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Soul Jar: Thirty-One Fantastical Tales by Disabled Authors
Foreword by Nicola Griffith, author of Hild and Spear
Too often, science fiction and fantasy stories erase—or cure—characters with disabilities. Soul Jar , edited by author and bookstore owner Annie Carl, features thirty-one stories by disabled authors, imagining such wonders as a shapeshifter on a first date, skin that sprouts orchid buds, and a cereal-box demon. An insulin pump diverts an undead mob. An autistic teen sets out to discover the local cranberry bog’s sinister secret. A pizza delivery on Mars goes wrong. This thrillingly peculiar collection sparkles with humor, heart, and insight, all within the context of disability representation.
Too often, science fiction and fantasy stories erase—or cure—characters with disabilities. Soul Jar , edited by author and bookstore owner Annie Carl, features thirty-one stories by disabled authors, imagining such wonders as a shapeshifter on a first date, skin that sprouts orchid buds, and a cereal-box demon. An insulin pump diverts an undead mob. An autistic teen sets out to discover the local cranberry bog’s sinister secret. A pizza delivery on Mars goes wrong. This thrillingly peculiar collection sparkles with humor, heart, and insight, all within the context of disability representation.
400 pages, Paperback
First published October 17, 2023
14 people are currently reading
426 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 13, 2023
Originally posted on Just Geeking by.
Content warnings:
Soul Jar starts with a foreword by author Nicola Griffith who discusses ableism and its relation to fiction. This is followed by an introduction by editor Annie Carl who recalls attending a trade show that help a panel about diversity. She explains that it wonderfully covered the inclusion of multiple communities, but it left out one; hers. It was a very familiar feeling, and something I see happen online all the time.
When the time came for audience questions, Carl asked the panel directly what information they had for supporting disabled customers and booksellers. The response was blank stares as the panellists had no response. One person in the audience had one though. Laura Stanfill a publicist for Forest Avenue Press approached Carl; “We need to talk”. The result is the Soul Jar anthology!
I had high hopes for this anthology after this introduction, and while I fully support and admire Annie Carl’s mission, I owe readers an honest review. The unfortunate truth is that Soul Jar is a very mixed bag of stories in terms of quality with some of them are of very low quality and poorly edited. I skipped one of them completely because it was full of every fantasy cliché imaginable. I’m not sure if that was the author’s intention, and it was designed to be a satire, if so it was not apparent.
The anthology is divided into four sections. There are no explanations offered in the foreword or introduction at the beginning of Soul Jar about each section. ‘Earth in Retrograde’ appears to be stories based around our planet; ‘Gone Astray’ is as about stories about wandering or going astray; ‘Wild Space’ are science fiction stories; and ‘Creature Feature’ are stories with fantastical elements or about creatures.
Soul Jar starts off well with Carol Scheina’s fantastic story of a young woman just coming to terms with her Deafness just as an Apocalypse happens in ‘There are no Hearing Batteries After the Apocalypse’. It’s followed by ‘Holding Back’ by Danielle Mullen where a superhero’s sidekick talks about their mentor who is ageing and losing their memory. As a comic book reader I found this particularly well written, and could hear this in the voice of many sidekicks I’m familiar with.
In ‘Survivors’ Club’ Meghan Beaudry writes about a pandemic, and although it’s a fictional one it echoes many of the feelings those of us with chronic illnesses felt during the COVID pandemic. Beaudry follows through with some of the more extreme eugenicist comments heard during the pandemic, and while it’s not a pleasant read it feels fulfilling to see someone show the cruel manifestation of eugenics.
A later story, ‘Song of Bullfrogs, Cry of Geese’ by Nicola Griffith, follows a similar creative line of thought and is about a pandemic where everyone develops ME (myalgic encephalitis)/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). Considering how many people have developed Long Covid, and as a result ME/CFS after contracting COVID (something that many of us with ME/CFS saw coming at the start of the pandemic) this story is particularly poignant.
The next story I loved in Soul Jar was Lane Chasek’s ‘Which Doctor’ which presents a society where mental health is favoured over physical health – the complete opposite of our own. In Chasek’s story a woman develops an ankle injury but none of the normal mental health treatments her doctor offers her seem to help. Eventually she follows a friend’s advice to see a physiologist despite the social stigma attached to doing so. It was very odd reading about a society where the situation was reversed, and Chasek’s story shows how ridiculous the belief that one type of treatment can fix everything. I hope reading it will change people’s mind about mental health.
Other stories of note for me are ‘Ziabetes’ by Lily Jurich where an insulin pump is used to fight Zombies, ‘Weightless’ by Raven Oak about space travel as a plus size disabled woman, ‘Wardrobe of the Worlds’ by Jennifer Lee Rossman where a queer mixed-race autistic girl represents planet Earth in the perfect outfit, ‘Lucy’ by Judy Lunsford which is one of the most adorable stories I’ve read in a long time, and ‘Cranberry Nightmare’ by Kit Harding a brilliant horror story featuring an autistic main character.
While there were some interesting stories further on, the quality level started to dwindle the further I got through the anthology. While most stories have disabled or neurodivergent representation I was disappointed to find that there are several that appear to have none since the synopsis for Soul Jar boasts that “this thrillingly peculiar collection sparkles with humor, heart, and insight, within the context of disability representation”.
Well, that’s certainly not the case with these ten stories; ‘The Song of the Forest’ by Mika Grimmer, ‘Delbrot, Peace Warrior!’ by Holly Saiki, ‘Everyone’s a Critic’ by Andrew Griffin, ‘The Warp and The Wept of a Norse Villainess’ by El Park (although there are brief mentions, there’s no specific representation that is clear), ‘A Broke Young Martian Atop His Busted Scooter’ by K. G. Delmare, ‘A Ripping’ by Adam Fout, ‘The Definitions of Professional Atire’ by Evergreen Lee, ‘Lucy’ by Judy Lunsford, ‘The Other Side’ by Christy George, and ‘The Arroyo Fiasco’ by Dawn Vogel.
Disabled and neurodivergent writers do not necessarily have to write about characters like them, however, when the synopsis for the anthology suggests that’s what it’s offering I feel that it should actually provide it. Especially when a third of the stories in the anthology don’t feature that representation.
As for the dwindling quality of the stories, I don’t know how stories were chosen or how many were submitted, but thirty-one is an awful lot of stories for an anthology, especially for a first time editor. It makes me wonder if thirty-one was always the plan, or that was exactly how many stories were submitted. I would also like to add that my opinion on the quality of stories didn’t depend on whether they had disabled and/or neurodivergent representation or not. In fact one of my favourites had none at all. It was a mixed bag depending on whether there was representation or not.
Again, I admire the aims of the editor and overall there are some very good stories in Soul Jar, some of which I truly recommend reading. However, I would be remiss in giving this anthology a review higher than three stars just out of support for disabled and neurodivergent writers and stories featuring representation.
The full list of stories in Soul Jar along with disabilities represented (if any):
Earth in Retrograde
‘There are no Hearing Batteries After the Apocalypse’ by Carol Scheina – Deaf MC
‘Holding Back’ by Danielle Mullen – Dementia/Memory Loss.
‘Survivors’ Club’ by Meghan Beaudry – Chronic fatigue, lung transplant recipient, immunosuppressed.
‘Which Doctor’ by Lane Chasek – Mental health, ankle injury.
‘Brainstorm’ by Travis Flatt – Epilepsy.
‘Spore, Bud, Bloody Orchid’ by Jaye Viner – Cancer, neurofibromatosis.
‘Thunderheads and Burial Goods’ by Cormack Baldwin – Leg brace, crutches, tuberculosis,
‘Song of Bullfrogs, Cry of Geese’ by Nicola Griffith – ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, chronic fatigue, post-exhaustion malaise (PEM).
‘The Things I Miss the Most’ by Nisi Shawl – Seizures, epilepsy, brain surgery.
Gone Astray
‘The Sorrow Stealer’ by A. J. Cunder – Mental health, grief.
‘The Song of the Forest’ by Mika Grimmer
‘Delbrot, Peace Warrior!’ by Holly Saiki
‘Everyone’s a Critic’ by Andrew Griffin
‘The Weight of Grief’ by Simon Quinn – Mental health, grief.
‘A Guardsman Remembers’ by Danielle Ranucci – Mental health, grief.
‘Suffer the Silence’ by Ellis Bray – Mental health, schizophrenia.
‘Ziabetes’ by Lily Jurich – Diabetes, insulin pump.
‘The Warp and The Wept of a Norse Villainess’ by El Park
Wild Space
‘A Broke Young Martian Atop His Busted Scooter’ by K. G. Delmare
‘Weightless’ by Raven Oak – Titanium plates in knee, knee injury, chronic pain.
‘A Ripping’ by Adam Fout
‘The Definitions of Professional Atire’ by Evergreen Lee
‘The Last Dryad’ by Paul Jessup – Premature baby, trauma.
‘Wardrobe of the Worlds’ by Jennifer Lee Rossman – Autistic MC.
Creature Feature
‘A Peril of Being Human’ by Julie Reeser – Mental health.
‘Lucy’ by Judy Lunsford
‘A Balanced Breakfast’ by Eirik Gumeny – Double lung transplant recipient, Cystic fibrosis, sinus problems, digestive issues, diabetes, immunosuppressed.
‘The Other Side’ by Christy George
‘The Arroyo Fiasco’ by Dawn Vogel
‘Cranberry Nightmare’ by Kit Harding – Autistic MC.
‘The Rising Currents of Ocean Fire in My Blood’ by Bethy Wernert – Autistic MC.
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Content warnings:
Soul Jar starts with a foreword by author Nicola Griffith who discusses ableism and its relation to fiction. This is followed by an introduction by editor Annie Carl who recalls attending a trade show that help a panel about diversity. She explains that it wonderfully covered the inclusion of multiple communities, but it left out one; hers. It was a very familiar feeling, and something I see happen online all the time.
When the time came for audience questions, Carl asked the panel directly what information they had for supporting disabled customers and booksellers. The response was blank stares as the panellists had no response. One person in the audience had one though. Laura Stanfill a publicist for Forest Avenue Press approached Carl; “We need to talk”. The result is the Soul Jar anthology!
I had high hopes for this anthology after this introduction, and while I fully support and admire Annie Carl’s mission, I owe readers an honest review. The unfortunate truth is that Soul Jar is a very mixed bag of stories in terms of quality with some of them are of very low quality and poorly edited. I skipped one of them completely because it was full of every fantasy cliché imaginable. I’m not sure if that was the author’s intention, and it was designed to be a satire, if so it was not apparent.
The anthology is divided into four sections. There are no explanations offered in the foreword or introduction at the beginning of Soul Jar about each section. ‘Earth in Retrograde’ appears to be stories based around our planet; ‘Gone Astray’ is as about stories about wandering or going astray; ‘Wild Space’ are science fiction stories; and ‘Creature Feature’ are stories with fantastical elements or about creatures.
Soul Jar starts off well with Carol Scheina’s fantastic story of a young woman just coming to terms with her Deafness just as an Apocalypse happens in ‘There are no Hearing Batteries After the Apocalypse’. It’s followed by ‘Holding Back’ by Danielle Mullen where a superhero’s sidekick talks about their mentor who is ageing and losing their memory. As a comic book reader I found this particularly well written, and could hear this in the voice of many sidekicks I’m familiar with.
In ‘Survivors’ Club’ Meghan Beaudry writes about a pandemic, and although it’s a fictional one it echoes many of the feelings those of us with chronic illnesses felt during the COVID pandemic. Beaudry follows through with some of the more extreme eugenicist comments heard during the pandemic, and while it’s not a pleasant read it feels fulfilling to see someone show the cruel manifestation of eugenics.
A later story, ‘Song of Bullfrogs, Cry of Geese’ by Nicola Griffith, follows a similar creative line of thought and is about a pandemic where everyone develops ME (myalgic encephalitis)/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). Considering how many people have developed Long Covid, and as a result ME/CFS after contracting COVID (something that many of us with ME/CFS saw coming at the start of the pandemic) this story is particularly poignant.
The next story I loved in Soul Jar was Lane Chasek’s ‘Which Doctor’ which presents a society where mental health is favoured over physical health – the complete opposite of our own. In Chasek’s story a woman develops an ankle injury but none of the normal mental health treatments her doctor offers her seem to help. Eventually she follows a friend’s advice to see a physiologist despite the social stigma attached to doing so. It was very odd reading about a society where the situation was reversed, and Chasek’s story shows how ridiculous the belief that one type of treatment can fix everything. I hope reading it will change people’s mind about mental health.
Other stories of note for me are ‘Ziabetes’ by Lily Jurich where an insulin pump is used to fight Zombies, ‘Weightless’ by Raven Oak about space travel as a plus size disabled woman, ‘Wardrobe of the Worlds’ by Jennifer Lee Rossman where a queer mixed-race autistic girl represents planet Earth in the perfect outfit, ‘Lucy’ by Judy Lunsford which is one of the most adorable stories I’ve read in a long time, and ‘Cranberry Nightmare’ by Kit Harding a brilliant horror story featuring an autistic main character.
While there were some interesting stories further on, the quality level started to dwindle the further I got through the anthology. While most stories have disabled or neurodivergent representation I was disappointed to find that there are several that appear to have none since the synopsis for Soul Jar boasts that “this thrillingly peculiar collection sparkles with humor, heart, and insight, within the context of disability representation”.
Well, that’s certainly not the case with these ten stories; ‘The Song of the Forest’ by Mika Grimmer, ‘Delbrot, Peace Warrior!’ by Holly Saiki, ‘Everyone’s a Critic’ by Andrew Griffin, ‘The Warp and The Wept of a Norse Villainess’ by El Park (although there are brief mentions, there’s no specific representation that is clear), ‘A Broke Young Martian Atop His Busted Scooter’ by K. G. Delmare, ‘A Ripping’ by Adam Fout, ‘The Definitions of Professional Atire’ by Evergreen Lee, ‘Lucy’ by Judy Lunsford, ‘The Other Side’ by Christy George, and ‘The Arroyo Fiasco’ by Dawn Vogel.
Disabled and neurodivergent writers do not necessarily have to write about characters like them, however, when the synopsis for the anthology suggests that’s what it’s offering I feel that it should actually provide it. Especially when a third of the stories in the anthology don’t feature that representation.
As for the dwindling quality of the stories, I don’t know how stories were chosen or how many were submitted, but thirty-one is an awful lot of stories for an anthology, especially for a first time editor. It makes me wonder if thirty-one was always the plan, or that was exactly how many stories were submitted. I would also like to add that my opinion on the quality of stories didn’t depend on whether they had disabled and/or neurodivergent representation or not. In fact one of my favourites had none at all. It was a mixed bag depending on whether there was representation or not.
Again, I admire the aims of the editor and overall there are some very good stories in Soul Jar, some of which I truly recommend reading. However, I would be remiss in giving this anthology a review higher than three stars just out of support for disabled and neurodivergent writers and stories featuring representation.
The full list of stories in Soul Jar along with disabilities represented (if any):
Earth in Retrograde
‘There are no Hearing Batteries After the Apocalypse’ by Carol Scheina – Deaf MC
‘Holding Back’ by Danielle Mullen – Dementia/Memory Loss.
‘Survivors’ Club’ by Meghan Beaudry – Chronic fatigue, lung transplant recipient, immunosuppressed.
‘Which Doctor’ by Lane Chasek – Mental health, ankle injury.
‘Brainstorm’ by Travis Flatt – Epilepsy.
‘Spore, Bud, Bloody Orchid’ by Jaye Viner – Cancer, neurofibromatosis.
‘Thunderheads and Burial Goods’ by Cormack Baldwin – Leg brace, crutches, tuberculosis,
‘Song of Bullfrogs, Cry of Geese’ by Nicola Griffith – ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, chronic fatigue, post-exhaustion malaise (PEM).
‘The Things I Miss the Most’ by Nisi Shawl – Seizures, epilepsy, brain surgery.
Gone Astray
‘The Sorrow Stealer’ by A. J. Cunder – Mental health, grief.
‘The Song of the Forest’ by Mika Grimmer
‘Delbrot, Peace Warrior!’ by Holly Saiki
‘Everyone’s a Critic’ by Andrew Griffin
‘The Weight of Grief’ by Simon Quinn – Mental health, grief.
‘A Guardsman Remembers’ by Danielle Ranucci – Mental health, grief.
‘Suffer the Silence’ by Ellis Bray – Mental health, schizophrenia.
‘Ziabetes’ by Lily Jurich – Diabetes, insulin pump.
‘The Warp and The Wept of a Norse Villainess’ by El Park
Wild Space
‘A Broke Young Martian Atop His Busted Scooter’ by K. G. Delmare
‘Weightless’ by Raven Oak – Titanium plates in knee, knee injury, chronic pain.
‘A Ripping’ by Adam Fout
‘The Definitions of Professional Atire’ by Evergreen Lee
‘The Last Dryad’ by Paul Jessup – Premature baby, trauma.
‘Wardrobe of the Worlds’ by Jennifer Lee Rossman – Autistic MC.
Creature Feature
‘A Peril of Being Human’ by Julie Reeser – Mental health.
‘Lucy’ by Judy Lunsford
‘A Balanced Breakfast’ by Eirik Gumeny – Double lung transplant recipient, Cystic fibrosis, sinus problems, digestive issues, diabetes, immunosuppressed.
‘The Other Side’ by Christy George
‘The Arroyo Fiasco’ by Dawn Vogel
‘Cranberry Nightmare’ by Kit Harding – Autistic MC.
‘The Rising Currents of Ocean Fire in My Blood’ by Bethy Wernert – Autistic MC.
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April 10, 2024
4.5/5 - As I always say with anthologies, it's unlikely that every story will resonate with each reader. That said, I was delighted to have so many hits from this collection! I made positive notes on 24 out of the 31 unique stories and will be happily following a bunch of new authors. The mix of topics, narration styles, and genres made this very satisfying as a whole, and it was clear that each author was chosen with intention. In particular, I loved getting to read multiple stories about disabled characters in addition to neurodivergence, queer characters, and people of color. Diversity was clearly important, and the editor really put that on display. Highly recommend.
Content warnings throughout for ableism, illness, death, fatphobia, war, parental neglect/emotional abuse, family trauma, kidnapping, mental health, injury, and apocalyptic situations.
Used for 2024 r/Fantasy Bingo (five short stories, hard mode); also fits disabled characters (hard mode, I'd argue).
Content warnings throughout for ableism, illness, death, fatphobia, war, parental neglect/emotional abuse, family trauma, kidnapping, mental health, injury, and apocalyptic situations.
Used for 2024 r/Fantasy Bingo (five short stories, hard mode); also fits disabled characters (hard mode, I'd argue).
January 15, 2024
Excellent variety of stories. The creepy/horror-inflected stories in the last section I could have done without, but that's just my personal taste. I really enjoyed that there were a few that made me laugh out loud in the middle of a fairly weighty trek.
August 5, 2025
Algunas historias están muy buenas. Varias la verdad me perdieron, no se si por estilo de narración o simplemente por los temas pero es el peligro de un libro con varios autores a fin de cuentas. Igual me da gusto que exista esta compilación.
Y oficialmente completé mi book bingo!
Y oficialmente completé mi book bingo!
April 4, 2024
from the introduction:
Western society is beginning to understand, after centuries of ignorance, that the disabled community is like other minorities. We're made up of real people with real lives and real stories.
The foreword, introduction, thirty-one stories divided into four thematic sections--Earth in Retrograde, Gone Astray, Wild Space, Creature Feature--acknowledgements, about the editor, contributors' biographies, and a reader's guide work in concert to mesmerize and entertain as they prove the essential premise stated in the foreword: Ableism is a crap story... What disables a person in our culture is not impairment but society's attitude to that impairment... We need to hear our own voices. Our strong, beautiful, ordinary, disabled voices...
The voices in these stories sing some familiar and new tunes in original, provocative, fantastical and relatable compositions.
https://blerdybingereader.blogspot.co...
Western society is beginning to understand, after centuries of ignorance, that the disabled community is like other minorities. We're made up of real people with real lives and real stories.
The foreword, introduction, thirty-one stories divided into four thematic sections--Earth in Retrograde, Gone Astray, Wild Space, Creature Feature--acknowledgements, about the editor, contributors' biographies, and a reader's guide work in concert to mesmerize and entertain as they prove the essential premise stated in the foreword: Ableism is a crap story... What disables a person in our culture is not impairment but society's attitude to that impairment... We need to hear our own voices. Our strong, beautiful, ordinary, disabled voices...
The voices in these stories sing some familiar and new tunes in original, provocative, fantastical and relatable compositions.
https://blerdybingereader.blogspot.co...
July 13, 2024
I was so excited for this collection and waited very impatiently for my library to get a copy of it! The disabled community has needed a sci-fi/fantasy anthology by and for us for a long time. But although I am very happy about this anthology's existence, I wish I enjoyed the stories more.
Soul Jar is an anthology of thirty-one stories by disabled authors, edited by Annie Carl after an experience where she attended (if I'm remembering right) a diversity panel and no one included or even thought of the disability community. Most of the stories also feature protagonists who are disabled, but not all of them. Nicola Griffith sums the attitude up fairly well in the forward when she said that she would only write one novel about disability, and the rest of them would be about characters who have disabilities. While I understand that attitude (and while it's also a popular one in the LGBT community), I don't agree. Or, at least, I don't believe we're quite there yet. And sometimes there are stories we need to tell that center on our experiences as disabled people, rather than people with disabilities.
But members of the disabled community could argue about this for decades.
In any case, the anthology was off to a rough start when the social model of disability was incorrectly defined in the forward (Nicola Griffith wrote that, "What disables a person in our culture is not impairment but society's attitude to that impairment. We're disabled by assumptions"). This is a very simplistic view of the model. Mike Oliver, who created this model, did not say that what disables people is completely social; what he did say is that with less stigma and less barriers, etc., people would feel less need to identify as disabled. (People would obviously still be "impaired:" in pain, mentally ill, etc., but having impairments would be far easier if society were more accepting.)
On to the actual book itself, I have a few overall criticisms to make before diving into the actual stories. First, that cover. Oh, my soul cries at that (hideous) cover! Having over thirty stories is also quite a big number. I wonder why that many were chosen, especially after reading them. I desperately hope that these weren't the only submissions.
The anthology is divided into four parts:
1. Earth in Retrograde: 10 stories—apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic settings, pandemics, or anything that takes place on our world
2. Gone Astray: 9 stories—high fantasy
3. Wild Space: 6 Stories—sci-fi
4. Creature Feature: 7 stories—cryptid section
The first part (and the anthology as a whole) starts off strong with a story by Carol Sheina, in which a deaf protagonist has to not only deal with losing her hearing aid batteries, but the apocalypse. It ends on a beautifully hopeful note, and is one of my favorites.
Things get a little rougher after that—but, to be honest, the lax editing is what bothered me the most—until things reach a personal bottom in the high fantasy section. One of the stories is written in such a cliché, almost childish way (or it's perhaps satire and beyond me) that it was painful to read. But ending this section was also my favorite of the entire anthology: "A Guardsman Remembers" by Danielle Ranucci. The story proves itself to be incredibly relevant within today's current events, but it's also written in a smart and subtle way. I don't want to "spoil" it or say how I interpreted it, in case that changes how others read it. But it's such a good story, and right after this I'm checking out everything else Ranucci has written.
Standouts for me, besides the above story and the first one by Carol Sheina, were "The Things I Miss the Most" by Nisi Shawl and "Suffer the Silence" by Ellis Bray.
Soul Jar is an anthology of thirty-one stories by disabled authors, edited by Annie Carl after an experience where she attended (if I'm remembering right) a diversity panel and no one included or even thought of the disability community. Most of the stories also feature protagonists who are disabled, but not all of them. Nicola Griffith sums the attitude up fairly well in the forward when she said that she would only write one novel about disability, and the rest of them would be about characters who have disabilities. While I understand that attitude (and while it's also a popular one in the LGBT community), I don't agree. Or, at least, I don't believe we're quite there yet. And sometimes there are stories we need to tell that center on our experiences as disabled people, rather than people with disabilities.
But members of the disabled community could argue about this for decades.
In any case, the anthology was off to a rough start when the social model of disability was incorrectly defined in the forward (Nicola Griffith wrote that, "What disables a person in our culture is not impairment but society's attitude to that impairment. We're disabled by assumptions"). This is a very simplistic view of the model. Mike Oliver, who created this model, did not say that what disables people is completely social; what he did say is that with less stigma and less barriers, etc., people would feel less need to identify as disabled. (People would obviously still be "impaired:" in pain, mentally ill, etc., but having impairments would be far easier if society were more accepting.)
On to the actual book itself, I have a few overall criticisms to make before diving into the actual stories. First, that cover. Oh, my soul cries at that (hideous) cover! Having over thirty stories is also quite a big number. I wonder why that many were chosen, especially after reading them. I desperately hope that these weren't the only submissions.
The anthology is divided into four parts:
1. Earth in Retrograde: 10 stories—apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic settings, pandemics, or anything that takes place on our world
2. Gone Astray: 9 stories—high fantasy
3. Wild Space: 6 Stories—sci-fi
4. Creature Feature: 7 stories—cryptid section
The first part (and the anthology as a whole) starts off strong with a story by Carol Sheina, in which a deaf protagonist has to not only deal with losing her hearing aid batteries, but the apocalypse. It ends on a beautifully hopeful note, and is one of my favorites.
Things get a little rougher after that—but, to be honest, the lax editing is what bothered me the most—until things reach a personal bottom in the high fantasy section. One of the stories is written in such a cliché, almost childish way (or it's perhaps satire and beyond me) that it was painful to read. But ending this section was also my favorite of the entire anthology: "A Guardsman Remembers" by Danielle Ranucci. The story proves itself to be incredibly relevant within today's current events, but it's also written in a smart and subtle way. I don't want to "spoil" it or say how I interpreted it, in case that changes how others read it. But it's such a good story, and right after this I'm checking out everything else Ranucci has written.
Standouts for me, besides the above story and the first one by Carol Sheina, were "The Things I Miss the Most" by Nisi Shawl and "Suffer the Silence" by Ellis Bray.
March 3, 2024
*TL:DR:* I highly recommend. There is little disability representation in SFF. That itself lends to why this is a very special anthology, but also is it simply well done. Why do I think it’s such a wonderful collection? Because it made me think, it made me feel, it has awesome SFF and I had fun with it. To learn a little bit about my favorite short stories, scroll way down.
*Overview & Context:* **Soul Jar: Thirty-One Fantastical Tales by Disabled Authors**, edited by Annie Carl, was published by Forest Avenue Press in October of 2023. The 31 stories are divided between four sections: Earth in Retrograde, Gone Astray, Wild Space and Creature Feature. Nicola Griffith (author of the novella **Spear**) wrote the forward and Carl wrote the introduction. To quote Griffith: *"Ableism is the story fed to us all, disabled and non-disabled, from birth: that to have intellectual or physical impairments makes us less, Other. It’s the only story we get in real life or on page or screen. Ableism is a crap story."* Carl explains that when attending a bookseller trade show, the panel on celebrating diversity did not discuss disabilities. When Carl asked about how to support disabled booksellers and authors, the panel was silent. Afterwards, she was approached by a publisher from Forest Avenue Press and the rest is now history.
*Why I picked up this anthology:* I was seeking something off the beaten path. I found some good options, but this one grabbed me from the title alone. When I went to Goodreads over a month ago, it only had 23 ratings, now 41, so off the beaten path indeed. I’ve read two memoirs by authors with disabilities and as a person without disabilities (and at the time not knowing a person with disabilities) these memoirs changed my life. They changed a lot about how I look at the built environment, public events, the workplace, etc., but in my reading they created a new lens to critique through: how people speak about people with disabilities and how language is used in general; where disability representation is present or void; and how I personally perpetuate or reject ableism. My experience watching the SFF-related online communities is that *generally*: 1) it is a minority of reviewers who talk about diversity or who actively seek diversity in their reading; 2) when speaking about diversity they *mostly* talk about diversity of author race, author ethnicity, author gender, or LGBTQIA+ authors or characters; and 3) there is a paucity of SFF characters with disability and of SFF books written by authors with disability. So between all of that it was really a no brainer for me to pick it up.
*My opinion on this anthology:* It is fantastic. I love the organization of the four sections and how it has a little something for everyone. Some stories weren’t hits for me, but I could still see how they’d be someone’s cup of tea. Yes too, there are weaker stories amongst the strongest. But for a short story collection, it’s exactly what I would expect and what I wanted. It has stories that transported me in different ways or had me in awe of an author’s creativity and imagination — that is why I read SFF. As a reader, sometimes I explicitly knew what disability was being discussed, other times I made assumptions based on what I know, and there are some that I think are SFF stories without disability themes or representation in them — but I really don’t know. There is a *Contributor Biographies* section, but I wish there was an additional note from each author about their intention and what they hoped the reader would feel or take away from their story. Additionally, there is no explanation of the curation process for each section, my descriptors below are just guesses. Overall, I think this is such a great anthology, because it made me think, it made me feel a variety of emotions, I had a great time with the SFF stories and I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience.
*Disability Themes:* This collection is rich in themes to dissect. Some stories are about the physical pain a character might manage, while others are about the pain of living in a society that views people with disabilities as being less than, not valued and needing to change. There are some about purposefully being restricted and harmed because of these views. There is anger and rage. There is also joy and love around being a person with disabilities and being loved and valued as they are by others. There’s the bravery to take risks and self-acceptance. There are a couple that parallel the willfully ignorant policies and practices that are prevalent today. Most of the stories I read (at least minus one, noted in favorites) are nuanced. They seamlessly weave these themes into the fantastical stories being told or entwine them brilliantly if a character clearly has a disability amongst the fantastical goings-on.
*Why I didn’t read every story:* You’ll notice below I didn’t read every story. In fact, I only completed 20 out of the 31. I decided to only read the first page of a short story and continue with it if I was feeling it or move on to the next if I wasn’t. It had nothing to do with the book, writing or author, it was purely a feeling and mood in the moment. Why? Because that’s just what I decided to do. I strongly recommend this method if you struggle with anthologies and want to enjoy them.
*The four sections and my favorite stories:*
*Earth in Retrograde* — I read 6 of the 9 stories. Dystopian and post-apocalyptic, two of my least favorite SFF subgenres. I surprisingly enjoyed these three and think they’re amongst the strongest of the book:
• *There are no Hearing Aid Batteries after the Apocalypse* by Carolina Scheina. After the world fell apart, Kesslyn realizes the batteries in her hearing aids are gone and she can no longer hear.
• *Survivor’s Club* by Morgan Beaudry. The air carries a killer virus and the survivors are locked in their homes. We meet our MC, who has a chronic illness, some years after they received a lung transplant. This initially seemed like a pandemic story, and maybe it is, but I think it’s more. I was angry, I was sad, I was crying by the end and it is in my top five stories.
• *Song of Bullfrogs, Crystal of Geese* by Nicolas Griffith (originally published in **Interzone** and **Aboriginal**, 1991). While humanity is slowly dying and most have congregated in urban centers, Molly is the last living and remaining resident of her apartment complex, which is surrounded by nature.
*Gone Astray* — read 5 of 7. This is the hardest section for me to parse what links the stories together. I think they’re about succumbing, fate, maybe?:
• *The Sorrow Stealer* by A.J. Cunder. We meet an entity that takes away people’s sorrow and is content with that, until something happens.
• *Delbrot, Peace Warrior!* by Holly Saiki. I lich is being chased in the forest. Though the pursuer thinks that they are the hero and that the lich should be killed and is unholy, the story is a bit absurd and silly in the best way. One of my top favorites and likely the source of the anthology title.
• *The Warp and Weft of a Norse Villainous* by El Park. A first-person story about one of the Sisters Three, Skuld, cutter of threads, who lives below the Tree of Life. Lots of anger here and it is one of my top favorites.
*Wild Space* — read 5 of 6. Science fiction, from space to aliens. Here are my two favorites (which are very high in the favorites list):
• *Weightless* by Raven Oak (originally published in **The Great Beyond**, 2020). We follow a passenger with a larger body and persistent pain from an old surgery embarking on space travel, which is never fun. Rage activated, heartstrings pulled with this one.
• *The Definitions of Professional Attire* by Evergreen Lee (originally published in **Factor Four Magazine**, 2019). This is about a detective who is directed to conceal their third eye and hooves in order to make their colleagues more comfortable in the workplace. Something happens in this short story where a permanent harm results from the workplace policy. It broke my heart and I have thought about it on and off since reading, and I currently have tears in my eyes just from writing this out.
*Creature Feature* — read 4 of 7. Fantastical beings or creatures. Clearly all four read stories were favorites since they’re all below:
• *Lucy* by Judy Lunsford. An imaginary friend is assigned to a new kid. Clocking in at a whopping 4 pages, this is one of my top five favorites. If you are a dog or animal lover, it’s a must-read.
• *A Peril of Being Human* by Julie Reeser. This is about a shapeshifter therapist. It begins with her using her shape shifting ability in her therapy sessions, but it is really about her and self-acceptance.
• *The Arroyo Fiasco* by Dawn Vogel. A geyser pterosaur, who’s been nicknamed Fiasco by their community, is just trying to make a real name for themself and be helpful.
• *The Rising Currents of Ocean Fire in my Blood* by Bethy Wernert. A difficult story about a mermaid locked in an aquarium by her parents and told she has no say and no rights to her life because she has autism. Though it begins fantastical and by the end is a bit on the nose, I was deeply touched and disturbed by this one.
*Overview & Context:* **Soul Jar: Thirty-One Fantastical Tales by Disabled Authors**, edited by Annie Carl, was published by Forest Avenue Press in October of 2023. The 31 stories are divided between four sections: Earth in Retrograde, Gone Astray, Wild Space and Creature Feature. Nicola Griffith (author of the novella **Spear**) wrote the forward and Carl wrote the introduction. To quote Griffith: *"Ableism is the story fed to us all, disabled and non-disabled, from birth: that to have intellectual or physical impairments makes us less, Other. It’s the only story we get in real life or on page or screen. Ableism is a crap story."* Carl explains that when attending a bookseller trade show, the panel on celebrating diversity did not discuss disabilities. When Carl asked about how to support disabled booksellers and authors, the panel was silent. Afterwards, she was approached by a publisher from Forest Avenue Press and the rest is now history.
*Why I picked up this anthology:* I was seeking something off the beaten path. I found some good options, but this one grabbed me from the title alone. When I went to Goodreads over a month ago, it only had 23 ratings, now 41, so off the beaten path indeed. I’ve read two memoirs by authors with disabilities and as a person without disabilities (and at the time not knowing a person with disabilities) these memoirs changed my life. They changed a lot about how I look at the built environment, public events, the workplace, etc., but in my reading they created a new lens to critique through: how people speak about people with disabilities and how language is used in general; where disability representation is present or void; and how I personally perpetuate or reject ableism. My experience watching the SFF-related online communities is that *generally*: 1) it is a minority of reviewers who talk about diversity or who actively seek diversity in their reading; 2) when speaking about diversity they *mostly* talk about diversity of author race, author ethnicity, author gender, or LGBTQIA+ authors or characters; and 3) there is a paucity of SFF characters with disability and of SFF books written by authors with disability. So between all of that it was really a no brainer for me to pick it up.
*My opinion on this anthology:* It is fantastic. I love the organization of the four sections and how it has a little something for everyone. Some stories weren’t hits for me, but I could still see how they’d be someone’s cup of tea. Yes too, there are weaker stories amongst the strongest. But for a short story collection, it’s exactly what I would expect and what I wanted. It has stories that transported me in different ways or had me in awe of an author’s creativity and imagination — that is why I read SFF. As a reader, sometimes I explicitly knew what disability was being discussed, other times I made assumptions based on what I know, and there are some that I think are SFF stories without disability themes or representation in them — but I really don’t know. There is a *Contributor Biographies* section, but I wish there was an additional note from each author about their intention and what they hoped the reader would feel or take away from their story. Additionally, there is no explanation of the curation process for each section, my descriptors below are just guesses. Overall, I think this is such a great anthology, because it made me think, it made me feel a variety of emotions, I had a great time with the SFF stories and I thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience.
*Disability Themes:* This collection is rich in themes to dissect. Some stories are about the physical pain a character might manage, while others are about the pain of living in a society that views people with disabilities as being less than, not valued and needing to change. There are some about purposefully being restricted and harmed because of these views. There is anger and rage. There is also joy and love around being a person with disabilities and being loved and valued as they are by others. There’s the bravery to take risks and self-acceptance. There are a couple that parallel the willfully ignorant policies and practices that are prevalent today. Most of the stories I read (at least minus one, noted in favorites) are nuanced. They seamlessly weave these themes into the fantastical stories being told or entwine them brilliantly if a character clearly has a disability amongst the fantastical goings-on.
*Why I didn’t read every story:* You’ll notice below I didn’t read every story. In fact, I only completed 20 out of the 31. I decided to only read the first page of a short story and continue with it if I was feeling it or move on to the next if I wasn’t. It had nothing to do with the book, writing or author, it was purely a feeling and mood in the moment. Why? Because that’s just what I decided to do. I strongly recommend this method if you struggle with anthologies and want to enjoy them.
*The four sections and my favorite stories:*
*Earth in Retrograde* — I read 6 of the 9 stories. Dystopian and post-apocalyptic, two of my least favorite SFF subgenres. I surprisingly enjoyed these three and think they’re amongst the strongest of the book:
• *There are no Hearing Aid Batteries after the Apocalypse* by Carolina Scheina. After the world fell apart, Kesslyn realizes the batteries in her hearing aids are gone and she can no longer hear.
• *Survivor’s Club* by Morgan Beaudry. The air carries a killer virus and the survivors are locked in their homes. We meet our MC, who has a chronic illness, some years after they received a lung transplant. This initially seemed like a pandemic story, and maybe it is, but I think it’s more. I was angry, I was sad, I was crying by the end and it is in my top five stories.
• *Song of Bullfrogs, Crystal of Geese* by Nicolas Griffith (originally published in **Interzone** and **Aboriginal**, 1991). While humanity is slowly dying and most have congregated in urban centers, Molly is the last living and remaining resident of her apartment complex, which is surrounded by nature.
*Gone Astray* — read 5 of 7. This is the hardest section for me to parse what links the stories together. I think they’re about succumbing, fate, maybe?:
• *The Sorrow Stealer* by A.J. Cunder. We meet an entity that takes away people’s sorrow and is content with that, until something happens.
• *Delbrot, Peace Warrior!* by Holly Saiki. I lich is being chased in the forest. Though the pursuer thinks that they are the hero and that the lich should be killed and is unholy, the story is a bit absurd and silly in the best way. One of my top favorites and likely the source of the anthology title.
• *The Warp and Weft of a Norse Villainous* by El Park. A first-person story about one of the Sisters Three, Skuld, cutter of threads, who lives below the Tree of Life. Lots of anger here and it is one of my top favorites.
*Wild Space* — read 5 of 6. Science fiction, from space to aliens. Here are my two favorites (which are very high in the favorites list):
• *Weightless* by Raven Oak (originally published in **The Great Beyond**, 2020). We follow a passenger with a larger body and persistent pain from an old surgery embarking on space travel, which is never fun. Rage activated, heartstrings pulled with this one.
• *The Definitions of Professional Attire* by Evergreen Lee (originally published in **Factor Four Magazine**, 2019). This is about a detective who is directed to conceal their third eye and hooves in order to make their colleagues more comfortable in the workplace. Something happens in this short story where a permanent harm results from the workplace policy. It broke my heart and I have thought about it on and off since reading, and I currently have tears in my eyes just from writing this out.
*Creature Feature* — read 4 of 7. Fantastical beings or creatures. Clearly all four read stories were favorites since they’re all below:
• *Lucy* by Judy Lunsford. An imaginary friend is assigned to a new kid. Clocking in at a whopping 4 pages, this is one of my top five favorites. If you are a dog or animal lover, it’s a must-read.
• *A Peril of Being Human* by Julie Reeser. This is about a shapeshifter therapist. It begins with her using her shape shifting ability in her therapy sessions, but it is really about her and self-acceptance.
• *The Arroyo Fiasco* by Dawn Vogel. A geyser pterosaur, who’s been nicknamed Fiasco by their community, is just trying to make a real name for themself and be helpful.
• *The Rising Currents of Ocean Fire in my Blood* by Bethy Wernert. A difficult story about a mermaid locked in an aquarium by her parents and told she has no say and no rights to her life because she has autism. Though it begins fantastical and by the end is a bit on the nose, I was deeply touched and disturbed by this one.
April 26, 2024
I checked this book out from my local library, and within the first page I was crying. I don't have many disabled people in my life that I see daily, and I often feel alone. No one can share my fear that if the world ends I will be unable to hear, or at least that's what I thought. I don't know how to explain it, but now I'm not afraid. It's as if knowing someone out there experiences the same things that I do has eradicated all feelings of misery. I'm not afraid now, I don't feel alone. This book is truly wonderful, all the stories are so beautiful and well-written. If you are disabled or able, this book is a masterpiece of experiences.
May 2, 2024
A well-curated collection, with so many different perspectives.
September 4, 2023
Thank you to Forest Avenue Press for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Soul Jar is a wildly creative science fiction and fantasy anthology penned by disabled authors. Each of these stories presented unique explorations of the aforementioned genres that reflected the grace and perseverance necessary of disabled people in hostile or neglectful societies. However, I did not understand how some of these stories related to the disabled experience, which was somewhat jarring. If the anthology had been edited tighter to only include stories with explicitly disabled characters I would have given it a full star rating. Focusing on the strengths of the book, my favorite stories are summarized below.
Survivor's Blub by Meghan Beaudry: A person with lung transplants living through a pandemic explains how their elderly neighbor left them with the immunosuppressant medication they need to survive after the martial law government declared that providing it was a waste of resources.
Spore, Bud, Bloody Orchid by Jay Viner: A cancer survivor with an insensitive and egotistical doctor knows her body is different after her operation to remove tumors, and finds her body growing new, inhuman life afterward.
Song of Bullfrogs, Cry of Geese by Nicola Griffith: A widow whose wife died from a worldwide pandemic of severe chronic fatigue makes peace with her grief and ends her isolation from others after spending a night in the woods fighting to survive her fatigue and leg injury.
Weightless by Raven Oak: A fat woman with a knee replacement whose necessary practice of putting on her modified space suit saves the lives of other travelers and sparks accessibility reform for the spaceport afterward.
The Definition of Professional Attire by Evergreen Lee: A group of aliens are met with "complaints" over their physical appearance and forced to alter themselves in limiting and destructive ways even in an office that claims to want diversity.
The Arroyo Fiasco by Dawn Vogel: A pterosaur whose attempts to be helpful always end in disaster finally finds people "willing to work with me and my unique talents" after learning to ask and listen before providing help.
Cranberry Nightmare by Kit Harding: An autistic young woman refuses to mindlessly accept her small town's archaic rituals and puts up a necessary fight against them.
The Rising Currents of Ocean Fire in My Blood by Bethy Wernert: An autistic mermaid girl who was stolen from the sea by her restrictive and punitive mother finds the strength to escape back into the waves in order to save the life of her newborn child.
These stories were deeply meaningful for me to read, and I have no doubt that other disabled people will have similar experiences. It is both rewarding and painful to discover the rare occurrence of literature that uplifts and honors the voices of disabled authors because it reminds me of the wounding we endure from our ostracization and offers healing, all at once. I highly recommend this book for readers and selectors of library materials and hope that additional volumes are on the horizon.
Soul Jar is a wildly creative science fiction and fantasy anthology penned by disabled authors. Each of these stories presented unique explorations of the aforementioned genres that reflected the grace and perseverance necessary of disabled people in hostile or neglectful societies. However, I did not understand how some of these stories related to the disabled experience, which was somewhat jarring. If the anthology had been edited tighter to only include stories with explicitly disabled characters I would have given it a full star rating. Focusing on the strengths of the book, my favorite stories are summarized below.
Survivor's Blub by Meghan Beaudry: A person with lung transplants living through a pandemic explains how their elderly neighbor left them with the immunosuppressant medication they need to survive after the martial law government declared that providing it was a waste of resources.
Spore, Bud, Bloody Orchid by Jay Viner: A cancer survivor with an insensitive and egotistical doctor knows her body is different after her operation to remove tumors, and finds her body growing new, inhuman life afterward.
Song of Bullfrogs, Cry of Geese by Nicola Griffith: A widow whose wife died from a worldwide pandemic of severe chronic fatigue makes peace with her grief and ends her isolation from others after spending a night in the woods fighting to survive her fatigue and leg injury.
Weightless by Raven Oak: A fat woman with a knee replacement whose necessary practice of putting on her modified space suit saves the lives of other travelers and sparks accessibility reform for the spaceport afterward.
The Definition of Professional Attire by Evergreen Lee: A group of aliens are met with "complaints" over their physical appearance and forced to alter themselves in limiting and destructive ways even in an office that claims to want diversity.
The Arroyo Fiasco by Dawn Vogel: A pterosaur whose attempts to be helpful always end in disaster finally finds people "willing to work with me and my unique talents" after learning to ask and listen before providing help.
Cranberry Nightmare by Kit Harding: An autistic young woman refuses to mindlessly accept her small town's archaic rituals and puts up a necessary fight against them.
The Rising Currents of Ocean Fire in My Blood by Bethy Wernert: An autistic mermaid girl who was stolen from the sea by her restrictive and punitive mother finds the strength to escape back into the waves in order to save the life of her newborn child.
These stories were deeply meaningful for me to read, and I have no doubt that other disabled people will have similar experiences. It is both rewarding and painful to discover the rare occurrence of literature that uplifts and honors the voices of disabled authors because it reminds me of the wounding we endure from our ostracization and offers healing, all at once. I highly recommend this book for readers and selectors of library materials and hope that additional volumes are on the horizon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2025
I wanted to enjoy this more than I did, though there are a handful of gems:
"Survivor's Club" by Meghan Beaudry was a haunting exploration of survival in a post-pandemic apocalypse. She writes:
People underestimate the hanging-by-a-thread crowd. We’re the original Survivor’s Club. The founding members. I’ve been sick long enough to know a life spent hanging by a thread just means I have a better grip.
"Song of Bullfrogs, Cry of Geese" by Nicola Griffin has a similar set up: An immunologist in a post-pandemic world lives alone mourning her dead wife until an accident that nearly kills her makes her realize she needs to live among other people again. The lush descriptions of the natural world made this story a delight to read, though the overt symbolic theme of a dead/dying cranefly was a bit too on-the-nose for me.
Simon Quinn's "The Weight of Grief" tells the tale of a grieving widower who hires a necromancer to bring back his dead husband. It has a tragic Orpheus-like ending that elevates the piece.
"Weightless" by Raven Oak stars a fat disabled woman on a spaceship flight to Mars who can't get to her custom-made extra-large suit when things go awry. It's a tale of community shaming balanced by compassion. And I enjoyed the proactive denouement.
Another story I enjoyed was "A Peril of Being Human" by Julie Reeser. It's about a shapeshifter therapist who struggles with people-pleasing until she meets someone who becomes a catalyst for revealing her true self. It's an interesting exploration of how we "shapeshift" to please others.
Unfortunately, most of the other stories has an intriguing premise but there wasn't enough development or polish to make them shine. I got the sense that most of the writers were first-timers, though the biographies at the back of the anthology suggest otherwise. Perhaps they would have benefited from more vigorous editing? I got the book from my local library.
"Survivor's Club" by Meghan Beaudry was a haunting exploration of survival in a post-pandemic apocalypse. She writes:
People underestimate the hanging-by-a-thread crowd. We’re the original Survivor’s Club. The founding members. I’ve been sick long enough to know a life spent hanging by a thread just means I have a better grip.
"Song of Bullfrogs, Cry of Geese" by Nicola Griffin has a similar set up: An immunologist in a post-pandemic world lives alone mourning her dead wife until an accident that nearly kills her makes her realize she needs to live among other people again. The lush descriptions of the natural world made this story a delight to read, though the overt symbolic theme of a dead/dying cranefly was a bit too on-the-nose for me.
Simon Quinn's "The Weight of Grief" tells the tale of a grieving widower who hires a necromancer to bring back his dead husband. It has a tragic Orpheus-like ending that elevates the piece.
"Weightless" by Raven Oak stars a fat disabled woman on a spaceship flight to Mars who can't get to her custom-made extra-large suit when things go awry. It's a tale of community shaming balanced by compassion. And I enjoyed the proactive denouement.
Another story I enjoyed was "A Peril of Being Human" by Julie Reeser. It's about a shapeshifter therapist who struggles with people-pleasing until she meets someone who becomes a catalyst for revealing her true self. It's an interesting exploration of how we "shapeshift" to please others.
Unfortunately, most of the other stories has an intriguing premise but there wasn't enough development or polish to make them shine. I got the sense that most of the writers were first-timers, though the biographies at the back of the anthology suggest otherwise. Perhaps they would have benefited from more vigorous editing? I got the book from my local library.
December 31, 2024
All the contributors to this anthology are disabled, but not all the stories are about disabled people. The most effective ones, however, are exactly that: Disabled people telling their own story through science fiction or fantasy.
One of the most poignant sections is Annie Carl's introduction, where she talks about listening to a panel at a booksellers trade show about diversity in independent bookstores. She runs one, so she was curious what they had to say. They talked about diversity and inclusion of people of color, different religions, genders and sexuality. They said nothing about disabled booksellers, and when Annie brought it up they looked blankly at her. Despite the fact that any one of them could instantly join that community through illness or accident, they had no idea that it was a concern.
From that panel, though, came this book.
Fiction can bring into the daylight uncomfortable truths. That's what the most powerful of these stories do, and many of the best come right at the beginning. It also is clear that some of these stories are a result of the pandemic. As difficult as that was for most people, imagine how much worse it was for those who were dependent on the shell-shocked health care system for lifesaving care and medicine.
Not all these stories are five star, but I'm giving the collection a five star rating because it is truly that rare thing, a collection of fiction that makes you see things in a new way, and expands your boundaries.
Remember, unlike most of the groups that panel was talking about where their differences were established at birth, Annie's community is one that you could join at any time. And should you have the opportunity to live to old age, it's likely you will.
One of the most poignant sections is Annie Carl's introduction, where she talks about listening to a panel at a booksellers trade show about diversity in independent bookstores. She runs one, so she was curious what they had to say. They talked about diversity and inclusion of people of color, different religions, genders and sexuality. They said nothing about disabled booksellers, and when Annie brought it up they looked blankly at her. Despite the fact that any one of them could instantly join that community through illness or accident, they had no idea that it was a concern.
From that panel, though, came this book.
Fiction can bring into the daylight uncomfortable truths. That's what the most powerful of these stories do, and many of the best come right at the beginning. It also is clear that some of these stories are a result of the pandemic. As difficult as that was for most people, imagine how much worse it was for those who were dependent on the shell-shocked health care system for lifesaving care and medicine.
Not all these stories are five star, but I'm giving the collection a five star rating because it is truly that rare thing, a collection of fiction that makes you see things in a new way, and expands your boundaries.
Remember, unlike most of the groups that panel was talking about where their differences were established at birth, Annie's community is one that you could join at any time. And should you have the opportunity to live to old age, it's likely you will.
November 9, 2023
This anthology of 31 fantastical tales by disabled authors does a great job of expanding who belongs in speculative fiction to include main characters with physical and mental disabilities of all kinds. Some stories are grim and dystopian, others hopeful, others laugh-out-loud funny.
The anthology’s title comes from “Delbrot, Peace Warrior!” by Holly Saiki, a humorous Pratchettesque fantasy story about an undead lich determined to control his own destiny by keeping his “soul jar”—the object containing his soul—out of the hands of those who would destroy or enslave him. Like Delbrot, the protagonists of each story have the agency to meet and overcome challenges, in spite of or because of their disability. I particularly admired the clever use of an insulin pump against marauding zombies in “Ziabetes” by debut author Lily Jurich. “Wardrobe of the Worlds” by Jennifer Lee Rossman had me laughing and cheering for the queer, mixed-race autistic girl chosen to represent Earth at the Millennial Intergalactic Conference (and fashion gala?). Rather than letting herself be dressed like a doll by those in authority, she allows her neurodivergence to notice and influence the choices until her outfit represents Earth as well as she does.
That’s only 3 stories, but you get the idea. Every tale in the anthology is an engaging read, highly recommended for fans of science fiction, fantasy, and light horror, whether they are disabled or not (yet).
The anthology’s title comes from “Delbrot, Peace Warrior!” by Holly Saiki, a humorous Pratchettesque fantasy story about an undead lich determined to control his own destiny by keeping his “soul jar”—the object containing his soul—out of the hands of those who would destroy or enslave him. Like Delbrot, the protagonists of each story have the agency to meet and overcome challenges, in spite of or because of their disability. I particularly admired the clever use of an insulin pump against marauding zombies in “Ziabetes” by debut author Lily Jurich. “Wardrobe of the Worlds” by Jennifer Lee Rossman had me laughing and cheering for the queer, mixed-race autistic girl chosen to represent Earth at the Millennial Intergalactic Conference (and fashion gala?). Rather than letting herself be dressed like a doll by those in authority, she allows her neurodivergence to notice and influence the choices until her outfit represents Earth as well as she does.
That’s only 3 stories, but you get the idea. Every tale in the anthology is an engaging read, highly recommended for fans of science fiction, fantasy, and light horror, whether they are disabled or not (yet).
October 7, 2025
Very creative set of stories and it brought me a different perspective of what "disabled" means. Many stories I wanted longer explorations of their worlds and thought they could make full novels. My favorites and why:
Survivors Club. Being deemed disposable by the healthcare system even when everyone is in the same position of quarantine, because you're always in the margin. Solidarity and humanity at its finest in the protagonist's choice to steal but perform an unnecessary, risky act to honor the deceased neighbor, who seems to know they were going to arrive and stockpiled for that reason.
Song of Bullfrogs. The metaphor of the crane flies was beautiful! First it's thinking Molly will feel resigned and surrounded by death by going to the city, so she stays in her last precious memory, but then after almost dying from isolation, with no one to help, she realizes she is choosing to be a cranefly by staying. So she chooses to live and leaves.
Broke Young Martian is just super relatable being broke and under the foot of the upper class who have broken you into dust.
Ocean Fire just made me cry until the very end when she gets out with her baby. A near terrifying and suspenseful read.
Survivors Club. Being deemed disposable by the healthcare system even when everyone is in the same position of quarantine, because you're always in the margin. Solidarity and humanity at its finest in the protagonist's choice to steal but perform an unnecessary, risky act to honor the deceased neighbor, who seems to know they were going to arrive and stockpiled for that reason.
Song of Bullfrogs. The metaphor of the crane flies was beautiful! First it's thinking Molly will feel resigned and surrounded by death by going to the city, so she stays in her last precious memory, but then after almost dying from isolation, with no one to help, she realizes she is choosing to be a cranefly by staying. So she chooses to live and leaves.
Broke Young Martian is just super relatable being broke and under the foot of the upper class who have broken you into dust.
Ocean Fire just made me cry until the very end when she gets out with her baby. A near terrifying and suspenseful read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2025
If you're seeking an anthology of speculative stories by disabled authors, this one provides such a wide range of voices to dive into.
The book is divided into four main sections of stories—post-apocalyptic, fantasy, science fiction, and creature-based. I enjoyed that organization, as each story set a different tone, but it felt cohesive. Almost all the stories made me want to learn more about the characters and the worlds they were in. The stories were well sized to where I could spend some time reading several or read one and take time to reflect.
Many of the characters had the nuance I've been missing from so many speculative novels where disability isn't addressed. The lives of disabled people are important, but so often left out of magical or futuristic stories (and thrillers too, but that's a slightly different discussion). I felt a bit healed reading many of these. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys speculative fiction and/or seeing disability and diversity centered (or at least part of) stories.
The book is divided into four main sections of stories—post-apocalyptic, fantasy, science fiction, and creature-based. I enjoyed that organization, as each story set a different tone, but it felt cohesive. Almost all the stories made me want to learn more about the characters and the worlds they were in. The stories were well sized to where I could spend some time reading several or read one and take time to reflect.
Many of the characters had the nuance I've been missing from so many speculative novels where disability isn't addressed. The lives of disabled people are important, but so often left out of magical or futuristic stories (and thrillers too, but that's a slightly different discussion). I felt a bit healed reading many of these. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys speculative fiction and/or seeing disability and diversity centered (or at least part of) stories.
May 29, 2024
With an anthology like this, which has only two authors I was familiar with, I expected a mixed bag. But no - it was consistently excellent. Of course, I liked some stories better than others, and some were not so much my genre. But all in all, there was so much quirky creativity and humor that I loved reading all the stories. The characters had a wide range of disabilities, though not all the stories included anyone with disabilities; the cover says "tales by disabled authors." I love that representation!
I think my favorite was "A Balanced Breakfast" by Eirik Gumeny, a hilarious story about a woman with cystic fibrosis (like the author) who has a podcast about breakfast, and uses a ritual to summon a cereal marketing character as her first guest, with unexpected results.
I am going to look for other works by some of the authors and especially by the editor, who did a wonderful job putting this book together.
I think my favorite was "A Balanced Breakfast" by Eirik Gumeny, a hilarious story about a woman with cystic fibrosis (like the author) who has a podcast about breakfast, and uses a ritual to summon a cereal marketing character as her first guest, with unexpected results.
I am going to look for other works by some of the authors and especially by the editor, who did a wonderful job putting this book together.
October 21, 2023
Some of my faves were "The Sorrow Stealer" by A.J. Cunder: "As my shadow slides across your bedroom walls, I riffle through your memories..."
"A sea of stars unfolds before me, reaching without end. In the infinite, the cosmic, the eternal, I am. A pinprick, a point, a creature who creates alongside countless others the tapestry of time. Who belongs, who exists, worthwhile and with purpose, a part to play in this universe, however large or small."Also, "A Balanced Breakfast" by Eirik Gumeny: "'I know what a podcast is,' Hayo roared." And "The Other Side" by Christy George, a Ouija board story. And the final "The Rising Currents of Ocean Fire in My Blood" by Bethy Wernert: "Stripped of human flesh, it can see scales, gills, and fins. It knows, as I do, I do not belong here."
December 11, 2023
As an FYI –– a lot of the stories in this collection are pretty depressing and/or end inconclusively. This isn't surprising or unwarranted, given the state of disability rights in the United States at least; but the blurb definitely made the book seem a lot funnier than it actually is. I came to this book expecting a little hope, as someone close to me very recently received a diagnosis classed as a disability under the ADA, nothing life threatening, but a lot to deal with; and the book was probably grimmer than I would have chosen to deal with just now.
January 12, 2024
I was hoping for more obvious disability rep. While a few stories really sparkled, a number of them were just meh or the disability angle was too subtle to notice. (That’s fine—disabled authors don’t have to spell everything out all the time—but I’d hoped for better in an anthology specifically labeled as great disability representation.) I’d still recommend this to anyone wanting disability spec fic, but as a whole I wouldn’t recommend sharing it with people who aren’t already on board with disability justice.
September 9, 2024
Quite a variety of stories is contained in this jar. You might call some of them fantasy, mythology, or spooky. Several have to do with pandemics or other near-ends of humanity. Many have protagonists with some disease or disability, but not all. I liked some more than others; I only skipped one entirely. My favorites are "There are No Hearing Aid Batteries After the Apocalypse," "The Sorrow Stealer," "The Song of the Forest," "Weightless," "The Definitions of Professional Attire," and "Lucy."
June 12, 2024
Such a disappointment.
I really liked a few stories (including the Nicola Griffith one, of course) but the overwhelming majority of them really could have used a sensitivity reader. The amounts of appropriation and casually writing outside authors' lived experiences were WILD. Wild. And ironic given the premise of the book, which I was super stoked about :(.
I really liked a few stories (including the Nicola Griffith one, of course) but the overwhelming majority of them really could have used a sensitivity reader. The amounts of appropriation and casually writing outside authors' lived experiences were WILD. Wild. And ironic given the premise of the book, which I was super stoked about :(.
Want to read
June 9, 2025I had the chance to read two stories from this collection: There Are No hearing Aid Batteries After the Apocalypse and Holding Back. Both were great and short stories. They seemed a little too short because I wanted to know more about the characters and what happened after the story ends. I have never read a fictional story before that centered around a person who wears hearing aids
October 1, 2025
I averaged my star ratings for all the stories individually, and came out to 3.5. There were a lot of mid ones in here with a few standouts (my favorites being Spore, Bud, Bloody Orchid by Jaye Viner and The Last Dryad by Paul Jessup). I think overall, this collection would have benefitted from a common theme across all the stories instead of just a common genre and a disabled author.
February 17, 2024
I’m not a fan of short stories, but I did enjoy this. Representation matters and it was fun to see who each story represented; though, there were 3 or 4 stories where it wasn’t clear and I wondered, “how did that get in this collection?” I’m glad my library added this to their collection.
February 1, 2024
A fantastic compilation of fantastical short stories.
Read
July 31, 2024This fantastic book reveals that all the stories that we create, no matter what the process, are intriguing!
Want to read
August 21, 2024DNF slow to get through
March 18, 2025
Really interesting variety of stories
August 14, 2025
3.75. A great collection of sorts spanning a wide range of stories.
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