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mayakittenreads's review against another edition
5.0
Having finally got around to reading this, I absolutely loved it. Two beautiful, gorgeous stories; weaving the somewhat more sympathetic than expected backstories of two famous fairytale villainesses.
lizshayne's review
4.0
So I ended up with this book because it was part of the Pozible (Australian Kickstarter) rewards for "Cranky Women of History" and I actually kicked up my donation in order to receive this chapbook with a Cat Valente story.
Both stories were lovely, both were brilliant subversions, both were stories written by writers who know how to do things with language that make intricate cathedrals look simple and complicated embroideries seem tame. They overwhelm you with words in the best possible way.
Both stories were lovely, both were brilliant subversions, both were stories written by writers who know how to do things with language that make intricate cathedrals look simple and complicated embroideries seem tame. They overwhelm you with words in the best possible way.
tsana's review
5.0
To Spin a Darker Stair is a chapbook published by FableCroft Publishing and edited by Tehani Wessley. It contains two short stories, one each by Australian author Faith Mudge and well-know US author Catherynne M Valente, and gorgeous illustrations by Kathleen Jennings. Both stories are fairytale retellings with a sinister twist.
The first story is "A Delicate Architecture" by Catherynne M Valente. From what I've read of Valente in the past (about half of Palimpsest and maybe a short story or two), I've found her to be on the borderline of the kind of stories I enjoy. For example, I found Palimpsest a bit too literary for my liking. "A Delicate Architecture", on the other hand, was on the right side of the scale for me to enjoy. Valente deftly crafts a story about a girl with an unusual upbringing. It's surreal in the way that some fairytales are, but it's lovely. The ending made me happy, and I appreciated the foreshadowing leading up to it, evident only in retrospect. I was not, as I read, trying to guess which fairytale was being retold which I think augmented the reveal.
The other story is "The Oracle's Tower" by Faith Mudge. I had only read one other story by Mudge, which appeared in One Small Step, so she is a fairly new author to me (as well as fairly new generally, I gather). "The Oracle's Tower" is a different sort of fairytale. (The start put me in mind of some of Rowling's Tales of Beedle the Bard, interpret that as you will.) The choice of main character, giving voice to a character marginalised in the traditional telling, allows Mudge to put a very different spin on the tale. The original story isn't exactly cheery, so I found Mudge's darker retelling particularly haunting. I will certainly be keeping an eye on Mudge's future output.
To Spin a Darker Stair is a very thin volume that punches above its weight class. I recommend it to fans of fairytale retellings, especially those looking for a quick read. This volume is quite different to other things FableCroft have released and it will be interesting to see what other innovative projects they come up with in the future.
4.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
The first story is "A Delicate Architecture" by Catherynne M Valente. From what I've read of Valente in the past (about half of Palimpsest and maybe a short story or two), I've found her to be on the borderline of the kind of stories I enjoy. For example, I found Palimpsest a bit too literary for my liking. "A Delicate Architecture", on the other hand, was on the right side of the scale for me to enjoy. Valente deftly crafts a story about a girl with an unusual upbringing. It's surreal in the way that some fairytales are, but it's lovely. The ending made me happy, and I appreciated the foreshadowing leading up to it, evident only in retrospect. I was not, as I read, trying to guess which fairytale was being retold which I think augmented the reveal.
The other story is "The Oracle's Tower" by Faith Mudge. I had only read one other story by Mudge, which appeared in One Small Step, so she is a fairly new author to me (as well as fairly new generally, I gather). "The Oracle's Tower" is a different sort of fairytale. (The start put me in mind of some of Rowling's Tales of Beedle the Bard, interpret that as you will.) The choice of main character, giving voice to a character marginalised in the traditional telling, allows Mudge to put a very different spin on the tale. The original story isn't exactly cheery, so I found Mudge's darker retelling particularly haunting. I will certainly be keeping an eye on Mudge's future output.
To Spin a Darker Stair is a very thin volume that punches above its weight class. I recommend it to fans of fairytale retellings, especially those looking for a quick read. This volume is quite different to other things FableCroft have released and it will be interesting to see what other innovative projects they come up with in the future.
4.5 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
calissa's review
4.0
To Spin A Darker Stair is a short chapbook that pairs two fairytale reworkings: "A Delicate Architecture" by Catherynne M Valente and "The Oracle's Tower" by Faith Mudge. Valente's story is a reprint, picked specifically to complement the story by Mudge.
Thematically, the stories are well-matched. Both carry a strong fairytale atmosphere and give the reader a sense that anything is possible. Both have a similar angle on their protagonist.
However, this similarity is a double-edged sword. "A Delicate Architecture" is a wonderfully deft tale, full of rich detail. Pairing it with "The Oracle's Tower" serves to highlight the flaws in the latter--flaws that may have perhaps been overlooked if paired with a more contrasting story.
For example, "A Delicate Architecture" simply launches into the tale, drawing the reader along with a strikingly unique situation. "The Oracle's Tower", in contrast, follows a worn path wherein the narrator urges the reader to listen to her tale in a somewhat clumsy attempt to impart a sense of wisdom and urgency. This approach always tends to backfire a little for me; I rarely like being told what to do. The ending was likewise framed, setting out a possible conclusion to the story without being at all satisfying. It came across as a writer's frantic attempt to wrap up the tale before the word count blew out.
Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Being only 51 pages, it is the perfect travel book and I devoured the whole lot in a single bus trip. The illustrations and cover art by Kathleen Jennings beautifully ties the stories together.
Thematically, the stories are well-matched. Both carry a strong fairytale atmosphere and give the reader a sense that anything is possible. Both have a similar angle on their protagonist.
However, this similarity is a double-edged sword. "A Delicate Architecture" is a wonderfully deft tale, full of rich detail. Pairing it with "The Oracle's Tower" serves to highlight the flaws in the latter--flaws that may have perhaps been overlooked if paired with a more contrasting story.
For example, "A Delicate Architecture" simply launches into the tale, drawing the reader along with a strikingly unique situation. "The Oracle's Tower", in contrast, follows a worn path wherein the narrator urges the reader to listen to her tale in a somewhat clumsy attempt to impart a sense of wisdom and urgency. This approach always tends to backfire a little for me; I rarely like being told what to do. The ending was likewise framed, setting out a possible conclusion to the story without being at all satisfying. It came across as a writer's frantic attempt to wrap up the tale before the word count blew out.
Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Being only 51 pages, it is the perfect travel book and I devoured the whole lot in a single bus trip. The illustrations and cover art by Kathleen Jennings beautifully ties the stories together.
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