littleowllost's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
invisibleninjacat's review against another edition
4.0
A mix of fantastic and puzzlingly creepy stories which I liked to varying degrees. Some were absolutely fabulous and others fell a little flat, for me.
misforawesome's review against another edition
1.0
This might be brilliant for other readers but for me it fell flat. The worlds are lovely but the stories just didn't hit the right notes for me.
scarlettsims's review against another edition
4.0
I'm in the habit of not usually giving more than three stars to collections, mainly because I feel they can be hit or miss and while I might like some of the stories, I don't like all of them enough to give a 4-star rating. However, I really enjoyed the majority of the stories in here and the ones I didn't love, I still thought were pretty good.
My favorite was probably The Tall Men. It had a great creepy vibe with nothing ever really explained. The title story may have been my least favorite, but I can appreciate wanting to explore your own headcanon or think about how things in a favorite work could have gone differently.
The stories range in genre from Steampunk to post-apocalyptic to urban fantasy to just plain weird. Many of them had hints of Lovecraft, if Lovecraft were a queer woman. I think the ones with a more Lovecraftian tone were the ones I liked best, and they definitely made me want to read some of Kiernan's other work.
My favorite was probably The Tall Men. It had a great creepy vibe with nothing ever really explained. The title story may have been my least favorite, but I can appreciate wanting to explore your own headcanon or think about how things in a favorite work could have gone differently.
The stories range in genre from Steampunk to post-apocalyptic to urban fantasy to just plain weird. Many of them had hints of Lovecraft, if Lovecraft were a queer woman. I think the ones with a more Lovecraftian tone were the ones I liked best, and they definitely made me want to read some of Kiernan's other work.
ctgt's review
4.0
It's an awful cliche, I know, but also a point I cannot stress strongly enough. There are sights and experiences to which the blunt and finite tool of human language are not equal.
Upon further review........I upped this to 4 stars. As I was going over the table of contents to point out the stories I really enjoyed, I came to the realization that there were only two or three that I didn't really care for. So a hit rate of ten out of thirteen really deserves more than three stars.
In the introduction the author talks about enjoying diversity in types of stories in short collections that she had read and wanted to bring that same sensibility to her set. From sci/fi to steampunk to weird to horror, Keirnan touches on many different genres and displays an imagination that shows no bounds. Stretching from a dancer with steam powered appendages to a twist on Ann Darrow and her view of Kong, I found the range of stories fascinating.
By far my favorite story was Tidal Forces which involves two women and what happens to one of them after a "shadow" passes over her. I found it to be a fantastic concept and it is one of the best shorts I have read this year. Recommended if you enjoy collections that aren't "themed".
I leave behind shadows for light. Wondrous and terrifying glimpses of the extraordinary for the mundane.
Upon further review........I upped this to 4 stars. As I was going over the table of contents to point out the stories I really enjoyed, I came to the realization that there were only two or three that I didn't really care for. So a hit rate of ten out of thirteen really deserves more than three stars.
In the introduction the author talks about enjoying diversity in types of stories in short collections that she had read and wanted to bring that same sensibility to her set. From sci/fi to steampunk to weird to horror, Keirnan touches on many different genres and displays an imagination that shows no bounds. Stretching from a dancer with steam powered appendages to a twist on Ann Darrow and her view of Kong, I found the range of stories fascinating.
By far my favorite story was Tidal Forces which involves two women and what happens to one of them after a "shadow" passes over her. I found it to be a fantastic concept and it is one of the best shorts I have read this year. Recommended if you enjoy collections that aren't "themed".
I leave behind shadows for light. Wondrous and terrifying glimpses of the extraordinary for the mundane.
nakedsteve's review
3.0
A collection of Kiernan's shorts, this book is ... interesting.
Some of the shorts are excellent, and some confusing. It seems to me that the stories at the start of the book are generally better than those toward the end, which has the odd effect of making you want to read more, but disappointed in the quality by the end.
And "quality" is the wrong word. Kiernan writes in a dense style that's a slap in the face to those who enjoy reading straightforward things. A few of the stories I immediately started over when I finished, because I just didn't feel like I got it the first time around. So were the things I didn't like low in "quality"? I suspect not. I suspect I just didn't want to spend the brainpower to give them the treatment that Kiernan expected me to.
Ultimately, most of the stories weren't my cup of tea, but it's clear Kiernan has talent for what she does.
3 of 5 stars.
Some of the shorts are excellent, and some confusing. It seems to me that the stories at the start of the book are generally better than those toward the end, which has the odd effect of making you want to read more, but disappointed in the quality by the end.
And "quality" is the wrong word. Kiernan writes in a dense style that's a slap in the face to those who enjoy reading straightforward things. A few of the stories I immediately started over when I finished, because I just didn't feel like I got it the first time around. So were the things I didn't like low in "quality"? I suspect not. I suspect I just didn't want to spend the brainpower to give them the treatment that Kiernan expected me to.
Ultimately, most of the stories weren't my cup of tea, but it's clear Kiernan has talent for what she does.
3 of 5 stars.
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