Scan barcode
nutshell's review against another edition
Though I knew it wasn't all by Neil Gaiman I was still interested in discovering new authors from this collection, but unfortunately I only enjoyed two of the stories and the only reason I did was probably because they had something to do with beasts.
melsdown's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful collection of short stories by authors familiar and new.
ginger_introvert's review against another edition
3.0
I'd rather give it two and half stars, a lot of hit and miss stories for me.
cassandrasoley's review against another edition
4.0
Ink splat story
By Gahan Wilson (5 stars)
This was such a great story to start the book, it got me hooked and made me decide to read the rest of the book. I loved the mysterious ending and I loved how it left me using my own imagination. What the heck was that black dot?
The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees (5 stars)
By E. Lily Yu
Another absolute gem in this anthology. I loved the imagination that went into the storyline behind these wasps and bees. The story maybe felt a bit fragmented and I found myself filling in a lot of blanks, but I actually really liked that.
The Griffin and the Minor Canon
By Frank R. Stockton (4 stars)
I thought this story had a great premise. A vain Griffin coming to see a statue of his likeness, but I really didn’t understand his motivation for sticking around or his fascination with the Minor Canon. The story fell a bit short for me, but it was still interesting and well written.
Ozioma the Wicked
By Nnedi Okorafor (4 stars)
This story was cute, I thought it might have been too short though and could have used a little back story. Ozioma was feared and disliked because she was thought to be a witch. I liked the story, but it just fell a bit short as I didn’t really understand the tree. It could have used a little more back story.
Sunbird
By Neil Gaiman (5 stars)
Loved, loved, loved this story. So this was actually my first ever Neil Gaiman story and it has motivated me to try more. It was funny, interesting, and just plain weird all at once. Perfection.
The Sage of Theare
By Diana Wynne Jones (3 stars)
I found myself a little lost at the start of this story, but the ending pulled it together quite nicely. I would say, if you’re bored at the start… Finish it, it all makes sense in the end.
Gabriel-Ernest
By Saki (No stars)
I honestly cannot remember this story. I will not include it in my rating.
The Cockatoucan; or, Great-Aunt Willoughby
By E. Nesbit (1 star)
This story was borrrrring. I didn’t even finish it, just really not my taste at all. I thought each sentence was trying too hard to be weird.
Moveable Beast
By Maria Dahvana Headley (5 stars)
I probably wouldn’t have given this 5 stars if it wasn’t for the fact that the concept of the story was just so darn interesting. A beast lives in the woods… Sounds pretty straight forward, but it’s so much more than that. I really enjoyed it.
The Flight of the Horse
By Larry Niven (5 stars)
Amusing, funny, and well written. What else could you ask for? I love time travelling stories, and this did not disappoint.
Prismatica
By Samuel R. Delany (1 star)
I didn’t even finish this story, just completely not my style. I thought it was entirely too long as well, I feel like if they fleshed it out more it would be a better story (Then it would probably be a novella, not short story). Just trying too hard, and not hard enough all at the same time.
The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me
By Megan Kurashige (3 stars)
Cute story, I liked how strange it all was. But the story arc fell a bit flat for me.
The Compleat Werewolf
By Anthony Boucher (3 stars)
This wasn’t a bad story, but it wasn’t excellent. I just don’t think I’m much of a werewolf fan. The story was funny though, I wish the ending was different. It could have been more like a Roald Dahl (this is not a happy ending) type… But it fell short.
The Smile on the Face
By Nalo Hopkinson (4 stars)
I liked this story a lot, it was interesting and kept me turning the page. The one thing I didn’t like was the writing style. Which lost it one star.
Or All the Seas with Oysters
By Avram Davidson (5 stars)
I found myself confused at the end of this story, but for some reason that worked in its favor. It was funny, and weird, and a bit a horrific.
Come Lady Death
By Peter S. Beagle (5 stars)
What a great ending to an anthology. Well done!
By Gahan Wilson (5 stars)
This was such a great story to start the book, it got me hooked and made me decide to read the rest of the book. I loved the mysterious ending and I loved how it left me using my own imagination. What the heck was that black dot?
The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees (5 stars)
By E. Lily Yu
Another absolute gem in this anthology. I loved the imagination that went into the storyline behind these wasps and bees. The story maybe felt a bit fragmented and I found myself filling in a lot of blanks, but I actually really liked that.
The Griffin and the Minor Canon
By Frank R. Stockton (4 stars)
I thought this story had a great premise. A vain Griffin coming to see a statue of his likeness, but I really didn’t understand his motivation for sticking around or his fascination with the Minor Canon. The story fell a bit short for me, but it was still interesting and well written.
Ozioma the Wicked
By Nnedi Okorafor (4 stars)
This story was cute, I thought it might have been too short though and could have used a little back story. Ozioma was feared and disliked because she was thought to be a witch. I liked the story, but it just fell a bit short as I didn’t really understand the tree. It could have used a little more back story.
Sunbird
By Neil Gaiman (5 stars)
Loved, loved, loved this story. So this was actually my first ever Neil Gaiman story and it has motivated me to try more. It was funny, interesting, and just plain weird all at once. Perfection.
The Sage of Theare
By Diana Wynne Jones (3 stars)
I found myself a little lost at the start of this story, but the ending pulled it together quite nicely. I would say, if you’re bored at the start… Finish it, it all makes sense in the end.
Gabriel-Ernest
By Saki (No stars)
I honestly cannot remember this story. I will not include it in my rating.
The Cockatoucan; or, Great-Aunt Willoughby
By E. Nesbit (1 star)
This story was borrrrring. I didn’t even finish it, just really not my taste at all. I thought each sentence was trying too hard to be weird.
Moveable Beast
By Maria Dahvana Headley (5 stars)
I probably wouldn’t have given this 5 stars if it wasn’t for the fact that the concept of the story was just so darn interesting. A beast lives in the woods… Sounds pretty straight forward, but it’s so much more than that. I really enjoyed it.
The Flight of the Horse
By Larry Niven (5 stars)
Amusing, funny, and well written. What else could you ask for? I love time travelling stories, and this did not disappoint.
Prismatica
By Samuel R. Delany (1 star)
I didn’t even finish this story, just completely not my style. I thought it was entirely too long as well, I feel like if they fleshed it out more it would be a better story (Then it would probably be a novella, not short story). Just trying too hard, and not hard enough all at the same time.
The Manticore, the Mermaid, and Me
By Megan Kurashige (3 stars)
Cute story, I liked how strange it all was. But the story arc fell a bit flat for me.
The Compleat Werewolf
By Anthony Boucher (3 stars)
This wasn’t a bad story, but it wasn’t excellent. I just don’t think I’m much of a werewolf fan. The story was funny though, I wish the ending was different. It could have been more like a Roald Dahl (this is not a happy ending) type… But it fell short.
The Smile on the Face
By Nalo Hopkinson (4 stars)
I liked this story a lot, it was interesting and kept me turning the page. The one thing I didn’t like was the writing style. Which lost it one star.
Or All the Seas with Oysters
By Avram Davidson (5 stars)
I found myself confused at the end of this story, but for some reason that worked in its favor. It was funny, and weird, and a bit a horrific.
Come Lady Death
By Peter S. Beagle (5 stars)
What a great ending to an anthology. Well done!
jasmiinaf's review against another edition
4.0
Solid four. This is a great story collection and there was only one story that got only two stars from me (Larry Niven's "The Flight of The Horse"). It'd make too long list if I said all my favourite stories, but I liked the stories with interesting main characters a lot, like Nalo Hopkinson's "The Smile on The Face" had an amazing main character. I also liked Frank R. Stockton's "The Griffin and The Minor Canon" because it was such a cute little fairytale which made me happy. A great collection of unnatural creatures.
merskishells's review against another edition
2.0
I expected to like this book more than I did. Some of the stories are interesting or have twists that were very fun and thought-provoking. I especially liked the very last story "Come, Lady Death".
However, too many of the stories failed to hold my attention, or they were just TOO strange. i love strangeness in my stories, but this book taught me that even i have a level.
anyway, i won't say don't read it, because i do think it's at least worth a chance, but maybe don't go into it expecting to be blown away.
However, too many of the stories failed to hold my attention, or they were just TOO strange. i love strangeness in my stories, but this book taught me that even i have a level.
anyway, i won't say don't read it, because i do think it's at least worth a chance, but maybe don't go into it expecting to be blown away.
elinema's review against another edition
3.0
This is a collection of stories. Most of them are not by Gaiman himself. Some stories are fantastic, some stories are rather tedious in my opinion.
Points for including PoC stories.
Points for including PoC stories.
luna_rondo's review against another edition
2.0
There were sixteen stories and I really enjoyed five of them. The other 11 were pretty 'meh'.
courtacademia's review against another edition
3.0
All these stories are pretty good and interesting choices, but none to surpass the his literary eminence Neil Gaiman himself... but he liked these stories, so I liked them too.