luisamariah's review
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
savvylit's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? N/A
5.0
Boggarts, fairies, selkies, pixies, shapeshifters, unsettling siblings.... Each of these fairytale motifs combine into the flawless piece of art that is Hag. The stories are lush, magical, creepy, and succinct. The all-female cast of protagonists is both loveable and believable -- despite their magical circumstances.
Prior to reading Hag, I had only been familiar with the work of one of the authors, Daisy Johnson. After falling in love with the rest, I immediately added all of the authors' works to my list of books to be read. The authors of Hag are wildly talented. If I found just one of their short stories impactful, then I can't imagine how much I'll enjoy the rest of their work.
I'd wholeheartedly recommend this collection if, like me, you're a fan of gothic tales that ooze magical realism and include feminist themes and multidimensional queer characters.
Prior to reading Hag, I had only been familiar with the work of one of the authors, Daisy Johnson. After falling in love with the rest, I immediately added all of the authors' works to my list of books to be read. The authors of Hag are wildly talented. If I found just one of their short stories impactful, then I can't imagine how much I'll enjoy the rest of their work.
I'd wholeheartedly recommend this collection if, like me, you're a fan of gothic tales that ooze magical realism and include feminist themes and multidimensional queer characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Violence, and Toxic relationship
deirdreo's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
emmacatereads's review
3.0
A diverse collection of gothic folktales from the British Isles. I was familiar with maybe one or two of these stories, but for the most part I enjoyed going in blind. As usual, there was a range in terms of my personal enjoyment, which reflects my slightly lower rating. My favorite stories were Between Sea and Sky, the story of an archeologist with a Selkie baby, The Panther’s Tale, the story of an Indian princess under a curse and the Miller’s wife who falls in love with her, The Sisters, the story of twins with a dying mother in love with the same woman, and my personal favorite, the Holloway, a gorgeously atmospheric yet tragic story of a family living under the shadow of a father’s abuse. I was surprised and delighted by how causally queer a lot of these stories were, and found it a great way of infusing the old with the new.
jena_wren's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
spookyemily's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
3.0
myweereads's review
4.0
“Ohh my darling wee fishie, it’s time to go to bed
The fire’s warm, the bed is soft, no worries in your head - “
Hag features the re-tellings of dark folktales written by talented women from Daisy Johnson to Eimear McBride. This collection includes an introduction by Carolyne Larrington who is an author and professor of medieval literature at Oxford University. She provides some interesting insight into the original regional folktales.
Originally this collection was a published as an Audible podcast where the authors were interviewed after each version of their folktales.
Some of the stories featured are:
The fire’s warm, the bed is soft, no worries in your head - “
Hag features the re-tellings of dark folktales written by talented women from Daisy Johnson to Eimear McBride. This collection includes an introduction by Carolyne Larrington who is an author and professor of medieval literature at Oxford University. She provides some interesting insight into the original regional folktales.
Originally this collection was a published as an Audible podcast where the authors were interviewed after each version of their folktales.
Some of the stories featured are:
heni's review
dark
mysterious
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? No
3.0
A good mix of stories. I like Sour Hall the most I think.