A review by dinipandareads
The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities: New Stories About Mythic Heroes, by Rick Riordan
4.0
I read this as part of the blog tour hosted by Rock Star Tours. Special thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review! 4 stars
Check out the full review on my blog and enter the giveaway!
I've always wanted to read more from Rick Riordan Presents and when I saw this collection of short stories I knew that I had to get my hands on it ASAP! It's not that I needed more convincing that the Rick Riordan Presents books were amazing but reading this collection from the multiverse mansion has me wanting to immediately pick up the books that have been languishing on my shelf for too long.
I was completely immersed from the moment I set foot into this multiverse mansion and I was itching with eagerness to open each door to the different worlds held within. These stories are rich with diverse cultures and a wild kind of magic courses through each of the pages that hold you enthralled as the wonderful characters and their stories unfold. Honestly, these are the kind of stories that I wish had been available to younger me because it would've meant so much to see parts of myself in characters who look like me and have roots in parts of the world I'm from. Not to mention that it would've been amazing to learn about the different mythologies, too! Luckily, they're stories that adult me can read and greatly appreciate and it makes me so happy knowing that such diverse heroic tales are available for younger generations to read and identify with!
We get small glimpses into magnificent worlds and we meet many new characters that I was eager to learn more about the minute their story ended. What makes me love a short story is when the story comes full circle, the questions are answered and it can essentially stand on its own, and the majority of stories in here did that! I often found myself going into deep(ish) dives on the interwebs to read up about the mythologies and creatures and I love when a story can pique my curiosity in that way because it makes the experience that much more unforgettable. While I enjoyed all of the stories my top three are: The Demon Drum by Rebecca Roanhorse, My Night at the Gifted Carnival by Graci Kim, and... it's a tie between The Initiation by Yoon Ha Lee and Bruto and the Freaky Flower by Tehlor Kay Mejia (sorry, I really can't choose)!
Although I had only met the characters from one of the stories in this collection (Gum Baby forever!), I had no trouble following along with the adventures, so it's okay to go into this without prior knowledge of the stories. I think it would be perfect for readers who want to get a taste of the worlds found in the Rick Riordan Presents books and I can guarantee that it will leave you wanting more as soon as possible! Highly recommended for all readers but especially those who love action-packed (mis)adventures, an abundance of magic, diverse mythology, most likely demons and ghouls, and lots of cheeky and witty humour!
Check out the full review on my blog and enter the giveaway!
I've always wanted to read more from Rick Riordan Presents and when I saw this collection of short stories I knew that I had to get my hands on it ASAP! It's not that I needed more convincing that the Rick Riordan Presents books were amazing but reading this collection from the multiverse mansion has me wanting to immediately pick up the books that have been languishing on my shelf for too long.
I was completely immersed from the moment I set foot into this multiverse mansion and I was itching with eagerness to open each door to the different worlds held within. These stories are rich with diverse cultures and a wild kind of magic courses through each of the pages that hold you enthralled as the wonderful characters and their stories unfold. Honestly, these are the kind of stories that I wish had been available to younger me because it would've meant so much to see parts of myself in characters who look like me and have roots in parts of the world I'm from. Not to mention that it would've been amazing to learn about the different mythologies, too! Luckily, they're stories that adult me can read and greatly appreciate and it makes me so happy knowing that such diverse heroic tales are available for younger generations to read and identify with!
We get small glimpses into magnificent worlds and we meet many new characters that I was eager to learn more about the minute their story ended. What makes me love a short story is when the story comes full circle, the questions are answered and it can essentially stand on its own, and the majority of stories in here did that! I often found myself going into deep(ish) dives on the interwebs to read up about the mythologies and creatures and I love when a story can pique my curiosity in that way because it makes the experience that much more unforgettable. While I enjoyed all of the stories my top three are: The Demon Drum by Rebecca Roanhorse, My Night at the Gifted Carnival by Graci Kim, and... it's a tie between The Initiation by Yoon Ha Lee and Bruto and the Freaky Flower by Tehlor Kay Mejia (sorry, I really can't choose)!
Although I had only met the characters from one of the stories in this collection (Gum Baby forever!), I had no trouble following along with the adventures, so it's okay to go into this without prior knowledge of the stories. I think it would be perfect for readers who want to get a taste of the worlds found in the Rick Riordan Presents books and I can guarantee that it will leave you wanting more as soon as possible! Highly recommended for all readers but especially those who love action-packed (mis)adventures, an abundance of magic, diverse mythology, most likely demons and ghouls, and lots of cheeky and witty humour!