wanderlustlover's review

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5.0

Summer 2019 (Hugo Award Nominee 2019 - Best Short Story);

“Are we pining?” asked the green-eyed fae suddenly.
“Is this what it’s like when they pine away after us?”


This was a short, sweet delight and it has my vote for this category so far, having soared above my other pieces in it's slots. This is the tale of Rose MacGregor and her 'Lost Sheep,' but even more it a scandalously lovely look at the feminist reclaiming inversion of the whole 'Fairies Seducing Humans' mythos.

I love that Rose McGregor is never chided for her gall, her appetites, or her actions by the ring regaling themselves with her. I love how easily they talk about her, about human falling love with fairies and wasting away to death, or women chasing down selkie skins, or pookas trying to kill them after they've gotten. But that through all of this Rose MacGregor was the one who was in control, all ease and no force, easy amusement and confident poise.

I laughed entirely when they got to the quote at the top, when they all recognized and denied, that they had been done to by Rose as they had done to hundreds or thousands before her, and that was why they gathered each year to remember her.

Merged review:

Summer 2019 (Hugo Award Nominee 2019 - Best Novelette);

I was so, so, so pleased to see Naomi Kritzer's name in the list of nominees this year and was looking forward to making it through my list and getting to her story. I have a love-hate relationship with horror of most kinds, because I have an all too overhelpful mind even when it is being sedate, and so I usually give anything in that realm a wide berth.

This story was incredibly well laid out, with slow reveals and detailed examples. Our main character is two things most importantly a) a ghost stories folklorist and b) the daughter of a mother with Alzheimer's. I love the number of different examples of ghost stories we see through the novelette in those places where she goes for interviews, and I love that it's balanced by several places where we see her breaking it down with logic, with research, with culture.

There's a chilling and comforting realism to this whole story.

souloftherose's review

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5.0

I have several back issues of Uncanny Magazine on my kindle but started reading this one because a couple of stories came particularly recommended. Highlights from this edition were:

How to Swallow the Moon by Isabel Yap - f/f fantasy novelette inspired by Filipino folklore about breaking out of expected roles (and I think this is the story the awesome cover art is inspired by)

The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society by T. Kingfisher is a funny short story which plays with the trope of women pining away after romantic encounters with the fae.

The Thing About Ghost Stories by Naomi Kritzer is a lovely, moving novelette about a folklorist who collects ghost stories dealing with the loss of her mother. I've really enjoyed her short fiction in the past and would read pretty much anything Kritzer writes at this point.

My Name is Cybernetic Model XR389F, and I Am Beautiful by Monica Valentinelli - an author I haven't come across before but I really enjoyed this #metoo themed story from a robot's perspective.

An Account of the Land of Witches by Sofia Samatar is a reprint and a short story published in her collection [b:Tender|31945153|Tender|Sofia Samatar|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1487309685s/31945153.jpg|52603794] (which has gone on my reading list) - a story about slavery, oppression and modern day politics in Africa. It's one of those stories that leaves you uncertain what happened but I found it thought-provoking.

And in the essay section I particularly enjoyed There and Back Again by Sarah Goslee which takes the themes of sacrifice and associated costs from [b:The Lord of the Rings|33|The Lord of the Rings (The Lord of the Rings, #1-3)|J.R.R. Tolkien|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1547450792s/33.jpg|3462456] and applies them to illness in real life.

'That is not our tale. Our story has no room for the broken, the changed, the poisoned and scarred. “There,” certainly, but we ignore “and back again.” Our narratives are simple: you fall bravely, fighting all the way, or you live happily ever after. (Either way, you are only here to inspire those around you, even those who never set foot on the road to Mount Doom.) The best stories limn the truth in tones of light and shadow. This tale has only glaring noon and blackest night.

We ignore the grays, push everything aside that fails to fit our story. Noticing the complexity would require also recognizing the randomness, the lack of control. The strongest fighters always win, because we pride ourselves on being strong. The story ends with the fight, because we cannot face the consequences of winning. (Losing is acceptable, if done bravely, because then we can be inspired and move on with our lives.) Ringbearers who come home live always in the light of noon, the winners. Those are the lies we force on each other.'


All stories and essays are available to read free here (or you can purchase an ebook version of the magazine in several formats): https://uncannymagazine.com/issues/uncanny-magazine-issue-twenty-five/

bookaneer's review

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2.0

The stories I read:

The Thing About Ghost Stories by Naomi Kritzer ***
I liked this one, especially since it's not scary at all. Instead, it's quite touching and personal. Too bad the ending was too easy.

The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society by T. Kingfisher*
I have no idea why this was nominated for the Hugo, sorry.

How to Swallow a Moon by Isabel Yap: ***
Fantastic imageries. A bit too YA for me and too much pining but I love the female agency here.
I was surprised with the mention of kulintang since it was a traditional musical instrument from my hometown but then I found out that the author was from the Phillipines (which borders North Sulawesi and thus might share similar tradition). After Vina Jie-Min Prasad making a break last year, I am glad to know more Southeast Asian female SFF writers received recognition.
Additional note: I just read her other story, "Asphalt, River, Mother, Child" which was sad, haunting, and felt real. Since I still have one more slot for short story in my Hugo list, I'll be glad to put her there. Link: http://strangehorizons.com/fiction/asphalt-river-mother-child/ (for some reason the October issue edition of Strange Horizons here did not have it)

texile's review

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5.0

This story is a gem.

secre's review

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4.0

Review: The Thing About Ghost Stories
First Hugo short story to make me bawl like a child. Reads almost like nonfiction but is a wonderfully poignant look at grief, love, loss and family. The Thing About Ghost Stories is at turns funny and moving as it looks at how caring for a relative with Alzheimer's affects the grieving process as you have already lost the person a stage at a time. Short, sweet and incredibly moving.

Review: The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society
Cute and entertaining but not much in the way of teeth to the tale.

deannabanana17's review

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5.0

I only read "Monologue by an unnamed mage, recorded at the brink of the end" by Cassandra Khaw--an absolutely beautiful, lyrical (very) short story.

villyidol's review

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1.0

***The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society by T. Kingfisher***

Pretty short tale about a couple of faerie boys, a selkie and a pooka sitting around a campfire and recounting their amorous adventures with a woman called Rose MacGregor.

Takes old British folktales about women pining away after they had faerie lovers and turns them on their head.

Otherwise kinda pointless. Not sure why it was nominated for a HUGO.

You can read it here: https://uncannymagazine.com/article/the-rose-macgregor-drinking-and-admiration-society/
Or listen to the Uncanny Magazine Podcast (episode #25A), using the same link. The story starts after 6 minutes and 36 seconds. The narration isn't very good, though.

____________________________
2019 Hugo Award Finalists

Best Novel
The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
• [b: Record of a Spaceborn Few|32802595|Record of a Spaceborn Few (Wayfarers, #3)|Becky Chambers|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516965190l/32802595._SY75_.jpg|53399142] by Becky Chambers
• [b: Revenant Gun|36373688|Revenant Gun (The Machineries of Empire, #3)|Yoon Ha Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1527495995l/36373688._SY75_.jpg|58060922] by Yoon Ha Lee
Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente
• [b: Spinning Silver|36896898|Spinning Silver|Naomi Novik|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1513872748l/36896898._SX50_.jpg|58657620] by Naomi Novik
• [b: Trail of Lightning|36373298|Trail of Lightning (The Sixth World, #1)|Rebecca Roanhorse|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1515788168l/36373298._SY75_.jpg|52833355] by Rebecca Roanhorse

Best Novella
Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
• [b: Beneath the Sugar Sky|27366528|Beneath the Sugar Sky (Wayward Children, #3)|Seanan McGuire|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1494436031l/27366528._SY75_.jpg|47413798] by Seanan McGuire
• [b: Binti: The Night Masquerade|34386617|The Night Masquerade (Binti, #3)|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1495725402l/34386617._SY75_.jpg|55477512] by Nnedi Okorafor
The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark
• [b: Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach|36187158|Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach|Kelly Robson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506531524l/36187158._SY75_.jpg|57810004] by Kelly Robson
The Tea Master and the Detective by Aliette de Bodard

Best Novelette
If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again by Zen Cho (Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog)
• [b: The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections|40381419|The Last Banquet of Temporal Confections|Tina Connolly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1555252289l/40381419._SY75_.jpg|62680201] by Tina Connolly (Tor.com)
Nine Last Days on Planet Earth by Daryl Gregory (Tor.com)
• [b: The Only Harmless Great Thing|34659272|The Only Harmless Great Thing|Brooke Bolander|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1518069202l/34659272._SY75_.jpg|55823786] by Brooke Bolander (Tor.com)
The Thing About Ghost Stories by Naomi Kritzer (Uncanny Magazine)
When We Were Starless by Simone Heller (Clarkesworld Magazine)

Best Short Story
The Court Magician by Sarah Pinsker (Lightspeed Magazine)
The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society by T. Kingfisher (Uncanny Magazine)
The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington by P. Djèlí Clark (Fireside Magazine)
STET by Sarah Gailey (Fireside Magazine)
The Tale of the Three Beautiful Raptor Sisters, and the Prince Who Was Made of Meat by Brooke Bolander (Uncanny Magazine)
A Witch’s Guide To Escape: A Practical Compendium Of Portal Fantasies by Alix E. Harrow (Apex Magazine)

Best Series
• The Centenal Cycle by [a: Malka Older|14220734|Malka Ann Older|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1446698915p2/14220734.jpg]
• The Laundry Files by [a: Charles Stross|8794|Charles Stross|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1355510574p2/8794.jpg]
• Machineries of Empire by [a: Yoon Ha Lee|3001246|Yoon Ha Lee|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1383757366p2/3001246.jpg]
• The October Daye Series by [a: Seanan McGuire|2860219|Seanan McGuire|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1245623198p2/2860219.jpg]
• The Universe of Xuya by [a: Aliette de Bodard|2918731|Aliette de Bodard|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1261567215p2/2918731.jpg]
Wayfarers by [a: Becky Chambers|8389735|Becky Chambers|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1562580587p2/8389735.jpg]

Best Related Work
Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
• [b: Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction|35958896|Astounding John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction|Alec Nevala-Lee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529430368l/35958896._SY75_.jpg|57516282] by Alec Nevala-Lee
• The Hobbit Duology (a documentary in three parts), written and edited by Lindsay Ellis and Angelina Meehan
• [b: An Informal History of the Hugos: A Personal Look Back at the Hugo Awards 1953-2000|35005557|An Informal History of the Hugos A Personal Look Back at the Hugo Awards, 1953-2000|Jo Walton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493399138l/35005557._SY75_.jpg|52384504] by Jo Walton
• The Mexicanx Initiative Experience at Worldcon 76 by Julia Rios, Libia Brenda, Pablo Defendini, and John Picacio
• [b: Ursula K. Le Guin: Conversations on Writing|36276435|Ursula K. Le Guin Conversations on Writing|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1519674594l/36276435._SX50_.jpg|57934871] by Ursula K. Le Guin with David Naimon

Best Graphic Story
• [b: Abbott|38748572|Abbott|Saladin Ahmed|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1521208924l/38748572._SY75_.jpg|60338450], written by Saladin Ahmed, art by Sami Kivelä, colors by Jason Wordie, letters by Jim Campbell
• [b: Black Panther: Long Live the King|36673422|Black Panther Long Live the King|Nnedi Okorafor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1526771280l/36673422._SY75_.jpg|58459948], written by Nnedi Okorafor and Aaron Covington, art by André Lima Araújo, Mario Del Pennino, and Tana Ford
[b: Monstress, Volume 3: Haven|37491890|Monstress, Vol. 3 Haven|Marjorie M. Liu|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1531356957l/37491890._SY75_.jpg|59101846], written by Marjorie Liu, art by Sana Takeda
On a Sunbeam by Tillie Walden
Paper Girls, Volume 4 [b:], written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Cliff Chiang, colors by Matt Wilson, letters by Jared K. Fletcher
Saga, Volume 9, written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples

Best Art Book
[b: The Book of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition|38459780|The Books of Earthsea|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1526525225l/38459780._SX50_.jpg|64676657] illustrated by Charles Vess, written by Ursula K. Le Guin
• [b: Daydreamer’s Journey: The Art of Julie Dillon|43157039|Daydreamer's Journey The Art of Julie Dillon|Julie Dillon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1544155893l/43157039._SX50_.jpg|66947647] by Julie Dillon
• [b: Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History|37837938|Dungeons and Dragons Art and Arcana A Visual History|Kyle Newman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541762517l/37837938._SX50_.jpg|59524789] by Michael Witwer, Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, and Sam Witwer
• [b: Spectrum 25: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art|40042809|Spectrum 25 The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art|John Fleskes|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539953363l/40042809._SX50_.jpg|62044043], editor John Fleskes
• [b: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – The Art of the Movie|41084955|Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse -The Art of the Movie|Ramin Zahed|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1534224155l/41084955._SX50_.jpg|64190280] by Ramin Zahed
• [b: Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth|36542884|Tolkien Maker of Middle-earth|Catherine McIlwaine|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516237012l/36542884._SX50_.jpg|58272990], editor Catherine McIlwaine

Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (Henry Holt; Macmillan Children’s Books)
• [b: The Belles|23197837|The Belles (The Belles, #1)|Dhonielle Clayton|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1492784901l/23197837._SY75_.jpg|42742745] by Dhonielle Clayton (Freeform / Gollancz)
• [b: The Cruel Prince|26032825|The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air, #1)|Holly Black|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1493047153l/26032825._SY75_.jpg|45959123] by Holly Black (Little, Brown / Hot Key Books)
• [b: Dread Nation|30223025|Dread Nation (Dread Nation, #1)|Justina Ireland|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497900615l/30223025._SY75_.jpg|50676909] by Justina Ireland (Balzer + Bray)
• [b: The Invasion|45700034|The Invasion (the Call, Book 2)|Peadar O'Guilin|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|70468305] by Peadar O’Guilin (David Fickling Books / Scholastic)
• [b: Tess of the Road|35046472|Tess of the Road (Tess of the Road, #1)|Rachel Hartman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1503599285l/35046472._SY75_.jpg|53793345] by Rachel Hartman (Random House / Penguin Teen)

ladymedievalist1's review

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adventurous dark funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

oleksandr's review

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2.0

This is a short story nominated for Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 2019

The story follows the discussion of fae boys and other Mythical creatures about a "slim-hipped, broad-shouldered, and handsome as the devil" woman named Rose MacGregor, with whom all of them had carnal relationship in the past. A nice easy read, which doesn't leave any lasting impression.

larewenofdale's review

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Favorites:

The Thing About Ghost Stories (Naomi Kritzer)
My Name Is Cybernetic Model XR389F, and I Am Beautiful (Monica Valentinelli)
Translatio (Sharon Hsu)
smile (Beth Cato)
There and Back Again (Sarah Goslee)
The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society (T. Kingfisher)