bookwrm526's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
eddiford's review against another edition
4.0
I really love the concept of this anthology--I read the Just So Stories as a kid, and I was excited to see this reclaimed take on them from colonized cultures.
I must admit, I thought this was a kids book, aimed at the same demographic as the "original," so to speak, but it definitely isn't suitable for young children.
With any anthology there will be a wide range of quality, and of course I liked some stories better than others. I thought "The Cat Who Walked By Herself" didn't make much sense and mostly just was a "Men Bad" story, didn't like it at all; "How The Camel Got Her Paid Time Off" is hilarious, a worker's rights fable in the format of something like "Tuca & Bertie" or "Aggretsuko" with a literal camel who smokes cigarettes and explicit references to the "original" book.
"Samsara" is a perfectly good little story, but feels only tangentially connected to the anthology's premise; it deals with themes of cultural identity, whitewashing, and tradition, but there's no talking animals, no magical fairytale qualities. Similarly, "There Is Such A Thing As A Whizzy-Gang," while I have to assume it is inspired by some Indigenous Australian folklore, is really just a short little horror story with no solid connection to the themes. Neither are bad stories by any means (In fact, I found "Samsara" quite lovely and touching), but I'm not sure either really belong in this collection, given its explicitly stated intent.
Overall, however, I enjoyed the anthology, I really like the idea of it and I thought it was executed pretty well, but it certainly had some entries that, as they say, did not understand the assignment, which of course is likely to happen with any anthology.
I must admit, I thought this was a kids book, aimed at the same demographic as the "original," so to speak, but it definitely isn't suitable for young children.
With any anthology there will be a wide range of quality, and of course I liked some stories better than others. I thought "The Cat Who Walked By Herself" didn't make much sense and mostly just was a "Men Bad" story, didn't like it at all; "How The Camel Got Her Paid Time Off" is hilarious, a worker's rights fable in the format of something like "Tuca & Bertie" or "Aggretsuko" with a literal camel who smokes cigarettes and explicit references to the "original" book.
"Samsara" is a perfectly good little story, but feels only tangentially connected to the anthology's premise; it deals with themes of cultural identity, whitewashing, and tradition, but there's no talking animals, no magical fairytale qualities. Similarly, "There Is Such A Thing As A Whizzy-Gang," while I have to assume it is inspired by some Indigenous Australian folklore, is really just a short little horror story with no solid connection to the themes. Neither are bad stories by any means (In fact, I found "Samsara" quite lovely and touching), but I'm not sure either really belong in this collection, given its explicitly stated intent.
Overall, however, I enjoyed the anthology, I really like the idea of it and I thought it was executed pretty well, but it certainly had some entries that, as they say, did not understand the assignment, which of course is likely to happen with any anthology.
honeymonster's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
fast-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
4.0
There are some really good stories in here. I do think the Camel one was the weakest, and a poor way to close out the book.
stephbookshine's review against another edition
4.0
*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author, Abaddon Books – Rebellion Publishing and NetGalley. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
This a very varied collection of stories centred around mythology and cultural legends, each told by a different author and in a different style, but there wasn’t a single story I didn’t enjoy here.
Each author has taken Rudyard Kipling’s anthology of Just So Stories as their touchstone, but then taken their own individual paths, allowing their voices to take, mould and reshape those colonial narratives into something that speaks to their own experiences, rather than those of a cultural ‘tourist’ – seeing, perhaps admiring, but not understanding.
Diversity doesn’t only apply to the authors here then, but to their work. Some have chosen to follow the original style of Kipling’s stories (O Best Beloved), but forged their own path of content and morals. Others kept the parable nature but with a style all of their own, for example using the language of a modern employment dispute.
There are underlying unifying themes though too. Obviously there is a common thread of the destructive appropriation of the white man as he colonises native land and culture, and the more subtle effect of creeping Westernisation as it seeps more insidiously through the world, homogenizing all it touches. There is exploitation; racism, both overt and covert; grief at the loss of tradition to modern values. The main beat thrumming beneath each story is the corrupting nature of power, whether that power takes the form of wealth, status, race, sex, or magic.
As with all of the best short stories, the moral messages here are delivered clearly and loudly, but with all of the trappings and skill required to provide entertainment, not just education. Readers can simply enjoy the fantastical stories of creation mythology, modern parable and even a touch of horror, for what they are. Still, they may find themselves taking away seeds of ideas, from which (hopefully) thoughtful fruits may grow.
In those days, O Best Beloved, before Man knew to dream of cities, when the skin between worlds was thin enough that you could look into death and converse with those who came before you, Tiger had far more stripes than he did today. I am sure you can see where this story is leading, but be patient, Beloved. A denouement is nothing without its narrative.
– Cassandra Khaw, ‘How the Spider Got Her Legs’ in Not So Stories
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2020/02/22/not-so-stories-various-authors-ed-david-thomas-moore/
This a very varied collection of stories centred around mythology and cultural legends, each told by a different author and in a different style, but there wasn’t a single story I didn’t enjoy here.
Each author has taken Rudyard Kipling’s anthology of Just So Stories as their touchstone, but then taken their own individual paths, allowing their voices to take, mould and reshape those colonial narratives into something that speaks to their own experiences, rather than those of a cultural ‘tourist’ – seeing, perhaps admiring, but not understanding.
Diversity doesn’t only apply to the authors here then, but to their work. Some have chosen to follow the original style of Kipling’s stories (O Best Beloved), but forged their own path of content and morals. Others kept the parable nature but with a style all of their own, for example using the language of a modern employment dispute.
There are underlying unifying themes though too. Obviously there is a common thread of the destructive appropriation of the white man as he colonises native land and culture, and the more subtle effect of creeping Westernisation as it seeps more insidiously through the world, homogenizing all it touches. There is exploitation; racism, both overt and covert; grief at the loss of tradition to modern values. The main beat thrumming beneath each story is the corrupting nature of power, whether that power takes the form of wealth, status, race, sex, or magic.
As with all of the best short stories, the moral messages here are delivered clearly and loudly, but with all of the trappings and skill required to provide entertainment, not just education. Readers can simply enjoy the fantastical stories of creation mythology, modern parable and even a touch of horror, for what they are. Still, they may find themselves taking away seeds of ideas, from which (hopefully) thoughtful fruits may grow.
In those days, O Best Beloved, before Man knew to dream of cities, when the skin between worlds was thin enough that you could look into death and converse with those who came before you, Tiger had far more stripes than he did today. I am sure you can see where this story is leading, but be patient, Beloved. A denouement is nothing without its narrative.
– Cassandra Khaw, ‘How the Spider Got Her Legs’ in Not So Stories
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2020/02/22/not-so-stories-various-authors-ed-david-thomas-moore/
ralovesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to Abaddon Books and NetGalley for my free ebook copy!
Recently, I started an audiobook production of Just So Stories, and I couldn't finish it. I had such fond memories of the stories, but hearing them as an adult created dissonance for me, and I couldn't figure out why. Then I started this collection of stories, and the foreword by [a:Nikesh Shukla|4428916|Nikesh Shukla|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1297525947p2/4428916.jpg][a:Nikesh Shukla|4428916|Nikesh Shukla|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1297525947p2/4428916.jpg] struck me:
"The book doesn't age very well. Because it it steeped in colonial nostalgia, and a feeling that the British Empire was a benign part of the lives of those it oppressed. ... In 'How The Leopard Got His Spots,' the line 'The Ethiopian was really a negro, and so his name was Sambo' clangs. Elsewhere the sun is described as having 'more-than-oriental splendor.' And so on. And it's this normalisation of language that makes the original hard to still love and adore."
This collection of stories talks to the Just So Stories. I thought that they would be straight retellings, but it's more than that. They interpret and respond in a way that is thought-provoking, sometimes confusing, and ultimately horizon-broadening. I'm glad to have read them, and they reminded me of the stories in the anthologies, [b:A Thousand Beginnings and Endings|35430013|A Thousand Beginnings and Endings|Ellen Oh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508166142l/35430013._SX50_.jpg|52123117] and [b:The Radical Element|29748943|The Radical Element (A Tyranny of Petticoats, #2)|Jessica Spotswood|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500590427l/29748943._SY75_.jpg|50105142].
My favorite stories were:
"Best Beloved" by Wayne Santos
"The Cat Who Walked by Herself" by Achala Upendran
"Strays Like Us" by Zina Hutton
"How the Camel Got Her Paid Time Off" by Paul Krueger
Recently, I started an audiobook production of Just So Stories, and I couldn't finish it. I had such fond memories of the stories, but hearing them as an adult created dissonance for me, and I couldn't figure out why. Then I started this collection of stories, and the foreword by [a:Nikesh Shukla|4428916|Nikesh Shukla|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1297525947p2/4428916.jpg][a:Nikesh Shukla|4428916|Nikesh Shukla|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1297525947p2/4428916.jpg] struck me:
"The book doesn't age very well. Because it it steeped in colonial nostalgia, and a feeling that the British Empire was a benign part of the lives of those it oppressed. ... In 'How The Leopard Got His Spots,' the line 'The Ethiopian was really a negro, and so his name was Sambo' clangs. Elsewhere the sun is described as having 'more-than-oriental splendor.' And so on. And it's this normalisation of language that makes the original hard to still love and adore."
This collection of stories talks to the Just So Stories. I thought that they would be straight retellings, but it's more than that. They interpret and respond in a way that is thought-provoking, sometimes confusing, and ultimately horizon-broadening. I'm glad to have read them, and they reminded me of the stories in the anthologies, [b:A Thousand Beginnings and Endings|35430013|A Thousand Beginnings and Endings|Ellen Oh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508166142l/35430013._SX50_.jpg|52123117] and [b:The Radical Element|29748943|The Radical Element (A Tyranny of Petticoats, #2)|Jessica Spotswood|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500590427l/29748943._SY75_.jpg|50105142].
My favorite stories were:
"Best Beloved" by Wayne Santos
"The Cat Who Walked by Herself" by Achala Upendran
"Strays Like Us" by Zina Hutton
"How the Camel Got Her Paid Time Off" by Paul Krueger
thiefofcamorr's review against another edition
4.0
One of my favourite books growing up was Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling. I especially liked How the Elephant got His Trunk, How the Camel Got His Hump, and How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin. Mum tried to raise me on a range of stories set all around the world (Little Black Sambo, etc) all of which I can pretty well guess would be problematic now without a re-read.
Thus, I'm glad this anthology exists; a chance to share the lyrical style of writing along with explanations of how things came to be. I live in remote Australia, so have also been surrounded by dreamtime stories, How the Birds Got their Colours, How the Kangaroos got Their Tails, and so on (told by Mary Albert, of the Bardi people but put together by a children's author; I can only hope they did them justice...)
Stories like these from around the world certainly give a better answer to kids and all their questions, and as a child I found they could be read again and again (or listened to dozens of times) because there was always some other understanding to be found in them; something else to giggle at, a new way at keeping your mind open for cultures other than your own.
The foreword by Nikesh Shukla starts with an important quote, attributed to Junot Diaz;
“You know, vampires have no reflections in a mirror? There’s this idea that monsters don’t have reflections in a mirror. And what I’ve always thought isn’t that monsters don’t have reflections in a mirror. It’s that if you want to make a human being into a monster, deny them, at the cultural level, any reflection of themselves.”
This is why we need to support authors and their books from all parts of the world, and why we shouldn't settle for only one main 'default' setting... which, aside from allowing everyone to be able to see themselves in media (which is absolutely crucial to steps towards a better world), it also makes for a far more interesting one. People are so quick to jump on books where a plot is similar to another one they've read; why aren't we as quick to demand more than the usual main character we so constantly see?
The contents are as follows:
Foreword by Nikesh Shukla
How the Spider Got Her Legs, Cassandra Khaw
Queen, Joseph E. Cole
Best Beloved, Wayne Santos
The Man Who Played With the Crab, Adiwijaya Iskandar
Saṃsāra, Georgina Kamsika
Serpent, Crocodile, Tiger, Zedeck Siew
How the Tree of Wishes Gained its Carapace of Plastic, Jeannette Ng
How the Ants Got Their Queen, Stewart Hotston
How the Snake Lost its Spine, Tauriq Moosa
The Cat Who Walked by Herself, Achala Upendran
Strays Like Us, Zina Hutton
How the Simurgh Won Her Tail, Ali Nouraei
There is Such Thing as a Whizzy-Gang, Raymond Gates
How the Camel Got Her Paid Time Off, Paul Krueger
The anthology starts strong; How the Spider Got her Legs is one of my favourites in the collection. The spider's voice (and Khaw's for that matter) are so elegant for both Spider and Tiger, and with grim satisfaction for Man.
Also a standout is Saṃsāra, by Georgina Kamsika, not so much a story reminiscent of 'best beloveds' but equally enthralling; an Indian family who now live in England; the daughter being pulled away from her culture but coming back to it at the passing of her grandmother, which sparks an interest in her culture she wishes she knew more of.
Raymond Gates has a story in this anthology; hoorah for Aboriginal inclusion; with quite an Australianesque tale There is Such Thing as a Whizzy-Gang.
All in all this is a decent anthology, though there were some stories within that didn't manage to hold my attention. The artwork, also, didn't appeal to me personally... which is a shame. I do love when artwork is included in an anthology however the style here seemed to detract; the visuals I had in my head spoke louder. It's entirely possible the artwork in my review version were placeholders for work that's more detailed, perhaps?
Thus, I'm glad this anthology exists; a chance to share the lyrical style of writing along with explanations of how things came to be. I live in remote Australia, so have also been surrounded by dreamtime stories, How the Birds Got their Colours, How the Kangaroos got Their Tails, and so on (told by Mary Albert, of the Bardi people but put together by a children's author; I can only hope they did them justice...)
Stories like these from around the world certainly give a better answer to kids and all their questions, and as a child I found they could be read again and again (or listened to dozens of times) because there was always some other understanding to be found in them; something else to giggle at, a new way at keeping your mind open for cultures other than your own.
The foreword by Nikesh Shukla starts with an important quote, attributed to Junot Diaz;
“You know, vampires have no reflections in a mirror? There’s this idea that monsters don’t have reflections in a mirror. And what I’ve always thought isn’t that monsters don’t have reflections in a mirror. It’s that if you want to make a human being into a monster, deny them, at the cultural level, any reflection of themselves.”
This is why we need to support authors and their books from all parts of the world, and why we shouldn't settle for only one main 'default' setting... which, aside from allowing everyone to be able to see themselves in media (which is absolutely crucial to steps towards a better world), it also makes for a far more interesting one. People are so quick to jump on books where a plot is similar to another one they've read; why aren't we as quick to demand more than the usual main character we so constantly see?
The contents are as follows:
Foreword by Nikesh Shukla
How the Spider Got Her Legs, Cassandra Khaw
Queen, Joseph E. Cole
Best Beloved, Wayne Santos
The Man Who Played With the Crab, Adiwijaya Iskandar
Saṃsāra, Georgina Kamsika
Serpent, Crocodile, Tiger, Zedeck Siew
How the Tree of Wishes Gained its Carapace of Plastic, Jeannette Ng
How the Ants Got Their Queen, Stewart Hotston
How the Snake Lost its Spine, Tauriq Moosa
The Cat Who Walked by Herself, Achala Upendran
Strays Like Us, Zina Hutton
How the Simurgh Won Her Tail, Ali Nouraei
There is Such Thing as a Whizzy-Gang, Raymond Gates
How the Camel Got Her Paid Time Off, Paul Krueger
The anthology starts strong; How the Spider Got her Legs is one of my favourites in the collection. The spider's voice (and Khaw's for that matter) are so elegant for both Spider and Tiger, and with grim satisfaction for Man.
Also a standout is Saṃsāra, by Georgina Kamsika, not so much a story reminiscent of 'best beloveds' but equally enthralling; an Indian family who now live in England; the daughter being pulled away from her culture but coming back to it at the passing of her grandmother, which sparks an interest in her culture she wishes she knew more of.
Raymond Gates has a story in this anthology; hoorah for Aboriginal inclusion; with quite an Australianesque tale There is Such Thing as a Whizzy-Gang.
All in all this is a decent anthology, though there were some stories within that didn't manage to hold my attention. The artwork, also, didn't appeal to me personally... which is a shame. I do love when artwork is included in an anthology however the style here seemed to detract; the visuals I had in my head spoke louder. It's entirely possible the artwork in my review version were placeholders for work that's more detailed, perhaps?
tessaf's review against another edition
4.0
Finally wrestled this book away from my mother. I joke. She finished. And she really enjoyed it so there.
As with all short story collections there were some I enjoyed more than others but overall this is a pretty good collection.
As with all short story collections there were some I enjoyed more than others but overall this is a pretty good collection.
nini23's review against another edition
4.0
Not So Stories is a delightfully diverse collection of stories based on myths, legends, folktales from around the world. A lot of them involve animal anthropomorphism often to depict human cruelty (like George Orwell's Animal Farm), deplorable colonialist attitudes and power structures within relationships and communities. This book is a direct repudiation of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories with its colonialist justifications. This creates a whole new debate of its own where literary 'classics' or mainstream culture such as Dr Suess cartoons or Agatha Christie novels have obvious racist content: do we wholescale reject the work or call it a product of its time?
The anthology starts off very strongly and the first three stories knocked my socks off: How the Spider Got Her Legs by Cassandra Khaw, Queen by Joseph E. Cole and Best Beloved by Wayne Santos. Of all the authors featured, I had only read Cassandra Khaw and Jeannette Ng before (Rupert Wong series and Under The Pendulum Sun respectively). There is a common refrain of "Best Beloved" which I gather is from Kipling's original work but evokes in my fantasy reading mind Robin Hobb's Fool addressing Fitz. Unfortunately as with most anthologies, it was uneven and I got mired in some of the stories in the middle which resulted in this book being picked up and put down periodically. I'd also like to mention that each story was accompanied by a black and white illustration which is a great idea but the stick drawings seem to have been done haphazardly and without much care.
So this poor book languished for quite a bit before my guilt in having to finish a review for Netgalley pushed me to finish it and to my surprise, I had actually been quite near the end. The last few stories (There is Such Thing as a Whizzy-Gang and How the Camel Got Her Paid Time Off ) were fairly underwhelming but I'll always remember that frisson of excitement and energy I felt reading those first few brilliant stories. There were a few in the middle that were pretty good like Samsara by Georgina Kamsika and How the Tree of Wishes Gained its Carapace of Plastic by Jeannette Ng. In truth I would need to go back and re-read the whole book again to give it a more thorough review.
Overall, I feel like this is an important book with important voices and tales to be heard. It may make some people squirm because of its unflinching look at the effects of colonialism but too often mainstream literature has celebrated colonialist narratives. The foreword of the book has one of the most articulate treatise I've ever read of why we need diverse representation in literature and media. Thanks to Netgalley and Abaddon Books for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
The anthology starts off very strongly and the first three stories knocked my socks off: How the Spider Got Her Legs by Cassandra Khaw, Queen by Joseph E. Cole and Best Beloved by Wayne Santos. Of all the authors featured, I had only read Cassandra Khaw and Jeannette Ng before (Rupert Wong series and Under The Pendulum Sun respectively). There is a common refrain of "Best Beloved" which I gather is from Kipling's original work but evokes in my fantasy reading mind Robin Hobb's Fool addressing Fitz. Unfortunately as with most anthologies, it was uneven and I got mired in some of the stories in the middle which resulted in this book being picked up and put down periodically. I'd also like to mention that each story was accompanied by a black and white illustration which is a great idea but the stick drawings seem to have been done haphazardly and without much care.
So this poor book languished for quite a bit before my guilt in having to finish a review for Netgalley pushed me to finish it and to my surprise, I had actually been quite near the end. The last few stories (There is Such Thing as a Whizzy-Gang and How the Camel Got Her Paid Time Off ) were fairly underwhelming but I'll always remember that frisson of excitement and energy I felt reading those first few brilliant stories. There were a few in the middle that were pretty good like Samsara by Georgina Kamsika and How the Tree of Wishes Gained its Carapace of Plastic by Jeannette Ng. In truth I would need to go back and re-read the whole book again to give it a more thorough review.
Overall, I feel like this is an important book with important voices and tales to be heard. It may make some people squirm because of its unflinching look at the effects of colonialism but too often mainstream literature has celebrated colonialist narratives. The foreword of the book has one of the most articulate treatise I've ever read of why we need diverse representation in literature and media. Thanks to Netgalley and Abaddon Books for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
coolcurrybooks's review against another edition
4.0
Not So Stories is a collection that’s working off the legacy of Kipling’s famous Just So Stories, which is a classic children’s book deeply rooted in colonialism. Not So Stories addresses this problematic legacy by creating an anthology of fable-like stories all by authors of color, from the colonized nations Kipling was writing about.
I know I read Just So Stories as a child, but I can hardly remember anything about it. As a result, some of these stories may have nuances or connections to Kipling’s work that I am missing.
The collection opens with “How the Spider Got Her Legs” by Cassandra Khaw, which was excellent. Cassandra Khaw was one of the reasons I picked up Not So Stories to begin with, as I am a big fan of her work. As I would expect, the writing is absolutely lovely. It’s a very emotional story that’s thematically centered around motherhood.
“Queen” by Joseph E. Cole was another story I highly enjoyed. The story follows a lioness who’s telling her life’s tale, which involves being captured by humans and forced to fight other lions in an arena. The story as a whole works as a metaphor for slavery, with the language and description being such that you don’t immediately realize the narrator is a lion.
“How the Ants Got Their Queen” by Stewart Hotson is another fable that uses animals to explain colonialism and oppression. It sort of that story by E. Lily Yu — “The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees” — which deals with some of the same concepts, only using bees and wasps instead of ants and anteaters. Still, I thought “How the Ants Got Their Queen” was a strong addition to Not So Stories.
My other favorite of the anthology was “The Cat Who Walked by Herself” by Achala Upendran, which I strongly suspect is drawing off of a Kipling story I can’t remember. In this story, Woman lives a carefree life with her friends Dog, Horse, and Cow, singing and wandering the forest, until she’s kidnapped by Man. With Cat’s help, she plots a way to be free. (TW: self harm)
I didn’t find any of the other stories in the collection as strong. I was really looking forward to Jeannette Ng’s story (her name is part of why I picked up Not So Stories), but “How the Tree of Wishes Gained Its Carapace of Plastic” left me cold. Maybe I loved her book so much that my expectations were too high? “How the Tree of Wishes Gained Its Carapace of Plastic” tells local history through the focus on a tree where people attach their wishes.
“Best Beloved” by Wayne Santos wasn’t one of the best stories in Not So Stories, but I think it’s in the top half. Unlike some of the others, I don’t know if it could be considered a children’s story. Maybe young adult? Anyway, the story follows Seah Yuan Ching, who keeps the restless undead away from Hong Kong but is distracted from her duties by her British lover, Adam. As a reader, it takes no time at all to figure out that Adam’s full of shit…. and then he turns out to be even more rotten than you suspected.
Most of the other stories in Not So Stories were fairly forgettable. “Samsā ra” by Georgina Kamsika is about a girl who realizes she’s been rejecting her own heritage in order to appeal to a white culture. “The Man Who Played with the Crab” by Adiwijaya Iskandar follows a father and daughter who are guardians of their goddess but who are threatened and endangered when a white, Kipling-esque adventurer shows up, determined to kill the goddess. “How the Snake Lost Its Spine” by Tauriq Moosa is what it says in the title. “Serpent, Crocodile, Tiger” by Zedeck Siew is a confusing intermingling of three related stories that ultimately felt too long. “Strays Like Us” by Zina Hutton is about Bastet in modern day USA taking in a stray kitten. “There Is Such Thing as a Whizzy-Gang” by Raymond Gates is a creepy little story that I can’t see how fits in with the collection’s themes of Kipling and colonialism. “How the Simurgh Won Her Tale” by Ali Nouraei uses the frame story of a grandfather telling his sick granddaughter Lilly stories as she receives dialysis. “How the Camel Got Her Paid Time Off” by Paul Krueger takes a very different approach from the others, having camel try to organize other animals to demand action and reforms from HR.
Not So Stories isn’t a great collection — the ratio of stories I loved to stories I was “eh” about wasn’t enough for that. But it’s not a bad collection either. I found the aim of the collection admirable, and there’s still great stories to be had here.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Review from The Illustrated Page.
I know I read Just So Stories as a child, but I can hardly remember anything about it. As a result, some of these stories may have nuances or connections to Kipling’s work that I am missing.
The collection opens with “How the Spider Got Her Legs” by Cassandra Khaw, which was excellent. Cassandra Khaw was one of the reasons I picked up Not So Stories to begin with, as I am a big fan of her work. As I would expect, the writing is absolutely lovely. It’s a very emotional story that’s thematically centered around motherhood.
“Queen” by Joseph E. Cole was another story I highly enjoyed. The story follows a lioness who’s telling her life’s tale, which involves being captured by humans and forced to fight other lions in an arena. The story as a whole works as a metaphor for slavery, with the language and description being such that you don’t immediately realize the narrator is a lion.
“How the Ants Got Their Queen” by Stewart Hotson is another fable that uses animals to explain colonialism and oppression. It sort of that story by E. Lily Yu — “The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees” — which deals with some of the same concepts, only using bees and wasps instead of ants and anteaters. Still, I thought “How the Ants Got Their Queen” was a strong addition to Not So Stories.
My other favorite of the anthology was “The Cat Who Walked by Herself” by Achala Upendran, which I strongly suspect is drawing off of a Kipling story I can’t remember. In this story, Woman lives a carefree life with her friends Dog, Horse, and Cow, singing and wandering the forest, until she’s kidnapped by Man. With Cat’s help, she plots a way to be free. (TW: self harm)
I didn’t find any of the other stories in the collection as strong. I was really looking forward to Jeannette Ng’s story (her name is part of why I picked up Not So Stories), but “How the Tree of Wishes Gained Its Carapace of Plastic” left me cold. Maybe I loved her book so much that my expectations were too high? “How the Tree of Wishes Gained Its Carapace of Plastic” tells local history through the focus on a tree where people attach their wishes.
“Best Beloved” by Wayne Santos wasn’t one of the best stories in Not So Stories, but I think it’s in the top half. Unlike some of the others, I don’t know if it could be considered a children’s story. Maybe young adult? Anyway, the story follows Seah Yuan Ching, who keeps the restless undead away from Hong Kong but is distracted from her duties by her British lover, Adam. As a reader, it takes no time at all to figure out that Adam’s full of shit…. and then he turns out to be even more rotten than you suspected.
Most of the other stories in Not So Stories were fairly forgettable. “Samsā ra” by Georgina Kamsika is about a girl who realizes she’s been rejecting her own heritage in order to appeal to a white culture. “The Man Who Played with the Crab” by Adiwijaya Iskandar follows a father and daughter who are guardians of their goddess but who are threatened and endangered when a white, Kipling-esque adventurer shows up, determined to kill the goddess. “How the Snake Lost Its Spine” by Tauriq Moosa is what it says in the title. “Serpent, Crocodile, Tiger” by Zedeck Siew is a confusing intermingling of three related stories that ultimately felt too long. “Strays Like Us” by Zina Hutton is about Bastet in modern day USA taking in a stray kitten. “There Is Such Thing as a Whizzy-Gang” by Raymond Gates is a creepy little story that I can’t see how fits in with the collection’s themes of Kipling and colonialism. “How the Simurgh Won Her Tale” by Ali Nouraei uses the frame story of a grandfather telling his sick granddaughter Lilly stories as she receives dialysis. “How the Camel Got Her Paid Time Off” by Paul Krueger takes a very different approach from the others, having camel try to organize other animals to demand action and reforms from HR.
Not So Stories isn’t a great collection — the ratio of stories I loved to stories I was “eh” about wasn’t enough for that. But it’s not a bad collection either. I found the aim of the collection admirable, and there’s still great stories to be had here.
I received an ARC in exchange for a free and honest review.
Review from The Illustrated Page.