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FORESHADOW: Stories to Celebrate The Magic of Reading & Writing YA by Emily X.R. Pan, Nova Ren Suma
kaykayh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
Print ARC.
pavi_fictionalworm's review against another edition
5.0
Also Posted on For The Love of Fictional Worlds
Disclaimer: An eARC was provided via Algonquin YR as part of the Blog Tour. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.
Oh this was such a gorgeous and a brilliant way of introducing some very new voices in the YA genre!
Foreshadow is an anthology of short stories - some very diverse genres ranging from contemporary to fantasy to science fiction.
All wonderfully written by some very talented new voices- loved the inclusion of #ownvoices stories and such wonderful openness of creativity- it gave me such new talent to look forward to!
But what I adored the most was the editorial commentary given by Emily XR Pan and Nova Ren Suma - on the different writing tools used by these talented new authors in their short stories!
Foreshadow is a brilliant adventure of not only introducing new talents, but also a way of giving advice to budding new authors by critiquing the the writing tools not only used in the short stories but also how it can be improved - this was such an informative aspect of the book, for me as a reader.
Because while I was always in awe of the sheer talent and effort that goes into writing a story; the actual details had me slack jawed and all the more appreciative of the authors.
And if as a reader this anthology was informative; I can’t even begin to imagine how appreciative and helpful this collection would be to a hopeful and budding writer!
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eressea's review against another edition
4.0
Foreshadow is a collection of 13 novellas, set up a little different than normal. Because you get a lot more than 13 short stories all with an amazing plot twist, you also get a short essay explaining why each story works, what makes it tick and you get explained how to keep suspense, how to set up a story and how to get people to accept the weirdest things. Because believe me: things get weird!
One thing I love about short stories is that they’re mostly about ideas. You can get that one brilliant spark of an idea and just write about it, and it brings across the point very nicely because it’s short. These authors all used this quite well, because as I said: things get weird. Was it sometimes too weird for me? Yes. Especially as some stories ventured into horror. But I did see the point very clearly and the plot twists were so cool and basically you’re reading all kinds of plot twists and get amazed at every turn and then it even gets explained so your own writing and understanding improves. I think this book will be very valuable and a great read for many, especially writers but also “normal” readers like me who just want to be amazed and learn about stories a bit more.
I received a free e-copy in exchange for my honest review.
One thing I love about short stories is that they’re mostly about ideas. You can get that one brilliant spark of an idea and just write about it, and it brings across the point very nicely because it’s short. These authors all used this quite well, because as I said: things get weird. Was it sometimes too weird for me? Yes. Especially as some stories ventured into horror. But I did see the point very clearly and the plot twists were so cool and basically you’re reading all kinds of plot twists and get amazed at every turn and then it even gets explained so your own writing and understanding improves. I think this book will be very valuable and a great read for many, especially writers but also “normal” readers like me who just want to be amazed and learn about stories a bit more.
I received a free e-copy in exchange for my honest review.
katielanedei's review against another edition
5.0
Foreshadow brings to life so many different incredible stories by authors we are only just starting to get to know. Foreshadow, though, is so much more than just stories, it is a guide, a tool for YA readers, writers, and aspiring authors to not just see stories that work but see how they work. Along with the wonderful short stories we get close readings and writing prompts that allow the reader and writers to dive deep into what they have read. Foreshadow has beautiful short stories that are great to get lost in but also allows the reader to go beyond escapism and encourages them to create a story and a world of their own. Featuring 13 incredible, inclusive stories from a diverse group of new voices, Pan and Suma along with the huge team that brought this anthology together hit it out of the park. These are stories I will come back to again and again not only to dive back into the amazing worlds and characters but also as a way to improve my own writing and look at what it takes to make a story work. Whether you are an avid YA reader, a hobby writer, or an aspiring author Foreshadow is a book you are going to want to add to your personal library.
*I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review*
*I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review*
charis_w's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Overall I enjoyed this anthology and I appreciate what it was aiming to due by amplifying diverse voices and introducing new authors. I had a mixed experience with the stories: some I liked a lot, but others I found hard to follow or not to my taste. A couple I might need to revisit to fully absorb them. After each story is a short piece going over an element of storytelling; I found these parts hit or miss. I imagine an aspiring writing would appreciate it more.
This is random but how come so many stories with similarly named characters were right next to each other? (Marlene, Marnie, Marlie, Laila, Leela) I just found that funny.
If I had to pick a couple favorites, they would probably be Risk by Rachel Hylton and Break by Sophie Meridien.
Overall I enjoyed this anthology and I appreciate what it was aiming to due by amplifying diverse voices and introducing new authors. I had a mixed experience with the stories: some I liked a lot, but others I found hard to follow or not to my taste. A couple I might need to revisit to fully absorb them. After each story is a short piece going over an element of storytelling; I found these parts hit or miss. I imagine an aspiring writing would appreciate it more.
This is random but how come so many stories with similarly named characters were right next to each other? (Marlene, Marnie, Marlie, Laila, Leela) I just found that funny.
If I had to pick a couple favorites, they would probably be Risk by Rachel Hylton and Break by Sophie Meridien.
invaderlinz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
allforthebooks's review against another edition
3.0
This was a well organized collection of short YA stories that dealt with the magic realm. The stories were very different buying think they would allow students great exposure and_or introductions to other cultures.
littlecornerreads's review
4.0
I've always loved stories. Books, movies, personal anecdotes, even the occasional fanfic or two...I love stories like a foodie loves food, so when I saw an anthology celebrating the magic of reading YA--an oft scorned and under-appreciated genre--I knew I had to read it.
Of all the anthologies I've read thus far, this is my favorite by a long shot. Even its premise is unique:
1) it analyzes of the writing process
2) it focuses on new voices in YA
3) it includes underrepresented voices
1) This is like a YA Fiction primer. I wish this had been around when I was in school. It makes lit analysis so fun and approachable. It strips the stories down to their technical make-up, breaking them down to their nuts and bolts to show us what goes into a good story. With practical advice like tips on world building, imagery, and characterization, it's the perfect workbook for aspiring or actual authors.
I’m not a writer by any stretch of imagination, but Foreshadow makes me think maybe I could be one. Putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) can seem so intimating, but Foreshadow makes the process accessible to writers of all levels. It breaks it down into easily digestible steps and offers simple prompts that makes writing a story a fun and achievable goal.
2) I don't know how this is the first published work for so many of these authors because each work shows a command of the English language that rivals (or surpasses) the work of many established YA writers out there. In the intro, Pan explains why a good short story is so hard to write, which makes this collection even more impressive. The economic use of language, the compacted world-building, the gorgeous prose...it’s a reminder that being unpublished doesn't make you any less legitimate as an author. But this is more than a MasterClass in the use of literary devices. There's an art of crafting the perfect story, and each work is the perfect alchemy of technique and storytelling.
Let's be real, there's a reason YA gets so flak for being clichéd, predictable, and derivative. Don't get me wrong, I love YA. Take one look at my bookshelf, and you'll see that I'm not ashamed to indulge in the occasional (or not-so-occasional) fluffy piece of fiction. But sometimes you just want something a little substantial, and that's the beauty of Foreshadow. It explores the expanse of Young Adult fiction by going beyond the stereotypical love triangle, Chosen One trilogies. This has horror and magical realism and, yes, a contemporary romance or two, but they're all done in a way that’s refreshingly original. These stories are meant to entertain, but they're also thought-provoking, evocative, and moving. There's something about this collection that resonates with the reader. The stories vary from the fantastical to somewhat ordinary, but they're all grounded in something that's real and manage to capture the essence of that strange in-between of being not quite grown but not quite child.
3) This has so much rep, and I love it. I don't think I've read such a diverse set of stories back-to-back-to-back, well...ever. It's refreshing to read such a varied collection of perspectives. Even if the stories aren't autobiographical in nature, it's obvious how each of the author's upbringing and background has influenced their work. If you're wondering why "We Need Diverse Books" and #ownvoices are starting to make waves in YA, I think Adriana Marachlian puts it best: "The first time I saw my country mentioned in a young adult novel. I cried. I remembered it was a throwaway comment, an exotic detail in a list of other interesting bits, with no bearing on the characters or plot, but all the bearing on the world to me...The thrill of being seen, even briefly, never left me. Vines can grow from a single tendril, and here was mine: I could do that for someone else."
A full breakdown of the individual stories can be found on my blog.
Flight ([a:Tanya Aydelott|20269413|Tanya Aydelott|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]) 2 stars
Risk([a:Rachel Hylton|19277033|Rachel Hylton|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]) 4 stars
Sweetmeats ([a:Linda Cheng|19322823|Linda Cheng|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1602408535p2/19322823.jpg]) 5 stars
Glow ([a:Joanna Truman|16389095|Joanna Truman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1603051711p2/16389095.jpg]) 3 stars
Escape ([a:Tanvi Berwah|20269414|Tanvi Berwah|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1591110459p2/20269414.jpg]) 1.5 stars
Pan Dulce ([a:Flor Salcedo|20269412|Flor Salcedo|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]) 4 stars
Solace ([a:Nora Elghazzawi|19277032|Nora Elghazzawi|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1600022378p2/19277032.jpg]) 4.5 stars
Princess ([a:Maya Prasad|19277035|Maya Prasad|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1599441309p2/19277035.jpg]) 4.5 stars
Fools ([a:Gina Chen|19277030|Gina Chen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1602279614p2/19277030.jpg]) 5+ stars
Monsters ([a:Adriana Marachlian|14109123|Adriana Marachlian|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1434648530p2/14109123.jpg]) 3 stars
Break ([a:Sophie Meridien|19277034|Sophie Meridien|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]) 5 stars
Resilient ([a:Mayra Cuevas|19277031|Mayra Cuevas|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1562624846p2/19277031.jpg]) 5 stars
Belly ([a:Desiree S. Evans|20269415|Desiree S. Evans|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]) 1 star
Major shout out to Algonquin Young Readers for the ARC!
Of all the anthologies I've read thus far, this is my favorite by a long shot. Even its premise is unique:
1) it analyzes of the writing process
2) it focuses on new voices in YA
3) it includes underrepresented voices
1) This is like a YA Fiction primer. I wish this had been around when I was in school. It makes lit analysis so fun and approachable. It strips the stories down to their technical make-up, breaking them down to their nuts and bolts to show us what goes into a good story. With practical advice like tips on world building, imagery, and characterization, it's the perfect workbook for aspiring or actual authors.
I’m not a writer by any stretch of imagination, but Foreshadow makes me think maybe I could be one. Putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) can seem so intimating, but Foreshadow makes the process accessible to writers of all levels. It breaks it down into easily digestible steps and offers simple prompts that makes writing a story a fun and achievable goal.
2) I don't know how this is the first published work for so many of these authors because each work shows a command of the English language that rivals (or surpasses) the work of many established YA writers out there. In the intro, Pan explains why a good short story is so hard to write, which makes this collection even more impressive. The economic use of language, the compacted world-building, the gorgeous prose...it’s a reminder that being unpublished doesn't make you any less legitimate as an author. But this is more than a MasterClass in the use of literary devices. There's an art of crafting the perfect story, and each work is the perfect alchemy of technique and storytelling.
Let's be real, there's a reason YA gets so flak for being clichéd, predictable, and derivative. Don't get me wrong, I love YA. Take one look at my bookshelf, and you'll see that I'm not ashamed to indulge in the occasional (or not-so-occasional) fluffy piece of fiction. But sometimes you just want something a little substantial, and that's the beauty of Foreshadow. It explores the expanse of Young Adult fiction by going beyond the stereotypical love triangle, Chosen One trilogies. This has horror and magical realism and, yes, a contemporary romance or two, but they're all done in a way that’s refreshingly original. These stories are meant to entertain, but they're also thought-provoking, evocative, and moving. There's something about this collection that resonates with the reader. The stories vary from the fantastical to somewhat ordinary, but they're all grounded in something that's real and manage to capture the essence of that strange in-between of being not quite grown but not quite child.
3) This has so much rep, and I love it. I don't think I've read such a diverse set of stories back-to-back-to-back, well...ever. It's refreshing to read such a varied collection of perspectives. Even if the stories aren't autobiographical in nature, it's obvious how each of the author's upbringing and background has influenced their work. If you're wondering why "We Need Diverse Books" and #ownvoices are starting to make waves in YA, I think Adriana Marachlian puts it best: "The first time I saw my country mentioned in a young adult novel. I cried. I remembered it was a throwaway comment, an exotic detail in a list of other interesting bits, with no bearing on the characters or plot, but all the bearing on the world to me...The thrill of being seen, even briefly, never left me. Vines can grow from a single tendril, and here was mine: I could do that for someone else."
A full breakdown of the individual stories can be found on my blog.
Flight ([a:Tanya Aydelott|20269413|Tanya Aydelott|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]) 2 stars
Risk([a:Rachel Hylton|19277033|Rachel Hylton|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]) 4 stars
Sweetmeats ([a:Linda Cheng|19322823|Linda Cheng|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1602408535p2/19322823.jpg]) 5 stars
Glow ([a:Joanna Truman|16389095|Joanna Truman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1603051711p2/16389095.jpg]) 3 stars
Escape ([a:Tanvi Berwah|20269414|Tanvi Berwah|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1591110459p2/20269414.jpg]) 1.5 stars
Pan Dulce ([a:Flor Salcedo|20269412|Flor Salcedo|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]) 4 stars
Solace ([a:Nora Elghazzawi|19277032|Nora Elghazzawi|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1600022378p2/19277032.jpg]) 4.5 stars
Princess ([a:Maya Prasad|19277035|Maya Prasad|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1599441309p2/19277035.jpg]) 4.5 stars
Fools ([a:Gina Chen|19277030|Gina Chen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1602279614p2/19277030.jpg]) 5+ stars
Monsters ([a:Adriana Marachlian|14109123|Adriana Marachlian|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1434648530p2/14109123.jpg]) 3 stars
Break ([a:Sophie Meridien|19277034|Sophie Meridien|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]) 5 stars
Resilient ([a:Mayra Cuevas|19277031|Mayra Cuevas|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1562624846p2/19277031.jpg]) 5 stars
Belly ([a:Desiree S. Evans|20269415|Desiree S. Evans|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]) 1 star
Major shout out to Algonquin Young Readers for the ARC!
greysonk's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75