A review by astropova
Embroidered Worlds by Iryna Pasko, Olha Brylova, Valya Dudycz Lupescu

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

I am so happy to have the chance to support and read a book of Ukrainian SFF stories in translation to English! There are so few Ukrainian works in translation, especially in SFF. This one was excellent and I highly recommend it. I would say the vast majority of the translations were very good; I only had issues with one or two.

The stories contained within are so diverse, vibrant, unique, and powerful. All of them reflect some facet of Ukrainian culture and spirit. Some of them were even fun. Many explored some degree of pain. Some were explicitly related to the invasion, but most were not. Some were particularly dark. I am glad I read all of them.

If I had to pick favorites (in no particular order):
  •  "Neptune's Day" by Ostap Ukrainets  (День Нептуна - Остап Українець)
  •  "The Last of the Beads" by Halyna Lipatova  (Волшебные Бусины - Галина Ліпатова)
  •  "'Kestrel' Travel Agency" by Tetiana Adamenko  ("Турагенція 'Боривітер'" - Тетяна Адаменко)
  •  "To the Garden" by Volodymyr Arenev (Туди, Де Буде Сад - Володимир Аренєв)
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