaver girl, by giving said weaver girl a voice and letting her tell the tale. to my mind, the most successful of the love stories in the collection, with some really great imagery and my favourite line of any story included (i don't want to spoil it here, but ask if you're curious). i love the vibe of it, with just enough sadness and melancholy to make the sweetness really stand out. great stuff-i've gotta go pick up more of cindy pon's work.
eyes like candlelight by julie kagawa (japanese)
i was wondering whether there'd be a kitsune story in here! and there is. i didn't like it quite as much as most people seem to have, but it was enjoyable, if a little messy for my money. it gets eerier and more unsettling as it goes on, which definitely bumped up my estimation of it.
so there you go! uneven as these things tend to be, but worth checking out if you are or ever have been a mythology nerd.
This is a great anthology of #OwnVoices fantasy stories based on the myths and legends of East and South Asia. Like with any anthology, some of the stories grabbed me more than others, but it's a great one for checking out new authors. Also Melissa De La Cruz's story was a spin-off of her Blue Bloods series and I think I want to read that now!?
Gorgeous and compelling
I loved these amazing stories that let me not only learn more about rich mythologies, but also experience them in entirely new ways.
I loved these amazing stories that let me not only learn more about rich mythologies, but also experience them in entirely new ways.
Excellent anthology. I loved the fact that each writer put their own spin on the folk tales (Cyborgs? Sure! Old West town? Why not!) but that we also got a quick explanation of the original tale after each of the stories. It's an Own Voices anthology with a wide reach—Asia's big!—which gives it more cred, too. Well worth picking up.
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
All of the short stories were incredibly interesting. This was a good book for me to read when I didn't have a lot of time to set aside for reading. I could usually get through a story each time, so I really liked the format.
3.6 stars overall, rounded up
i don't read many short story collections, usually the quality isn't consistent, there are some amazing stories, but mostly mediocre ones, and i think the reason is that it's much harder to pull of a memorable, great story in 20-30 pages. but, a thousand beginnings and endings has intrigued me, because it focuses on asian folktales and mythology reimagined/retold by fifteen authors in various styles, exploring different topics including identity, love, family, etc...
Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi ★★★★
in this story, a diwata falls in love with a mortal man. it was a classic fairytale with a bittersweet, heartbreaking ending. the thing is, i had to realize pretty early on, i'm not a fan of classic fairytale type of retellings, this is why i couldn't enjoy this to the fullest, but it was a beautiful story, and Roshani's style fitted it perfectly.
Olivia’s Table by Alyssa Wong ★★★★ and 1/2
this is a contemporary retelling set in Arizona, where a girl cooks for the hungry ghost festival, dealing with grief after her mother passed away and something that happened when she was a child. i liked this story a lot more, i loved the portrayal of ghosts and the show up of the ghost girl.
Steel Skin by Lori M. Lee ★★★★
this takes place after an android revolt and follows a girl who thinks her father might have been replaced with an android, so she tries to find out the truth with the help of a friend. this is a standard sci-fi thing, have seen it a million times, but it's something i enjoy and it was a good take on it, so it's still a solid four-star story.
Still Star-Crossed by Sona Charaipotra ★★ and 1/2
this starts with a girl dancing in a club, where she meets a weird, stalkerish guy who seems to recognize her, but calls her by a different name. honestly, it had an interesting premise and twist, but the execution wasn't the best and it got confusing at times. i think this had the chance to be great and creepy, but didn't really live up to that.
The Counting of Vermillion Beads by Aliette De Bodard ★★★
this follows two sisters who are taken away from their family in order to do accounting in the palace. the setting and the story was really interesting at first, but by the end i was left a bit disappointed, and even more confused. but i loved that instead of the rivalry in the original story, this showed a strong bond and love between the two sisters.
The Land of the Morning Calm by E. C. Myers ★★★★★
the main character's mother passed away five years ago, playing an MMO at a convention, which was very influential in their life and her parents met through it back then. now, it's about to be shut down, but it might be the only way she can get closure. god. this was my favorite without a doubt. when i think about this anthology, this is the first story that comes into my mind. it deals with grief and clinging to memories of your loved ones, showing complicated family relationships. it's beautiful and sad. i also loved how it made gaming be a central point of the plot, and it was so good to see a mother, who is also a cosplayer/writer/gamer, which isn't really something that's often portrayed in media.
The Smile by Aisha Saeed ★★★★★
this is about a girl who is a courtesan, and the king falls in love with her. i wasn't expecting to love this as much as i did, but it was a great story. a tale of empowerment, realizing your own worth, and just because someone loves you, you don't owe them anything, especially if they don't treat you the way they should.
Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers by Preeti Chhibber ★ and 1/2
in present time, we see the main girl celebrating navaratri with her friends, where a rude boy basically trips girls and then blames them, or whatever, and we also get to read the tale of Durga fighting Mahishasura, a demon. look, i didn't like this, at all. basically the only redeeming thing was Durga's story, but the reimagining was juvenile, annoying and ridiculous.
Nothing into All by Renée Ahdieh ★★★ and 1/2
in this, we follow two rivaling siblings, and the girl is granted wishes by the goblins. this was an interesting tale of a difficult relationship between siblings and forgiveness. i liked how the characters were morally ambiguous, like her brother did bad things, but he had his family in mind even then.
Spear Carrier by Rahul Kanakia ★★★★
this follows someone who would die in the battlefield if she joined the fight. it was an interesting exploration of what it means being a hero and dying for a cause even if you won't be remembered at all. i loved the idea, but the writing was a bit too dry for my liking.
Code of Honor by Melissa de la Cruz ★★★ and 1/2
this is about an aswang, a vampire witch, who flees the Philippines in fear of being discovered, and wants to find people like her. look, this had some petty high school drama, but it was gruesome and i love me some vampires, so i was content with it. it's also set in the universe of her Blue Blood series, which i'm now interested in.
Bullet, Butterfly by Elsie Chapman ★★ and 1/2
it's set during a war, where a boy disguises himself as a girl and basically falls in love with a girl he isn't supposed to, because of familiar duty. i'm not a fan of stories with people disguising themselves and forbidden romance, so i wasn't that into this story either. the portrayal of war was good, but that's all for me personally.
Daughter of the Sun by Shveta Thakra ★★★ and 1/2
this is about a girl whose heart glows like the sun and she is promised to find someone who reflects that, but the problem is: that boy is cursed. again, as in so many of these stories, it's a me problem. i don't like fairytale-esque stories, especially if the plot heavily relies on not telling the truth and wanting to keep someone only for yourself. it had some redeeming qualities so i did like it to some extent, like i loved how resourceful the girl was at the end.
The Crimson Cloak by Cindy Pon ★★★★
the girl with the crimson cloak meets the boy with the magical ox at a lake. they fall in love. yet, another fairytale. honestly, i loved the main character in this and how their relationship progressed, but i just can't fully root for this story unfortunately.
Eyes like Candlelight by Julie Kagawa ★★★ and 1/2
this follows a boy who saved a fox from the dogs years ago, and now, wanting to save his village, he makes a deal with the kitsune girl. this features kitsunes, which is like a plus, but unfortunately i didn't enjoy this as much as i wanted to. i liked the ending, but the romance was kinda mehh for me.
to sum it up, i'm glad i read the anthology even if i felt meh about a lot of stories, it was certainly an interesting experience, and i hope to see more asian inspired fantasies in the future, because some of these settings and themes would be so cool to see in a full-length novel.
i don't read many short story collections, usually the quality isn't consistent, there are some amazing stories, but mostly mediocre ones, and i think the reason is that it's much harder to pull of a memorable, great story in 20-30 pages. but, a thousand beginnings and endings has intrigued me, because it focuses on asian folktales and mythology reimagined/retold by fifteen authors in various styles, exploring different topics including identity, love, family, etc...
Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi ★★★★
in this story, a diwata falls in love with a mortal man. it was a classic fairytale with a bittersweet, heartbreaking ending. the thing is, i had to realize pretty early on, i'm not a fan of classic fairytale type of retellings, this is why i couldn't enjoy this to the fullest, but it was a beautiful story, and Roshani's style fitted it perfectly.
Olivia’s Table by Alyssa Wong ★★★★ and 1/2
this is a contemporary retelling set in Arizona, where a girl cooks for the hungry ghost festival, dealing with grief after her mother passed away and something that happened when she was a child. i liked this story a lot more, i loved the portrayal of ghosts and the show up of the ghost girl.
Steel Skin by Lori M. Lee ★★★★
this takes place after an android revolt and follows a girl who thinks her father might have been replaced with an android, so she tries to find out the truth with the help of a friend. this is a standard sci-fi thing, have seen it a million times, but it's something i enjoy and it was a good take on it, so it's still a solid four-star story.
Still Star-Crossed by Sona Charaipotra ★★ and 1/2
this starts with a girl dancing in a club, where she meets a weird, stalkerish guy who seems to recognize her, but calls her by a different name. honestly, it had an interesting premise and twist, but the execution wasn't the best and it got confusing at times. i think this had the chance to be great and creepy, but didn't really live up to that.
The Counting of Vermillion Beads by Aliette De Bodard ★★★
this follows two sisters who are taken away from their family in order to do accounting in the palace. the setting and the story was really interesting at first, but by the end i was left a bit disappointed, and even more confused. but i loved that instead of the rivalry in the original story, this showed a strong bond and love between the two sisters.
The Land of the Morning Calm by E. C. Myers ★★★★★
the main character's mother passed away five years ago, playing an MMO at a convention, which was very influential in their life and her parents met through it back then. now, it's about to be shut down, but it might be the only way she can get closure. god. this was my favorite without a doubt. when i think about this anthology, this is the first story that comes into my mind. it deals with grief and clinging to memories of your loved ones, showing complicated family relationships. it's beautiful and sad. i also loved how it made gaming be a central point of the plot, and it was so good to see a mother, who is also a cosplayer/writer/gamer, which isn't really something that's often portrayed in media.
The Smile by Aisha Saeed ★★★★★
this is about a girl who is a courtesan, and the king falls in love with her. i wasn't expecting to love this as much as i did, but it was a great story. a tale of empowerment, realizing your own worth, and just because someone loves you, you don't owe them anything, especially if they don't treat you the way they should.
Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers by Preeti Chhibber ★ and 1/2
in present time, we see the main girl celebrating navaratri with her friends, where a rude boy basically trips girls and then blames them, or whatever, and we also get to read the tale of Durga fighting Mahishasura, a demon. look, i didn't like this, at all. basically the only redeeming thing was Durga's story, but the reimagining was juvenile, annoying and ridiculous.
Nothing into All by Renée Ahdieh ★★★ and 1/2
in this, we follow two rivaling siblings, and the girl is granted wishes by the goblins. this was an interesting tale of a difficult relationship between siblings and forgiveness. i liked how the characters were morally ambiguous, like her brother did bad things, but he had his family in mind even then.
Spear Carrier by Rahul Kanakia ★★★★
this follows someone who would die in the battlefield if she joined the fight. it was an interesting exploration of what it means being a hero and dying for a cause even if you won't be remembered at all. i loved the idea, but the writing was a bit too dry for my liking.
Code of Honor by Melissa de la Cruz ★★★ and 1/2
this is about an aswang, a vampire witch, who flees the Philippines in fear of being discovered, and wants to find people like her. look, this had some petty high school drama, but it was gruesome and i love me some vampires, so i was content with it. it's also set in the universe of her Blue Blood series, which i'm now interested in.
Bullet, Butterfly by Elsie Chapman ★★ and 1/2
it's set during a war, where a boy disguises himself as a girl and basically falls in love with a girl he isn't supposed to, because of familiar duty. i'm not a fan of stories with people disguising themselves and forbidden romance, so i wasn't that into this story either. the portrayal of war was good, but that's all for me personally.
Daughter of the Sun by Shveta Thakra ★★★ and 1/2
this is about a girl whose heart glows like the sun and she is promised to find someone who reflects that, but the problem is: that boy is cursed. again, as in so many of these stories, it's a me problem. i don't like fairytale-esque stories, especially if the plot heavily relies on not telling the truth and wanting to keep someone only for yourself. it had some redeeming qualities so i did like it to some extent, like i loved how resourceful the girl was at the end.
The Crimson Cloak by Cindy Pon ★★★★
the girl with the crimson cloak meets the boy with the magical ox at a lake. they fall in love. yet, another fairytale. honestly, i loved the main character in this and how their relationship progressed, but i just can't fully root for this story unfortunately.
Eyes like Candlelight by Julie Kagawa ★★★ and 1/2
this follows a boy who saved a fox from the dogs years ago, and now, wanting to save his village, he makes a deal with the kitsune girl. this features kitsunes, which is like a plus, but unfortunately i didn't enjoy this as much as i wanted to. i liked the ending, but the romance was kinda mehh for me.
to sum it up, i'm glad i read the anthology even if i felt meh about a lot of stories, it was certainly an interesting experience, and i hope to see more asian inspired fantasies in the future, because some of these settings and themes would be so cool to see in a full-length novel.
Although I didn’t fall in love with every short story in this anthology, it still holds a very soft place in my heart. I think A Thousand Beginnings and Endings is perfect for immersing yourself in Asian folklore with a sprinkle of unique sci-fi on the side. Full review to follow.
Ratings per short story:
1. Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi (Filipino)
Ratings per short story:
1. Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi (Filipino)
A higher rating because about 6 of these stories were four to five star material and they were fantastic.