kateandherlibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
This is a stunning collection of short stories. I found it in a bookshop, never having heard of it, and was intrigued by the blurb, but wow. What a reading experience. (Side-note: this cover does the book a disservice. It’s not a bad cover, but these stories deserve better. I’m thinking gold foil and some imagery that plays more into the fairytale stylings of Victoire’s writing).
My favoured stories would have to be Layla and the Axe and The Earth-Bound Express but every single story is so thoughtful and well executed. Victoire’s writing is incredible; I kept having to pause and just soak up how beautiful various lines were. I particularly love her use of fairy tale/mythic/fantasy elements. They’re not just there because they’re fun, but because they enhance the heart of each story and add fresh perspective to a lot of relatable, human experiences.
My thoughts are scattered, but I’ll definitely be revisiting this collection.
My favoured stories would have to be Layla and the Axe and The Earth-Bound Express but every single story is so thoughtful and well executed. Victoire’s writing is incredible; I kept having to pause and just soak up how beautiful various lines were. I particularly love her use of fairy tale/mythic/fantasy elements. They’re not just there because they’re fun, but because they enhance the heart of each story and add fresh perspective to a lot of relatable, human experiences.
My thoughts are scattered, but I’ll definitely be revisiting this collection.
zuzqaa's review
2.0
Poviedková kniha s témou fantázie a mágie. Neviem či to malo potenciál, ale nejak ma príbehy nebavili. Aspoň obálku má peknú.
beachesnbooks's review
4.0
I really enjoyed the fabulism and fairy tale elements in this short story collection, which were reflected both in the content of the stories and the almost old-fashioned, fairy tale style of writing. Would definitely recommend to any other short story fans out there. My favorites in the collection were "Time and Silence," in which a mysterious girl is discovered in the show by an abused young boy; "The Bouquet Witch," in which a lonely young woman joins forces with a local witch to avenge the brokenhearted; and "Shanty," a powerful exploration of gender identity and mermaids.
lisajenkins1987's review
3.0
I am new to the short story genre, having only really read Stephen King short stories in the past. I really enjoyed this collection, but didn't love every story. There were a few i really enjoyed, but there were also a few i know i will eventually forget about. It is a good place to start though i think if like me you're new to short stories.
kalyne's review
5.0
Amazing collection of short stories. My favourite by far was "The earth-bound express "
imogenn's review
3.0
3.5 stars
An unfussy collection of fairy tale-inspired short stories. Some I found a bit lacking, others were wonderfully weird.
An unfussy collection of fairy tale-inspired short stories. Some I found a bit lacking, others were wonderfully weird.
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