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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Like all short story collections, some of these stories were good and some of them were not so good. There were some stories in here that will definitely stick with me and were actually quite exceptional though:
-The Wedding Present: will be thinking about this for a while. Is the decision made at the end worth it and I would choose the same? Is it better to live a happy life or to never be lonely?
-The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories: just damn good storytelling and creativity.
-Mouse: this one made me think. It was quite a good and unique critique of anti-abortion policies and beliefs
-Murder Mysteries: Another one that made me think. Loved how it presented a reasoning for Lucifer's eventual rebellion as a side plot even though that wasn't the point of the story. Still debating with myself if all the characters are truly who they said they were, or who they thought they were.
-The Wedding Present: will be thinking about this for a while. Is the decision made at the end worth it and I would choose the same? Is it better to live a happy life or to never be lonely?
-The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories: just damn good storytelling and creativity.
-Mouse: this one made me think. It was quite a good and unique critique of anti-abortion policies and beliefs
-Murder Mysteries: Another one that made me think. Loved how it presented a reasoning for Lucifer's eventual rebellion as a side plot even though that wasn't the point of the story. Still debating with myself if all the characters are truly who they said they were, or who they thought they were.
Reading the Entrails - A Rondel about the pleasures and perils of fortune-telling - *****
The Wedding Present - A story included in the introduction - **** Leave it to Gaimain to not only hide a story in the introduction, but to make that story an updated version of The mOnkey's Paw and leave the reader perplexed, and in my case, anting to throttle the MC!
Chivalry - A story about the Holy Grail written for an anthology by Martin H. Greenberg - ****
This was hilarious! The idea is that a woman buys The Holy Grail (yes, that one) from a thrift shop, and refuses to part with it because it looks nice on her shelf.
Nicholas Was... - A very short story (100 words) used for a Christmas card - ***** Stephen King has been known to make these special holiday "cards" for his closest friends and family. I love the idea and only wish I was considered close enough to an author to get one!
The Price - on the subject of cats, angels, and an unwanted visitor - *****
I like this story, but it is one of the very few of his that I find scary. The idea that bad luck could be an entity is frightening and this cat protecting the story teller from it seems almost real. Very, very real as I read, a little less so in retrospect, but scary nonetheless.
Troll Bridge - An adult retelling of The Three Billy Goats Gruff written for the anthology Snow White, Blood Red by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling - *** I have this as a "children's" book, and while I don't love the story, listening hear made me "see" the illustrations in my mind, so I averaged for stars.
Don't Ask Jack - Inspired by a demonic jack-in-the-box sculpture by Lisa Snellings - ***
I guess I just didn't really get this one. The writing was good, and really, can Gaiman do that badly? But the story was meh.
The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories - A brief reflection on a certain pool containing a trio of goldfish - ***** I love this. It shouldn't work or make sense, and Gaiman warns us of this in his introduction, but somehow it simply does. There are a few stories being told here and it's up to each reader to decide which is the point. I would be happy if they were extracted and made two, but I am also okay with the way they are presented. It's the way the story came to him after all, and isn't that the process?
Eaten (Scenes from a Moving picture) - ***** Ick. And yuck. And all of the unpleasant feelings! But kudos to Gaiman for making me feel them so quickly and easily.
The White Road - A narrative poem retelling some old English folktales - *** Not my favorite.
Queen of Knives (for Eric Stern's opera of the same name see Queen of Knives) - A narrative poem about stage magic - ***** This is just fun. Is it a bit creepy? Yes, and it's so weird how Gaiman can write beautiful creepy, demented, erotic, everything and it all just works somehow.
The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch †‡ - A story about how a visit to an underground circus led to an unexpected change - ***
Changes - written for Lisa Tuttle about gender reflection - ***** All the stars. READ IT
The Daughter of Owls - Written in the style of John Aubrey - *** This makes me think I wouldn't have loved Aubrey, but I've never read him, so...
Shoggoth's Old Peculiar - A pastiche of H.P. Lovecraft in which a visitor arrives at a pub and partakes in a jovially mysterious conversation and an eldritch concoction - **** I don't care for Lovecraft. It's so strange because almost every author I love cites him as a major influence. I am always touched by the tales they say are specifically in his style, and yet the original does nothing for me.
Virus - Written for the anthology Digital Dreams by David Barrett about computer fiction - ***** This is a must read for anyone that ever had video game playing children. Or played video games themselves. Or is addicted to Wizards Unit. *cough cough*
Looking for the Girl - Commissioned by Penthouse for their 20th anniversary issue - ***** This is a gorgeous story. Again, it shouldn't work. It makes little to no sense and yet it just breathes off the page. Or in the ears as the case may be.
Only the End of the World Again - ** Meh
Bay Wolf - A story poem retelling Beowulf as a futuristic episode of Baywatch - ** Again, meh.
Fifteen Painted Cards from a Vampire Tarot † - A series of short stories titled by each card of the Major Arcana - *** Weird, funny, odd, all sorts of descriptions can be applied.
We Can Get Them For You Wholesale - An assassin's tale - ***** This is scary. I mean really, really scary. It's like death logic taken to its utmost extreme! This is how people convince themselves to do truly evil things.
One Life, Furnished in Early Moorcock - Written for an anthology of Elric stories by Michael Moorcock - **** This was a great read. It gave us a glimpse into the internal mechanism of a boy becoming a man. I am always shocked when Gaiman writes anything about sex, and was no less so for the few instances here, but they were simply cogs in the workings of the tale.
Cold Colors - Inspired by computers and black magic - **** Another poem. Gaiman is one of the few authors who writes poetry I enjoy.
The Sweeper of Dreams - Inspired by a Lisa Snellings statue - ***** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPnsdSgXf0U
Foreign Parts - **** Again with a bit of sex. Maybe not sex, but private stuff! This was scary on a smoothly twisting kind of plane. Gaiman twisted the screw a bit tighter with each paragraph until I found myself holding my breath near the end.
Vampire Sestina - A poem originally published in Fantasy Tales and later reprinted in the Mammoth Book of Vampires by Stephen Jones - ***** Vampires! Well, vampire, in the singular.
Mouse - A short story inspired by Raymond Carver and written for Touch Wood, edited by Pete Crowther - ***** I think Gaiman is pro-choice, and this is simply his way of externalizing internal feelings for someone else's choice. It's cleverly constructed to make the reader question their understanding.
The Sea Change - ***** This was a fantastic narrative poem. Young men should heed their mother's advice!
How Do You Think It Feels? †‡ - A man recalls his first sexual encounter with a supernatural twist - ***** The MC is a dirtbag. Gaiman goes to great pains to make sure we, the readers, know this. He then proceeds to write a story where said dirtbag feels sorry for himself. I like that Gaiman can show us how HE feels, and wants US to feel, and still tell the character's story.
When We Went to See the End of the World by Dawnie Morningside, age 11¼ - A brief short told from the point-of-view of a young child at what might be the very last picnic her family will ever have - ***** Dawnie was a hoot! I love when writers can write in the voice of a child and still be completely genuine and believable. Gaiman did that perfectly here.
Desert Wind - Written for Robin Anders of Boiled in Lead to accompany one of his tracks
Tastings - Included in the anthology of erotic fantasy stories, Sirens by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling - *** This isn't fantastic and also isn't horrible.
In the End †* - A reversal of the story of the Genesis Creative Narrative -
Babycakes - Written to include in a benefit for PETA - ***** Gross! But, oh so prophetic. Man always finds something to dominate, Lord over and experiment on.
Murder Mysteries - A detective story written for the anthology Midnight Graffiti by Jessie Horsting - ***** Gaiman could have given Chandler a run for his money!
Snow, Glass, Apples - A familiar story told from a different perspective - **** This is great story telling. When you take the traditional, the trope, and turn it on its ear in such a way that the reader questions all tradition and trope.
The Wedding Present - A story included in the introduction - **** Leave it to Gaimain to not only hide a story in the introduction, but to make that story an updated version of The mOnkey's Paw and leave the reader perplexed, and in my case, anting to throttle the MC!
Chivalry - A story about the Holy Grail written for an anthology by Martin H. Greenberg - ****
This was hilarious! The idea is that a woman buys The Holy Grail (yes, that one) from a thrift shop, and refuses to part with it because it looks nice on her shelf.
Nicholas Was... - A very short story (100 words) used for a Christmas card - ***** Stephen King has been known to make these special holiday "cards" for his closest friends and family. I love the idea and only wish I was considered close enough to an author to get one!
The Price - on the subject of cats, angels, and an unwanted visitor - *****
I like this story, but it is one of the very few of his that I find scary. The idea that bad luck could be an entity is frightening and this cat protecting the story teller from it seems almost real. Very, very real as I read, a little less so in retrospect, but scary nonetheless.
Troll Bridge - An adult retelling of The Three Billy Goats Gruff written for the anthology Snow White, Blood Red by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling - *** I have this as a "children's" book, and while I don't love the story, listening hear made me "see" the illustrations in my mind, so I averaged for stars.
Don't Ask Jack - Inspired by a demonic jack-in-the-box sculpture by Lisa Snellings - ***
I guess I just didn't really get this one. The writing was good, and really, can Gaiman do that badly? But the story was meh.
The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories - A brief reflection on a certain pool containing a trio of goldfish - ***** I love this. It shouldn't work or make sense, and Gaiman warns us of this in his introduction, but somehow it simply does. There are a few stories being told here and it's up to each reader to decide which is the point. I would be happy if they were extracted and made two, but I am also okay with the way they are presented. It's the way the story came to him after all, and isn't that the process?
Eaten (Scenes from a Moving picture) - ***** Ick. And yuck. And all of the unpleasant feelings! But kudos to Gaiman for making me feel them so quickly and easily.
The White Road - A narrative poem retelling some old English folktales - *** Not my favorite.
Queen of Knives (for Eric Stern's opera of the same name see Queen of Knives) - A narrative poem about stage magic - ***** This is just fun. Is it a bit creepy? Yes, and it's so weird how Gaiman can write beautiful creepy, demented, erotic, everything and it all just works somehow.
The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch †‡ - A story about how a visit to an underground circus led to an unexpected change - ***
Changes - written for Lisa Tuttle about gender reflection - ***** All the stars. READ IT
The Daughter of Owls - Written in the style of John Aubrey - *** This makes me think I wouldn't have loved Aubrey, but I've never read him, so...
Shoggoth's Old Peculiar - A pastiche of H.P. Lovecraft in which a visitor arrives at a pub and partakes in a jovially mysterious conversation and an eldritch concoction - **** I don't care for Lovecraft. It's so strange because almost every author I love cites him as a major influence. I am always touched by the tales they say are specifically in his style, and yet the original does nothing for me.
Virus - Written for the anthology Digital Dreams by David Barrett about computer fiction - ***** This is a must read for anyone that ever had video game playing children. Or played video games themselves. Or is addicted to Wizards Unit. *cough cough*
Looking for the Girl - Commissioned by Penthouse for their 20th anniversary issue - ***** This is a gorgeous story. Again, it shouldn't work. It makes little to no sense and yet it just breathes off the page. Or in the ears as the case may be.
Only the End of the World Again - ** Meh
Bay Wolf - A story poem retelling Beowulf as a futuristic episode of Baywatch - ** Again, meh.
Fifteen Painted Cards from a Vampire Tarot † - A series of short stories titled by each card of the Major Arcana - *** Weird, funny, odd, all sorts of descriptions can be applied.
We Can Get Them For You Wholesale - An assassin's tale - ***** This is scary. I mean really, really scary. It's like death logic taken to its utmost extreme! This is how people convince themselves to do truly evil things.
One Life, Furnished in Early Moorcock - Written for an anthology of Elric stories by Michael Moorcock - **** This was a great read. It gave us a glimpse into the internal mechanism of a boy becoming a man. I am always shocked when Gaiman writes anything about sex, and was no less so for the few instances here, but they were simply cogs in the workings of the tale.
Cold Colors - Inspired by computers and black magic - **** Another poem. Gaiman is one of the few authors who writes poetry I enjoy.
The Sweeper of Dreams - Inspired by a Lisa Snellings statue - ***** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPnsdSgXf0U
Foreign Parts - **** Again with a bit of sex. Maybe not sex, but private stuff! This was scary on a smoothly twisting kind of plane. Gaiman twisted the screw a bit tighter with each paragraph until I found myself holding my breath near the end.
Vampire Sestina - A poem originally published in Fantasy Tales and later reprinted in the Mammoth Book of Vampires by Stephen Jones - ***** Vampires! Well, vampire, in the singular.
Mouse - A short story inspired by Raymond Carver and written for Touch Wood, edited by Pete Crowther - ***** I think Gaiman is pro-choice, and this is simply his way of externalizing internal feelings for someone else's choice. It's cleverly constructed to make the reader question their understanding.
The Sea Change - ***** This was a fantastic narrative poem. Young men should heed their mother's advice!
How Do You Think It Feels? †‡ - A man recalls his first sexual encounter with a supernatural twist - ***** The MC is a dirtbag. Gaiman goes to great pains to make sure we, the readers, know this. He then proceeds to write a story where said dirtbag feels sorry for himself. I like that Gaiman can show us how HE feels, and wants US to feel, and still tell the character's story.
When We Went to See the End of the World by Dawnie Morningside, age 11¼ - A brief short told from the point-of-view of a young child at what might be the very last picnic her family will ever have - ***** Dawnie was a hoot! I love when writers can write in the voice of a child and still be completely genuine and believable. Gaiman did that perfectly here.
Desert Wind - Written for Robin Anders of Boiled in Lead to accompany one of his tracks
Tastings - Included in the anthology of erotic fantasy stories, Sirens by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling - *** This isn't fantastic and also isn't horrible.
In the End †* - A reversal of the story of the Genesis Creative Narrative -
Babycakes - Written to include in a benefit for PETA - ***** Gross! But, oh so prophetic. Man always finds something to dominate, Lord over and experiment on.
Murder Mysteries - A detective story written for the anthology Midnight Graffiti by Jessie Horsting - ***** Gaiman could have given Chandler a run for his money!
Snow, Glass, Apples - A familiar story told from a different perspective - **** This is great story telling. When you take the traditional, the trope, and turn it on its ear in such a way that the reader questions all tradition and trope.
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Blood