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Among Thorns and Stardust by Amy Johnson, Marie Sinadjan, Destiny Eve, Hayley Anderton, Meri Benson
_clairereviews_'s review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Book Review:
Among Thorns &
This anthology of seven sci-fi fairytale reimaginings is a delightful, adventurous romp through space and dystopian wastelands. Each tale has its own story to impart, but magic, wonder, and geeky tech feature heavily.
Each tale has a strong feminist vibe, which is such a fantastic twist to read. That, combined with the modern settings, and quirky characters gives every story a really fresh feel; each and every one is portrayed in such a unique way.
There is just enough here to get a taste of each author's style of writing; a chance to dip your toe before you make that splash into their solo work.
Huge thanks to Marie Sinadjan for providing the eARC; this is my honest review.
Among Thorns &
This anthology of seven sci-fi fairytale reimaginings is a delightful, adventurous romp through space and dystopian wastelands. Each tale has its own story to impart, but magic, wonder, and geeky tech feature heavily.
Each tale has a strong feminist vibe, which is such a fantastic twist to read. That, combined with the modern settings, and quirky characters gives every story a really fresh feel; each and every one is portrayed in such a unique way.
There is just enough here to get a taste of each author's style of writing; a chance to dip your toe before you make that splash into their solo work.
Huge thanks to Marie Sinadjan for providing the eARC; this is my honest review.
helynalc's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.75
A cool little short story collection with sci-fi takes on classic fairy tales. I received an ARC of the book in return of an honest review.
Into the Arms of Morpheus: This was probably the most fairy tale-ish tone-wise. A Sleeping Beauty retelling. I liked it, but it was third or half of a story, and ended when it got really interesting! I'd love to read the rest!
Everything Made Beautiful: So far my fave. Cinderella retelling. The writing style was great, the voice of the MC also, just the right length and just a lovely tale all around.
Skyscraper: Rapunzel retelling. It was mysterious, and very sad and bleak, which remained true until the end. It certainly spoke to me, and I liked the twist.
Aliandra: Aladdin retelling. I liked "female Aladdin" but missed the tension from the whole story. A longer experiment with this might help to give more space to develop character and stakes.
Stardust and Steel: Beauty and the Beast, or something like that, I think, but I didn't mind the differences. I loved it actually, it's really about a woman looking for her father. I liked the mysterious planet and the manor. But like with the first story, I really thought it's half of a story and I would love to read the end of it!
Just a Byte: Snow White retelling with a neat central concept (virtual realities and simulations). I felt like the length limited the world building and character interactions but it was very interesting.
Wild Swan Chase: I don't know this tale (Six Swans) very well but after reading about it, I appreciate the twists on it a lot. Even the love story was kinda cute and fit the length! You can buy me with some bird motifs in space, also. xD
Into the Arms of Morpheus: This was probably the most fairy tale-ish tone-wise. A Sleeping Beauty retelling. I liked it, but it was third or half of a story, and ended when it got really interesting! I'd love to read the rest!
Everything Made Beautiful: So far my fave. Cinderella retelling. The writing style was great, the voice of the MC also, just the right length and just a lovely tale all around.
Skyscraper: Rapunzel retelling. It was mysterious, and very sad and bleak, which remained true until the end. It certainly spoke to me, and I liked the twist.
Aliandra: Aladdin retelling. I liked "female Aladdin" but missed the tension from the whole story. A longer experiment with this might help to give more space to develop character and stakes.
Stardust and Steel: Beauty and the Beast, or something like that, I think, but I didn't mind the differences. I loved it actually, it's really about a woman looking for her father. I liked the mysterious planet and the manor. But like with the first story, I really thought it's half of a story and I would love to read the end of it!
Just a Byte: Snow White retelling with a neat central concept (virtual realities and simulations). I felt like the length limited the world building and character interactions but it was very interesting.
Wild Swan Chase: I don't know this tale (Six Swans) very well but after reading about it, I appreciate the twists on it a lot. Even the love story was kinda cute and fit the length! You can buy me with some bird motifs in space, also. xD
xxreadwithcharliexx's review
4.0
What a fantastic collection of Fairytale retellings but Sci-Fi.
Sci-Fi really isn't my thing usually, but I loved every single one of them. This is a perfect introduction into the genre in my opinion, and I look forward to reading more now.
There were a couple which I wasn't quite sure of the Fairytale. The main one being Wild Swan Chase - I had not heard of the actual Fairytale before, however I loved every minute of that story, I kind of want that to become a novel in it's own right.
My favourite was Everything Made Beautiful đ very, very closely followed by both Skyscraper, and Wild Swan Chase.
Thank you to the author, and Indie Visible, for the opportunity to read this.
Sci-Fi really isn't my thing usually, but I loved every single one of them. This is a perfect introduction into the genre in my opinion, and I look forward to reading more now.
There were a couple which I wasn't quite sure of the Fairytale. The main one being Wild Swan Chase - I had not heard of the actual Fairytale before, however I loved every minute of that story, I kind of want that to become a novel in it's own right.
My favourite was Everything Made Beautiful đ very, very closely followed by both Skyscraper, and Wild Swan Chase.
Thank you to the author, and Indie Visible, for the opportunity to read this.
joelteon's review
3.0
I had the distinct pleasure of reading an eARC of Among Thorns and Stardust in exchange for an honest, unbiased opionion.
These seven stories are Sci-Fi twists on the fairytales we all know and love. Read on for a short review of each story.
Into the Arms of Morpheus by Amy Johnson
Liana has been protected (sheltered) by her parents all of her life so that she doesnât have to encounter the monsters outside of her containing walls. But when Liana does something stupid, something dangerous, everyone must confront the repercussions.
This was a fun little story and a great introduction to the anthology. I would be so interested in discovering more if Amy ever wrote a follow-up.
Rating: 3.5/5
Everything Made Beautiful by Dawn Christine Jonckowski
This inventive retelling of Cinderalla from a new point of view was fresh and exciting. In a world where everyone is recorded in a database how can Briallen remain unnoticed after being disfigured in an accident as a child. After being invited to a ball for the princeâs birthday she takes steps to ensure her identity remains a secret as her step-sister, Cindrell, dances into the limelight.
This story is about disfigurement and prosthetics. It is about acceptance of yourself and others in the face of substantial injury. It was uplifiting and heart warming. It carried themes of love and duty throughout and I had a pretty good time.
Rating: 3.5/5
Skyscraper by Hayley Anderton
Iâm not a fan of the Rapunzel tale in general so as soon as this one began I was already defensive of my tastes. I despise evil parents and find it hard to consume content with them in it. So to have here a girl trapped inside her skyscraper by her mother I couldnât break free of my assumptions that this was going to be a hard story to read. But more than anything it was the love story between Rapunzel and the mysterious stranger that was hardest to devour. Even with a devilish twist thrown in, this story couldnât be saved from my prejudice.
Rating: 1/5
Aliandra by Destiny Eve
This Aladdin retelling was probably the best story so far, but some awkward dialogue and writing brought it down a bit. When the sheltered Princess Jazmine meets the thief, Ali, she is exposed to the truth behind her fatherâs lies. They join forces to discover a mysterious artefact and put things right in the world.
Every time I found myself either noticing stilted text or thoroughly enjoying myself the opposite thing would occur. But in the end the good outweighed the bad and I was quite enthralled throughout.
Rating: 3/5
Stardust and Steel by Meri Benson
Andromina gets a call from her sister informing her that their father is most likely missing. In order to track him down she must face old lovers and a world inhabited by the unnatural. This was the least fairytale-esque story of the lot and I couldnât pick what it was based on with my limited knowledge. Surprisingly perhaps because it didnât read like a fairytale it was my favourite story so far.
I liked the tension, the story itself and the characters. The relationship between Andromina and her ship was great. The second half of the story was better than the first half and it all came to a satisfying conclusion.
Rating: 4/5
Just a Byte by Marie Sinadjan
What is real and what is a simulation? Blanche only wants to survive life with her modded step mother who has taken over leadership of her fatherâs company, but when she sees her sister do something that shouldnât be possible she must deal with the consequences. She is given a second chance and must use it to survive mixed realities.
I loved this story after having some initial concerns. Iâm so happy with the direction it went in and the mystery of whether we were in a simulation or not was really well done. Again not sure the fairytale this one is a retelling of, but it doesnât change my vast enjoyment.
Rating: 4.5/5
Wild Swan Chase by Meghan Tomlinson
In this final story in the anthology we follow Skylark who is searching the Universe for her missing brothers. What she encounters and who is behind their disappearance is both shocking and clever. However, I felt like this story maybe just took a bit too long. It felt drawn out and too long. But for the idea and the execution up to around the 3/4 mark I am pretty happy with this story, it was the ending that just didnât work for me.
Rating: 3/5
Final Thoughts
Ultimately I donât think that I am the perfect audience for this collection of Sci-Fi fairytale retellings. Perhaps someone who adores stories about love might have a better time than me. Yet, I found some gems and a couple of authors to keep an eye out for. Marie Sinadjanâs Just a Byte was the standout for me and I will be diving into her other books very soon.
Among Thorns and Stardust will be released on March 12th 2024 so keep an eye out if you like Sci-Fi or fairytales.
Final Rating: 3.25/5
These seven stories are Sci-Fi twists on the fairytales we all know and love. Read on for a short review of each story.
Into the Arms of Morpheus by Amy Johnson
Liana has been protected (sheltered) by her parents all of her life so that she doesnât have to encounter the monsters outside of her containing walls. But when Liana does something stupid, something dangerous, everyone must confront the repercussions.
This was a fun little story and a great introduction to the anthology. I would be so interested in discovering more if Amy ever wrote a follow-up.
Rating: 3.5/5
Everything Made Beautiful by Dawn Christine Jonckowski
This inventive retelling of Cinderalla from a new point of view was fresh and exciting. In a world where everyone is recorded in a database how can Briallen remain unnoticed after being disfigured in an accident as a child. After being invited to a ball for the princeâs birthday she takes steps to ensure her identity remains a secret as her step-sister, Cindrell, dances into the limelight.
This story is about disfigurement and prosthetics. It is about acceptance of yourself and others in the face of substantial injury. It was uplifiting and heart warming. It carried themes of love and duty throughout and I had a pretty good time.
Rating: 3.5/5
Skyscraper by Hayley Anderton
Iâm not a fan of the Rapunzel tale in general so as soon as this one began I was already defensive of my tastes. I despise evil parents and find it hard to consume content with them in it. So to have here a girl trapped inside her skyscraper by her mother I couldnât break free of my assumptions that this was going to be a hard story to read. But more than anything it was the love story between Rapunzel and the mysterious stranger that was hardest to devour. Even with a devilish twist thrown in, this story couldnât be saved from my prejudice.
Rating: 1/5
Aliandra by Destiny Eve
This Aladdin retelling was probably the best story so far, but some awkward dialogue and writing brought it down a bit. When the sheltered Princess Jazmine meets the thief, Ali, she is exposed to the truth behind her fatherâs lies. They join forces to discover a mysterious artefact and put things right in the world.
Every time I found myself either noticing stilted text or thoroughly enjoying myself the opposite thing would occur. But in the end the good outweighed the bad and I was quite enthralled throughout.
Rating: 3/5
Stardust and Steel by Meri Benson
Andromina gets a call from her sister informing her that their father is most likely missing. In order to track him down she must face old lovers and a world inhabited by the unnatural. This was the least fairytale-esque story of the lot and I couldnât pick what it was based on with my limited knowledge. Surprisingly perhaps because it didnât read like a fairytale it was my favourite story so far.
I liked the tension, the story itself and the characters. The relationship between Andromina and her ship was great. The second half of the story was better than the first half and it all came to a satisfying conclusion.
Rating: 4/5
Just a Byte by Marie Sinadjan
What is real and what is a simulation? Blanche only wants to survive life with her modded step mother who has taken over leadership of her fatherâs company, but when she sees her sister do something that shouldnât be possible she must deal with the consequences. She is given a second chance and must use it to survive mixed realities.
I loved this story after having some initial concerns. Iâm so happy with the direction it went in and the mystery of whether we were in a simulation or not was really well done. Again not sure the fairytale this one is a retelling of, but it doesnât change my vast enjoyment.
Rating: 4.5/5
Wild Swan Chase by Meghan Tomlinson
In this final story in the anthology we follow Skylark who is searching the Universe for her missing brothers. What she encounters and who is behind their disappearance is both shocking and clever. However, I felt like this story maybe just took a bit too long. It felt drawn out and too long. But for the idea and the execution up to around the 3/4 mark I am pretty happy with this story, it was the ending that just didnât work for me.
Rating: 3/5
Final Thoughts
Ultimately I donât think that I am the perfect audience for this collection of Sci-Fi fairytale retellings. Perhaps someone who adores stories about love might have a better time than me. Yet, I found some gems and a couple of authors to keep an eye out for. Marie Sinadjanâs Just a Byte was the standout for me and I will be diving into her other books very soon.
Among Thorns and Stardust will be released on March 12th 2024 so keep an eye out if you like Sci-Fi or fairytales.
Final Rating: 3.25/5
annettenis's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
nclcaitlin's review
3.5
Into the Arms of Morpheus:
The Princess frustrated me as she was quite naive and oblivious to the dangers of the world, yet I did feel her sense of longing, her painful loneliness, at being trapped in a gilded cage and missing out on life.
She's already tasted endless knowledge in the form of whatever books she wants. If they give her a cup of knowledge, she will search the furthest corners of the universe to find more. It will never be enough.
Everything Made Beautiful:
This was my favourite!đ
A story where beauty is bought at a price, and there is no place for the ugly.
In this story, Braeillen swaps places with her step-sister, Cindrell, because she doesnât want to be seen in the public after he being disfigured from burns due to a childhood accident.
âThey stare because they know they are not nearly as strong as you, Briallen. To face such a shallow world with the truest face you have, with the pieces that you are held together with hope and springs."
Recommended for fans of the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer.
Skyscraper:
Rapunzel has never left her high rise building but a charismatic wall-climber called Flynn starts to keep her company on the balcony.
What a twist! This felt so much like the Disney film until, suddenly, plot twist! And not the way youâre expecting!
Aliandra
Princess Jazmyn embarks on a quest for the Spirit of Arsalan: a mystic orb that is the reason their world is at war.
A refreshing queer retelling that explores what evil people will do for power.
Stardust and Steel:
When Andromina's father goes missing, she travels into unregulated space to find him.
I think this was one of the shortest ones, so it didnât get to expand as much as I wouldâve liked it to.
Just A Byte:
Blanche finds herself caught up in a rebel plot against her stepmother the CEO of The Corporation.
This gives Ready Player Four vibes and deals with mods and stimulations.
Wild Swan Chase:
Lark is on a hunt to find her missing brothers, chatting via code with a mysterious boy called Dove.
This is a sci-fi retailing of the Six Swans fairytale.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this reimagining of fairytales with a sci-fi lens and now I really want to read a full-length book in a similar vein. Like the Lunar Chronicles
I was provided with an arc in exchange for a review!
The Princess frustrated me as she was quite naive and oblivious to the dangers of the world, yet I did feel her sense of longing, her painful loneliness, at being trapped in a gilded cage and missing out on life.
She's already tasted endless knowledge in the form of whatever books she wants. If they give her a cup of knowledge, she will search the furthest corners of the universe to find more. It will never be enough.
Everything Made Beautiful:
This was my favourite!đ
A story where beauty is bought at a price, and there is no place for the ugly.
In this story, Braeillen swaps places with her step-sister, Cindrell, because she doesnât want to be seen in the public after he being disfigured from burns due to a childhood accident.
âThey stare because they know they are not nearly as strong as you, Briallen. To face such a shallow world with the truest face you have, with the pieces that you are held together with hope and springs."
Recommended for fans of the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer.
Skyscraper:
Rapunzel has never left her high rise building but a charismatic wall-climber called Flynn starts to keep her company on the balcony.
What a twist! This felt so much like the Disney film until, suddenly, plot twist! And not the way youâre expecting!
Aliandra
Princess Jazmyn embarks on a quest for the Spirit of Arsalan: a mystic orb that is the reason their world is at war.
A refreshing queer retelling that explores what evil people will do for power.
Stardust and Steel:
When Andromina's father goes missing, she travels into unregulated space to find him.
I think this was one of the shortest ones, so it didnât get to expand as much as I wouldâve liked it to.
Just A Byte:
Blanche finds herself caught up in a rebel plot against her stepmother the CEO of The Corporation.
This gives Ready Player Four vibes and deals with mods and stimulations.
Wild Swan Chase:
Lark is on a hunt to find her missing brothers, chatting via code with a mysterious boy called Dove.
This is a sci-fi retailing of the Six Swans fairytale.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this reimagining of fairytales with a sci-fi lens and now I really want to read a full-length book in a similar vein. Like the Lunar Chronicles
I was provided with an arc in exchange for a review!
rjlavender's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Among Thorns and Stardust is a great anthology. I don't normally read anthologies, but I enjoyed jumping into a new world for a little bit. Each story was unique and I had fun reading this book! I'd recommend checking it out and if one story isn't jiving with you, the next one might, which is one of the best things about anthologies!
Below are my individual thoughts:
Into the Arms of Morpheus by Amy Johnson is a really unique twist on the Sleeping Beauty fairytale. I loved the dynamic between good and evil and how sci-fi melds with the fantasy story we know and love.
Everything Made Beautiful by Dawn Christine Jonckowski explores the life of one of the step-sisters in the classic Cinderella fairytale. I loved the sci-fi view of body modifications in relationship to the MC!
Skyscraper by Hayley Anderton is a Rapunzel retelling that is exciting and a bit of a mystery. I loved the fresh view of this well known story!
Aliandra by Destiny Eve takes the Aladdin and Jasmine story with twist. The relationship between them was wonderful and I enjoyed the satisfying ending!
Stardust and Steel by Meri Benson is my personal favorite of the anthology đ I loved this Beauty and the Beast retelling. It felt really focused and an interesting world created in sich a short time!
Just a Byte by Marie Sanadjan had a really interesting story involving body modifications and corporate control. It felt like a Snow White retelling!
Wild Swan Chase by Meghan Tomlinson was a fun adventure with high stakes. I enjoyed the relationship between Lark and Dove and want to see more of them đ
Below are my individual thoughts:
Into the Arms of Morpheus by Amy Johnson is a really unique twist on the Sleeping Beauty fairytale. I loved the dynamic between good and evil and how sci-fi melds with the fantasy story we know and love.
Everything Made Beautiful by Dawn Christine Jonckowski explores the life of one of the step-sisters in the classic Cinderella fairytale. I loved the sci-fi view of body modifications in relationship to the MC!
Skyscraper by Hayley Anderton is a Rapunzel retelling that is exciting and a bit of a mystery. I loved the fresh view of this well known story!
Aliandra by Destiny Eve takes the Aladdin and Jasmine story with twist. The relationship between them was wonderful and I enjoyed the satisfying ending!
Stardust and Steel by Meri Benson is my personal favorite of the anthology đ I loved this Beauty and the Beast retelling. It felt really focused and an interesting world created in sich a short time!
Just a Byte by Marie Sanadjan had a really interesting story involving body modifications and corporate control. It felt like a Snow White retelling!
Wild Swan Chase by Meghan Tomlinson was a fun adventure with high stakes. I enjoyed the relationship between Lark and Dove and want to see more of them đ
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