bookcraft's review against another edition
4.0
Solid anthology, though the audiobook seems to only have half the stories that the internet tells me the ebook contains.
If I were rating the stories individually, only one would be less than four stars ("This Chance Planet" by Elizabeth Bear, which wasn't bad or anything but just didn't click for me), and there are a handful of true stand-outs:
"Makeisha In Time" by Rachael K. Jones
This had a particularly fascinating premise that I'd love to see explored in a novel. (Which isn't to say that the short story was insufficient or somehow lacking, because it wasn't. It was just interesting enough that I want more. :-) )
"Toad Words" by T. Kingfisher
A new spin on an old, familiar fairytale. Both the premise and the prose are wonderful.
"The Vaporization Enthalpy of a Peculiar Pakistani Family" by Usman T. Malik
I have no idea what to say about this, other than that I really liked it and I'm going to see what else the author has written.
"The Magician And Laplace’s Demon" by Tom Crosshill
I'm going to have to listen to this again and maybe sit down and read it from the ebook, because there's a lot to absorb here — much of it merely implied and suggested — and I feel like I've only scratched the surface after the first listen.
If I were rating the stories individually, only one would be less than four stars ("This Chance Planet" by Elizabeth Bear, which wasn't bad or anything but just didn't click for me), and there are a handful of true stand-outs:
"Makeisha In Time" by Rachael K. Jones
This had a particularly fascinating premise that I'd love to see explored in a novel. (Which isn't to say that the short story was insufficient or somehow lacking, because it wasn't. It was just interesting enough that I want more. :-) )
"Toad Words" by T. Kingfisher
A new spin on an old, familiar fairytale. Both the premise and the prose are wonderful.
"The Vaporization Enthalpy of a Peculiar Pakistani Family" by Usman T. Malik
I have no idea what to say about this, other than that I really liked it and I'm going to see what else the author has written.
"The Magician And Laplace’s Demon" by Tom Crosshill
I'm going to have to listen to this again and maybe sit down and read it from the ebook, because there's a lot to absorb here — much of it merely implied and suggested — and I feel like I've only scratched the surface after the first listen.
deinonychus's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
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
3.5
Like any anthology, there are some stories in here that I loved and some that I hated. This anthology contains several must-read stories like "The Husband Stitch" and "The Regular" but also plenty that can be passed over. Personally not a fan of Elizabeth Bear, and her repeated portrayals of "rightminding" in her writing just disturb me at this point. And not in the good, "makes ya think" way. Pick it up from your local library, the copies are almost always available. Skip what you don't like and enjoy what you do. Wouldn't spend money on it.
bibliochild's review
http://dailysciencefiction.com/fantasy/fairy-tales/eugie-foster/when-it-ends-he-catches-her
bradyemmett's review against another edition
4.0
This collection of Short Stories is fantastic, so many of them just make you stop and think and go "huh."
gingerbookaddict's review
4.0
"We were perfect together."
"We were." Aisa extended her hand to him with an imperative flourish. Dance with me.
Balege bowed, a dancer's benediction that said, Forever.
Beautiful and haunting.
"We were." Aisa extended her hand to him with an imperative flourish. Dance with me.
Balege bowed, a dancer's benediction that said, Forever.
Beautiful and haunting.
trish204's review
4.0
A short story I "found" through a night owly friend here. ;)
As with comics, I'm also new to short stories and only started because of Neil Gaiman. Then I found Mary Robinette Kowal and was equally impressed. However, when being spoilt by all the good stories, I get very suspicious whenever the next is being recommended. I'm always afraid something will ruin the experience for me.
Aaaaanyway!
This story is about ballet.
It's also about the zombie apocalypse. That is a very peculiar mix! So yeah, I was very suspicious too. I mean, I like the ballet every now and again and think it's a beautiful (yet cruel) artform but I'm not that much into it. And the combination is odd indeed.
However, the author did a splendid job in interweaving the creepyness of the end of the world with the passion of a young woman. This story is deeply psychological but very poetic at the same time. One can almost feel the joy throughout the dancing while being unable to shake that very bad feeling.
This is not a "loud" story. There are no explosions. There are no battles.
This story is quieter but still has profound impact. I think ballet gave the perfect setting for this.
As with comics, I'm also new to short stories and only started because of Neil Gaiman. Then I found Mary Robinette Kowal and was equally impressed. However, when being spoilt by all the good stories, I get very suspicious whenever the next is being recommended. I'm always afraid something will ruin the experience for me.
Aaaaanyway!
This story is about ballet.
It's also about the zombie apocalypse. That is a very peculiar mix! So yeah, I was very suspicious too. I mean, I like the ballet every now and again and think it's a beautiful (yet cruel) artform but I'm not that much into it. And the combination is odd indeed.
However, the author did a splendid job in interweaving the creepyness of the end of the world with the passion of a young woman. This story is deeply psychological but very poetic at the same time. One can almost feel the joy throughout the dancing while being unable to shake that very bad feeling.
This is not a "loud" story. There are no explosions. There are no battles.
This story is quieter but still has profound impact. I think ballet gave the perfect setting for this.
8bitlapras's review
3.0
Average rating: 3.37/5
The Breath of War by Aliette de Bodard: 2/5
When It Ends, He Catches Her by Eugie Foster: 3/5
Toad Words by T. Kingfisher: 4/5
Makeisha in Time by Rachael K. Jones: 5/5
Covenant by Elizabeth Bear: 2/5
The Truth About Owls by Amal El-Mohtar: 4.5/5
A Kiss With Teeth by Max Gladstone: 2/5
The Vaporization Enthalpy of a Peculiar Pakistani Family by Usman T. Malik: 3/5
This Chance Planet by Elizabeth Bear: 4/5
Goodnight Stars by Annie Bellet: 4.5/5
We Are the Cloud by Sam J. Miller: 2/5
The Magician and Laplace's Demon by Tom Crosshill: 2/5
Spring Festival: Happiness, Anger, Love, Sorrow, Joy by Xia Jia, translated by Ken Liu: 4/5
The Husband Stitch by Carmen Maria Machado: 4.75/5
The Bonedrake's Penance by Yoon Ha Lee: 4/5
The Devil in America by Kai Ashante Wilson: 3.5/5
The Litany of Earth by Ruthanna Emrys: 1.5/5
A Guide to the Fruits of Hawai'i by Alaya Dawn Johnson: 4.5/5
A Year and a Day in Old Theradane by Scott Lynch: 2.5/5
The Regular by Ken Liu: 3/5
Grand Jeté (The Great Leap) by Rachel Swirsky: 5/5
So basically what I learned from reading this anthology is that I despise anything Lovecraft mythos-related.
The Breath of War by Aliette de Bodard: 2/5
When It Ends, He Catches Her by Eugie Foster: 3/5
Toad Words by T. Kingfisher: 4/5
Makeisha in Time by Rachael K. Jones: 5/5
Covenant by Elizabeth Bear: 2/5
The Truth About Owls by Amal El-Mohtar: 4.5/5
A Kiss With Teeth by Max Gladstone: 2/5
The Vaporization Enthalpy of a Peculiar Pakistani Family by Usman T. Malik: 3/5
This Chance Planet by Elizabeth Bear: 4/5
Goodnight Stars by Annie Bellet: 4.5/5
We Are the Cloud by Sam J. Miller: 2/5
The Magician and Laplace's Demon by Tom Crosshill: 2/5
Spring Festival: Happiness, Anger, Love, Sorrow, Joy by Xia Jia, translated by Ken Liu: 4/5
The Husband Stitch by Carmen Maria Machado: 4.75/5
The Bonedrake's Penance by Yoon Ha Lee: 4/5
The Devil in America by Kai Ashante Wilson: 3.5/5
The Litany of Earth by Ruthanna Emrys: 1.5/5
A Guide to the Fruits of Hawai'i by Alaya Dawn Johnson: 4.5/5
A Year and a Day in Old Theradane by Scott Lynch: 2.5/5
The Regular by Ken Liu: 3/5
Grand Jeté (The Great Leap) by Rachel Swirsky: 5/5
So basically what I learned from reading this anthology is that I despise anything Lovecraft mythos-related.
eininthebird's review
4.0
3,5 ster
Zitten een paar hele interessante en goeie verhalen tussen en een paar mindere. Vond het verhaal over de vampier in mid-life crisis echt grappig. Het verhaal van de zwarte vrouw die plots opeens naar het verleden reist en er in de toekomst achterkomt dat ze uit de geschiedenis is gewist was ook echt heel heel cool en speelt al dagen achter in mn hoofd. Ook mooi dat de verhalen heel divers zijn en homoseksuele of niet-engels sprekend hoofdpersonen hebben bijvoorbeeld.
Zitten een paar hele interessante en goeie verhalen tussen en een paar mindere. Vond het verhaal over de vampier in mid-life crisis echt grappig. Het verhaal van de zwarte vrouw die plots opeens naar het verleden reist en er in de toekomst achterkomt dat ze uit de geschiedenis is gewist was ook echt heel heel cool en speelt al dagen achter in mn hoofd. Ook mooi dat de verhalen heel divers zijn en homoseksuele of niet-engels sprekend hoofdpersonen hebben bijvoorbeeld.
jersy's review against another edition
4.0
Anthologies are always hard to rate, since of course you won’t like every story, but with this one I find it especially difficult. There is a good chunk of stories that are phenomenal and really deserve to be nominated for prices, that have great, creative SFF ideas and execute them in a meaningful, emotional way, but then there are stories that I think belong more into the genre of contemporary, with tagged on speculative elements that in some cases didn’t affect the plot or the core of the conflict. Some of them I still enjoyed, with topics of identity and coming of age executed well, but it´s just not what I like to read about and apart from that, often they didn’t deliver a very unique take on it. There was a variety of styles and subjects in this collection, but the theme of “pretty much a YA/New Adult contemporary story” stood out.
Highlights include the stories by Alaya Dawn Johnson, Xia Jia, Eugie Foster and Yoon Ha Lee, just to name a few, and I’m settling on a 4 star rating, since there are so many I would award 5 stars that they just pull the collection up. However, there is enough that for me just didn’t fit (which of course isn’t the editors fault since this was a long list) and didn’t do much for me, while additionally there will always just be stories that one doesn’t particularly connect to even if there’s not much wrong with them.
jetamors's review against another edition
5.0
I liked almost everything in this collection, but my favorite story was "A Kiss with Teeth" by Max Gladstone.