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someonetookit's review against another edition
4.0
To start with i wasnt sure what to expect from this novel, but the premise of it intrigued me endlessly. It turns out that i actually quite enjoyed it adn found the various writing styles to be a refreshing as there were no two stories the same. So, the uniting them of all the amazing short stories in this collection is that of borders and migration. While I found the premise interesting, I expected a collection of 'alien approached border and was refused' along with tales of boat people and illegal immigrants. I dont know why since its a collection of spec fiction. There are stories ranging from aliens finding refuge after a great war, the quest of a mother and daughter through various portals to enter the United States (this one made my heart hurt) to the tale of time travelling refugees to save the world before they destroy it in the future. With hard hitting authors such as Seanan McGuire and Tyler Keevil within this novels alumna, Shades Within Us contains stories which will make you run the gamut of human emotions. Overall I really enjoyed this book.
I received a copy of this from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions contained within are that of the author and have not been influenced in any way by the publisher or its affiliates
I received a copy of this from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions contained within are that of the author and have not been influenced in any way by the publisher or its affiliates
annieb123's review against another edition
4.0
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Shades Within Us is an anthology of stories around the themes of migrations and borders. Loosely following the other 2 anthologies in the 'social causes' series, this one includes 21 pieces of speculative fiction from both well known and new-to-me authors. As far as I can see from the publisher info, all the stories are original to this book.
I've always had a particular fondness for collections/anthologies because short fiction is spare and technically challenging, so you get a better feel for an author's expertise with the form. Short fiction is less of a time commitment as well, so if one story is not working for you, there's another piece readily available in a few pages. Short fiction anthologies are also a rich source for finding new authors so you can search out their other works.
Released 8th Sept. 2018 by Laksa Media, it's available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.
There are a number of standout stories in this anthology which really resonated with me. There's an ever increasing urgency to people's awareness of the fragility of our world and there are also a number of stories which include global warming and environmental damage as central themes. Interwoven throughout is the idea that what binds us together are our shared experiences and the things we have in common rather than our differences.
One of the things that struck me about the other reviews I've read was that although they certainly mentioned the commonalities and themes of borders and immigration and humanity but I couldn't really find anyone else mentioning that this is also a collection of REALLY good stories by really gifted authors writing at the top of their game. There are gems here which will stick with the reader long after they're finished.
Although this is a topical book (border crossings, immigration, 'the other', etc), it's not just a headline-of-the-day collection. These stories stand on their own merit.
Four stars (the stories are all in the 3-5 star range).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
Shades Within Us is an anthology of stories around the themes of migrations and borders. Loosely following the other 2 anthologies in the 'social causes' series, this one includes 21 pieces of speculative fiction from both well known and new-to-me authors. As far as I can see from the publisher info, all the stories are original to this book.
I've always had a particular fondness for collections/anthologies because short fiction is spare and technically challenging, so you get a better feel for an author's expertise with the form. Short fiction is less of a time commitment as well, so if one story is not working for you, there's another piece readily available in a few pages. Short fiction anthologies are also a rich source for finding new authors so you can search out their other works.
Released 8th Sept. 2018 by Laksa Media, it's available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.
There are a number of standout stories in this anthology which really resonated with me. There's an ever increasing urgency to people's awareness of the fragility of our world and there are also a number of stories which include global warming and environmental damage as central themes. Interwoven throughout is the idea that what binds us together are our shared experiences and the things we have in common rather than our differences.
One of the things that struck me about the other reviews I've read was that although they certainly mentioned the commonalities and themes of borders and immigration and humanity but I couldn't really find anyone else mentioning that this is also a collection of REALLY good stories by really gifted authors writing at the top of their game. There are gems here which will stick with the reader long after they're finished.
Although this is a topical book (border crossings, immigration, 'the other', etc), it's not just a headline-of-the-day collection. These stories stand on their own merit.
Four stars (the stories are all in the 3-5 star range).
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes
eloisebell's review against another edition
4.0
I knew this topic would be a winner for me, and it was.
Some really brilliant gems from some authors familiar to me, and some brand new to me.
Like all anthologies, there were ups and downs but overall this was a brilliant collection.
Some really brilliant gems from some authors familiar to me, and some brand new to me.
Like all anthologies, there were ups and downs but overall this was a brilliant collection.
coolcurrybooks's review against another edition
4.0
As you can tell from the subtitle, Shades Within Us is a speculative fiction short story anthology about migration, immigration, and refugees. The collection mixes authors I’m already familiar with (Karin Lowachee, Seanan McGuire, S.L. Huang, Rich Larson) with plenty of authors who are new to me.
I’m going to start positive by going over some of my favorite stories of the collection. Karin Lowachee’s story, “Invasio,” is absolutely stunning, showing off her fantastic prose. During an alien invasion, the main character is forced to flee as the world slowly crumbles to ash.
I really enjoyed Amanda Sun’s “The Travelers,” in which time travelers escape a cataclysmic past by taking refuge in our present. It’s a really cool concept that she executes flawlessly, only going to show that I need to track down more stories by her.
I love S.L. Huang’s longer work, and her inclusion was one of the reasons I decided to pick up this collection. “Devouring Tongues” is the story of a Chinese immigrant in Japan who is trying to learn Japanese and gain a career that will let her provide for her parents, who write and illustrate dangerously political children’s books in mainland China. To speed her way, she has made a deal: her mother tongue for Japanese. But as she loses more and more of the language of her birth, she fears she is losing herself as well. “Devouring Tongues” is a powerful story of language and identity.
One of the most memorable stories is “The Swordmaster of Ravenpeak” by Brent Nichols, even if it ultimately takes a turn for the depressing. A disabled man is able to have friendships and happiness in life through an online gaming community, but his abled family members decide to move him to a different facility… which means he will be moving servers without even the chance to say goodbye to the people who matter most to him. “The Swordmaster of Ravenpeak” might not at first glance be connected to the theme of the collection, but even if the protagonist isn’t changing countries, he is still forced to change his life.
Seanan McGuire likely has the greatest name recognition of all the authors in the collection. Her offering, “Remember the Green,” takes place in a future where the densely packed, urban “grey,” and the agricultural “green.” A family from the green is forced to move by the government, who is relocating farming families to turn them over to mega-farms. I would put “Remember the Green” in the upper half of the collection, but we’re starting to get out of my favorite stories and more into everything else.
Likewise, Alex Shvartsman’s “Defender of Mogadun” is a well-constructed story that I enjoyed reading but doesn’t have a huge amount of staying power. Dragons from other dimensions try to break through the veils of reality and destroy cities… but some guards against them are infinitely reincarnated.
Rich Larson imagines an eerily believable future where people are trying to escape America. The protagonist of “Porque el girasol se llama el girasol” is a little girl whose mother has contracted a coyote to get them past the border wall and detention camps and into Mexico. The coyote operates by moving them outside of our reality for portions of the trip… but walking outside the world is dangerous, and not everyone will survive.
In “Superfreak” by Tonya Liburd, a girl moves from the Carribean to Canada after her parents die and she’s supposed to be left in the care of a predatory and sexually abusive uncle. Unfortunately, the next relative she’s left with isn’t much better, and she soon finds herself in a shelter for homeless teens. Oh, and did I mention? In this world, most everyone has some sort of supernatural power… except for our protagonist.
“The Vagabond of Trudeau High” by Sarah Raughley is another story set in modern-day Canada. A black girl witnesses her father get beat up by the police and makes a deal with a supernatural power to be able to curse people. She decides to use this gift to get revenge on behalf of marginalized people who have been wronged.
Two stories deal with the Holocaust and World War II. In “Critical Mass” by Liz Westbrooke-Trenholm, a Jewish scientist and her niece are trying to get to Canada but find their visas repeatedly denied. “Screen in Silver, Love in Colour, Mirror in Black-and-White” by Julie Nováková follows a movie crew in Prague who are working on the edge of a war.
Some of the stories imagine a future devastated by environmental collapse. In “From the Shoals of Broken Cities” by Heather Osborne, some people have genetically engineered themselves to be able to live beneath the ocean, but they are inundated with refugees from above and divided as a community about how to treat them. “Gilbert Tong’s Life List” by Kate Heartfield follows a teenager in a walled-off refugee community of people from a drowned Pacific island that is kept apart from Canada, with none of the descendants of the original refugees granted citizenship or permission to leave legally. “In a Bar by the Ocean, the World Waits” by Hayden Trenholm has the presumption of a failing planet, but the focus is on a young woman given a choice: be put into an all-immersive virtual reality where she’ll have the experience of a happy, full life… but her organs will be harvested after six months. Is it worth it to live and keep trying to save the world, or should she just give up and accept the happiness before death? “Habitat” by Christie Yant depicts a future where everyone is forced to live in one place to preserve the rest of the planet’s ecology. Those who resist are forcibly relocated.
“The Marsh of Camrina” by Matthew Kressel may be a bit about an environmentally devastated future… but it’s more about a future in which technology has advanced to the point that few jobs or economic opportunities are available. A college graduate with no prospects goes to work in a new type of eco-city.
The last of the “middle of the road stories” is “Shades of Void” by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro. I really don’t have much to say on this one. It’s about space exploration and a relationship, but it blurred pretty quickly with all these other stories I’ve read.
Now we get into the stories I had more negative feelings toward. “How My Life Will End” by Vanessa Cardui isn’t a short story at all — it’s song lyrics, and I’ll admit to skimming or outright skipping them.
“Imago” by Elsie Chapman may have been going for a surrealist approach? I’m honestly not sure what was up with it. There’s a ship that people get on to go to the other end of the world, but the trip’s dangerous and most don’t return.
I felt sort of weird about “Voices” by Tyler Keevil. An American man moves with his wife to her native home of Ireland, and he worries about his son, who is bullied for not following conventional gender norms and speaks to presences that may go beyond imaginary friends. The protagonist has a brother-in-law who is Native American and the source of wisdom and life advice. It kind of coat hangs the “Native wisdom” trope… but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still doing it.
However, the story I was most iffy on was “Inkskinned” by Jeremy Szal, which has aliens moving into a mostly human city and facing prejudice. You get aliens as a stand-in for marginalized people, and it also gave off the message of “be kind to bigots and they’ll be less bigoted.” In my experience, that doesn’t work at all and just leads to a lot of suffering on the part of the people doing the kindness.
But a few stories aside, Shades Within Us was a solid speculative fiction collection, if not the best I’ve read this year. I do find the topic of the collection timely and vital, and many of these stories are well worth reading.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Review from The Illustrated Page.
I’m going to start positive by going over some of my favorite stories of the collection. Karin Lowachee’s story, “Invasio,” is absolutely stunning, showing off her fantastic prose. During an alien invasion, the main character is forced to flee as the world slowly crumbles to ash.
I really enjoyed Amanda Sun’s “The Travelers,” in which time travelers escape a cataclysmic past by taking refuge in our present. It’s a really cool concept that she executes flawlessly, only going to show that I need to track down more stories by her.
I love S.L. Huang’s longer work, and her inclusion was one of the reasons I decided to pick up this collection. “Devouring Tongues” is the story of a Chinese immigrant in Japan who is trying to learn Japanese and gain a career that will let her provide for her parents, who write and illustrate dangerously political children’s books in mainland China. To speed her way, she has made a deal: her mother tongue for Japanese. But as she loses more and more of the language of her birth, she fears she is losing herself as well. “Devouring Tongues” is a powerful story of language and identity.
One of the most memorable stories is “The Swordmaster of Ravenpeak” by Brent Nichols, even if it ultimately takes a turn for the depressing. A disabled man is able to have friendships and happiness in life through an online gaming community, but his abled family members decide to move him to a different facility… which means he will be moving servers without even the chance to say goodbye to the people who matter most to him. “The Swordmaster of Ravenpeak” might not at first glance be connected to the theme of the collection, but even if the protagonist isn’t changing countries, he is still forced to change his life.
Seanan McGuire likely has the greatest name recognition of all the authors in the collection. Her offering, “Remember the Green,” takes place in a future where the densely packed, urban “grey,” and the agricultural “green.” A family from the green is forced to move by the government, who is relocating farming families to turn them over to mega-farms. I would put “Remember the Green” in the upper half of the collection, but we’re starting to get out of my favorite stories and more into everything else.
Likewise, Alex Shvartsman’s “Defender of Mogadun” is a well-constructed story that I enjoyed reading but doesn’t have a huge amount of staying power. Dragons from other dimensions try to break through the veils of reality and destroy cities… but some guards against them are infinitely reincarnated.
Rich Larson imagines an eerily believable future where people are trying to escape America. The protagonist of “Porque el girasol se llama el girasol” is a little girl whose mother has contracted a coyote to get them past the border wall and detention camps and into Mexico. The coyote operates by moving them outside of our reality for portions of the trip… but walking outside the world is dangerous, and not everyone will survive.
In “Superfreak” by Tonya Liburd, a girl moves from the Carribean to Canada after her parents die and she’s supposed to be left in the care of a predatory and sexually abusive uncle. Unfortunately, the next relative she’s left with isn’t much better, and she soon finds herself in a shelter for homeless teens. Oh, and did I mention? In this world, most everyone has some sort of supernatural power… except for our protagonist.
“The Vagabond of Trudeau High” by Sarah Raughley is another story set in modern-day Canada. A black girl witnesses her father get beat up by the police and makes a deal with a supernatural power to be able to curse people. She decides to use this gift to get revenge on behalf of marginalized people who have been wronged.
Two stories deal with the Holocaust and World War II. In “Critical Mass” by Liz Westbrooke-Trenholm, a Jewish scientist and her niece are trying to get to Canada but find their visas repeatedly denied. “Screen in Silver, Love in Colour, Mirror in Black-and-White” by Julie Nováková follows a movie crew in Prague who are working on the edge of a war.
Some of the stories imagine a future devastated by environmental collapse. In “From the Shoals of Broken Cities” by Heather Osborne, some people have genetically engineered themselves to be able to live beneath the ocean, but they are inundated with refugees from above and divided as a community about how to treat them. “Gilbert Tong’s Life List” by Kate Heartfield follows a teenager in a walled-off refugee community of people from a drowned Pacific island that is kept apart from Canada, with none of the descendants of the original refugees granted citizenship or permission to leave legally. “In a Bar by the Ocean, the World Waits” by Hayden Trenholm has the presumption of a failing planet, but the focus is on a young woman given a choice: be put into an all-immersive virtual reality where she’ll have the experience of a happy, full life… but her organs will be harvested after six months. Is it worth it to live and keep trying to save the world, or should she just give up and accept the happiness before death? “Habitat” by Christie Yant depicts a future where everyone is forced to live in one place to preserve the rest of the planet’s ecology. Those who resist are forcibly relocated.
“The Marsh of Camrina” by Matthew Kressel may be a bit about an environmentally devastated future… but it’s more about a future in which technology has advanced to the point that few jobs or economic opportunities are available. A college graduate with no prospects goes to work in a new type of eco-city.
The last of the “middle of the road stories” is “Shades of Void” by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro. I really don’t have much to say on this one. It’s about space exploration and a relationship, but it blurred pretty quickly with all these other stories I’ve read.
Now we get into the stories I had more negative feelings toward. “How My Life Will End” by Vanessa Cardui isn’t a short story at all — it’s song lyrics, and I’ll admit to skimming or outright skipping them.
“Imago” by Elsie Chapman may have been going for a surrealist approach? I’m honestly not sure what was up with it. There’s a ship that people get on to go to the other end of the world, but the trip’s dangerous and most don’t return.
I felt sort of weird about “Voices” by Tyler Keevil. An American man moves with his wife to her native home of Ireland, and he worries about his son, who is bullied for not following conventional gender norms and speaks to presences that may go beyond imaginary friends. The protagonist has a brother-in-law who is Native American and the source of wisdom and life advice. It kind of coat hangs the “Native wisdom” trope… but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still doing it.
However, the story I was most iffy on was “Inkskinned” by Jeremy Szal, which has aliens moving into a mostly human city and facing prejudice. You get aliens as a stand-in for marginalized people, and it also gave off the message of “be kind to bigots and they’ll be less bigoted.” In my experience, that doesn’t work at all and just leads to a lot of suffering on the part of the people doing the kindness.
But a few stories aside, Shades Within Us was a solid speculative fiction collection, if not the best I’ve read this year. I do find the topic of the collection timely and vital, and many of these stories are well worth reading.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Review from The Illustrated Page.
aquavenatus's review
4.0
"Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders" is the latest anthology (Book 4) in the "Laksa Anthology Series: Speculative Fiction." This volume in the series focuses on the concept of migration and identity. Even though this is a work of speculative fiction, the stories within it are very topical. The book contains stories by authors you have heard of, and by authors you have not heard of, but each story is worth the read.
Each story varies from protagonist to protagonist and their characteristics: race, age, ethnicity, sex, gender, education, sexuality, and of course, reason for migration. Each story takes place in a different part of the world, but with the reason each protagonist migrates, he/she/they realize there is a cost that comes along with it, usually a form of identity. At the same time, the protagonist has to find a way to cope with the changes of living in a new place can entail.
The speculative fiction inclusion allows for the reader to gain more understanding into what that cost can equate to, whether or not it is language, folklore and other beliefs, different dimensions, or magic. In addition, this inclusion allows for a better grasp as to what people bring and leave behind when migration occurs. This method of narration allows for more empathy towards the protagonists, their families, and what and who they left behind.
"Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders" is an anthology that will leave you wondering about your family history with how and why certain members migrate either by immigration, or by emigration. It will make readers consider their identity and which part of their family's identity and culture's identity they continue to practice and why. There is a story in this anthology for all readers to enjoy.
I apologize for my late review of this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Each story varies from protagonist to protagonist and their characteristics: race, age, ethnicity, sex, gender, education, sexuality, and of course, reason for migration. Each story takes place in a different part of the world, but with the reason each protagonist migrates, he/she/they realize there is a cost that comes along with it, usually a form of identity. At the same time, the protagonist has to find a way to cope with the changes of living in a new place can entail.
The speculative fiction inclusion allows for the reader to gain more understanding into what that cost can equate to, whether or not it is language, folklore and other beliefs, different dimensions, or magic. In addition, this inclusion allows for a better grasp as to what people bring and leave behind when migration occurs. This method of narration allows for more empathy towards the protagonists, their families, and what and who they left behind.
"Shades Within Us: Tales of Migrations and Fractured Borders" is an anthology that will leave you wondering about your family history with how and why certain members migrate either by immigration, or by emigration. It will make readers consider their identity and which part of their family's identity and culture's identity they continue to practice and why. There is a story in this anthology for all readers to enjoy.
I apologize for my late review of this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
kamisha's review
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book!
This was such a special and fascinating collection of stories! Each story wowed me in different ways and each spoke uniquely on its own. This is a collection of speculative fiction short stories about migrations and borders, and the reasons people seek other places. Each story shows the reader how migrations or the crossing of borders can be more than just physically moving from one‰ŰŞs home, these changes can also be emotional, mental, or cultural. And they impact every person in different ways. All of these stories show us that ‰Ű÷home‰ŰŞ can be a fluid concept and it is very much a concept that we carry within us in addition to being a physical place.
These stories were all so very impactful and each carries its own message, they truly all felt like the author‰ŰŞs were contributing a part of themselves within these stories. I really enjoyed reading this collection and found myself consuming it slower than I usually do most books, because it felt like I needed time to savor each of these stories. There wasn‰ŰŞt a single story that I rated lower than 3 stars during my reading of this, and the majority of them were all 4 or 5 star reads for me.
A few of the stand out five star reads for me were:
‰ŰĎPorque el Girasol se llama Girasol‰Űť- Rich Larson
This story involved a group of migrants essentially quantum walking through borders. Also, there are terrifying monsters that can catch you if you falter while crossing. There is a ‰ŰĎwall‰Űť mentioned several times in the story, and it definitely hit some eerily similar notes to today‰ŰŞs world. Fear and the need to help your family escape were heavy in this story. The atmosphere of this short story was just so terrifying and important.
‰ŰĎHabitat‰Űť- Christie Yant
In this story the inhabitants of Earth have brought upon themselves a self-imposed apocalypse and in order to save what remains of Earth and themselves, they have created Habitat-- a new sustainable living space for survivors. However, the reverse of the situation is turned on its head in this story as we see that denizens of Habitat are constantly sweeping the remains of human tribes on Earth away from their lives out in the open to be force-integrated into life within Habitat. I loved the conservation message of this one.
‰ŰĎDevouring Tongues‰Űť- S.L. Huang
An intricate look at the ways that languages help us transcend borders, but how our first language, even if it may not be prominently used culturally, can feel like home to us. A Chinese foreign student in Japan desperately sells parts of her soul to the Reaper, in an attempt to master her multilingual learning and ultimately create safe passage for her family, but along the way realizes she is losing parts of her culture that she cannot afford to lose.
‰ŰĎThe Vagabond of Trudeau High‰Űť- Sarah Raughley
This ended up being my favorite short story in the entire collection. It carries such a powerful, important and relevant message for all of us today. A young girl of Nigerian immigrants experiences police brutality firsthand when she witnesses her father being brutally beaten one night. Incorporating elements of Yoruba folklore, she is offered a chance at revenge and must decide what is most important to her. At school, amidst the parameters of a patriotic assignment, she struggles to define what being Canadian means for her and those around her who feel anything but ‰ŰĎat home‰Űť here.
Each of these stories were so very different in particulars, but so unifying in their messages. I loved the aspects of speculative fiction that the authors added to these stories and the fluid genre nature of each story. Though each story has an element of ‰Ű÷other‰ŰŞ to it, it doesn‰ŰŞt take much to imagine that they all could very well take place in the world we live in right now.
This collection is also extremely special because on publication, the publishing company donated $1,000 to support mental health programs, and a portion of the anthology's net revenue also goes to support mental health programs! This is such an important collection of stories and I hope it gets the recognition it deserves!
This was such a special and fascinating collection of stories! Each story wowed me in different ways and each spoke uniquely on its own. This is a collection of speculative fiction short stories about migrations and borders, and the reasons people seek other places. Each story shows the reader how migrations or the crossing of borders can be more than just physically moving from one‰ŰŞs home, these changes can also be emotional, mental, or cultural. And they impact every person in different ways. All of these stories show us that ‰Ű÷home‰ŰŞ can be a fluid concept and it is very much a concept that we carry within us in addition to being a physical place.
These stories were all so very impactful and each carries its own message, they truly all felt like the author‰ŰŞs were contributing a part of themselves within these stories. I really enjoyed reading this collection and found myself consuming it slower than I usually do most books, because it felt like I needed time to savor each of these stories. There wasn‰ŰŞt a single story that I rated lower than 3 stars during my reading of this, and the majority of them were all 4 or 5 star reads for me.
A few of the stand out five star reads for me were:
‰ŰĎPorque el Girasol se llama Girasol‰Űť- Rich Larson
This story involved a group of migrants essentially quantum walking through borders. Also, there are terrifying monsters that can catch you if you falter while crossing. There is a ‰ŰĎwall‰Űť mentioned several times in the story, and it definitely hit some eerily similar notes to today‰ŰŞs world. Fear and the need to help your family escape were heavy in this story. The atmosphere of this short story was just so terrifying and important.
‰ŰĎHabitat‰Űť- Christie Yant
In this story the inhabitants of Earth have brought upon themselves a self-imposed apocalypse and in order to save what remains of Earth and themselves, they have created Habitat-- a new sustainable living space for survivors. However, the reverse of the situation is turned on its head in this story as we see that denizens of Habitat are constantly sweeping the remains of human tribes on Earth away from their lives out in the open to be force-integrated into life within Habitat. I loved the conservation message of this one.
‰ŰĎDevouring Tongues‰Űť- S.L. Huang
An intricate look at the ways that languages help us transcend borders, but how our first language, even if it may not be prominently used culturally, can feel like home to us. A Chinese foreign student in Japan desperately sells parts of her soul to the Reaper, in an attempt to master her multilingual learning and ultimately create safe passage for her family, but along the way realizes she is losing parts of her culture that she cannot afford to lose.
‰ŰĎThe Vagabond of Trudeau High‰Űť- Sarah Raughley
This ended up being my favorite short story in the entire collection. It carries such a powerful, important and relevant message for all of us today. A young girl of Nigerian immigrants experiences police brutality firsthand when she witnesses her father being brutally beaten one night. Incorporating elements of Yoruba folklore, she is offered a chance at revenge and must decide what is most important to her. At school, amidst the parameters of a patriotic assignment, she struggles to define what being Canadian means for her and those around her who feel anything but ‰ŰĎat home‰Űť here.
Each of these stories were so very different in particulars, but so unifying in their messages. I loved the aspects of speculative fiction that the authors added to these stories and the fluid genre nature of each story. Though each story has an element of ‰Ű÷other‰ŰŞ to it, it doesn‰ŰŞt take much to imagine that they all could very well take place in the world we live in right now.
This collection is also extremely special because on publication, the publishing company donated $1,000 to support mental health programs, and a portion of the anthology's net revenue also goes to support mental health programs! This is such an important collection of stories and I hope it gets the recognition it deserves!
nietzschesghost's review
4.0
I was so excited to read this book and toyed with the idea of waiting until it was published to grab a copy. Luckily, I decided to take the plunge on NetGalley and was overjoyed to be given a copy! 'Shades Within Us' is a timely speculative fiction anthology and feaures such big names as Seanan McGuire, S. L. Kuang and Tyler Keevil. Each of the twenty-one stories cover different themes, most of which are significantly deeper than your usual speculative fiction or science fiction. These are stories that transcend borders, generations, and cultures. Each is a glimpse into our human need in face of change: to hold fast to home, to tradition, to family; and yet to reach out, to strive for a better life.
The previous books in this series have received widespread critical acclaim and this one i'm positive will be no exception. I haven't read the others so I can't compare them, but I purchased them the second I realised how awesome these stories are! Despite being identified as speculative, most of these stories seem as though they are ripped from today's headlines, and each does a great job in asking the reader to reflect on how they can change their lives for the better, as well as the lives of others. We certainly need some of that right now! There are a few of the stories that fall back on well-worn tropes of the genre, but most are refreshingly original. This is a daring and wonderful collection that adds to the future as imagined by authors such as George Orwell, Margaret Atwood and Philip K. Dick.
The key theme and topical issue that unifies each story is that of immigration. But also explored are identity, belonging and the marginalised. I found most of the tales to be of exceptional quality, with important messages to boot. I simply couldn't pick a favourite as there was such a wide selection and each was indispensable in its own way. A great collection that is well worth investing your time in. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Laksa Media Groups for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
The previous books in this series have received widespread critical acclaim and this one i'm positive will be no exception. I haven't read the others so I can't compare them, but I purchased them the second I realised how awesome these stories are! Despite being identified as speculative, most of these stories seem as though they are ripped from today's headlines, and each does a great job in asking the reader to reflect on how they can change their lives for the better, as well as the lives of others. We certainly need some of that right now! There are a few of the stories that fall back on well-worn tropes of the genre, but most are refreshingly original. This is a daring and wonderful collection that adds to the future as imagined by authors such as George Orwell, Margaret Atwood and Philip K. Dick.
The key theme and topical issue that unifies each story is that of immigration. But also explored are identity, belonging and the marginalised. I found most of the tales to be of exceptional quality, with important messages to boot. I simply couldn't pick a favourite as there was such a wide selection and each was indispensable in its own way. A great collection that is well worth investing your time in. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Laksa Media Groups for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
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