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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Like all anthologies, there were some stories I loved and some not so much. They were all an interesting insight into mythologies I knew little about, however!
It may have taken me fourteen months to complete but I thoroughly adored this collection of stories, there were some did not fulfill excellency but they were thought provoking and beautiful retelling of Asian myths. I loved the deep culture represented whether in contemporary or ancient settings.
The first Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi and Olivia's Table by Alyssa Wong will hold my heart but many of the others rose to be cherished.
My biggest gripe was that many of them had incredibly fast paced insta love because DESTINY! I think in many ways that is a side effect of short stories but some handled the passage of time better.
My least favourite by far was Code of Honour. I thought the mythology was wonderful but the writing and girl hate was atrocious.
I think the two that surprised me most were Steel Skin and Spear Carrier (both of which halted my reading and returned to the library in between) but went on to like. I fell head over heels for Steel Skin, Spear Carrier I ended up loving the philosophical conversation and the way Kanakia interpreted the mythology but the writing was not one that jived with me.
All the others were ones I enjoyed but were not favourite though they often made me cry.
Highly recommend! Especially if you are curious of Asian mythology and folklore or of rich beautiful worldbuilding and heartfelt stories with fresh turns and often a feminist twist.
The first Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi and Olivia's Table by Alyssa Wong will hold my heart but many of the others rose to be cherished.
My biggest gripe was that many of them had incredibly fast paced insta love because DESTINY! I think in many ways that is a side effect of short stories but some handled the passage of time better.
My least favourite by far was Code of Honour. I thought the mythology was wonderful but the writing and girl hate was atrocious.
I think the two that surprised me most were Steel Skin and Spear Carrier (both of which halted my reading and returned to the library in between) but went on to like. I fell head over heels for Steel Skin, Spear Carrier I ended up loving the philosophical conversation and the way Kanakia interpreted the mythology but the writing was not one that jived with me.
All the others were ones I enjoyed but were not favourite though they often made me cry.
Highly recommend! Especially if you are curious of Asian mythology and folklore or of rich beautiful worldbuilding and heartfelt stories with fresh turns and often a feminist twist.
Overall 3.5 ☆
→Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi -☆☆☆☆☆
→Olivia’s Table by Alyssa Wong -☆☆☆.5
→Steel Skin by Lori M. Lee -☆☆☆
→Still Star-Crossed by Soman Charaipotra - ☆☆☆☆
→The Counting of Vermillion Beads by Aliette De Bodard - ☆☆
→The Land of the Morning Calm by E. C. Meyers - ☆☆☆☆☆
→The Smile by Aisha Saeed - ☆☆☆☆☆
→Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers by Preeti Chhibber - ☆☆☆.5
→Nothing Into All by Renee Adhieh - ☆☆☆
→Spear Carrier by Rahul Kanakia - ☆☆
→Code of Honor by Melissa De La Cruz - ☆☆☆☆
→Bullet, Butterfly by Elsie Chapman - ☆☆☆
→Daughter of the Sun by Shveta Thakrar - ☆☆☆
→The Crimson Cloak by Cindy Pon - ☆☆☆
→Eyes Like Candlelight by Julie Kagawa - ☆☆☆
→Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi -☆☆☆☆☆
→Olivia’s Table by Alyssa Wong -☆☆☆.5
→Steel Skin by Lori M. Lee -☆☆☆
→Still Star-Crossed by Soman Charaipotra - ☆☆☆☆
→The Counting of Vermillion Beads by Aliette De Bodard - ☆☆
→The Land of the Morning Calm by E. C. Meyers - ☆☆☆☆☆
→The Smile by Aisha Saeed - ☆☆☆☆☆
→Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers by Preeti Chhibber - ☆☆☆.5
→Nothing Into All by Renee Adhieh - ☆☆☆
→Spear Carrier by Rahul Kanakia - ☆☆
→Code of Honor by Melissa De La Cruz - ☆☆☆☆
→Bullet, Butterfly by Elsie Chapman - ☆☆☆
→Daughter of the Sun by Shveta Thakrar - ☆☆☆
→The Crimson Cloak by Cindy Pon - ☆☆☆
→Eyes Like Candlelight by Julie Kagawa - ☆☆☆
I enjoyed pretty much all the stories in this anthology! My absolute favorite had to be "Still Star-Crossed," with "Daughter of the Sun" close behind. I also enjoyed the snippets at the end of each story that gave a briefly detailed the author's folktale/fairy tale inspiration.
I have so many glowing thoughts and feelings about the very existence this magical book, an anthology of re-imagined Asian myths (each penned by a different author). THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to the editors Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman for making this book a reality. In the introduction, Oh and Chapman talked about their childhood frustrations of only finding Asian tales retold by non-Asian writers, saying “That’s why this anthology is so important to us. Here, diasporic Asians reimagine their favorite Asian myths and legends from their own viewpoints. We would have been overjoyed to have found this anthology, filled with characters with skin and hair and names more like ours, in our beloved libraries. It’s the book that was missing in our lives for far too long.” At this point, I was already tearing up. Representation was sorely lacking from my childhood, and this book would have meant so much to me then (as it does now).
Each author’s re-imagining of their chosen myth is fresh and contemporary, like Aliette de Bodard's ‘The Counting of Vermillion Beads’ which spins a Vietnamese legend of sisterly rivalry into a heartfelt tale of sisterly love. Or Cindy Pon’s ‘The Crimson Cloak’ which gives agency and voice to a fairy maiden from Chinese mythology. My favorite of all these fantastic stories is E.C. Myers’s ‘The Land of the Morning Calm’, a Korean mythology mash-up in which a young girl loses her mother to a brain aneurysm—and finds her again in a video game.
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings showcases the vast scope and range in Asian mythology, with stories that spring from Filipino, Chinese, Hmong, Punjabi, Korean, and Japanese legends, among others. I want to give it to everyone.
Each author’s re-imagining of their chosen myth is fresh and contemporary, like Aliette de Bodard's ‘The Counting of Vermillion Beads’ which spins a Vietnamese legend of sisterly rivalry into a heartfelt tale of sisterly love. Or Cindy Pon’s ‘The Crimson Cloak’ which gives agency and voice to a fairy maiden from Chinese mythology. My favorite of all these fantastic stories is E.C. Myers’s ‘The Land of the Morning Calm’, a Korean mythology mash-up in which a young girl loses her mother to a brain aneurysm—and finds her again in a video game.
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings showcases the vast scope and range in Asian mythology, with stories that spring from Filipino, Chinese, Hmong, Punjabi, Korean, and Japanese legends, among others. I want to give it to everyone.
ehhhhhhhh
too juvenile YA for my tastes, and I was expecting retellings of the actual myths, not wildly different modern day "inspired" stories.
too juvenile YA for my tastes, and I was expecting retellings of the actual myths, not wildly different modern day "inspired" stories.
3.5 read. More than anything, this gave me flashbacks to short story anthologies - both mythological and not - I read in grade school and middle school. This makes a whole lot of sense, given that the editors' intended goal is to put together a collection of Asian myths, across multiple cultures and ethnicities for roughly that demographic. There were some absolute gems in this and it introduced me to several authors that I am going to follow up on and check out. That said, there were a few duds, but those were stories that didn't work for -me- rather than "in general".
Overall this was a lovely read that did what it set out to do, but I'm not sure it will stick with me long-term. And if it weren't for the #asianbookathon going on, I'm not sure I'd have picked it up. Still, glad I did!
Overall this was a lovely read that did what it set out to do, but I'm not sure it will stick with me long-term. And if it weren't for the #asianbookathon going on, I'm not sure I'd have picked it up. Still, glad I did!
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings is a collection of fifteen magical tales based on East and South Asian myths and folklore. Halfway through the second story, I realized that I had read this anthology before and completely forgotten about it.
Forbidden Fruit - 4 stars
“It was an ill-fated thing to claim that a heart is safe. Hearts are rebellious. The moment they feel trapped, they will strain against their bindings.”
This was a solid start to this anthology, with lush writing and a melancholy atmosphere.
Olivia's Table - 3.75 stars
"And don’t trust the ghosts, especially not during the Ghost Festival.”
A very sweet story, but did not make an emotional impact on me.
Steel Skin - 3.5 stars
“She has this memory. Only a chaotic set of images and sounds, but vivid, like neon scripts streaming across a black screen.”
A cute, but not particularly memorable story. Sci-fi isn't really my preferred genre, so that also affected my enjoyment.
Still Star-Crossed - 2.5 stars
“You don’t know how to choose until you’re right there, on the precipice, giving you’re your everything for something that may be real or may be a shadow, a ghost you’re chasing.”
Rather confusing and a very loose retelling of the original myth. I don't think I would have understood the plot if not for the author's explanation. I loved the writing, though.
The Counting of Vermillion Beads - 4 stars
“We can’t go home, but that doesn’t mean we have to be caged.”
I enjoyed the whimsical atmosphere and the unconditional love between the two sisters. Also a very loose retelling.
The Land of the Morning Calm - 4.75 stars
“Harabeoji says my mother is a gwisin. That’s the Korean word for ghost.”
This story was the perfect blend of melancholy and hopeful.
The Smile - 5 stars
“Belonging meant he could place me wherever he liked, whether in his bed or in this dank tower. Belonging is not love. It never was.”
I love how power dynamics were addressed, as well as the exceptionally strong female protagonist.
Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers - 3.5 stars
"Let the gods have their battles of good and evil. We were here to dance."
A cute story, but it doesn't really match the tone of the others. I liked how the author showed the parallel to the original myth, but the character's actions all seemed a bit petty.
Nothing Into All - 3 stars
“Many years ago, a girl and a boy lived with their parents in a bark-shingled home near a flowing river’s edge.”
I just wasn't a huge fan of the characters or the sibling rivalry, but I liked the fairytale nature of the goblins and the three wishes.
Spear Carrier - 2.75 stars
“When I’d agreed to his offer, it was because I had thought I’d be a hero.”
Very existential and not terribly compelling.
Code of Honor - 1 stars
“I almost murdered a girl yesterday…”
This was my least favorite short story in this anthology. You would think with that opening line, that the story would be more interesting, but no. The writing and characters feel juvenile and petty and the world-building just wasn't well done.
Bullet, Butterfly - 3.5 stars
"We’re just the dragons guarding the gate, ordered to keep breathing the fire of those who cast the spell in the first place.”
A beautiful retelling of “The Butterfly Lovers” that I didn't really connect to.
Daughter of the Sun - 3.5 stars
“She yearned for someone who didn’t fear her brilliance.”
This story was set in modern times, but has a very fairytale-esque atmosphere. Cute, but not mind-blowing.
The Crimson Cloak - 4 stars
“Despite how the legend goes, the truth of the matter is, Dear Reader, I saw him first.”
A solid retelling that finally gave the female protagonist a voice.
Eyes like Candlelight - 4.25 stars
"Some have seen a girl. Others have seen a small orange fox."
The writing and atmosphere were rich and haunting, a perfect end for this anthology!
Mathematical Average - 3.53
Forbidden Fruit - 4 stars
“It was an ill-fated thing to claim that a heart is safe. Hearts are rebellious. The moment they feel trapped, they will strain against their bindings.”
This was a solid start to this anthology, with lush writing and a melancholy atmosphere.
Olivia's Table - 3.75 stars
"And don’t trust the ghosts, especially not during the Ghost Festival.”
A very sweet story, but did not make an emotional impact on me.
Steel Skin - 3.5 stars
“She has this memory. Only a chaotic set of images and sounds, but vivid, like neon scripts streaming across a black screen.”
A cute, but not particularly memorable story. Sci-fi isn't really my preferred genre, so that also affected my enjoyment.
Still Star-Crossed - 2.5 stars
“You don’t know how to choose until you’re right there, on the precipice, giving you’re your everything for something that may be real or may be a shadow, a ghost you’re chasing.”
Rather confusing and a very loose retelling of the original myth. I don't think I would have understood the plot if not for the author's explanation. I loved the writing, though.
The Counting of Vermillion Beads - 4 stars
“We can’t go home, but that doesn’t mean we have to be caged.”
I enjoyed the whimsical atmosphere and the unconditional love between the two sisters. Also a very loose retelling.
The Land of the Morning Calm - 4.75 stars
“Harabeoji says my mother is a gwisin. That’s the Korean word for ghost.”
This story was the perfect blend of melancholy and hopeful.
The Smile - 5 stars
“Belonging meant he could place me wherever he liked, whether in his bed or in this dank tower. Belonging is not love. It never was.”
I love how power dynamics were addressed, as well as the exceptionally strong female protagonist.
Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers - 3.5 stars
"Let the gods have their battles of good and evil. We were here to dance."
A cute story, but it doesn't really match the tone of the others. I liked how the author showed the parallel to the original myth, but the character's actions all seemed a bit petty.
Nothing Into All - 3 stars
“Many years ago, a girl and a boy lived with their parents in a bark-shingled home near a flowing river’s edge.”
I just wasn't a huge fan of the characters or the sibling rivalry, but I liked the fairytale nature of the goblins and the three wishes.
Spear Carrier - 2.75 stars
“When I’d agreed to his offer, it was because I had thought I’d be a hero.”
Very existential and not terribly compelling.
Code of Honor - 1 stars
“I almost murdered a girl yesterday…”
This was my least favorite short story in this anthology. You would think with that opening line, that the story would be more interesting, but no. The writing and characters feel juvenile and petty and the world-building just wasn't well done.
Bullet, Butterfly - 3.5 stars
"We’re just the dragons guarding the gate, ordered to keep breathing the fire of those who cast the spell in the first place.”
A beautiful retelling of “The Butterfly Lovers” that I didn't really connect to.
Daughter of the Sun - 3.5 stars
“She yearned for someone who didn’t fear her brilliance.”
This story was set in modern times, but has a very fairytale-esque atmosphere. Cute, but not mind-blowing.
The Crimson Cloak - 4 stars
“Despite how the legend goes, the truth of the matter is, Dear Reader, I saw him first.”
A solid retelling that finally gave the female protagonist a voice.
Eyes like Candlelight - 4.25 stars
"Some have seen a girl. Others have seen a small orange fox."
The writing and atmosphere were rich and haunting, a perfect end for this anthology!
Mathematical Average - 3.53
Retellings of fairy tales have become my jam lately, and this book delivers in spades. It was extra intriguing in that I am not well versed in Asian fairy tales and legends, so to have the retelling and then a summary of the tale it was based on afterwords was a delight. The writers were all so talented and the stories so vivid. Do yourself a favor and read this book.