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A review by daisey
The Anatomy of Curiosity by Brenna Yovanoff, Tessa Gratton, Maggie Stiefvater
4.0
This book is an intriguing mix of fantasy short story anthology and a conversation with the authors about their writing processes. Although I'm not sure if any of the individual stories would have completely wowed me on their own, I loved seeing all the little details about how each was developed over time.
Characterization and "Ladylike" by Maggie Stiefvater
Although I understand the whole concept of this book and liked the insight of the introduction to the story, I think that part of the reason this story did not completely pull me in was that I already had some clues as to the secrets of the characters and how things were going to go. It might have been a better choice to read through the story once without the introduction and footnotes. Then, going back to reread it with this explanation and insight would have added another level without giving away any of the surprises. With that being said, I really liked the footnotes in this story about Maggie's specific process for developing and revising her story. She gave general advice applicable to many writers as well as some very specific details about her own personal writing choices.
World Building and "Desert Canticle" by Tessa Gratton
I always find the world building in fantasy fascinating, so I loved reading more details about the way in which Tessa goes through that process. Her explanation is a clear example of how small central ideas can expand to create a world and a story. Her footnotes read much differently than Maggie's to me, and I liked seeing the individuality of the author come through. I also appreciated seeing her comments about how her critique partners affected the development of the story. Too often, I think we forget the other people besides the author who are involved in the complete development of a published story.
Ideas and "Drowning Variations" by Brenna Yovanoff
This section of the book was different from the first two. It again starts with an introduction, but then instead of one story, it reads more like an essay including a couple of short stories and footnotes within them. I felt like the footnotes in this portion were more disruptive because the essay portion was already providing explanation of the overall process. Yet, the whole thing was extremely insightful. Brenna took a few personal experiences and used them as the skeleton beneath a few very different stories. I think this could be a helpful example for students and aspiring writers of how a single experience or idea can lead to a story that seems completely different. This section also ends with some wonderful commentary from the three authors about the common advice to "write what you know" and how they've each learned to do this in their own way rather than taking it literally.
I would recommend this book for aspiring writers and readers interested in the creative process of different writers. It would probably be especially interesting for readers who have enjoyed other stories by these authors.
* I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
Characterization and "Ladylike" by Maggie Stiefvater
Although I understand the whole concept of this book and liked the insight of the introduction to the story, I think that part of the reason this story did not completely pull me in was that I already had some clues as to the secrets of the characters and how things were going to go. It might have been a better choice to read through the story once without the introduction and footnotes. Then, going back to reread it with this explanation and insight would have added another level without giving away any of the surprises. With that being said, I really liked the footnotes in this story about Maggie's specific process for developing and revising her story. She gave general advice applicable to many writers as well as some very specific details about her own personal writing choices.
World Building and "Desert Canticle" by Tessa Gratton
I always find the world building in fantasy fascinating, so I loved reading more details about the way in which Tessa goes through that process. Her explanation is a clear example of how small central ideas can expand to create a world and a story. Her footnotes read much differently than Maggie's to me, and I liked seeing the individuality of the author come through. I also appreciated seeing her comments about how her critique partners affected the development of the story. Too often, I think we forget the other people besides the author who are involved in the complete development of a published story.
Ideas and "Drowning Variations" by Brenna Yovanoff
This section of the book was different from the first two. It again starts with an introduction, but then instead of one story, it reads more like an essay including a couple of short stories and footnotes within them. I felt like the footnotes in this portion were more disruptive because the essay portion was already providing explanation of the overall process. Yet, the whole thing was extremely insightful. Brenna took a few personal experiences and used them as the skeleton beneath a few very different stories. I think this could be a helpful example for students and aspiring writers of how a single experience or idea can lead to a story that seems completely different. This section also ends with some wonderful commentary from the three authors about the common advice to "write what you know" and how they've each learned to do this in their own way rather than taking it literally.
I would recommend this book for aspiring writers and readers interested in the creative process of different writers. It would probably be especially interesting for readers who have enjoyed other stories by these authors.
* I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.