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kaylecorey 's review for:
Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions
by Neil Gaiman
Update- 4/8 I was wrong the first time I read this. I think I was being too critical. This time around, I loved it. There were a few stories that I felt were a wrong fit for this particular anthology, but not to a distracting degree. I had forgotten what a masterclass Murder Mysteries in particular is. I still maintain my favorites and least favorites.
This is not a bad short story collection, it just pales in comparison to his other two- Fragile Things and Trigger Warning. If I had not read the other two, this could be a 4, at least. But I know what Gaiman is capable of, and this was his least impressive of the three to me. There were several standout stories included that I loved, but far more that I only liked, or – forgot as soon as they were over.
Favorite Stories:
1. Murder Mysteries. I desperately want this to be expanded into a novel. It is the story of Creation, wrapped around the death of an Angel.
2. We Can Get Them for You Wholesale. Very funny, a clever premise and a funny take on people who just can’t resist a deal.
3. Snow, Glass, and Apples. A retelling of ‘Snow White’. Gaiman has an innate gift for reimagining classic fairy tales, and I hope to one day see a full collection released dedicated to his mastery of this niche.
Least Favorite Stories:
1. Mouse. The story of a guy who is a total dink.
2. Queen of Knives. This felt like filler to me. The story of a boy and his grandparents, and a magic show gone ‘wrong’.
3. Babycakes. Two words: eating babies. Nope.
Overall, it’s solid. If it was written by another author, I’d think it was quite good. But having read so much of Neil Gaiman at this point, and knowing all the amazing work he’s capable of, it’s a bit of a letdown in comparison. I do wish in retrospect that I had read his short story collections in the correct order as the stories often overlap or interweave. It’s worth the read, but I’d suggest for anyone venturing into Gaiman for the first time to start with this collection and move through in chronological order from there.
This is not a bad short story collection, it just pales in comparison to his other two- Fragile Things and Trigger Warning. If I had not read the other two, this could be a 4, at least. But I know what Gaiman is capable of, and this was his least impressive of the three to me. There were several standout stories included that I loved, but far more that I only liked, or – forgot as soon as they were over.
Favorite Stories:
1. Murder Mysteries. I desperately want this to be expanded into a novel. It is the story of Creation, wrapped around the death of an Angel.
2. We Can Get Them for You Wholesale. Very funny, a clever premise and a funny take on people who just can’t resist a deal.
3. Snow, Glass, and Apples. A retelling of ‘Snow White’. Gaiman has an innate gift for reimagining classic fairy tales, and I hope to one day see a full collection released dedicated to his mastery of this niche.
Least Favorite Stories:
1. Mouse. The story of a guy who is a total dink.
2. Queen of Knives. This felt like filler to me. The story of a boy and his grandparents, and a magic show gone ‘wrong’.
3. Babycakes. Two words: eating babies. Nope.
Overall, it’s solid. If it was written by another author, I’d think it was quite good. But having read so much of Neil Gaiman at this point, and knowing all the amazing work he’s capable of, it’s a bit of a letdown in comparison. I do wish in retrospect that I had read his short story collections in the correct order as the stories often overlap or interweave. It’s worth the read, but I’d suggest for anyone venturing into Gaiman for the first time to start with this collection and move through in chronological order from there.