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A review by svjak
Matches & Mistletoe: An Anthology of Four Celtic & Germanic Tales by Rebecca F. Kenney
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Matches & Mistletoe was a lovely anthology! This is exactly what I needed to be reading right now. Each one of the stories Rebecca told was unique and emotional. Some were stronger than others, but as a whole I would give the anthology a 4/5 stars. It was amazing to see characters like Far Darrig in an anthology like this, and Kenney's twist on the fae was absolutely magical! I can't wait to read more of her stories.
Reviews for each story:
Reviews for each story:
The Felwitch of Embry Hollow - ★★★★★
This was such a short and cute story, but it was also bittersweet. I'm so sad it's only a short story and not a full length novel I can devour. I loved everything about it. We followed the main character, Thistle, during the holidays after her mentor has passed away. She lives in a town where the magical Felwitch blesses each villager with a gift for the holidays and in return takes all of the items around town that are unwanted.
There were so many cute moments in this story,like when Thistle and Elatha were cleaning and throwing suds at each other. Little moments like that are woven into the story so well and it just makes me want to stay in that world and never come out.
Every moment with Elatha's family was also so so bittersweet. Rebecca crafted characters that are so easy to love. Elatha was misunderstood and all alone, butvalued his family so much that he gave up every day of the year only to have part of a night with them.
There were so many cute moments in this story,
Every moment with Elatha's family was also so so bittersweet. Rebecca crafted characters that are so easy to love. Elatha was misunderstood and all alone, but
"I will miss all of you," whispered Elatha.
"We will always be here," said his brother. "As all our people remain in this world, in some form. We are part of the stones and the moors, part of the mists and the mountains. Our voices travel in the wind, and our spirits sail through the water. You will feel us again, every time you walk this wood."
I've never been so close to tears from a short story before.
And I really wish that this were a longer story because this was such an amazing story and I wanted to keep reading about Thistle and Elatha well past the ending.
The Christmas Faerie of Strasburg - ★★☆☆☆
This one was a cute little story about the origin of the Christmas tree. Unlike the first tale in the series, this one did feel a bit rushed. I felt little connection to the characters, which in a way placed the highlight on the purpose of the tale rather than the finer details of it.
A Monstrous Angel - ★★★★☆
This one was another bittersweet tale. It wasn't quite as good as the first, but it was still a lot of fun to read (and also nearly made me cry.)
A Monstrous Angel tells the story of Far Darrig and his leprechauns, and a small little family who got wrapped up in it all. Gloria was a stay at home mother to her two children. Her husband had recently died in the war and she was home all alone, trying to raise her children the best she could. A chance-encounter with a leprechaun would chill her to the bones and bring a handsome man in red to her door.
A Monstrous Angel tells the story of Far Darrig and his leprechauns, and a small little family who got wrapped up in it all. Gloria was a stay at home mother to her two children. Her husband had recently died in the war and she was home all alone, trying to raise her children the best she could. A chance-encounter with a leprechaun would chill her to the bones and bring a handsome man in red to her door.
I was so sad for Far Darrig. Gloria wanted nothing more than to see and be seen, and when she got what she wanted she decided it wasn't good enough.
Why did the story have to end there? I hope Far Darrig reappears in some future tales.
The Match Girl - ★★★☆☆
This story, along with the first, really had me begging for more. I wanted so bad to learn more. It felt more like a glimpse at the beginning of a story rather than a complete short tale for an anthology and it left off at a cliffhanger that was incredibly frustrating.
We follow a girl after her 'mother/keeper' of sorts has passed, though it's clear that there's no real love between them. She is exploring the world for the first time on her own and learns of a terrible secret her keeper kept from her about who she is and where she came from.
This story leaves off right as she gets a little morsel of truth, but before she finds out the whole truth, which is where it was so frustrating. I wanted to follow her as we learned more about who she is and how she came to be with her mother/keeper.
We follow a girl after her 'mother/keeper' of sorts has passed, though it's clear that there's no real love between them. She is exploring the world for the first time on her own and learns of a terrible secret her keeper kept from her about who she is and where she came from.
This story leaves off right as she gets a little morsel of truth, but before she finds out the whole truth, which is where it was so frustrating. I wanted to follow her as we learned more about who she is and how she came to be with her mother/keeper.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Grief, and Abandonment