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beckylej's review against another edition
4.0
From dolls as vessels (for spirits, emotions, and other) and figurative dolls of another sort to poppets that can help heal and word dolls to watch out for, Ellen Datlow has collected an anthology of truly creeptastic tales. For anyone with even minor pediophobia this set of stories is likely to leave you cowering in the corner and looking at even the most innocent of kewpies with suspicion.
Here's the full Table of Contents:
Skin and Bone by Tim Lebbon
Heroes and Villains by Stephen Gallagher
The Doll-Master by Joyce Carol Oates
Gaze by Gemma Files
In Case of Zebras by Pat Cadigan
There Is No Place For Sorrow in the Kingdom of the Cold by Seanan McGuire
Goodness and Kindness by Carrie Vaughn
Daniel's Theory About Dolls by Stephen Graham Jones
After and Back Before by Miranda Siemienowicz
Doctor Faustus by Mary Robinette Kowal
Doll Court by Richard Bowes
Visit Lovely Cornwall on the Western Railway Line by Genevieve Valentine
Ambitious Boys Like You by Richard Kadrey
Miss Sibyl-Cassandra by Lucy Sussex
The Permanent Collection by Veronica Schanoes
Homemade Monsters by John Langan
Word Doll by Jeffrey Ford
So unless we're talking the obviously meant to be creepy doll from Annabelle (did you know the REAL Annabelle was a Raggedy Ann doll?) dolls don't generally give me the heebie jeebies. But some of the dolls in this collection sure do! A few of my personal favorites: Jeffrey Ford's "Word Doll," which combines folklore and middle American farming (Ford is a character within the story as well), "Miss Sibyl-Cassandra" by Lucy Sussex was infinitely fun, and Richard Kadrey's "Ambitious Boys Like You" was, as Datlow promised in her O&F Podcast, particularly nasty!
If you're a fan of anthologies, Datlow is probably a name you'll recognize. She's made a career out of culling shorts to create the annual Best Horror of the Year anthologies as well as numerous collections like this one. Anton Strout featured her on the Once and Future Podcast a couple of weeks ago, giving readers like me a chance to hear more about what she does and her process for putting together an anthology. I highly recommend checking that out.
Here's the full Table of Contents:
Skin and Bone by Tim Lebbon
Heroes and Villains by Stephen Gallagher
The Doll-Master by Joyce Carol Oates
Gaze by Gemma Files
In Case of Zebras by Pat Cadigan
There Is No Place For Sorrow in the Kingdom of the Cold by Seanan McGuire
Goodness and Kindness by Carrie Vaughn
Daniel's Theory About Dolls by Stephen Graham Jones
After and Back Before by Miranda Siemienowicz
Doctor Faustus by Mary Robinette Kowal
Doll Court by Richard Bowes
Visit Lovely Cornwall on the Western Railway Line by Genevieve Valentine
Ambitious Boys Like You by Richard Kadrey
Miss Sibyl-Cassandra by Lucy Sussex
The Permanent Collection by Veronica Schanoes
Homemade Monsters by John Langan
Word Doll by Jeffrey Ford
So unless we're talking the obviously meant to be creepy doll from Annabelle (did you know the REAL Annabelle was a Raggedy Ann doll?) dolls don't generally give me the heebie jeebies. But some of the dolls in this collection sure do! A few of my personal favorites: Jeffrey Ford's "Word Doll," which combines folklore and middle American farming (Ford is a character within the story as well), "Miss Sibyl-Cassandra" by Lucy Sussex was infinitely fun, and Richard Kadrey's "Ambitious Boys Like You" was, as Datlow promised in her O&F Podcast, particularly nasty!
If you're a fan of anthologies, Datlow is probably a name you'll recognize. She's made a career out of culling shorts to create the annual Best Horror of the Year anthologies as well as numerous collections like this one. Anton Strout featured her on the Once and Future Podcast a couple of weeks ago, giving readers like me a chance to hear more about what she does and her process for putting together an anthology. I highly recommend checking that out.
detailsandtales's review against another edition
4.0
As with any short story collection, there were stories I liked, and stories I didn't. In this case, there were more of the former than the latter.
bookdragon_1978's review against another edition
3.0
This book took me much longer than anticipated to complete as I found that I struggle reading short stories. My mind requires a long read to get absorbed into rather than the short attempts of character and story building.
However, having said this the stories themselves were well-written with a creepy, uncomfortable edge to them. This discomfort around dolls, their descriptions, and stories was more rewarding than the cliche evil-dolls that we expect.
I am still freaked out by dolls, maybe more so after this book, and I don’t believe this will ever change.
However, having said this the stories themselves were well-written with a creepy, uncomfortable edge to them. This discomfort around dolls, their descriptions, and stories was more rewarding than the cliche evil-dolls that we expect.
I am still freaked out by dolls, maybe more so after this book, and I don’t believe this will ever change.
sarrie's review against another edition
4.0
The ratings on these averaged out to be about 3.7 so a rounded up 4.
The standout stories were the Seanan McGuire, the last story by Jeffrey Ford, the second story from Stephen Gallaghar, and seventh story by Carrie Vaughn.
It was a surprising mix as well. You'd expect just straight creepy dolls the whole way through but this managed to take the idea of a 'story about a doll' and frame it in a variety of different ways. Especially the last story Word Doll, I don't know if it or the Seanan McGuire story were my favorite. It had the most unique premise for me though.
The standout stories were the Seanan McGuire, the last story by Jeffrey Ford, the second story from Stephen Gallaghar, and seventh story by Carrie Vaughn.
It was a surprising mix as well. You'd expect just straight creepy dolls the whole way through but this managed to take the idea of a 'story about a doll' and frame it in a variety of different ways. Especially the last story Word Doll, I don't know if it or the Seanan McGuire story were my favorite. It had the most unique premise for me though.
brisk28's review against another edition
2.0
I bought this awhile back and only just remembered it recently, and I’m extremely disappointed. I read the intro and when it basically stated that it wasn’t a composition of short stories about evil dolls...I kinda grew a bit worried. I’m one of those people that enjoy good books about evil dolls so to say the least: I’m disappointed. I enjoyed the first short story, but I managed to make it to the fifth short story when I decided this book just isn’t for me. Even Seanan McGuire couldn’t save this.
jerkyf's review
3.0
I keep setting this down and forgetting it, which is a shame. The stories I've read so far are very good. "There Is No Place For Sorrow in the Kingdom of the Cold" by. Seanan McGuire is especially haunting.
3 1/2 stars. Some stories are beautiful and terrifying, a few are just gross.
3 1/2 stars. Some stories are beautiful and terrifying, a few are just gross.
typewriterdeluxe's review
3.0
I was pulled in by the fantastic cover and the great story-writing prompt detailed in Ellen Datlow's introduction.
As with all short story collections, there are some duds. But there are also solid stories in this collection: Tim Lebbon’s “Skin and Bone” may be predictable but it’s very well-written; Joyce Carol Oates brings ‘fucked up’ to the craft in “The Doll-Master” like only she can; and “Homemade Monsters” by John Langan is tender, angry, and relatable. Even if I don't think all the stories are successful, there are some really interesting ideas in here.
Side note: I was looking to read some horror based on the cover (and several of these stories do contain disturbing content) but I'd say that most of these stories fit better in the fantasy genre or than horror.
As with all short story collections, there are some duds. But there are also solid stories in this collection: Tim Lebbon’s “Skin and Bone” may be predictable but it’s very well-written; Joyce Carol Oates brings ‘fucked up’ to the craft in “The Doll-Master” like only she can; and “Homemade Monsters” by John Langan is tender, angry, and relatable. Even if I don't think all the stories are successful, there are some really interesting ideas in here.
Side note: I was looking to read some horror based on the cover (and several of these stories do contain disturbing content) but I'd say that most of these stories fit better in the fantasy genre or than horror.
bitterindigo's review
3.0
This is the first Ellen Datlow anthology that I haven't loved in... forever. I did like three or four of the stories, and with the others I'm not sure if I didn't like them or if the subject matter was too disturbing. I just felt like finishing the book was a slog, whereas I'm usually trying to slow myself down from finishing any other anthology edited by her.