A review by robotswithpersonality
The Melancholy of Mechagirl by Catherynne M. Valente

My luck with short story (and a teeny bit of poetry) collections  written by ONE author continues, I found a lot to enjoy here. I wasn't sure what the ratio would be, but I'd say two thirds fantasy, one-third sci fi. I think in future I'd be happy to investigate any sci fi or sci fi/fantasy mixes by this author under a certain length. I would hesitste to pick up anything purely fantasy for the same reason I would hesitate to pick up a full length novel...Valente can get very into the surreal and prioritizing unique word choice paragraphs over plot. You can get a real sense of the vibes and be bowled over by a description you've never encountered before, but you can also feel pretty lost, landing in a cul de sac of occurences without a point. Some stories are more straightforward than others. The collection ends in a novella and for the first half I was riveted (after I figured out what was going on) as it discussed the relationship between burgeoning AI and the humanity around it and all the possible outcomes and how communication was fostered, and then it seemed to get bogged down trying for  a ' reveal'. 
I should also mention a sprinkling of heavy subject matter and a liberal amount of dark/sad tones. 
I can definitely see trying out other works from this author but I reserve the right to be picky about it. 
Introduction and afterword are helpful in understanding the context of this work, I recommend reading both. 
⚠️ Miscarriage