fruitbatwoman's review
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A lovely collection of short stories, all set in or somehow revolving around a forest.
Forest: ★★★★✩
More of a musing than a story, but a great piece to set the scene and tone for the rest of the stories.
Girl of Glass: ★★★★★
I loved this dark take on a fairytale. It was at the same time fantastical and dark, and had a kind message amidst a gruesome story.
Revenant of the High Lonesome: ★★★✩✩
A western noir story that didn't quite click with me, but showed how versatile the author is to jump between genres and tones so efficiently.
The Melody of Trees: ★★★★★
My second favorite story in this collection. It's a brilliant mix of sci-fi, horror, and romance that had me turning the pages rapidly and left me thinking about it even days later.
An Invitation of Shadows: ★★★★✩
Another fairytale-like story that reminded me of the Brother's Grimm. I only felt like the message fell a bit short in this one.
The Watcher: ★★★★★
Probably my favorite story in this collection! A wonderfully twisted story of magical realism. By the time I realized what was going on, the story was over, so it was perfectly paced and incredibly well written! It is not easy to write unlikeable characters while also making them interesting, but the author absolutely nailed it.
Written in the Ashes: ★★★★★
An eerie horror story that works so well because it's written in the often-overlooked second person. Really enjoyed this one and felt quite creeped out by the end of it!
Flora and Milo: ★★★✩✩
A whimsical fairytale that I loved for its animal protagonists, but that overall didn't quite click with me again. Definitely a story I would recommend to younger readers who are not easily scared, though.
Bad Day on the Job: ★★★✩✩
It would be really difficult to describe this one, as it is a mix of several genres, but I would say maybe "supernatural noir." It was well written and the dialogue was brilliant, but it felt a bit too long-winded for me and like it didn't end up anywhere. I had to grin several times though, so it was a good read.
A Gnashing of Teeth: ★★★★✩
The last story in this collection is a horror fantasy that really gripped me from the start, but I felt a bit let down by the ending. The worldbuilding and sense of danger in this was fantastic, though.
Forest: ★★★★✩
More of a musing than a story, but a great piece to set the scene and tone for the rest of the stories.
Girl of Glass: ★★★★★
I loved this dark take on a fairytale. It was at the same time fantastical and dark, and had a kind message amidst a gruesome story.
Revenant of the High Lonesome: ★★★✩✩
A western noir story that didn't quite click with me, but showed how versatile the author is to jump between genres and tones so efficiently.
The Melody of Trees: ★★★★★
My second favorite story in this collection. It's a brilliant mix of sci-fi, horror, and romance that had me turning the pages rapidly and left me thinking about it even days later.
An Invitation of Shadows: ★★★★✩
Another fairytale-like story that reminded me of the Brother's Grimm. I only felt like the message fell a bit short in this one.
The Watcher: ★★★★★
Probably my favorite story in this collection! A wonderfully twisted story of magical realism. By the time I realized what was going on, the story was over, so it was perfectly paced and incredibly well written! It is not easy to write unlikeable characters while also making them interesting, but the author absolutely nailed it.
Written in the Ashes: ★★★★★
An eerie horror story that works so well because it's written in the often-overlooked second person. Really enjoyed this one and felt quite creeped out by the end of it!
Flora and Milo: ★★★✩✩
A whimsical fairytale that I loved for its animal protagonists, but that overall didn't quite click with me again. Definitely a story I would recommend to younger readers who are not easily scared, though.
Bad Day on the Job: ★★★✩✩
It would be really difficult to describe this one, as it is a mix of several genres, but I would say maybe "supernatural noir." It was well written and the dialogue was brilliant, but it felt a bit too long-winded for me and like it didn't end up anywhere. I had to grin several times though, so it was a good read.
A Gnashing of Teeth: ★★★★✩
The last story in this collection is a horror fantasy that really gripped me from the start, but I felt a bit let down by the ending. The worldbuilding and sense of danger in this was fantastic, though.
kattra's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
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