A review by jay_bubblez
The Alchemy of Sorrow by Sarah Chorn, Levi Jacobs, M. L. Wang, Carol A. Park, Krystle Matar, Angela Boord, Intisar Khanani, Virginia McClain, Rachel Emma Shaw, K.S. Villoso, Madolyn Rogers, Quenby Olson, Clayton W. Snyder, Sonya M. Black

dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

This anthology is gorgeous, cover to cover. Some stories moved me, some hurt me, others looked into my heart and said 'I see you and I understand'. I was crying before the foreword was even over. But TAoS isn't just about tears or sadness, it really is a book about hope and moving forward. Many of the stories end with an acknowledgement of pain or a step towards moving past the pain into a new chapter, but the anthology does not once state that there is only one valid way to grieve. It explores many different facets of grief and many different responses and healing journeys. There are 13 stories in all that vary in pace, tone, content, and to an extent, quality. Not every story enthralled me if I'm honest, but most did. There is a comprehensive content warning page near the front which lists warnings for each individual story. Each one was set in a different world contrary to what the map at the front initially led me to believe, and most of these worlds are sci-fi or fantasy settings that the authors have other longer works within. My favourite of the 13 stories were The Paperweight Watch (K. Matar), The Quiet (M. Rogers), Thief (V. McClain), and A Matter of Trust (A. Boord).

Overall this is a fantastic addition to anyone's bookshelf and facilitates the exploration of the works or a range of talented and diverse authors. Every issue is handled with care and TAoS truly does live up to its intended purpose as a vessel through which to say; "I may not know what you are feeling, but I know grief."