legs_mcgee's review against another edition
3.0
I was particularly excited for this anthology not for the premise (I found the second volume to be... hit or miss, to say the least), but for the authors I recognized would be in here.
Yoon Ha Lee's "Chameleon Gloves" will probably only make sense to a reader who has read Nine Fox Gambit or other shorts from the Hexarchate universe, but it was a favorite of mine.
Rivers Solomon and S. Qiouyi Lu will always lead me to pick up an anthology– and it was well worth it here.
The breakout surprise that delighted me here was the short "Hello, World" by Polenth Blake – short entries from an AI on its way to Mars, keeping watch over... fish. It's poignant and a not-to-be-missed short story!
Yoon Ha Lee's "Chameleon Gloves" will probably only make sense to a reader who has read Nine Fox Gambit or other shorts from the Hexarchate universe, but it was a favorite of mine.
Rivers Solomon and S. Qiouyi Lu will always lead me to pick up an anthology– and it was well worth it here.
The breakout surprise that delighted me here was the short "Hello, World" by Polenth Blake – short entries from an AI on its way to Mars, keeping watch over... fish. It's poignant and a not-to-be-missed short story!
scrow1022's review
4.0
Not every story called to me the way they did in Vol. 4, but many, many did.
Some I'd read elsewhere and am delighted to have now in book form.
Admirable collection of stories.
Some I'd read elsewhere and am delighted to have now in book form.
Admirable collection of stories.
indigoriverboat's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
This delightful collection of stories depicts so many varied, delightful, and heartbreaking transgender stories.
ryttu3k's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
kaarna's review against another edition
4.0
Tässä oli upeita tarinoita! Sellaisia, joista sai uusia näkökulmia, ja sellaisia, joissa jokin oma juttu oli ekaa kertaa kirjoitettuna. Oon niin iloinen tästä kirjasta. Monet näistä jäi elämään mun mieleen.
arachan's review
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
4.0
Still not a huge fan of short story collections like this. There were several stories that I would have liked to see expanded and some stories that didn't really gel with me.
jr_the_pin_witch's review
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
5.0
carolined314's review against another edition
5.0
A wonderful compilation with a wide range of characters, topics, and tones. From the deeply haunting to the humorous, the stories are compelling.
undertheteacup's review against another edition
4.0
I thought "The Worldless" by Indrapramit Das was going to be the perfect last story of the anthology, because it's about leaving a place that holds no hope or future, even when you have little assurance of finding a home on the other side. But then "The Heart's Cartography" by Susan Bigelow came along, a story about choosing to stay where you are, knowing you can build a future. "We survive," the main character learns. What an incredibly powerful line. Kudos to the editor for the juxtaposition of these stories.
Other stories that really stuck with me: "Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time" by KM Szpara
where a trans man is nonconsensually bitten by a vampire and then has to choose between death and becoming a vampire himself. Loved the messiness and flailing in this story, how it dealt with choice and consequence, the way vampirification was entirely unromanticized for the main character. Also the grief around both transition and turning, what is lost in the process.
And finally "The Mouse" by Larissa Glasser left an impression because sometimes we *don't* survive. But the main character here makes a significant choice as well. Her life, and her death, *matter*.
Other stories that really stuck with me: "Small Changes Over Long Periods of Time" by KM Szpara
where a trans man is nonconsensually bitten by a vampire and then has to choose between death and becoming a vampire himself. Loved the messiness and flailing in this story, how it dealt with choice and consequence, the way vampirification was entirely unromanticized for the main character. Also the grief around both transition and turning, what is lost in the process.
And finally "The Mouse" by Larissa Glasser left an impression because sometimes we *don't* survive. But the main character here makes a significant choice as well. Her life, and her death, *matter*.