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kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
It's a free short story from Seanan McGuire, 0.14 in the InCryptid urban fantasy series, and revolving around a family of renegade "monster hunters" mourning the loss of someone much loved.
If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the InCryptid books on my website of the live-and-let-live Healys who have seen the error of their ways when it comes to huntin' down monsters.
My Take
This short story will break your heart all over again as the Healy family holds off on Fran's funeral as they wait for the mourners to gather.
The Story
Almost twenty years ago, Jonathan Healy rode a train across the country to investigate reports that something was killing people in the wake of a small family circus. Almost twenty years ago, he brought home the woman who would be his wife, the mother of his children, and his partner in the endless quest to protect the cryptids of the world. The time has come for Fabulous Fran, the Flower of Arizona, the Star of New Mexico, to take the stage for the final time, and take her final bow.
Fran touched a lot of lives in her time in Buckley, and the people who loved her are coming to say goodbye. It's not going to be easy. The things that are most important so very rarely are.
They say she never missed a shot; she was the darling of the west. But now she's gone, and the ones she's left behind must figure out what this means for them.
The Characters
Fran Healy, whom the mice christened the Priestess of Unexpected Violence, is dead and will be buried next to the God of Early Arrivals and Earlier Departures.
Jonathan, the God of Unexpected Situations, is grieving so much that he'll die soon if someone doesn't snap him out of it. His parents, Alexander, the God of Uncommon Sense, and Enid, the Patient Priestess, are holding it all together. Alice is Fran and Johnny's six-year-old daughter. The girl, according to Juney's cards who will one day give up everything she had because she didn't know how to give up on love. The Aeslin mice are grieving as well, remembering every day that Fran had been with them.
Juniper Campbell, a routewitch and the closest thing Fran had to a sister, and the Campbell Family Circus needed time to get there. Laura is Juniper's daughter, and she gets introduced to Alice. Mary Dunlavy, a crossroads ghost, will be there for the funeral and to help with Alice.
Arturo and Elena Gucciard must find a babysitter for their son, Aldo. Asta and Chruse will represent the Kalakos. Lynn Gentling and Elaine Lindsay from Gentling, Maine, have arrived.
Roy Hagar is the funeral director who had to be bribed to keep Fran's body.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a montage of Fran's life as a trick rider with the circus, "The Star of New Mexico", a poster, PR photos, her six-guns, postcards, and letters. A look back at a life that was short and well-lived.
If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the InCryptid books on my website of the live-and-let-live Healys who have seen the error of their ways when it comes to huntin' down monsters.
My Take
This short story will break your heart all over again as the Healy family holds off on Fran's funeral as they wait for the mourners to gather.
"There were still hours to burn before the morning came and they put Fran in the ground forever. This was their last night in the same world, and he'd be damned before he wasted it on sleeping."I hated this story and the last, "Broken Paper Hearts" for all the loss — I loved Fran's character. And I hate how her death hurts everyone. All I can say is that McGuire had better write a story that tells us what happened to Alice!!
The Story
Almost twenty years ago, Jonathan Healy rode a train across the country to investigate reports that something was killing people in the wake of a small family circus. Almost twenty years ago, he brought home the woman who would be his wife, the mother of his children, and his partner in the endless quest to protect the cryptids of the world. The time has come for Fabulous Fran, the Flower of Arizona, the Star of New Mexico, to take the stage for the final time, and take her final bow.
Fran touched a lot of lives in her time in Buckley, and the people who loved her are coming to say goodbye. It's not going to be easy. The things that are most important so very rarely are.
They say she never missed a shot; she was the darling of the west. But now she's gone, and the ones she's left behind must figure out what this means for them.
"It had taken nearly two weeks to arrange the funeral of Frances Healy.
For the ones she'd left behind, it would take a lifetime to say goodbye."
The Characters
Fran Healy, whom the mice christened the Priestess of Unexpected Violence, is dead and will be buried next to the God of Early Arrivals and Earlier Departures.
Jonathan, the God of Unexpected Situations, is grieving so much that he'll die soon if someone doesn't snap him out of it. His parents, Alexander, the God of Uncommon Sense, and Enid, the Patient Priestess, are holding it all together. Alice is Fran and Johnny's six-year-old daughter. The girl, according to Juney's cards who will one day give up everything she had because she didn't know how to give up on love. The Aeslin mice are grieving as well, remembering every day that Fran had been with them.
Juniper Campbell, a routewitch and the closest thing Fran had to a sister, and the Campbell Family Circus needed time to get there. Laura is Juniper's daughter, and she gets introduced to Alice. Mary Dunlavy, a crossroads ghost, will be there for the funeral and to help with Alice.
Arturo and Elena Gucciard must find a babysitter for their son, Aldo. Asta and Chruse will represent the Kalakos. Lynn Gentling and Elaine Lindsay from Gentling, Maine, have arrived.
Roy Hagar is the funeral director who had to be bribed to keep Fran's body.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a montage of Fran's life as a trick rider with the circus, "The Star of New Mexico", a poster, PR photos, her six-guns, postcards, and letters. A look back at a life that was short and well-lived.
cabbage_patch's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
setauuta's review against another edition
4.0
I think this might be even more heart-breaking than the previous story, watching everyone mourn. The scene with the mice was especially gut-wrenching.
poisonenvy's review against another edition
5.0
Again, another sad story. It was sweet to see all the people who Fran had influenced throughout her life, and there was a lot there to take in. Poor Johnny. I thought Fran and Mary's conversation at the end was especially poignant; it must have been so hard for Fran to... Well, to not look back.
bookfessional's review against another edition
3.0
urlphantomhive's review against another edition
4.0
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
The Star of New Mexico continues where Broken Paper Hearts ended (it would have probably been better had the two stories been combined, considering how short they both are). This one, however, was by far the saddest of them all. It's a very short stories, but considering this is a complete series of short stories, it doesn't really feel like a short story any more.
The part with the Aeslin mice was truly heartbreaking. Now I need some light reading to forget all this.
The Star of New Mexico continues where Broken Paper Hearts ended (it would have probably been better had the two stories been combined, considering how short they both are). This one, however, was by far the saddest of them all. It's a very short stories, but considering this is a complete series of short stories, it doesn't really feel like a short story any more.
The part with the Aeslin mice was truly heartbreaking. Now I need some light reading to forget all this.
nerdywerewolf's review against another edition
4.0
"She's a Healy, bred and born, and you're not going to change her."
The funeral. That's what this story is. It's a testimony to Fran Healy and the crazy courageous person she was. All of her friends gather to remember her and it's heartbreaking and uplifting and downright necessary.
Her best friend from the carnival, Juniper the routewitch, brings her daughter, Laura, to the foretold meeting of Alice Healy. It's probably best if we just don't say anything about Johnny and just how much this broke him.
The funeral. That's what this story is. It's a testimony to Fran Healy and the crazy courageous person she was. All of her friends gather to remember her and it's heartbreaking and uplifting and downright necessary.
Her best friend from the carnival, Juniper the routewitch, brings her daughter, Laura, to the foretold meeting of Alice Healy. It's probably best if we just don't say anything about Johnny and just how much this broke him.