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maaikereadsbooks_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Many thanks to Head of Zeus and Kelly Link for the advanced copy of White Cat, Black Dog via NetGalley, in return for my honest and unbiased review. Quick note: I don’t recap plots in my reviews, as it’s easy enough to read the book’s synopsis and blurbs, I purely focus on my feelings & opinions of how the books makes me feel.
This collection of 7 short stories was, for me, a mixed bag. Some were great (Skinder’s Veil being my favourite) and some were not so much (The White Cat’s Divorce). I am puzzled by the choices the editors made for the order of the stories, as I feel the weakest story was used to open the book, and it almost caused me to put the book down entirely and not read the remaining six.
It should be noted that, as the blurb states, these are not retellings, but stories inspired by fairy tales and folk tales. Not much of the original/classic tale is left in these stories, although the general gist is still there.
An interesting collection of stories, which will appeal to a range of genre interests.
Trigger warnings: Blood/Gore, Death, Drugs, Infidelity, Murder
Rating 3.75/5 rounded up to 4
Graphic: Drug use
Moderate: Body horror, Infidelity, and Blood
Minor: Murder and Death
kelseyr713's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I adore Kelly Link, and loved almost all of these stories (I did not quite parse or connect with The Game of Smash and Recovery). The rest, though, are brilliant. I love her voice and playfulness, along with the sense of wonder I get from reading her stories. An excellent collection.
Moderate: Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Violence
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