Welcome again to my own brand of mini reviews! I never thought I'd do minis, until I recapped a few of my long reviews in some digest post in 2014, and then guest-posted some shorties for a blogging event in 2015. And Karen from
For What It's Worth started praising my short recs/recaps 😊. Just to be clear,
I'm NOT taking a break from writing long reviews - no such luck LOL (though for anthologies, shorter books or books that I didn't enjoy/I don't have enough to say about, I decided to stick to minis). But
while I'm making up my mind about a new book I've read, I might as well give you the short version 😉. Just be warned - this feature will be VERY random!
Note: all the mini blurbs (in italics) are of my own creation.
★★★★
Thirteen authors celebrate time travel or use it to spin cautionary tales, explore the possible ramifications of a single altered detail or the ethics of exploiting the past, tackle predestination paradox and interactions of multiple selves, and much more, in this collection of sometimes humorous, sometimes emotional, often sharp stories.
***
First off...DISCLAIMER: the editor Joshua David Bellin (whom I got acquainted with when I reviewed his time-travel novel Myriad) offered me an eARC of this one. This didn't influence my review in any way.
As it's often the case with anthologies, not every story here will work for everyone, but I'm happy to report that the overall level is high - though personally, I found that some didn't bring much novelty to the table (
Box 13 - I kept expecting a twist that didn't come) or were a tad confusing, though imaginative (
Reels Through Time), or leaned more on the fantasy/romance side than I prefer (
The Fountain of Youth). The ones doubling as social commentaries were some of my favourites, especially
Timeline Tours, Unicorp., and the End of Time, where the way a tragedy tourism agency deals with a fault in their well-oiled gearing elicits a reflection on our current (and probably future) lack of empathy, and on corporate greed.
Ghost Life, a prequel to Joshua David Bellin's
Myriad (a smashing sci-fi/noir blend I reviewed last year), offers a different, somehow melancholic perspective on time travel, and will work well even for readers who aren't familiar with the main novel (the flipside is, they might want to read that too afterwards 😉).
A String of Pearls is a fun (if a bit challenging, but it comes with the territory) spin on the casual loop trope with an engaging protagonist, which prompted me to look for
her previous, free-to-read adventures on the net (the author has grown a lot in these seven years, but he showed promise even then). Bottom line - if you love time travel but (like me) you often struggle with short stories because they leave you wanting more, this anthology will have you covered 🙂.
Note: definitive review (I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one later; also, due to time commitments, I've decided not to write full-length reviews anymore for short stories, novellas and anthologies, except in special cases or unless they're part of a series).
Naida (also known as The Naida Tapes) by Dawn Kurtagich
★★★★
Locked up in a high-security psychiatric hospital for conspiracy to harm, interference with a police investigation, and suspected aiding of an arsonist, 17 y.o. Naida knows she's the only thing that stands in a demon's way, and the sacrifice she's already made might not be enough to contain it...
***
If you go into this novella expecting closure about Kaitlyn/Carly, you're going to be disappointed (and it's OK - two of the reasons why
The Dead House works so well are its ambiguity on the split-personality front and its potentially open ending). If you hope to be given an explanation for what Naida did after a certain ritual in the main book and to understand its ending better (though, as I said, it stays open), you're in the right place. I didn't expect the story to play out as it did, and to be more heartbreaking than horrific. Some incidents (so to speak) are a bit convenient, and since this is a very short novella, two major plot points happen offscreen or are rushed through; but if you enjoyed
The Dead House, you'll find a lot to love here (including the mixed-media format).
P.S.: re.: cover: as a matter of fact, Naida has got curly hair...here we go again 🙄. Curly hair erasure...
Note: definitive review (I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one later; also, due to time commitments, I've decided not to write full-length reviews anymore for short stories, novellas and anthologies, except in special cases or unless they're part of a series).
I am really impressed that the anthology delivered. It's great that the collection exceeded your expectations.
ReplyDeleteIt helps when there's a really cohesive theme (which isn't a given - in some anthologies, the stories are only loosely connected, or too different in style), plus Bellin did a good job with selecting the entries!
DeleteIt's great when you end up liking most of the stories in an anthology.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's rare!
DeleteI mean I have an old car, but it is not cassette old ;D
ReplyDeleteLOL, I doubt anyone does at this point - unless it's an antique.
DeleteI read The Dead House years ago and probably don't remember enough of it by now to read Naida. I have a copy of Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch and will definitely be picking it up some time, however, I wish you had a stronger review for it. Still sounds like something I think I will like though. I just reviewed an anthology yesterday I ended up loving. I think I'm finding they work better for me when the stories are connected somehow. Great mini reviews. Can't wait to see what you share next!
ReplyDeleteI read TDH a long time ago too (right after it came out), but I didn't have any trouble with Naida. I hope you'll like HLAVB more than me! I saw your anthology review in my feed - going to look at it tomorrow (I agree - interconnected stories are key!). Thank you!
DeleteI had my eyes on Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch for my own reviews, but I decided to go a different direction. Concept sounded great but wasn't sure I could trust the execution. Glad to hear my concerns were correct. I'll still be reading it in my own personal time, though, because it still sounds up my alley!
ReplyDeleteThat title (and the afterlife premise...I'm a sucker for it) lured me in LOL. And it did sound spectacular as a concept...The execution did leave a lot to be desired, but maybe it will work better for you than it did for me, in case you decide to give it a try.
DeleteI have to say, I always appreciate the vibe of the books you choose to pick up. Even if they don't always work as well as you may hope, you have a knack for choosing titles that have great style!
ReplyDelete