Reviews

Jackalope Wives and Other Stories by T. Kingfisher

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being_b's review against another edition

5.0

I'd put off reading this because Kingfisher's writing always leaves me wishing I lived a more grounded and earthy kind of life, and was half as unapologetically myself as her female characters. I especially love how she writes older women. It's reminiscent of Pratchett's witches, but with more depth.

wheemsicott's review against another edition

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4.0

What a good time this was. I have no clue what to say about it as a whole--which is farcical considering how cohesive the stories felt--so I'll talk about each bit separately and hope to sound legible.

Godmother: The seed that sprouted Nettle & Bone!! I was chuffed to get to read it, but I have to admit the execution came out muddy. 3.5 ★

Jackalope Wives: God. I'm entranced. I'm obsessed, even. Nothing else to say. 5 ★

Wooden Feathers: The most fun part about this one was seeing how the same loose concept comes back in both Nettle & Bone and Paladin's Strenght. Fascinating, if mildly creepy. 4 ★

Editing: Hurt like a club to the head. 5 ★

Bird Bones: This one would've been so much better without the preachy tone. Also with a different title. 3 ★

That Time with Bob and the Unicorn: Didn't speak to my soul in any particular way, but the narrator cracked me up. 4 ★

Razorback: Gutwrenching. I will be thinking about that ending forever. 4.5 ★

The Dryad's Shoe: Funniest Cinderella retelling I've ever seen. 5 ★

Let Pass the Horses Black: The back and forth between past conversation and present action was a bit confusing; definitely took me out of the immersion a few times. Loved the twist though. 3.5 ★

This Vote Is Legally Binding: My exact mood every time a man looks at me. 4.5 ★

Telling the Bees: NGL I had forgotten about this one. It's cute but it also went right through me and out again. 2.5 ★

The Tomato Thief: I need another thousand stories about Grandma Harken and then a thousand more. 5 ★

In Questionable Taste: Afraid to say I didn't get it. It's probably on me. 2 ★

Origin Story: By far the creepiest of the bunch! I liked it, but I feel like I lacked some context to truly connect with it. 4 ★

Pocosin: This one made me so sad in a soothing sort of way. Yes that makes no sense, no I will not elaborate. 4.5 ★

It Was a Day: Didn't dig it--see the pattern with poetry?--until the last paragraph. That was good. 3.5 ★

TOTAL: 4 ★

thisqueerreadstoomuch's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

3.5

nataliereinhart's review

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

atelierofbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

If Flannery O'Connor wrote fairy tales I imagine they'd look a bit like this. That's how good the writing is. Eerie, deviant, bizarrely funny, and sometimes poignant.

I love the way T. Kingfisher writes her women. Wry, subversive...powerful for their refusal to be victimized and unapologetic about their age.

My favorites were The Dryad's Shoe, Bird Bones, Let Pass The Horses Black, and The Tomato Thief.

"Grandma Harken thought of herself as an old lady, because she was one. That she was tougher than tree roots and barbed wire did not matter. You did not steal an old lady’s tomatoes. It was rude, and also, she would destroy you."