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3.12 AVERAGE
3.12 AVERAGE
Okay, I enjoyed a couple of stories in this - namely "Riddles in Mathematics" by Katie Cotugno, "Dread South" by Justina Ireland, and "Lessons for Beginners" by Julie Murphy. Of these, "Dread South" was definitely my favourite - zombie apocalypse AND historical fiction? Um, sign me up? (Can you guess what these three share in common lmao.) I wasn't really jazzed on most of the rest. I guess I came in with some expectations that these would radically subvert love triangles, and for the most part, I, ah, did not feel like that was the case.
Of course there were some really interesting concepts. I liked "Cass, An, and Dra" by Natalie Parker which was cool as it integrated a psychic paranormal narrative into the love triangle story. I'm not usually a fan of love triangles or psychics but it was interesting how that played out. And I found "Unus, Duo, Tres" cool as well with its depiction of vampires. I really appreciate how diverse the characters and stories were, in both marginalized people as well as genre and writing.
Of course there were some really interesting concepts. I liked "Cass, An, and Dra" by Natalie Parker which was cool as it integrated a psychic paranormal narrative into the love triangle story. I'm not usually a fan of love triangles or psychics but it was interesting how that played out. And I found "Unus, Duo, Tres" cool as well with its depiction of vampires. I really appreciate how diverse the characters and stories were, in both marginalized people as well as genre and writing.
2/5
Well, this was a bummer.
I usually love short stories and I was ready to be swept away by unusual love triangles.
Sadly, most of these stories I found tough to even finish, the writing was weird and forced, it just didn't do it for me at all.
I only liked 2-3 stories, the rest were kind of horrible.
Well, this was a bummer.
I usually love short stories and I was ready to be swept away by unusual love triangles.
Sadly, most of these stories I found tough to even finish, the writing was weird and forced, it just didn't do it for me at all.
I only liked 2-3 stories, the rest were kind of horrible.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Waiting - good story
Vega - yawn
A Hundred Thousand Threads- did not like the format but enjoyed the story
Before She Was Bloody - loved this one
Unos, Dos, Tres - good
Vega - yawn
A Hundred Thousand Threads- did not like the format but enjoyed the story
Before She Was Bloody - loved this one
Unos, Dos, Tres - good
I really loved some of the stories and some I was like "WTF". Definitely a little bit of everything for everyone, I think.
It was ok, I feel love triangles just need more time to develop so with the all the short stories it felt rushed.
Average rating: 2.4375 stars
Which, unfortunately, in math, is rounded down.
This does what it set out to do, which was turn the love triangle tropes on their heads and make them interesting and different. Unfortunately, not all of them landed. Most of them didn't. And it wasn't necessarily because the love triangle sucks as a trope. This proves that it can be done really well. A lot of the ones that were bad were either because of bad writing, or it was hard to figure out what the three points of the triangle were (or that a triangle was unrealistic).
I still stand by that I would absolutely read a novel-length Before She Was Bloody. Hands down the best.
The Breakdown:
"Riddles in Mathematics" by Katie Cotugno
A recently out girl, her brother, and his best friend. Also some girl she might have kissed once? Idk. 2 stars.
"Dread South" by Justina Ireland
In post Civil War America, where a zombie apocalypse is midway, we have a girl, the boy she has a crush on, and the Black girl hired for her protection. In which she learns not to be racist. Joy. 1 star.
"Omega Ship" by Rae Carson
The last three humans in the galaxy. Two boys, one girl. Told from the girl's POV. Much deeper than you think. I really enjoyed this one. 4 stars.
"La Revancha Del Tango" by Renée Ahdieh
A girl on a solo trip to Buenos Aires. And...some other people. 2 stars.
"Cass, An, and Dra" by Natalie C. Parker
This is an interesting one that I can't really rate super well, nor explain the plot without giving it away. But I did get more into it once that twist hit. I'll go with 3 stars.
"Lessons for Beginners" by Julie Murphy
A plus sized high school student and the straight couple she gives kissing lessons to. 3 stars.
"Triangle Solo" by Garth Nix
I don't even know. Humans living on Mars. Walking on hands. The writing was so bad. 1 star
"Vim and Vigor" by Veronica Roth
Idk but it was cute. 2 stars.
"Work in Progress" by E.K. Johnston
??? 1 star
"Hurdles" by Brandy Colbert
These are getting so much harder to summarize. 2 stars.
"The Historian, The Garrison, and the Cantankerous Cat Woman" by Lamar Giles
Idk, magic. Also the ending made me angry. 1 star.
"Waiting" by Sabaa Tahir
I mean, come on. It's Sabaa. 4 stars.
"Vega" by Brenna Yovanoff
A boy, a girl, and Las Vegas. 3 stars.
"A Hundred Thousand Threads" by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Mexico! 1 star.
"Before She Was Bloody" by Tessa Gratton
Hands down the best one in the entire anthology. I would read an entire novel of this. 5 stars.
"Unus, Duo, Très" by Bethany Hagen
Heartbreaking. 4 stars
Which, unfortunately, in math, is rounded down.
This does what it set out to do, which was turn the love triangle tropes on their heads and make them interesting and different. Unfortunately, not all of them landed. Most of them didn't. And it wasn't necessarily because the love triangle sucks as a trope. This proves that it can be done really well. A lot of the ones that were bad were either because of bad writing, or it was hard to figure out what the three points of the triangle were (or that a triangle was unrealistic).
I still stand by that I would absolutely read a novel-length Before She Was Bloody. Hands down the best.
The Breakdown:
"Riddles in Mathematics" by Katie Cotugno
A recently out girl, her brother, and his best friend. Also some girl she might have kissed once? Idk. 2 stars.
"Dread South" by Justina Ireland
In post Civil War America, where a zombie apocalypse is midway, we have a girl, the boy she has a crush on, and the Black girl hired for her protection. In which she learns not to be racist. Joy. 1 star.
"Omega Ship" by Rae Carson
The last three humans in the galaxy. Two boys, one girl. Told from the girl's POV. Much deeper than you think. I really enjoyed this one. 4 stars.
"La Revancha Del Tango" by Renée Ahdieh
A girl on a solo trip to Buenos Aires. And...some other people. 2 stars.
"Cass, An, and Dra" by Natalie C. Parker
This is an interesting one that I can't really rate super well, nor explain the plot without giving it away. But I did get more into it once that twist hit. I'll go with 3 stars.
"Lessons for Beginners" by Julie Murphy
A plus sized high school student and the straight couple she gives kissing lessons to. 3 stars.
"Triangle Solo" by Garth Nix
I don't even know. Humans living on Mars. Walking on hands. The writing was so bad. 1 star
"Vim and Vigor" by Veronica Roth
Idk but it was cute. 2 stars.
"Work in Progress" by E.K. Johnston
??? 1 star
"Hurdles" by Brandy Colbert
These are getting so much harder to summarize. 2 stars.
"The Historian, The Garrison, and the Cantankerous Cat Woman" by Lamar Giles
Idk, magic. Also the ending made me angry. 1 star.
"Waiting" by Sabaa Tahir
I mean, come on. It's Sabaa. 4 stars.
"Vega" by Brenna Yovanoff
A boy, a girl, and Las Vegas. 3 stars.
"A Hundred Thousand Threads" by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Mexico! 1 star.
"Before She Was Bloody" by Tessa Gratton
Hands down the best one in the entire anthology. I would read an entire novel of this. 5 stars.
"Unus, Duo, Très" by Bethany Hagen
Heartbreaking. 4 stars
I liked most of these short stories. A collection is a great way to try out different authors.