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s_everson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Drug use, and Sexual content
Minor: Self harm, Excrement, and Animal death
norcalchris's review against another edition
The three stories I read were actually very good. Sinister, dark, and so so bizarre. The illustrations were great and more would have been enjoyable. DNFing only because I don’t need fresh nightmare fodder. However, I think this collection is great and would recommend for those looking for something dark and twisty.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Minor: Blood
catapocalypse's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Absolutely loved this collection of fairytale-inspired stories. Retellings are everywhere right now, but I appreciated that these were stories that generally receive less attention. All the better with Kelly Link's usual focus on messy people in peculiar settings.
I had previously read three of the stories collected here, "The Lady and the Fox" being the first I'd ever read from Link and an immediate favorite. It still held up, and is a charming take on the Tam Lin story. My other favorite was "The White Cat's Divorce," adapting the story "The White Cat." Rather than a castle peopled with cats, the young man encountered a marijuana farm staffed by cats. Being very fond of cats, I was tickled by this one.
Every story was strong in this one, rating no lower than 4 stars for me individually.
I had previously read three of the stories collected here, "The Lady and the Fox" being the first I'd ever read from Link and an immediate favorite. It still held up, and is a charming take on the Tam Lin story. My other favorite was "The White Cat's Divorce," adapting the story "The White Cat." Rather than a castle peopled with cats, the young man encountered a marijuana farm staffed by cats. Being very fond of cats, I was tickled by this one.
Every story was strong in this one, rating no lower than 4 stars for me individually.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Blood, Sexual content, and Death
Minor: Animal death and Homophobia
bi_n_large's review
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity
Moderate: Blood, Sexual content, Death of parent, Violence, Death, Adult/minor relationship, and Drug use
Minor: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Mental illness
maaikereadsbooks_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Many thanks to Head of Zeus and Kelly Link for the advanced copy of White Cat, Black Dog via NetGalley, in return for my honest and unbiased review. Quick note: I don’t recap plots in my reviews, as it’s easy enough to read the book’s synopsis and blurbs, I purely focus on my feelings & opinions of how the books makes me feel.
This collection of 7 short stories was, for me, a mixed bag. Some were great (Skinder’s Veil being my favourite) and some were not so much (The White Cat’s Divorce). I am puzzled by the choices the editors made for the order of the stories, as I feel the weakest story was used to open the book, and it almost caused me to put the book down entirely and not read the remaining six.
It should be noted that, as the blurb states, these are not retellings, but stories inspired by fairy tales and folk tales. Not much of the original/classic tale is left in these stories, although the general gist is still there.
An interesting collection of stories, which will appeal to a range of genre interests.
Trigger warnings: Blood/Gore, Death, Drugs, Infidelity, Murder
Rating 3.75/5 rounded up to 4
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Body horror, Infidelity, and Blood
Minor: Murder and Death
kelseyr713's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I adore Kelly Link, and loved almost all of these stories (I did not quite parse or connect with The Game of Smash and Recovery). The rest, though, are brilliant. I love her voice and playfulness, along with the sense of wonder I get from reading her stories. An excellent collection.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Violence
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