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lamusadelils's review against another edition
4.0
"Tales of Whimsy and Malice", una apta descripción para el libro.
Pocas veces encuentro antologías donde todos los cuentos me gustan tanto. Tienen ese toque de cuento de hadas más lo novedoso de historias -probablemente- poco conocidas en este lado del mundo. Las historias son nostálgicas, inquietantes, sorprendentes y graciosas, todo contado en un estilo muy poético y con bellísimas descripciones. Además después de cada una, la autora explica la inspiración original de ellas y parte de su proceso/experiencia de escritura, lo que le agrega otra dimensión a la lectura y la enriquece bastante.
Noté que algunos de los cuentos parecían algo apresurados al final, pero no se fijen mucho.
Pocas veces encuentro antologías donde todos los cuentos me gustan tanto. Tienen ese toque de cuento de hadas más lo novedoso de historias -probablemente- poco conocidas en este lado del mundo. Las historias son nostálgicas, inquietantes, sorprendentes y graciosas, todo contado en un estilo muy poético y con bellísimas descripciones. Además después de cada una, la autora explica la inspiración original de ellas y parte de su proceso/experiencia de escritura, lo que le agrega otra dimensión a la lectura y la enriquece bastante.
Noté que algunos de los cuentos parecían algo apresurados al final, pero no se fijen mucho.
nannahnannah's review against another edition
5.0
I've never really fallen in love with a short story collection before reading this one. It's just so beautiful and wonderfully written.
Usually anthologies are a mixed bag; there's some you like, some that are just ok, and some you kind of skim through. But each story in this collection is written with such feeling and I was sad when I got to the last one.
And now, after this really short review, I'm off to see what else Eugie Foster has written . . .
Usually anthologies are a mixed bag; there's some you like, some that are just ok, and some you kind of skim through. But each story in this collection is written with such feeling and I was sad when I got to the last one.
And now, after this really short review, I'm off to see what else Eugie Foster has written . . .
ryuutchi's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
zinful's review against another edition
5.0
Delicately woven together in my mind forever, these stories have the seemingly charming simplicity of fairy tales with the dark undercurrent of complex moral fables going on. I'm haunted by some of the images in this collection, and since many of the stories are retellings, I can't get them out of my subconscious!
My favorite things all come together here, too: clearly written by a woman, in that she references femininity and the cultural standpoint it creates, totally willing to write queer character who are just…queer, it's not a thing, and the inclusion of little tiny after-the-fact explanations about why the story was written, or what she was thinking about at the time. Beautiful little perfect storm, this collection.
This review is weird, but this is an excellent collection of short stories.
My favorite things all come together here, too: clearly written by a woman, in that she references femininity and the cultural standpoint it creates, totally willing to write queer character who are just…queer, it's not a thing, and the inclusion of little tiny after-the-fact explanations about why the story was written, or what she was thinking about at the time. Beautiful little perfect storm, this collection.
This review is weird, but this is an excellent collection of short stories.
jessyhere's review
adventurous
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ihuntsnarks's review
5.0
This is one of very few short stories collections where I actually like every single entry and I ended up loving several of them. They vary in tone, some are dark and bittersweet, others joyful and humorous, but they're all worth reading. Foster has a talent for giving her stories depth and charm in short format and her notes on the inspiration for the various tales are interesting to read at the end of each story.
One side note to anyone considering buying this book. The small press that publishes the print edition of this book is apparently a mess at the moment and hasn't paid out any royalties to its authors in some time. So if you're going to buy it, please buy the e-book so that Ms. Foster receives your support!
One side note to anyone considering buying this book. The small press that publishes the print edition of this book is apparently a mess at the moment and hasn't paid out any royalties to its authors in some time. So if you're going to buy it, please buy the e-book so that Ms. Foster receives your support!
lordofthemoon's review
4.0
I first encountered Eugie Foster via the Escape Artists podcasts, mostly Podcastle, where I knew that a Foster story was probably one that I was going to enjoy. I was sorry to hear of her death last year and that was one thing that pushed me toward getting this collection, which I've finally got around to reading.
It's a collection of retellings of, or stories inspired by, far-eastern myths, with no other real unifying feature. But the far-eastern link is enough for me, and I enjoyed just about every story in the collection. Stand outs include A Thread of Silk about a woman who vows to kill the man who killed her father; The Tanuki-Kettle, a whimsical fairy tale about a mischievous tanuki spirit who hides in the form of a tea-kettle; and Year of the Fox, telling of a rash promise made in childhood and its consequences.
Foster is a confident storyteller, building great worlds. Her afterwords after each story are a nice way into the author's mind, telling how each one came about. I'll definitely be looking out for more of her work.
It's a collection of retellings of, or stories inspired by, far-eastern myths, with no other real unifying feature. But the far-eastern link is enough for me, and I enjoyed just about every story in the collection. Stand outs include A Thread of Silk about a woman who vows to kill the man who killed her father; The Tanuki-Kettle, a whimsical fairy tale about a mischievous tanuki spirit who hides in the form of a tea-kettle; and Year of the Fox, telling of a rash promise made in childhood and its consequences.
Foster is a confident storyteller, building great worlds. Her afterwords after each story are a nice way into the author's mind, telling how each one came about. I'll definitely be looking out for more of her work.
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