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beesreadings's review against another edition
4.0
3.9/5
Black Cranes is a short story anthology written by Asian women and their gripping take on the stereotypes that they’ve seen their entire lives blended in with legends and myths and it didn’t disappoint. I didn’t read this book in one go. I took my time with each story and even though I clearly have favourites, each story left something stirring in me. I think this book is a take on horror literature at its best as every story punches you in the gut and makes you think, relate and dread. As an Asian woman myself, a lot of stuff in here was relatable, especially accepting and/or moving away from your culture and diaspora experiences. Would love to check out the writing of each author in this collection. All in all, this book was both a delightful and eerie read.
Black Cranes is a short story anthology written by Asian women and their gripping take on the stereotypes that they’ve seen their entire lives blended in with legends and myths and it didn’t disappoint. I didn’t read this book in one go. I took my time with each story and even though I clearly have favourites, each story left something stirring in me. I think this book is a take on horror literature at its best as every story punches you in the gut and makes you think, relate and dread. As an Asian woman myself, a lot of stuff in here was relatable, especially accepting and/or moving away from your culture and diaspora experiences. Would love to check out the writing of each author in this collection. All in all, this book was both a delightful and eerie read.
evavroslin's review against another edition
5.0
Alma Katsu's foreword at the beginning of this anthology is a gripping take on the stereotypes that Asian women have grappled with their entire lives, from the trope of being seen as subservient Geishas to the Dragon Lady, overtly sexualized, and the views of other problematic lenses. She speaks of depersonalization, of family expectations, waiting hand and foot on men in the family, the obligation to parents, but particularly expectations of daughters. This resonated deeply with me as my cultural background also contains many of the same expectations. In spite of all of this cultural weight, Katsu rightly points out that Asian women can be scientists, warrior princesses, fierce fighters, or vengeful spirits. "We can be many things. The only thing we can't be is defeated."
With this stunning introduction, we launch into one of the best horror anthologies of the year, and it sets an incredibly high benchmark. For horror fans who grumble that women "can't" write extreme horror or that women "can't" write scary stories, please shove this book into their faces because not only are the stories well-crafted, dark, and terrifying, they are unique, original, and follow unconventional storytelling patterns that are marvelous. These stories are exquisite and a testament to how many talented South Asian women are writing horror and dark fantasy--women with roots in Japan, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and more as well as the diasporas they're part of.
Rather than go through story by story and provide my gushing thoughts on how I adored so many of these stories, I want to encourage readers to discover the tales for themselves--to marvel at the unique mythologies, belief systems, and things that plague these characters. I do want to give a special mention -- having been a huge fan of Christina Sng's poetry for such a long time, it was a treat to see more of her long-form fiction, and her piece, "Fury," is impeccable. I do also want to call attention to "Phoenix Claws" by Lee Murray, which is my new favourite story by her. You have to discover for yourself why it's so unforgettable and horrific. I loved it, as well as her second piece, "Frangipani Wishes," which has a more sombre, tragic energy, and poetry mixed in. Definitely add this book to your TBR pile, because it will be one of the most memorable anthologies you'll read this year.
With this stunning introduction, we launch into one of the best horror anthologies of the year, and it sets an incredibly high benchmark. For horror fans who grumble that women "can't" write extreme horror or that women "can't" write scary stories, please shove this book into their faces because not only are the stories well-crafted, dark, and terrifying, they are unique, original, and follow unconventional storytelling patterns that are marvelous. These stories are exquisite and a testament to how many talented South Asian women are writing horror and dark fantasy--women with roots in Japan, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and more as well as the diasporas they're part of.
Rather than go through story by story and provide my gushing thoughts on how I adored so many of these stories, I want to encourage readers to discover the tales for themselves--to marvel at the unique mythologies, belief systems, and things that plague these characters. I do want to give a special mention -- having been a huge fan of Christina Sng's poetry for such a long time, it was a treat to see more of her long-form fiction, and her piece, "Fury," is impeccable. I do also want to call attention to "Phoenix Claws" by Lee Murray, which is my new favourite story by her. You have to discover for yourself why it's so unforgettable and horrific. I loved it, as well as her second piece, "Frangipani Wishes," which has a more sombre, tragic energy, and poetry mixed in. Definitely add this book to your TBR pile, because it will be one of the most memorable anthologies you'll read this year.
motherhorror's review
4.0
As the title suggests, these stories are about Southeast Asian women breaking down societal and cultural expectations. I enjoyed the themes of parental pressure, love and loss, motherhood, and self-actualization/identity. The beauty of this collection is in the diversity of the voices and the individuality and uniqueness of each story coming together in one book.
https://tornightfire.com/this-womans-work-7-works-of-feminist-horror/
https://tornightfire.com/this-womans-work-7-works-of-feminist-horror/
findingmontauk1's review
4.0
Black Cranes: Tales of Unquiet Women combines Asian women and horror in a dark and beautifully haunting way. I believe every group of people has their own "outsider" experiences and feelings... Asian women have had stereotypes of objectification, sexualization, depersonalization, submission, and more. This anthology explores all of those negative classifications and translates them into some brilliant stories. The anger and pain that Asian women carry, and have carried, finds itself in these pages. These stories are inspired by so many things: family, the future, folklore, food, legends, love, revenge, and so on. We see powerful Asian women in this book - and women I think the world should see more of, too! This is an anthology that will resonate with so many... and will need proper time to digest. It has a lot of important messages that need to be heard!