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averhallen's review
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
charlywarlywoo's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
humblebee20's review
2.0
Super cool premise, super disappointing execution. I love fairytales and this modern/unconventional collection of retellings and reimaginings sounded like a fun quick read. The cover was cute and the first story was alright, but as I kept going, I found the stories to drag on without any real substance. Why any of these stories were longer than ten pages at most was beyond me. That and each story felt like it had been written and then attached to a fairytale that seemed "close enough". I struggled to relate them to the stories they were inspired by; honestly most of them just had fairytale writing tropes sprinkled in. Otherwise they feel like so many other forgettable adult short stories that are so vague they forget to be compelling.
If you do feel interested in this book, just read the story about the White Road and maybe the last one. I'm sorry, but even the nice queer relationships couldn't save this slog of a book.
If you do feel interested in this book, just read the story about the White Road and maybe the last one. I'm sorry, but even the nice queer relationships couldn't save this slog of a book.
lcfreddy's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
much_ado_about_mothman's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
cat_herine's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
3.75
shehtaz's review against another edition
3.0
It would have been helpful to know the tales the author was alluding to. I also realized after reading this book that I do not like speculative fiction.
cpq's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
suvata's review against another edition
3.0
#OUABC 2023 Reading Challenge: 40 Prompts (31. Short story or essay collection)
#StoryGraph: fiction literary short-stories dark mysterious reflective magical-realism retelling
272 pages • first pub 2023 • 3.5 Stars
I’m huge fan of Kelly Link and have read all of her books. This collection was my least favorite but still very good. Magical-realism with a pinch of horror.
DESCRIPTION
Seven ingeniously reinvented fairy tales that play out with astonishing consequences in the modern world, from one of today’s finest short story writers—MacArthur “Genius Grant” fellow Kelly Link, bestselling author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist Get in Trouble
Finding seeds of inspiration in the Brothers Grimm, seventeenth-century French lore, and Scottish ballads, Kelly Link spins classic fairy tales into utterly original stories of seekers—characters on the hunt for love, connection, revenge, or their own sense of purpose.
In “The White Cat’s Divorce,” an aging billionaire sends his three sons on a series of absurd goose chases to decide which child will become his heir. In “The Girl Who Did Not Know Fear,” a professor with a delicate health condition becomes stranded for days in an airport hotel after a conference, desperate to get home to her wife and young daughter, and in acute danger of being late for an appointment that cannot be missed. In “Skinder’s Veil,” a young man agrees to take over a remote house-sitting gig for a friend. But what should be a chance to focus on his long-avoided dissertation instead becomes a wildly unexpected journey, as the house seems to be a portal for otherworldly travelers—or perhaps a door into his own mysterious psyche.
Twisting and turning in astonishing ways, expertly blending realism and the speculative, witty, empathetic, and never predictable—these stories remind us once again of why Kelly Link is incomparable in the realm of short fiction.
#StoryGraph: fiction literary short-stories dark mysterious reflective magical-realism retelling
272 pages • first pub 2023 • 3.5 Stars
I’m huge fan of Kelly Link and have read all of her books. This collection was my least favorite but still very good. Magical-realism with a pinch of horror.
DESCRIPTION
Seven ingeniously reinvented fairy tales that play out with astonishing consequences in the modern world, from one of today’s finest short story writers—MacArthur “Genius Grant” fellow Kelly Link, bestselling author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist Get in Trouble
Finding seeds of inspiration in the Brothers Grimm, seventeenth-century French lore, and Scottish ballads, Kelly Link spins classic fairy tales into utterly original stories of seekers—characters on the hunt for love, connection, revenge, or their own sense of purpose.
In “The White Cat’s Divorce,” an aging billionaire sends his three sons on a series of absurd goose chases to decide which child will become his heir. In “The Girl Who Did Not Know Fear,” a professor with a delicate health condition becomes stranded for days in an airport hotel after a conference, desperate to get home to her wife and young daughter, and in acute danger of being late for an appointment that cannot be missed. In “Skinder’s Veil,” a young man agrees to take over a remote house-sitting gig for a friend. But what should be a chance to focus on his long-avoided dissertation instead becomes a wildly unexpected journey, as the house seems to be a portal for otherworldly travelers—or perhaps a door into his own mysterious psyche.
Twisting and turning in astonishing ways, expertly blending realism and the speculative, witty, empathetic, and never predictable—these stories remind us once again of why Kelly Link is incomparable in the realm of short fiction.