Scan barcode
thenovelmaura's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.0
I love a good short story collection, and this one was no exception! I was enthralled by the gorgeous cover when I received an ARC of this book through a bookseller friend. Liu explains in the forward that she wrote all of these stories over the course of several years for other anthologies, and then collected them here and made a few edits for this collection (while trying to resist the urge to make substantial changes).
I'd only read one of the stories before, when it was featured in The Starlit Wood anthology. "The Briar and the Rose" is near and dear to my heart, as it was one of the tales I included in my senior year capstone project during undergrad. I was able to take my copy of The Starlit Wood and do a side-by-side comparison to see what changes Liu had made, which was a fun experience.
As with most anthologies, I didn't love all of the stories, but I enjoyed enough of them that I wholeheartedly recommend this collection to fans of speculative fiction. Whether you're interested in bone witches, Lex Luthor fan fiction, or Amish vampires, you'll find something here to enjoy!
I'd only read one of the stories before, when it was featured in The Starlit Wood anthology. "The Briar and the Rose" is near and dear to my heart, as it was one of the tales I included in my senior year capstone project during undergrad. I was able to take my copy of The Starlit Wood and do a side-by-side comparison to see what changes Liu had made, which was a fun experience.
As with most anthologies, I didn't love all of the stories, but I enjoyed enough of them that I wholeheartedly recommend this collection to fans of speculative fiction. Whether you're interested in bone witches, Lex Luthor fan fiction, or Amish vampires, you'll find something here to enjoy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gore
Moderate: Suicide and Rape
doomham's review
dark
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Rape and Suicide
adancewithbooks's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
Thank you to Tachyon Publications and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
Tw/CW: Rape | Miscarriage | Mentions of suicide | Animal Death
I first heard of Marjorie Liu because of the comic Monstress that I am a fan of. So when I saw this gorgeous cover and a story collection by her hand, I knew I had to request.
At first I wasn't sure how I felt about this collection. The first two stories certainly didn't grab me like I thought they would but then the story Call her Savage came around and I fell quite in love with how this story was told. And that continued on with the rest of the stories in this collection. Most of the stories have a fairytale like feel and some are even inspired by some of them. There are always strong woman and a lot of diversity to go around, making this a very solid and strong collection as a whole.
Sympathy for the Bones | 3,5 stars
In itself this is a very interesting and creepy story about voodoo. But personally could have done with a bit more of wickedness in Ruth than we got in the story. I just didn't quite feel the fear we were meant to I guess.
The Briar and the Rose | 3 stars
This is a sleeping beauty retelling with quite a bit of a dark twist with a saphic romance. Unfortunately I didn't quite care about the characters.
Call her Savage | 5 stars
This story is set in an alternate China-Britain. It follows a soldier who was trained as a weapon from birth and retired in her own way. But when war threatens, reappears. The politics and the whole interactions just completely drew me in.
The Last Dignity of Man | 4 stars
This was an interesting play on Superman. Our mc is trying to be Lex Luther which is kind of ridiculous on its own. The whole story is really, but then there are the underlaying emotions of loneliness that come through.
Where the Heart Lives | 5 stars
This fairytale story was everything I like to see in a whimsical kind of story. The magical forest one has to stay away with. The orphans taken in by a woman on her own. I just loved all the aspects and I would love to read more about them.
After the Blood | 3,5 stars
A story about humans becoming vampires after a virus. I really liked the idea and the characters but it got confusing in parts.
Tangleroot Palace | 4 stars
This story takes the typical tale of a princess running away from an arranged marriage into a lovely tale about magic and things not being what you think they are. And again, a magical forest. I love those.
Tw/CW: Rape | Miscarriage | Mentions of suicide | Animal Death
I first heard of Marjorie Liu because of the comic Monstress that I am a fan of. So when I saw this gorgeous cover and a story collection by her hand, I knew I had to request.
At first I wasn't sure how I felt about this collection. The first two stories certainly didn't grab me like I thought they would but then the story Call her Savage came around and I fell quite in love with how this story was told. And that continued on with the rest of the stories in this collection. Most of the stories have a fairytale like feel and some are even inspired by some of them. There are always strong woman and a lot of diversity to go around, making this a very solid and strong collection as a whole.
Sympathy for the Bones | 3,5 stars
In itself this is a very interesting and creepy story about voodoo. But personally could have done with a bit more of wickedness in Ruth than we got in the story. I just didn't quite feel the fear we were meant to I guess.
The Briar and the Rose | 3 stars
This is a sleeping beauty retelling with quite a bit of a dark twist with a saphic romance. Unfortunately I didn't quite care about the characters.
Call her Savage | 5 stars
This story is set in an alternate China-Britain. It follows a soldier who was trained as a weapon from birth and retired in her own way. But when war threatens, reappears. The politics and the whole interactions just completely drew me in.
The Last Dignity of Man | 4 stars
This was an interesting play on Superman. Our mc is trying to be Lex Luther which is kind of ridiculous on its own. The whole story is really, but then there are the underlaying emotions of loneliness that come through.
Where the Heart Lives | 5 stars
This fairytale story was everything I like to see in a whimsical kind of story. The magical forest one has to stay away with. The orphans taken in by a woman on her own. I just loved all the aspects and I would love to read more about them.
After the Blood | 3,5 stars
A story about humans becoming vampires after a virus. I really liked the idea and the characters but it got confusing in parts.
Tangleroot Palace | 4 stars
This story takes the typical tale of a princess running away from an arranged marriage into a lovely tale about magic and things not being what you think they are. And again, a magical forest. I love those.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Suicide, Miscarriage, and Animal death
More...