elwirax 's review for:

Burning Girls and Other Stories by Veronica Schanoes

2.5

dark reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Among the thorns - 3/5
How to bring someone back from the dead- 3/5
Alice: a fantasia- 2/5
Phosphorus- 3/5
Ballroom Blitz- 1/5
Serpents- 2.5/5
Emma Goldman Takes Tea with the Baba Yaga- 3/5
Rats- 2/5
Lost in the Supermarket- 2.5/5
Swimming- 2/5
Lily Glass- 2/5
The Revenant- 1/5
Burning Girls- 4/5
 

I enjoyed the exploration of themes in these short stories (anti-semitism, revenge, capitalism and exploitation, mental illness, self-destruction, oppression and trauma). However, the execution of many just didn't interest me despite being well written. Burning Girls, Among Thorns, Phosphorus and Emma Goldman were by far my favourite short stories in this collection where I felt the themes were the strongest. Overall, an interesting collection based loosely on well know fairy-tales, perhaps just not for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Antisemitism

Moderate: Child death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Sexual content