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sofipitch's review
dark
emotional
reflective
4.5
Overall pretty solid collection. In 2021 I set out to read a ton of myth retellings, which was right before the peak of the feminist myth retellings, and read a lot of bad books that burnt me out on the concept. I don't think I would have picked this up if there hadn't been so many good names in it. Even the ones I didn't like weren't bad just boring, either just a plain retelling (no original spin) or kind of confusing (Leckie I love you but what tf did I read?)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Cannibalism
kleonard's review against another edition
5.0
This is a superb collection of short stories that retell myths and legends from various cultures, including ancient Greece and Rome, India, Jewish tradition, and many more. I absolutely loved it--there are no weak stories here. Every one is interesting and well-written, and they all offer fantastic new takes on previously existing work. I recommend it highly for all readers of SFF and those who enjoy reworkings of traditional tales.
missbookiverse's review
4.0
Note to self: do not listen to anthologies via audiobook anymore! I just find it so hard to concentrate on the plot, probably because it always restarts and sometimes I miss a few lines and feel lost. I also had trouble remembering some of the stories after only 1 day. Nevertheless, this is a great collection of diverse stories. The authors come from many different backgrounds, which you can tell by their wide variety of myth choices. On the one hand, I was a little saddened to only be familiar with so few of the myths, on the other I loved that they did not retell the same old stories. An inclusion of the originals might have enhanced my reading enjoyment though. Apart from that there's a good mix of futuristic sci-fi stories and more traditional fantasy settings. I preferred the latter, of course.
__________________________________
Phantom of the Midway by Seanan McGuire 3/5
Neat carnival setting, a budding f/f romance, and a little twist towards the end.
The Justified by Ann Leckie 2/5
Too scifi and confusing (at least via audio) for my taste. The plot was decent though.
Fisher-Bird by T. Kingfisher 4/5
Very mythical and fable-like, which I loved.
A Brief Lesson in Native American Astronomy by Rebecca Roanhorse 3/5
Keeping dead people alive through your/their memories. Not bad but again: too scifi to my taste.
Bridge of Crows by JY Yang 4/5
Girl climbs mountain, has to give away her name. I just prefer the more traditional tales, this one had the perfect folklore feel to it.
Labbatu Takes Command of the Flagship Heaven Dwells Within by Arkady Martine 2/5
Frame narrative in which Labbatu's story is told. To be honest, I already forgot what happened in this one.
Wild to Covet by Sarah Gailey 4/5
Loved how old-fashioned this felt and that it gives voice and agency to a mythical female side character.
!Cuidado! !Que Viene El Coco! by Carlos Hernandes 4.5/5
This was great! I loved the mythical element because it was so weird and I had never heard of El Coco and the relationship between the couple and their communication with each other was excellent and heart-warming.
He Fell Howling by Stephen Graham Jones 4.5/5
So creepy to read from the perspective of this wolflike creature.
Curses like Words, like Feathers, like Stories 4/5
I really liked the cosy atmosphere but now that I think about it, I can't quite recall the plot... the narration was kind of disjointed.
Across the River by Leah Cypress 4/5
I had never heard of the myths surrounding the Sambaryon, so I enjoyed both, learning about the original mythology and the retelling of it.
Sysyphus in Elyisum by Jeffrey Ford 4/5
Great contemplation on the concept of eternity.
Kali_Na by Indrapramit Das 3/5
I enjoyed the Indian culture, including issues of race and the caste system. The virtual reality aspect was a great modern approach but not my cup of tea.
Live Stream by Alyssa Wong 4/5
Amazing how well it works to put the Artemis & Acteon myth into a modern setting including female gamers, cyber bullying, and sexual harassment.
Close Enough for Jazz by John Chu 3/5
Very diverse in terms of gender, race, and body type. Interesting angle of artificial body enhancement. Probably would've worked better for me in written format.
Buried Deep by Naomi Novik 3/5
My hopes for Novik's story were much higher, especially when I saw that she retold the story of Ariadne and the Minotaur. It didn't stray far enough from the original for my taste.
The Things Eric Eats Before He Eats Himself by Carmen Maria Machado 4/5
Weird and creepy and a little disgusting and I liked it. The title says it all.
Florilegia; or, Some Lies About Flowers by Amal El-Mohtar 4/5
Woman made of flowers, female agency, poison, what's not to like?
__________________________________
Phantom of the Midway by Seanan McGuire 3/5
Neat carnival setting, a budding f/f romance, and a little twist towards the end.
The Justified by Ann Leckie 2/5
Too scifi and confusing (at least via audio) for my taste. The plot was decent though.
Fisher-Bird by T. Kingfisher 4/5
Very mythical and fable-like, which I loved.
A Brief Lesson in Native American Astronomy by Rebecca Roanhorse 3/5
Keeping dead people alive through your/their memories. Not bad but again: too scifi to my taste.
Bridge of Crows by JY Yang 4/5
Girl climbs mountain, has to give away her name. I just prefer the more traditional tales, this one had the perfect folklore feel to it.
Labbatu Takes Command of the Flagship Heaven Dwells Within by Arkady Martine 2/5
Frame narrative in which Labbatu's story is told. To be honest, I already forgot what happened in this one.
Wild to Covet by Sarah Gailey 4/5
Loved how old-fashioned this felt and that it gives voice and agency to a mythical female side character.
!Cuidado! !Que Viene El Coco! by Carlos Hernandes 4.5/5
This was great! I loved the mythical element because it was so weird and I had never heard of El Coco and the relationship between the couple and their communication with each other was excellent and heart-warming.
He Fell Howling by Stephen Graham Jones 4.5/5
So creepy to read from the perspective of this wolflike creature.
Curses like Words, like Feathers, like Stories 4/5
I really liked the cosy atmosphere but now that I think about it, I can't quite recall the plot... the narration was kind of disjointed.
Across the River by Leah Cypress 4/5
I had never heard of the myths surrounding the Sambaryon, so I enjoyed both, learning about the original mythology and the retelling of it.
Sysyphus in Elyisum by Jeffrey Ford 4/5
Great contemplation on the concept of eternity.
Kali_Na by Indrapramit Das 3/5
I enjoyed the Indian culture, including issues of race and the caste system. The virtual reality aspect was a great modern approach but not my cup of tea.
Live Stream by Alyssa Wong 4/5
Amazing how well it works to put the Artemis & Acteon myth into a modern setting including female gamers, cyber bullying, and sexual harassment.
Close Enough for Jazz by John Chu 3/5
Very diverse in terms of gender, race, and body type. Interesting angle of artificial body enhancement. Probably would've worked better for me in written format.
Buried Deep by Naomi Novik 3/5
My hopes for Novik's story were much higher, especially when I saw that she retold the story of Ariadne and the Minotaur. It didn't stray far enough from the original for my taste.
The Things Eric Eats Before He Eats Himself by Carmen Maria Machado 4/5
Weird and creepy and a little disgusting and I liked it. The title says it all.
Florilegia; or, Some Lies About Flowers by Amal El-Mohtar 4/5
Woman made of flowers, female agency, poison, what's not to like?
e_l_smith's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall a fabulous collection. I wish a little recall of the myth being retold has been included though.
zngzag's review
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
katiegrrrl's review against another edition
5.0
I love short story collections and this one was great. Twists on classic myths from all over the world.
tigerlilly22's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 out 5 but rounded up
I liked or loved just about every story in this collection. I have some more new books to read from the authors too so hey, win-win.
I liked or loved just about every story in this collection. I have some more new books to read from the authors too so hey, win-win.
hywar's review against another edition
4.0
A collection of fantastic myth retellings, ranging in setting from ancient, present, and future, and with a highlighting focus on LGBT+ inclusion. Normally in an anthology like this, you'll find a range of weak to strong stories, but in this particular book, I couldn't peg any of them as being particularly weak. The stories are all short enough where you can read them in one sitting, partaking in a new myth whether you are drinking your early morning coffee or prepping to go to bed, though you may not want to stop at one!
The highlights for me were definitely:
1. Phantoms of the Midway written by Seanan McGuire, which is a retelling of Hades and Persephone, in this case, set on a traveling carnival fairground.
2. A Brief Lesson in Native American Astronomy written by Rebecca Roanhorse, which is the story of Deer Hunter and White Corn Maiden creatively set in a futuristic society where you can inject the memories of the dead into your veins and relive their existence. This one was so amazing I couldn't put it down, and desperately wanted a short film adaptation of it! It would be incredible.
3. Wild To Covet written by Sarah Gaily, which is the story of Thetis, the mother of Achilles.
4. Florilegia; Or, Some Lies About Flowers written by Amal El-Mohtar, which is the story of Blodeuwedd, the wife made of flowers for Lleu Llaw Gyffes.
Many of the stories have a similar theme in seeking to tell the tales of what have often been minor characters in myths, offering interesting and compelling perspectives.
The highlights for me were definitely:
1. Phantoms of the Midway written by Seanan McGuire, which is a retelling of Hades and Persephone, in this case, set on a traveling carnival fairground.
2. A Brief Lesson in Native American Astronomy written by Rebecca Roanhorse, which is the story of Deer Hunter and White Corn Maiden creatively set in a futuristic society where you can inject the memories of the dead into your veins and relive their existence. This one was so amazing I couldn't put it down, and desperately wanted a short film adaptation of it! It would be incredible.
3. Wild To Covet written by Sarah Gaily, which is the story of Thetis, the mother of Achilles.
4. Florilegia; Or, Some Lies About Flowers written by Amal El-Mohtar, which is the story of Blodeuwedd, the wife made of flowers for Lleu Llaw Gyffes.
Many of the stories have a similar theme in seeking to tell the tales of what have often been minor characters in myths, offering interesting and compelling perspectives.
dude_watchin_with_the_brontes's review against another edition
5.0
I'm giving this a 5 star review, even though I don't love every single story, because enough of the stories are good enough to earn that review.
I think they made the mistake of putting one of the weakest stories first - maybe because the author is a Big Name. I'm glad I skipped to the next story and kept reading, because the very next story was amazing!
My personal reviews for the different stories:
1 • Phantoms of the Midway • Seanan McGuire • McGuire starts patting herself on the back for the protagonist finding the scarred girl beautiful, even though other people would find her ugly, and then continues to fetishize the scars. I'm glad I skipped the rest of this to read the rest of the stories.
2 • The Justified • Ann Leckie • One of my favorites! Ancient Egyptian myth set in the future. Queerness is normalized. I like the way she plays with how immortals/deities are not really like us.
3 • Fisher-Bird • T. Kingfisher • This one was so much fun! Once you figure out what the myth is, it's even more fun.
4 • A Brief Lesson in Native American Astronomy • Rebecca Roanhorse • Modern-day (well, near-future) setting, with human characters. It was an interesting story in its own right, and Roanhorse leads us to the original Tewa legend it was based on (Deer Hunter and the White Corn Maiden).
5 • Bridge of Crows • JY Yang • Beautiful and dream-like.
6 • Labbatu Takes Command of the Flagship Heaven Dwells Within • Arkady Martine • It is absolutely not anyone's fault but my own that I am listening to an audiobook, and that I work at an elementary school, but hearing about someone's genitals right off the bat, after the other stories have ranged from G to PG13, as I'm pulling out of the elementary school parking lot... it was a lot. After getting a suitable distance from the school, I listened a while longer, realized it was probably going to be mostly about sex, and I skipped it. You might like it, it's just not for me.
7 • Wild to Covet • Sarah Gailey • I liked this one, and I liked all the Hades and Persephone references even though it wasn't the myth this story was based on.
8 • ¡Cuidado! ¡Que viene El Coco! • Carlos Hernandez • Devastating, yet also full of hope. I loved it so much. I cried. I will probably be reading this again. Absolutely my favorite story in this collection, hands down.
9 • He Fell Howling • Stephen Graham Jones • I like this one a lot!
10 • Curses Like Words, Like Feathers, Like Stories • Kat Howard • I was a little confused by the POV at first, but I ended up liking it a lot.
11 • Across the River • Leah Cypess • If it weren't for ¡Cuidado! ¡Que viene El Coco! this would be my favorite story. I don't hear a lot of Jewish mythology. I read it a second time, in text-form, and sent it to my sister.
12 • Sisyphus in Elysium • Jeffrey Ford • I liked it! Not the best story, but it was not bad!
13 • Kali_Na • Indrapramit Das • So good! One of my favorites!
14 • Alyssa Wong • It was especially interesting hearing this directly after Kali_Na. Very good companion piece. So damned satisfying to read.
15 • Close Enough for Jazz • John Chu • Also very satisfying. These three in a row were a good match.
16 • Buried Deep • Naomi Novik • I liked it, but I think it would be better to read it as text, because I found it very difficult to follow.
17 • The Things Eric Eats Before He Eats Himself • Carmen Maria Machado • Of course it is amazing. An interesting mix of whimsical and horror.
18 • Florilegia; or, Some Lies About Flowers • Amal El-Mohtar • Beautiful. She mentions that she's written a number of stories based around this myth, and now I want to read all of them.
I think they made the mistake of putting one of the weakest stories first - maybe because the author is a Big Name. I'm glad I skipped to the next story and kept reading, because the very next story was amazing!
My personal reviews for the different stories:
1 • Phantoms of the Midway • Seanan McGuire • McGuire starts patting herself on the back for the protagonist finding the scarred girl beautiful, even though other people would find her ugly, and then continues to fetishize the scars. I'm glad I skipped the rest of this to read the rest of the stories.
2 • The Justified • Ann Leckie • One of my favorites! Ancient Egyptian myth set in the future. Queerness is normalized. I like the way she plays with how immortals/deities are not really like us.
3 • Fisher-Bird • T. Kingfisher • This one was so much fun! Once you figure out what the myth is, it's even more fun.
4 • A Brief Lesson in Native American Astronomy • Rebecca Roanhorse • Modern-day (well, near-future) setting, with human characters. It was an interesting story in its own right, and Roanhorse leads us to the original Tewa legend it was based on (Deer Hunter and the White Corn Maiden).
5 • Bridge of Crows • JY Yang • Beautiful and dream-like.
6 • Labbatu Takes Command of the Flagship Heaven Dwells Within • Arkady Martine • It is absolutely not anyone's fault but my own that I am listening to an audiobook, and that I work at an elementary school, but hearing about someone's genitals right off the bat, after the other stories have ranged from G to PG13, as I'm pulling out of the elementary school parking lot... it was a lot. After getting a suitable distance from the school, I listened a while longer, realized it was probably going to be mostly about sex, and I skipped it. You might like it, it's just not for me.
7 • Wild to Covet • Sarah Gailey • I liked this one, and I liked all the Hades and Persephone references even though it wasn't the myth this story was based on.
8 • ¡Cuidado! ¡Que viene El Coco! • Carlos Hernandez • Devastating, yet also full of hope. I loved it so much. I cried. I will probably be reading this again. Absolutely my favorite story in this collection, hands down.
9 • He Fell Howling • Stephen Graham Jones • I like this one a lot!
10 • Curses Like Words, Like Feathers, Like Stories • Kat Howard • I was a little confused by the POV at first, but I ended up liking it a lot.
11 • Across the River • Leah Cypess • If it weren't for ¡Cuidado! ¡Que viene El Coco! this would be my favorite story. I don't hear a lot of Jewish mythology. I read it a second time, in text-form, and sent it to my sister.
12 • Sisyphus in Elysium • Jeffrey Ford • I liked it! Not the best story, but it was not bad!
13 • Kali_Na • Indrapramit Das • So good! One of my favorites!
14 • Alyssa Wong • It was especially interesting hearing this directly after Kali_Na. Very good companion piece. So damned satisfying to read.
15 • Close Enough for Jazz • John Chu • Also very satisfying. These three in a row were a good match.
16 • Buried Deep • Naomi Novik • I liked it, but I think it would be better to read it as text, because I found it very difficult to follow.
17 • The Things Eric Eats Before He Eats Himself • Carmen Maria Machado • Of course it is amazing. An interesting mix of whimsical and horror.
18 • Florilegia; or, Some Lies About Flowers • Amal El-Mohtar • Beautiful. She mentions that she's written a number of stories based around this myth, and now I want to read all of them.
blathering's review against another edition
5.0
Love the variety of myths covered from so many different cultures