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missprint_'s review
3.0
Some notes instead of a full review:
It’s not The Queen’s Thief but it’s charming. Loved the first story with the leprechaun. Second story was an okay riff on the Brave little tailor.
Very much liked "The Factory" which is a solid ghost story.
"The NGA Portraits" might have been my favorite story. It was just perfection and I loved how it ends with "What you believe is up to you."
"Instead of three wishes was awesome. I can see why it became the title story. Also the mother is in a wheelchair. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen a story with a disabled parent. I’m very moved. The only way it could have been better is if Mechamel and Selene had fallen in love.
The nightmare story would have been improved by a teachable moment.
The Baker king was okay. I can see it forming future pieces of the Thief books.
A fun collection. Not one I think I need to own but entertaining.
It’s not The Queen’s Thief but it’s charming. Loved the first story with the leprechaun. Second story was an okay riff on the Brave little tailor.
Very much liked "The Factory" which is a solid ghost story.
"The NGA Portraits" might have been my favorite story. It was just perfection and I loved how it ends with "What you believe is up to you."
"Instead of three wishes was awesome. I can see why it became the title story. Also the mother is in a wheelchair. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen a story with a disabled parent. I’m very moved. The only way it could have been better is if Mechamel and Selene had fallen in love.
The nightmare story would have been improved by a teachable moment.
The Baker king was okay. I can see it forming future pieces of the Thief books.
A fun collection. Not one I think I need to own but entertaining.
chava_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
margaret_j_c's review
3.0
finally got my mitts on this one, thanks to faith (you are my rock faith) and the event of my birthday.
it was good. not incredible, but good. an overwhelming sense of potential pervades the book, a potential which came to fruition in the thief but especially in the queen of attolia. a few of the stories were nearly in the very good range, especially the one from which the title was taken and the baker king. what i thought most interesting was that each story had, in itself, the potential to become something longer if given the opportunity. it makes me wonder if the thief began as another attempt at a short story before shrugging off the restrictions and becoming a newbery-award-winning novel.
there are a few similarities to eugenides' world in these stories. there are traces of megan's famous pull-the-rug-out-from-under-you plot-twists (which she has now honed to a fine art), the youth-centricity of her stories, and her almost deadpan sense of humor. the last story even takes place in a grecian setting.
overall, it was kind of like reading a concept draft for her novels, or like the earliest of ideas pitched to a publisher. being the fan of mwt that i am, it was a fascinating glimpse into what pre-thief megan was writing. this was her first attempt at fiction, and all things considered it's not half-bad.
.....did i just write an actual review? i rather think i did.
reread: 4/17
even more delightful this go round. i found a greater appreciation for the structure and execution of each story individually. this is not just a precursor to her novel-length fiction, they are worthy stories all on their own.
it was good. not incredible, but good. an overwhelming sense of potential pervades the book, a potential which came to fruition in the thief but especially in the queen of attolia. a few of the stories were nearly in the very good range, especially the one from which the title was taken and the baker king. what i thought most interesting was that each story had, in itself, the potential to become something longer if given the opportunity. it makes me wonder if the thief began as another attempt at a short story before shrugging off the restrictions and becoming a newbery-award-winning novel.
there are a few similarities to eugenides' world in these stories. there are traces of megan's famous pull-the-rug-out-from-under-you plot-twists (which she has now honed to a fine art), the youth-centricity of her stories, and her almost deadpan sense of humor. the last story even takes place in a grecian setting.
overall, it was kind of like reading a concept draft for her novels, or like the earliest of ideas pitched to a publisher. being the fan of mwt that i am, it was a fascinating glimpse into what pre-thief megan was writing. this was her first attempt at fiction, and all things considered it's not half-bad.
.....did i just write an actual review? i rather think i did.
reread: 4/17
even more delightful this go round. i found a greater appreciation for the structure and execution of each story individually. this is not just a precursor to her novel-length fiction, they are worthy stories all on their own.
losthitsu's review
4.0
Perhaps not the most memorable fantasy short story collection but it was still heartwarming, and it's always interesting to see the early writing of a much-loved author.
kwugirl's review
2.0
The elf story is the strongest one, but the others were a bit uneven, a little predictable, and didn't hang together as a collection all that well. Not necessarily satisfying if you've been re-reading The Queen's Thief books recently and just wanted more of that (HYPOTHETICALLY).
rozarka's review
4.0
It's not groundbreaking or overly original, just cozy and nice and it made me smile.
quietjenn's review
4.0
good short story collections for kids are few and far between, in my experience. this one totally qualifies.
allison_r's review
3.0
A Plague of Leprechaun: 2 stars. Not a bad concept, but much, much too short for the reader to have any emotional reaction to the events beyond polite interest.
Leroy Roachbane: 2 stars. Virtually the same as the first. Clever concept, half-hearted execution.
The Factory: 2.5 stars, tentatively. Morally incorrect, but fascinating and kind of sweet at the same time.
Aunt Charlotte and the NGA Portraits: 3 stars. The story was fun and creative, but since the reader was hearing it second-hand, the interruptions took away from the flow somewhat. (I don't dislike the telling-a-story premise, but it was overused here.)
Instead of Three Wishes: 5 stars. Utterly enchanting. It made me giggle! I loved the concept of an elfin queen and her son forced to operate in modern society, when mortals no longer want the traditional rewards.
The Nightmare: 3 stars. Cute, kind of feel-good. Nothing special.
The Baker King: 5 stars!! This (and maybe Three Wishes) is the only story where you can see the roots of Attolia. It is not set in the same world, but it definitely has the same themes and culture. Absolutely loved it. : )
Average: 3.214 stars.
Leroy Roachbane: 2 stars. Virtually the same as the first. Clever concept, half-hearted execution.
The Factory: 2.5 stars, tentatively. Morally incorrect, but fascinating and kind of sweet at the same time.
Aunt Charlotte and the NGA Portraits: 3 stars. The story was fun and creative, but since the reader was hearing it second-hand, the interruptions took away from the flow somewhat. (I don't dislike the telling-a-story premise, but it was overused here.)
Instead of Three Wishes: 5 stars. Utterly enchanting. It made me giggle! I loved the concept of an elfin queen and her son forced to operate in modern society, when mortals no longer want the traditional rewards.
The Nightmare: 3 stars. Cute, kind of feel-good. Nothing special.
The Baker King: 5 stars!! This (and maybe Three Wishes) is the only story where you can see the roots of Attolia. It is not set in the same world, but it definitely has the same themes and culture. Absolutely loved it. : )
Average: 3.214 stars.
onemanbookclub's review against another edition
4.0
Check out my blog, One Man Book Club
The Value of a Star: Ratings Explained
Instead of Three Wishes
By: Megan Whalen Turner
My Rating: Four out of Five Stars
Best for: 14 and up
How does an author show off? They write short stories.
There's just something about a short story that warms my book-loving heart. Novels are an amazing feat, to be sure. But when an author fits an entire novel's worth of ideas, character development, and world building into 20 pages I can't help but feel a sense of awe. An author who can write amazing short stories is an author who can write anything.
Megan Whalen Turner is one of those. We already know that because The Queen's Thief is among the greatest stories of all time. But reading this collection of magical short stories solidified her place on my awesome shelf.
Each story in this collection includes the lovely pull-the-rug-out-from-under-you reveal at the end you might expect from the author of The Thief, and the subtle sprinkle of magic throughout is icing on the cake. Each one is perfectly charming and wonderfully readable. I enjoyed them all, but feel like giving a special call out to Aunt Charlotte and the NGA Portraits, Instead of Three Wishes, and The Baker King.
No content concerns at all, but I don't picture the 14 and under crowd really getting into them. I'll say best for 14 and up.
Happy Reading!
The Value of a Star: Ratings Explained
Instead of Three Wishes
By: Megan Whalen Turner
My Rating: Four out of Five Stars
Best for: 14 and up
How does an author show off? They write short stories.
There's just something about a short story that warms my book-loving heart. Novels are an amazing feat, to be sure. But when an author fits an entire novel's worth of ideas, character development, and world building into 20 pages I can't help but feel a sense of awe. An author who can write amazing short stories is an author who can write anything.
Megan Whalen Turner is one of those. We already know that because The Queen's Thief is among the greatest stories of all time. But reading this collection of magical short stories solidified her place on my awesome shelf.
Each story in this collection includes the lovely pull-the-rug-out-from-under-you reveal at the end you might expect from the author of The Thief, and the subtle sprinkle of magic throughout is icing on the cake. Each one is perfectly charming and wonderfully readable. I enjoyed them all, but feel like giving a special call out to Aunt Charlotte and the NGA Portraits, Instead of Three Wishes, and The Baker King.
No content concerns at all, but I don't picture the 14 and under crowd really getting into them. I'll say best for 14 and up.
Happy Reading!
iamnotamerryman's review
4.0
Quick read. After reading the author's other books, I was curious to see her short stories, and they were pretty enjoyable.