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The Others #5·2: Home for the Howlidays
The Lady in Glass and Other Stories
A magical collection of stories new and old spanning across all of Anne Bishop’s most beloved fantasy worlds.
Here, together for the first time, the shorter works of New York Times bestselling fantasy author Anne Bishop are included in one dazzling volume.
A master of bringing fantasy worlds to life, this collection showcases Bishop’s impressive range, from rarities of her earliest writing to the Realms of the Blood, from darker fairytale retellings to the Landscapes of Ephemera, and from standalone stories of space exploration and fantastical creatures to the contemporary fantasy terrain of the World of the Others.
Includes previously published and unpublished tales, as well as two brand-new stories, written especially for this “Friends and Corpses,” a murder mystery in which the corpse has some decidedly unusual qualities, and “Home for the Howlidays,” a heartwarming return to the Blood Prophet Meg Corbyn and the shapeshifting Simon Wolfgard from The Others.
Here, together for the first time, the shorter works of New York Times bestselling fantasy author Anne Bishop are included in one dazzling volume.
A master of bringing fantasy worlds to life, this collection showcases Bishop’s impressive range, from rarities of her earliest writing to the Realms of the Blood, from darker fairytale retellings to the Landscapes of Ephemera, and from standalone stories of space exploration and fantastical creatures to the contemporary fantasy terrain of the World of the Others.
Includes previously published and unpublished tales, as well as two brand-new stories, written especially for this “Friends and Corpses,” a murder mystery in which the corpse has some decidedly unusual qualities, and “Home for the Howlidays,” a heartwarming return to the Blood Prophet Meg Corbyn and the shapeshifting Simon Wolfgard from The Others.
479 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 27, 2024
447 people are currently reading
6310 people want to read
About the author
Anne Bishop
51 books10.6k followersAnne Bishop lives in upstate New York where she enjoys gardening, music, and writing dark, romantic stories. She is the author of over twenty novels, including the award-winning Black Jewels Trilogy. She has written a new series, the Others, which is an urban dark fantasy with a bit of a twist.
Crawford Award (2000)
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Crawford Award (2000)
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
February 23, 2024
I haven’t read all of Anne Bishop’s books but The Others is one of my favorite series so I knew I needed to read this collection. While there were a few that weren’t great for me (I haven’t read her other big series, so those didn’t hold the meaning they could have), but there were several stories in this collection that amazed me. While not the most amazing or with the best message the new to me Others story was obviously my favorite, but I really loved a couple of the twisted fairy tales (Match Girl and Rapunzel were my favorites). And the final story A strand in the Web was amazing and haunting. A possible future with barely a possibility to hold it together. Altogether this is a lovely collection of stories by a truly talent author who writes about humanity and the monsters and all that ties us together.
March 3, 2024
I'm here for The Others universe♡
It's full of wonderful characters and scary monsters.
I love the small town feel of it, the friendships, the smart and witty dialouges, and the unique creatures that are part of this universe.
There is no other series like this.
Scary monsters that balance good and evil.
Actually, these monsters have the last word about how humans live. And they don't care if humans die and in some instances get eaten. It's such an interesting and unique concept. A universe were humans are not the biggest predators, and someone else decides over life and death.
The author's stories are about the few humans that have found a way to live and coexist with the monsters, made friends and even formed relationships.
When I read the two The Others novellas, “Home for the Howlidays” and "The Dark Ship" I got the biggest urge to re-read some of the books again. I miss these characters so much and really hope that the author decides to write more full novels in this universe.
I'll be the first to buy them.
___________________________________
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
It's full of wonderful characters and scary monsters.
I love the small town feel of it, the friendships, the smart and witty dialouges, and the unique creatures that are part of this universe.
There is no other series like this.
Scary monsters that balance good and evil.
Actually, these monsters have the last word about how humans live. And they don't care if humans die and in some instances get eaten. It's such an interesting and unique concept. A universe were humans are not the biggest predators, and someone else decides over life and death.
The author's stories are about the few humans that have found a way to live and coexist with the monsters, made friends and even formed relationships.
When I read the two The Others novellas, “Home for the Howlidays” and "The Dark Ship" I got the biggest urge to re-read some of the books again. I miss these characters so much and really hope that the author decides to write more full novels in this universe.
I'll be the first to buy them.
___________________________________
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
March 29, 2024
I am not going to lie. I received this book from our public library so I could visit Meg and Simon in Home for the Howlidays. Since completing The Others series, I have missed many of the characters. I just wish there was more romance.
November 5, 2025
An eclectic collection of short stories, most of them centered around the exploitation of women and what happens when they choose to fight back or escape. Most of them have a rather dark and disturbing tone (it's Bishop), like Match Girl and The Voice (this story is fantastic); and others seem like things the writer simply came up with and appear in this anthology: The Tunnel (?). And other short stories are retellings of fairy tales.
--THE EARLY STORIES
1) THE LADY IN GLASS. - 2.5 stars
En una suerte de tierra postapocaliptica donde todos son deformes por radiación , una mujer dentro de una caja de cristal es objeto de deseo inalcanzable, de envidia y celos. No es muy sutil. (Referencias a Blanca Nieves)
2) BEAR TRAP.- 2 stars
Una huérfana termina en una trampa pero logra escapar después de años
The girl said, “I got out of the bear trap once. Why would I want to step in it again?”
3) NOT A PRINCESS - 3 stars
Un retelling de Rapunzel con humor. Una bruja quiere tener algo más solvente y decide criar a una niña como una princesa a ser rescatada.
Rachel’s eyes narrowed. “You mean you’re going to take me from this tower and put me in another one?”
“It’s a much nicer tower,” Prince Twiggly huffed. “Lots more room. Lots more windows too.”
“And I’m never going to ride Fuzzy Four-Foot or travel with you when you visit the Twelve Kingdoms?”
“Of course not! Princesses don’t do that.”
Rachel looked mulish.
4) THE WEAPON .- 3.5 stars
Me da la sensación de haberlo leído esta historia antes. La humanidad siendo humanidad con sus guerras y sus soldados.
“They’re running out of ways to make war, strawfoot,” he said sadly. “The fossil fuels are almost gone. We don’t even have enough metal anymore to wage modern warfare, to build planes and tanks. Upper-class civilians want what gasoline supplies are left, what metal is left. That’s all we’re here for, to maintain someone else’s prosperity. So you see, they had to do something before we were fighting with stones and clubs, before too many of us realized how futile, how insane it is. They had to find a new weapon, a new resource.
Tiende hacia genero paranormal
5) HOTTING FUGGAM AND THE DRAGON. - 3 stars
Nice story. Creo que es la historia más liviana de todas las de aqui. Un charlatán simpático que desmoraliza a sus interlocutores con lo que no son o no tienen; y una chica que quiere que vuelva la tranquilidad (y la cocina de mama).
“You know,” I said, “it really wasn’t fair of you, telling poor Smoky about all the things other dragons do in distant lands. After all, he’s just a country dragon doing what country dragons do.”
The little man smiled. “So are they all, my dear. So are they all. But unless one is very wise, what is familiar can never compete with what is not.”
6) Tunnel -2 stars
--THE FAIRY TALES
7) MATCH GIRL.- 3 stars
Warning: contains physical and sexual violence as well as torture.
La niña de los fósforos es un cuento triste de H.C.Andersen, y aquí la violencia es llevada al extremo . Fantasía oscura de lo que ocurre a los más vulnerables en condiciones extremas.
8) RAPUNZEL 3 stars
Retelling del cuento homónimo. Examina el egoísmo de algunas mujeres. Me gusto que tiene tres perspectivas diferentes, y se divide asi en tres partes:la madre original, I’ve always craved what I couldn’t have., la bruja de la torre,
You put your heart and magic into something to make it beautiful; you build walls to keep it untainted by the world; you nurture it for the pleasure it will bring you, and they’ll sniff it out, no matter how high the walls, and taint the pleasure, sully the beauty.
Like that thief spoiled my lovely garden.
Like that prince spoiled my Rapunzel.
y de la misma Rapunzel al final.
I stood there for a long time. Then I said to She of Many Names, “No more towers,” and stepped out of the circle.
9) THE WILD HEART - 2.5 stars
Nothing died among the thorns except greed and ambition.
Retelling de la Bella Durmiente. Esto es más ´tradicional´, la princesa es traicionada por su madre.
The princess is neither mourned nor missed by anyone except the Wild Heart.
It’s better that way.
You like the other tale better?
Well, nothing hobbles a good story as much as the truth.
10) THE FAIREST ONE OF ALL - 2.5 stars
la versión del espejo de Blanca Nieves
But there is something you must understand: mirrors lie. So do handsome princes. It is not their fault. Not really. They’re just made that way, able to reflect only one kind of truth, which is, in a way, a lie.
Un espejo harto del juego de la belleza transitoria y de intentar explicarlo a las victimas
There will always be the next Snow White.
Always.
--
“I loved him,” she cries. “I believed him.”
That was her first mistake. Not understanding the essential nature of princes—and mirrors—was her last.
--BLACK JEWELS
11) BY THE TIME THE WITCHBLOOD BLOOMS - 3 stars
Surreal siendo Surreal , quitando de en medio a un hombre sin honor, usando una medicina especial.
(Surreal nunca me gustará)
12) THE KHALDHARON RUN - 3 stars
Un momento fraternal de Jaenelle y Lucivar, vuelo y competencia :D
Lucivar siempre será mi favorito , junto con Saetan.
13) THE PRICE- 4 stars
Una historia muy tipica de Black Jewels. Surreal llega a Kaeleer y se encuentran con un asesinato cruento de tres varones. Esta Rainier (yay), y hay una aparicion de Daemon.
A veces el abuso va en dos sentidos
She didn’t kill any of those men because they were trained to serve; she killed them because they had the right to walk away from someone who wanted to hurt them.”
--THE LANDSCAPES OF EPHEMERA
14) The Voice. - 4.5 stars - Very dark fantasy.
Advertencia: Tortura, abuso y violencia sexual.
No la relei, pero es una historia al estilo de Los que se marchan de Omelas , con una come-pecados, y una chica que quiere ayudarla y escapar de esa vida.
--THE WORLD OF THE OTHERS
15) HOME FOR THE HOWLIDAYS - 3 stars
Una historia del Solstico de Invierno, de Simon, Meg, y el resto. words could be like a trap hidden under leaves. The damage was done before you knew the trap was there.
Como siempre en este universo hay humanos siendo estupidos, y la suerte que tienen los que son amigos de Meg solo por eso.
“Maybe the Santas wear red clothes to hide the bloodstains when they eat the naughty children.”
“No!” Merri banged her hand on the counter. “No, no, no! Santa does not have claws, and he doesn’t eat children. He’s a jolly, magical human who brings gifts to good boys and girls all over the world.”
“What does he bring the naughty children?” Vlad asked.
Ruthie had that bunny look again. Merri’s nostrils were flaring
16) THE DARK SHIP - 4.5 stars
Esta me gusto bastante por cambiar de ambiente . Es Cel Romano, una villa costera despues de la guerra, y donde un tipo abusa de su poder , y una chica sueña con poder escapar, como sea.
My father had wielded the knife, but it says something about my stepmother that the only gift she ever gave me after the bandages were removed was a gilt-edged mirror that my father hung over my dresser.
--NEW PLACES
17) Friends and Corpses -3.5 stars
Una historia algo diferente de zombies, perdon digo de ADP (animated dead people), y aunque la premisa de las consecuencias del agua de Neuterville es interesante (2 hijos, y que la gente no se da cuenta que esta muerta), es tambien acerca de amistades toxicas.
Un humor negro en gran parte. Me gustó.
--POTPOURRI
18)The Day Will Come. ideas despues del 11/9
19)Truth and Story. Otra idea cortisima de lo que es una historia.
20) Stands a God Within the Shadows - 3 stars
Inspirada por la Dama de Shallot. Una suerte de historia de postapocalipsis . Una dama encerrada en una torre ve un mundo de su imaginacion por un espejo, pero ¿lo es en verdad? Muy reflejos y sombras y los mundos entremedio.
21) She Moved Through the Fair - 4 stars
Me gustó mucho, de nuevo inspirada en la canción (escucho a Loreena McKennitt aqui).
She stepped away from me/ And she moved through the fair/ And fondly I watched her/
Moved here and move there/ Then she made her way homeward/ With one star awake/ As the swan in the evening/ Moves over the lake.[)c) Julian Smith, Padraic Colum]
Una historia de fantasmas. De codicia y ambicion
“This was never meant to be a rich man’s land, Cousin Ellen. The people on this side of the lake are more interested in living a contented life than having a chest full of gold.” She hesitated, then added quietly, “And the days at the fair were some of the happiest in my life.”
22) A Strand in the Web - 3.5 stars
Basada en el discurso atribuido al Jefe Seatle (1855): "Lo que ocurra con la tierra recaerá sobre los hijos de la tierra. El hombre no tejió el tejido de la vida; él es simplemente uno de sus hilos. Todo lo que hiciere al tejido, lo hará a sí mismo."
Una historia de ciencia ficcion muy actual. La humanidad viaja por naves de metal sembrando mundos buscando Balance como un Redencion. Un grupo de adolescentes quiere ser Restauradores , pero parece que no han aprendido demasiado a pesar de todo. Excepto Willow.
A tree was a wonderful piece of creation.
“You look pleased,” Stev said as he approached my console.
“Tree,” I said, grinning like a fool.
(a woman after my heart :D )
Nota: Contenido:
--THE EARLY STORIES
1) THE LADY IN GLASS. - 2.5 stars
En una suerte de tierra postapocaliptica donde todos son deformes por radiación , una mujer dentro de una caja de cristal es objeto de deseo inalcanzable, de envidia y celos. No es muy sutil. (Referencias a Blanca Nieves)
2) BEAR TRAP.- 2 stars
Una huérfana termina en una trampa pero logra escapar después de años
The girl said, “I got out of the bear trap once. Why would I want to step in it again?”
3) NOT A PRINCESS - 3 stars
Un retelling de Rapunzel con humor. Una bruja quiere tener algo más solvente y decide criar a una niña como una princesa a ser rescatada.
Rachel’s eyes narrowed. “You mean you’re going to take me from this tower and put me in another one?”
“It’s a much nicer tower,” Prince Twiggly huffed. “Lots more room. Lots more windows too.”
“And I’m never going to ride Fuzzy Four-Foot or travel with you when you visit the Twelve Kingdoms?”
“Of course not! Princesses don’t do that.”
Rachel looked mulish.
4) THE WEAPON .- 3.5 stars
Me da la sensación de haberlo leído esta historia antes. La humanidad siendo humanidad con sus guerras y sus soldados.
“They’re running out of ways to make war, strawfoot,” he said sadly. “The fossil fuels are almost gone. We don’t even have enough metal anymore to wage modern warfare, to build planes and tanks. Upper-class civilians want what gasoline supplies are left, what metal is left. That’s all we’re here for, to maintain someone else’s prosperity. So you see, they had to do something before we were fighting with stones and clubs, before too many of us realized how futile, how insane it is. They had to find a new weapon, a new resource.
Tiende hacia genero paranormal
5) HOTTING FUGGAM AND THE DRAGON. - 3 stars
Nice story. Creo que es la historia más liviana de todas las de aqui. Un charlatán simpático que desmoraliza a sus interlocutores con lo que no son o no tienen; y una chica que quiere que vuelva la tranquilidad (y la cocina de mama).
“You know,” I said, “it really wasn’t fair of you, telling poor Smoky about all the things other dragons do in distant lands. After all, he’s just a country dragon doing what country dragons do.”
The little man smiled. “So are they all, my dear. So are they all. But unless one is very wise, what is familiar can never compete with what is not.”
6) Tunnel -2 stars
--THE FAIRY TALES
7) MATCH GIRL.- 3 stars
Warning: contains physical and sexual violence as well as torture.
La niña de los fósforos es un cuento triste de H.C.Andersen, y aquí la violencia es llevada al extremo . Fantasía oscura de lo que ocurre a los más vulnerables en condiciones extremas.
8) RAPUNZEL 3 stars
Retelling del cuento homónimo. Examina el egoísmo de algunas mujeres. Me gusto que tiene tres perspectivas diferentes, y se divide asi en tres partes:la madre original, I’ve always craved what I couldn’t have., la bruja de la torre,
You put your heart and magic into something to make it beautiful; you build walls to keep it untainted by the world; you nurture it for the pleasure it will bring you, and they’ll sniff it out, no matter how high the walls, and taint the pleasure, sully the beauty.
Like that thief spoiled my lovely garden.
Like that prince spoiled my Rapunzel.
y de la misma Rapunzel al final.
I stood there for a long time. Then I said to She of Many Names, “No more towers,” and stepped out of the circle.
9) THE WILD HEART - 2.5 stars
Nothing died among the thorns except greed and ambition.
Retelling de la Bella Durmiente. Esto es más ´tradicional´, la princesa es traicionada por su madre.
The princess is neither mourned nor missed by anyone except the Wild Heart.
It’s better that way.
You like the other tale better?
Well, nothing hobbles a good story as much as the truth.
10) THE FAIREST ONE OF ALL - 2.5 stars
la versión del espejo de Blanca Nieves
But there is something you must understand: mirrors lie. So do handsome princes. It is not their fault. Not really. They’re just made that way, able to reflect only one kind of truth, which is, in a way, a lie.
Un espejo harto del juego de la belleza transitoria y de intentar explicarlo a las victimas
There will always be the next Snow White.
Always.
--
“I loved him,” she cries. “I believed him.”
That was her first mistake. Not understanding the essential nature of princes—and mirrors—was her last.
--BLACK JEWELS
11) BY THE TIME THE WITCHBLOOD BLOOMS - 3 stars
Surreal siendo Surreal , quitando de en medio a un hombre sin honor, usando una medicina especial.
(Surreal nunca me gustará)
12) THE KHALDHARON RUN - 3 stars
Un momento fraternal de Jaenelle y Lucivar, vuelo y competencia :D
Lucivar siempre será mi favorito , junto con Saetan.
13) THE PRICE- 4 stars
Una historia muy tipica de Black Jewels. Surreal llega a Kaeleer y se encuentran con un asesinato cruento de tres varones. Esta Rainier (yay), y hay una aparicion de Daemon.
A veces el abuso va en dos sentidos
She didn’t kill any of those men because they were trained to serve; she killed them because they had the right to walk away from someone who wanted to hurt them.”
--THE LANDSCAPES OF EPHEMERA
14) The Voice. - 4.5 stars - Very dark fantasy.
Advertencia: Tortura, abuso y violencia sexual.
No la relei, pero es una historia al estilo de Los que se marchan de Omelas , con una come-pecados, y una chica que quiere ayudarla y escapar de esa vida.
--THE WORLD OF THE OTHERS
15) HOME FOR THE HOWLIDAYS - 3 stars
Una historia del Solstico de Invierno, de Simon, Meg, y el resto. words could be like a trap hidden under leaves. The damage was done before you knew the trap was there.
Como siempre en este universo hay humanos siendo estupidos, y la suerte que tienen los que son amigos de Meg solo por eso.
“Maybe the Santas wear red clothes to hide the bloodstains when they eat the naughty children.”
“No!” Merri banged her hand on the counter. “No, no, no! Santa does not have claws, and he doesn’t eat children. He’s a jolly, magical human who brings gifts to good boys and girls all over the world.”
“What does he bring the naughty children?” Vlad asked.
Ruthie had that bunny look again. Merri’s nostrils were flaring
16) THE DARK SHIP - 4.5 stars
Esta me gusto bastante por cambiar de ambiente . Es Cel Romano, una villa costera despues de la guerra, y donde un tipo abusa de su poder , y una chica sueña con poder escapar, como sea.
My father had wielded the knife, but it says something about my stepmother that the only gift she ever gave me after the bandages were removed was a gilt-edged mirror that my father hung over my dresser.
--NEW PLACES
17) Friends and Corpses -3.5 stars
Una historia algo diferente de zombies, perdon digo de ADP (animated dead people), y aunque la premisa de las consecuencias del agua de Neuterville es interesante (2 hijos, y que la gente no se da cuenta que esta muerta), es tambien acerca de amistades toxicas.
Un humor negro en gran parte. Me gustó.
--POTPOURRI
18)The Day Will Come. ideas despues del 11/9
19)Truth and Story. Otra idea cortisima de lo que es una historia.
20) Stands a God Within the Shadows - 3 stars
Inspirada por la Dama de Shallot. Una suerte de historia de postapocalipsis . Una dama encerrada en una torre ve un mundo de su imaginacion por un espejo, pero ¿lo es en verdad? Muy reflejos y sombras y los mundos entremedio.
21) She Moved Through the Fair - 4 stars
Me gustó mucho, de nuevo inspirada en la canción (escucho a Loreena McKennitt aqui).
She stepped away from me/ And she moved through the fair/ And fondly I watched her/
Moved here and move there/ Then she made her way homeward/ With one star awake/ As the swan in the evening/ Moves over the lake.[)c) Julian Smith, Padraic Colum]
Una historia de fantasmas. De codicia y ambicion
“This was never meant to be a rich man’s land, Cousin Ellen. The people on this side of the lake are more interested in living a contented life than having a chest full of gold.” She hesitated, then added quietly, “And the days at the fair were some of the happiest in my life.”
22) A Strand in the Web - 3.5 stars
Basada en el discurso atribuido al Jefe Seatle (1855): "Lo que ocurra con la tierra recaerá sobre los hijos de la tierra. El hombre no tejió el tejido de la vida; él es simplemente uno de sus hilos. Todo lo que hiciere al tejido, lo hará a sí mismo."
Una historia de ciencia ficcion muy actual. La humanidad viaja por naves de metal sembrando mundos buscando Balance como un Redencion. Un grupo de adolescentes quiere ser Restauradores , pero parece que no han aprendido demasiado a pesar de todo. Excepto Willow.
A tree was a wonderful piece of creation.
“You look pleased,” Stev said as he approached my console.
“Tree,” I said, grinning like a fool.
(a woman after my heart :D )
Nota: Contenido:
April 15, 2024
Anne Bishop has created some wonderful and some brutal worlds. In this anthology we get a little bit of everything all in one place. For those who have loved the Others series or the Black Jewels there are a few stories from those books to enjoy plus some new tales and musing Anne has had through the years.
The hard thing with anthologies is that it is difficult to rate the overall book since some stories are great and others possibly so so. Plus is you haven't read the series that some of these go to your connection to the story isn't going to be as deep as a series reader.
The Others series has two stories set in that world. One with Meg and Simon for Christmas, which was so cute and the other named The Dark Ship was a new tale with all new characters. It follows some intuit children sold into slavery only to be saved by a brave girl and a ship full of Others. I really enjoyed seeing some of the sea faring Others and how they sale the seas a little like pirates and a lot like policers of the sea. Really a great new story set in the world of the Others.
I will give a trigger warning for The Match Girl. It is a great retelling but Anne Bishop does not shy away from some of the horrors of rape and human trafficking in this story. So it is not going to be for everyone. It is a really harsh tale but overall I thought the story was really well thought out and I loved the ending.
Repunzel also gets a retelling that was very different from the original tale. It was a very interesting take on the story and I liked the twist Bishop added to it. Nothing like a girl saving herself instead of waiting for a prince to come along and do it for her.
There is one story that reminded me a lot of Utopia from the Landscapes of Ephemera, which is a series I have not read but now am very interested in. The Voice features a small village where one orphan is chosen to bare the weight of everyone else's unhappiness. She has no voice and suffers in silence. On girl will be brave and try to free not only herself but a few of her friends from this place of given away unhappiness and the cost of that on one person.
Most of the stories follow the fairytale vibe accept for a few. The Weapon was more of a military type setting in a strange world where historical battles are 'recreated' and the young are just fodder for the machine. It was a bit twisted and I didn't see that ending coming. It was very different than all the other stories in the anthology.
Then there was Friends and Corpses, a murder mystery in a town where the water might just have the strange effect of you walking around as a corpse for a bit before you finally kill over. Kinda fun and funny in spots. Enjoyable who-dun-it type story.
One of my favorite stories of the entire book was the last story, A strand in the Web. It follows a character on a ship. Their entire job is to learn how to bring balance to an ecosystem to restore a world. As the ship begins to fail, one girl will find if she has a talent to build a new world and keep it healthy. I enjoyed how this story went and the ending to it as someone discovers everything they were meant to become.
Some of the stories are really short and quick and others bring you into and entire new world for a short time.
Overall I would say this is a 3.5 star read but I rounded up to 4 since there are some real gems in this anthology.
Narration
Alexandra Harris and Gary Littman take turns depending on the gender of the PoV and really do give a stunning performance overall. I had such a good time listening to their performances. Each did every story well whether it was a short short or a novella in length. I appreciated all the diction and the different voices for all the characters throughout. Wonderful way to enjoy the book. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
The hard thing with anthologies is that it is difficult to rate the overall book since some stories are great and others possibly so so. Plus is you haven't read the series that some of these go to your connection to the story isn't going to be as deep as a series reader.
The Others series has two stories set in that world. One with Meg and Simon for Christmas, which was so cute and the other named The Dark Ship was a new tale with all new characters. It follows some intuit children sold into slavery only to be saved by a brave girl and a ship full of Others. I really enjoyed seeing some of the sea faring Others and how they sale the seas a little like pirates and a lot like policers of the sea. Really a great new story set in the world of the Others.
I will give a trigger warning for The Match Girl. It is a great retelling but Anne Bishop does not shy away from some of the horrors of rape and human trafficking in this story. So it is not going to be for everyone. It is a really harsh tale but overall I thought the story was really well thought out and I loved the ending.
Repunzel also gets a retelling that was very different from the original tale. It was a very interesting take on the story and I liked the twist Bishop added to it. Nothing like a girl saving herself instead of waiting for a prince to come along and do it for her.
There is one story that reminded me a lot of Utopia from the Landscapes of Ephemera, which is a series I have not read but now am very interested in. The Voice features a small village where one orphan is chosen to bare the weight of everyone else's unhappiness. She has no voice and suffers in silence. On girl will be brave and try to free not only herself but a few of her friends from this place of given away unhappiness and the cost of that on one person.
Most of the stories follow the fairytale vibe accept for a few. The Weapon was more of a military type setting in a strange world where historical battles are 'recreated' and the young are just fodder for the machine. It was a bit twisted and I didn't see that ending coming. It was very different than all the other stories in the anthology.
Then there was Friends and Corpses, a murder mystery in a town where the water might just have the strange effect of you walking around as a corpse for a bit before you finally kill over. Kinda fun and funny in spots. Enjoyable who-dun-it type story.
One of my favorite stories of the entire book was the last story, A strand in the Web. It follows a character on a ship. Their entire job is to learn how to bring balance to an ecosystem to restore a world. As the ship begins to fail, one girl will find if she has a talent to build a new world and keep it healthy. I enjoyed how this story went and the ending to it as someone discovers everything they were meant to become.
Some of the stories are really short and quick and others bring you into and entire new world for a short time.
Overall I would say this is a 3.5 star read but I rounded up to 4 since there are some real gems in this anthology.
Narration
Alexandra Harris and Gary Littman take turns depending on the gender of the PoV and really do give a stunning performance overall. I had such a good time listening to their performances. Each did every story well whether it was a short short or a novella in length. I appreciated all the diction and the different voices for all the characters throughout. Wonderful way to enjoy the book. I was able to listen at my usual 1.5x speed.
October 19, 2025
The Lady and the Glass - A weird tale about humanity that seems to have gone wrong and they find a woman in a glass coffin and stare at her beauty
Bear Trap - It was short, but good. A girl is taken and put in a bear trap.
Not A Princess - A witch wants to be a princess, but it was more about the kid she tried to make into one
The Weapon - About war and being cannon fodder
Hotting Fuggam and the Dragon - A nice little tale about a stranger coming to town and a girl trying to deal with him
Tunnel - This is why I should write reviews for short stories at once cos I do not remember this one
Match Girl - This one I remember because it was a hard listen. It deals with SA, abuse and more. A very very dark and sad fairytale
Rapunzel - Another Rapunzel story and how she came to be
The Wild Heart - Sleeping beauty and another one with a trigger warning. Things go dark
The Fairest One of All - Again, when I listen to many at once some blend in to each other and I only remember the stepmom dying
By the Time the Witchblood Blooms-Which one was this? I remember smex?
The Khaldharon Run - I am just not a Black Jewels fan
The Price - I actually enjoyed this one. Huh. A woman solves a few murders
The Voice - Trigger warning of SA again. Another dark and disturbing one. How one girl in the village is without a voice and takes on other´s feelings, even when she does not want to. And how one girl grows up realising how wrong this is. Good, but yes dark
Home for the Howlidays - Meg and Simon! And the holidays, and danger
The Dark Ship - I have read this one before, but it a good one that takes place in the world of The Others, but in Cal Romano
Friends and Corpses
A freaky place where the dead do not know they are dead so Cecily hunts them down. Throw in a mystery
Truth and Story - Not remembering
Stands A God Within the Shadows - A woman in a tower, why is she there? The story unfolds
She Moved Through The Fair - A ghost story, and someone wants money....
A Strand in the Web - An interesting sci-fi one where spaceships are out fixing worlds to atone, and one girl is stuck on a ship that is failing.
Some are better than other ones, some are a LOT darker than other ones. Some are funny, some are sad. You know, like every anthology out there. Bishop is a great writer so even those dark sad ones are really good. Even if they make you sick to your stomach.
I totally wanted this one for the Simon and Meg story, but even if I liked that one so many other ones shone through.
Great narration, it does have Alexandra Harris too!
Bear Trap - It was short, but good. A girl is taken and put in a bear trap.
Not A Princess - A witch wants to be a princess, but it was more about the kid she tried to make into one
The Weapon - About war and being cannon fodder
Hotting Fuggam and the Dragon - A nice little tale about a stranger coming to town and a girl trying to deal with him
Tunnel - This is why I should write reviews for short stories at once cos I do not remember this one
Match Girl - This one I remember because it was a hard listen. It deals with SA, abuse and more. A very very dark and sad fairytale
Rapunzel - Another Rapunzel story and how she came to be
The Wild Heart - Sleeping beauty and another one with a trigger warning. Things go dark
The Fairest One of All - Again, when I listen to many at once some blend in to each other and I only remember the stepmom dying
By the Time the Witchblood Blooms-Which one was this? I remember smex?
The Khaldharon Run - I am just not a Black Jewels fan
The Price - I actually enjoyed this one. Huh. A woman solves a few murders
The Voice - Trigger warning of SA again. Another dark and disturbing one. How one girl in the village is without a voice and takes on other´s feelings, even when she does not want to. And how one girl grows up realising how wrong this is. Good, but yes dark
Home for the Howlidays - Meg and Simon! And the holidays, and danger
The Dark Ship - I have read this one before, but it a good one that takes place in the world of The Others, but in Cal Romano
Friends and Corpses
A freaky place where the dead do not know they are dead so Cecily hunts them down. Throw in a mystery
Truth and Story - Not remembering
Stands A God Within the Shadows - A woman in a tower, why is she there? The story unfolds
She Moved Through The Fair - A ghost story, and someone wants money....
A Strand in the Web - An interesting sci-fi one where spaceships are out fixing worlds to atone, and one girl is stuck on a ship that is failing.
Some are better than other ones, some are a LOT darker than other ones. Some are funny, some are sad. You know, like every anthology out there. Bishop is a great writer so even those dark sad ones are really good. Even if they make you sick to your stomach.
I totally wanted this one for the Simon and Meg story, but even if I liked that one so many other ones shone through.
Great narration, it does have Alexandra Harris too!
January 11, 2024
THE LADY IN THE GLASS is an Anthology of Author Anne Bishop's short stories written throughout her career including both previously published and unpublished tales from both old and new worlds. This collection of work ranges from the very dark retelling of well-known fairy tales to horror to sci-fi to fantasy.
Fans of Bishop's The Others award winning series will be ecstatic to discover a new story taking place after Etched In Bone and featuring Meg Corbyn, the blood prophet and Simon Wolfgard, the shapeshifter in "Home for the Howlidays. Friends to Corpses will appeal to zombie fans as well as fans of police procedurals in a world where the police are tasked with controlling the zombies.
Author Anne Bishop is a master at bringing fantasies to life - from the very darkest to the scariest to the heartwarming. I found it interesting to read some of her earlier writings and hear from the author herself about her progress in her writing journey. From Realms of Blood and fairytale retellings to stories of space exploration with its' unique creatures, the evolution of the author's work is evident.
Fans of Author Anne Bishop will want to grab this collection and settle in for an entertaining afternoon of reading. While every story isn't for everyone, there's something here that will appeal to readers of various genres of fiction. Bishop's work is unique and magical with a tendency to skate on the dark side just like, I suspect, the author herself. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Berkley for a free copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own. Review available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews.
Fans of Bishop's The Others award winning series will be ecstatic to discover a new story taking place after Etched In Bone and featuring Meg Corbyn, the blood prophet and Simon Wolfgard, the shapeshifter in "Home for the Howlidays. Friends to Corpses will appeal to zombie fans as well as fans of police procedurals in a world where the police are tasked with controlling the zombies.
Author Anne Bishop is a master at bringing fantasies to life - from the very darkest to the scariest to the heartwarming. I found it interesting to read some of her earlier writings and hear from the author herself about her progress in her writing journey. From Realms of Blood and fairytale retellings to stories of space exploration with its' unique creatures, the evolution of the author's work is evident.
Fans of Author Anne Bishop will want to grab this collection and settle in for an entertaining afternoon of reading. While every story isn't for everyone, there's something here that will appeal to readers of various genres of fiction. Bishop's work is unique and magical with a tendency to skate on the dark side just like, I suspect, the author herself. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Berkley for a free copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own. Review available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews.
February 26, 2024
A collection of new and old short stories by Anne Bishop spanning across some of her beloved series. I admit I grabbed this for the shorts set in THE OTHERS world. I absolutely love the series and own them all in hardcover & audio format.
The Lady and the Glass - a twist on Sleeping Beauty where a town of deformed humans, find a perfectly formed girl sleeping in a glass box after a landslide. A curious tale.
Bear Trap - The story of a young girl who gets herself caught in a bear trap. This was a short story with lessons on kindness and judgement.
Not A Princess - A Rapunzel tale with a delightful twist. A witch doesn't want to be witchy. She wants to be Princess and devises a plan to get her into the castle. I had a good chuckle with this tale. Go Rachel!
The Weapon - This was a tale about battle, economics and magic. A haunting story that held my attention.
Hotting Fuggam and the Dragon - A man with tales comes to town deflating the spirits of many. A young woman tries to trick him into leaving and gets a surprise. A quirky little tale
Tunnel - A creepy tale about a young woman driving through a tunnel. Reminded me of the tunnels carved through mountains in Pennsylvania.
The Fairy Tales - short message from the author about the tales with warning. All deal with women being taken advantage of by men.
Match Girl - This was a dark tale that ends on a cheerful note for Phoenix. Be warned there is violence and rape.
Rapunzel - A tale about envy and cravings.
The Wild Heart - another version of Rapunzel with Sleeping Beauty twist.
The Fairest One of All - A dark look Snow White. Be careful what you ask the mirror.
Black Jewels - Three short stories from this world. Authors note describes where these take place. I skipped these, as I want to read the series first and was fearful of spoilers.
The Landscape of Emphermera - Author explains beginnings of City of Vision. Set in the series world of Ephemera.
The Voice - I enjoyed this tale about the woman with no voice. This was heavily themed with men taking advantage of women, but also showed us one girl's strength and determination.
The World of the Others - author explains short stories from THE OTHERS and where they fall in the series.
Home for the Howlidays - A Christmas story about Simon & Meg. Of course I loved it! Christmas comes to the Courtyard, Meg has a vision and Simon wants to get her the perfect gift. Gads I miss this world.
The Dark Ship - This story was previously published and I loved reading it again. When a young girl in a seaside village helps a pony, she ends up saving herself and others.
New Places- Cecily Blanque.
Friends and Corpses - Cecily is a Deceased Reclamation Officer in Neuterville. The water in town has some magical properties. The first, it limits couples from having more than two offspring. The second, the dead sometimes don't realize they are dead. Cecily and her team need to bring them to the End of Days facility. This story has a murder and hooked me from the start. All I can say is I want more.
Potpourri - A mix of standalone pieces.
The Day Will Come - September 11, 2011 remembrance.
Truth and Story - a clever short about a man who speaks truth, and a woman called story.
Stands A God Within the Shadows- This was a longer tale, and I quite enjoyed it. It's about a woman held in a tower and a god who stands in the shadows of her prison.
She Moved Through The Fair - This was a clever ghost story.
A Strand in the Web- Loved this one. It had a science fiction vibe, off planet, end of days, survivalist.
I loved this collection by Anne Bishop. Whether you are a fan or new to her works, this collection has a little something for everyone.
This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
The Lady and the Glass - a twist on Sleeping Beauty where a town of deformed humans, find a perfectly formed girl sleeping in a glass box after a landslide. A curious tale.
Bear Trap - The story of a young girl who gets herself caught in a bear trap. This was a short story with lessons on kindness and judgement.
Not A Princess - A Rapunzel tale with a delightful twist. A witch doesn't want to be witchy. She wants to be Princess and devises a plan to get her into the castle. I had a good chuckle with this tale. Go Rachel!
The Weapon - This was a tale about battle, economics and magic. A haunting story that held my attention.
Hotting Fuggam and the Dragon - A man with tales comes to town deflating the spirits of many. A young woman tries to trick him into leaving and gets a surprise. A quirky little tale
Tunnel - A creepy tale about a young woman driving through a tunnel. Reminded me of the tunnels carved through mountains in Pennsylvania.
The Fairy Tales - short message from the author about the tales with warning. All deal with women being taken advantage of by men.
Match Girl - This was a dark tale that ends on a cheerful note for Phoenix. Be warned there is violence and rape.
Rapunzel - A tale about envy and cravings.
The Wild Heart - another version of Rapunzel with Sleeping Beauty twist.
The Fairest One of All - A dark look Snow White. Be careful what you ask the mirror.
Black Jewels - Three short stories from this world. Authors note describes where these take place. I skipped these, as I want to read the series first and was fearful of spoilers.
The Landscape of Emphermera - Author explains beginnings of City of Vision. Set in the series world of Ephemera.
The Voice - I enjoyed this tale about the woman with no voice. This was heavily themed with men taking advantage of women, but also showed us one girl's strength and determination.
The World of the Others - author explains short stories from THE OTHERS and where they fall in the series.
Home for the Howlidays - A Christmas story about Simon & Meg. Of course I loved it! Christmas comes to the Courtyard, Meg has a vision and Simon wants to get her the perfect gift. Gads I miss this world.
The Dark Ship - This story was previously published and I loved reading it again. When a young girl in a seaside village helps a pony, she ends up saving herself and others.
New Places- Cecily Blanque.
Friends and Corpses - Cecily is a Deceased Reclamation Officer in Neuterville. The water in town has some magical properties. The first, it limits couples from having more than two offspring. The second, the dead sometimes don't realize they are dead. Cecily and her team need to bring them to the End of Days facility. This story has a murder and hooked me from the start. All I can say is I want more.
Potpourri - A mix of standalone pieces.
The Day Will Come - September 11, 2011 remembrance.
Truth and Story - a clever short about a man who speaks truth, and a woman called story.
Stands A God Within the Shadows- This was a longer tale, and I quite enjoyed it. It's about a woman held in a tower and a god who stands in the shadows of her prison.
She Moved Through The Fair - This was a clever ghost story.
A Strand in the Web- Loved this one. It had a science fiction vibe, off planet, end of days, survivalist.
I loved this collection by Anne Bishop. Whether you are a fan or new to her works, this collection has a little something for everyone.
This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
January 28, 2024
THE LADY IN THE GLASS AND OTHER STORIES is an anthology of Anne Bishop’s short stories. I was excited about this because it features stories from her best-selling series as well as some never-before-released stories.
Anthologies are great for loyal readers because you can have all the novellas in one place to read, but they offer a lot to new readers too because you can try out the author’s writing style and different series with one book!
All these stories are well-written and almost poetic to read. Bishop’s writing continues to impress as she delves deeper into her worldbuilding and characters with all these short stories. It gives greater insight into the mind’s of the characters as well as show off her unique worlds that she has created. If you’re a Fantasy reader, then you definitely skip out on this one! It’s a definite recommended read for all people who love fantasy and Anne Bishop!
Anthologies are great for loyal readers because you can have all the novellas in one place to read, but they offer a lot to new readers too because you can try out the author’s writing style and different series with one book!
All these stories are well-written and almost poetic to read. Bishop’s writing continues to impress as she delves deeper into her worldbuilding and characters with all these short stories. It gives greater insight into the mind’s of the characters as well as show off her unique worlds that she has created. If you’re a Fantasy reader, then you definitely skip out on this one! It’s a definite recommended read for all people who love fantasy and Anne Bishop!
February 29, 2024
Most of these stories were interesting and dealt with some people that we already know and love. Some stories deal with the universe that we are familiar with. but there are quite a few that are outside the realms that we are familiar with. One of them is quite amusing. Several are remakes of famous fairytales.
I'm just not that into short stories even when they are written by my favorite author.
I'm just not that into short stories even when they are written by my favorite author.
December 14, 2025
Not a fan
Want to read
June 2, 2023hyperventilating, I'm so excited
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Blog | Instagram | Libro.fm Audiobooks
February 23, 2024
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Fantasy / Anthology Collections
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Anne Bishop's The Lady in the Glass and Other Stories is a collection of over a dozen short stories, some longer than others, including some never before released short stories for this release. Two brand-new stories include Home for the Howlidays (The Others), and Friends and Corpses (unusual murder mystery). Some of the stories have not been available in decades, including tales that were released in a very limited way, or have been out of print, or were never published at all.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Fantasy / Anthology Collections
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Anne Bishop's The Lady in the Glass and Other Stories is a collection of over a dozen short stories, some longer than others, including some never before released short stories for this release. Two brand-new stories include Home for the Howlidays (The Others), and Friends and Corpses (unusual murder mystery). Some of the stories have not been available in decades, including tales that were released in a very limited way, or have been out of print, or were never published at all.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
February 29, 2024
This was an interesting collection. There were so many different stories, some really short, some a bit longer. I think what made things more interesting is that these stories spanned the authors career. And like any collection like this, some were better than others, but all were enjoyable.
November 11, 2024
The overall rating is the average of the following ratings. Also I have skipped the Black Jewel and Ephemera stories because I haven’t read those series yet.
THE LADY IN GLASS
3 stars - I liked it
An interesting version of Snow White that is sent in a future where humans have been deformed and now everyone is ugly and have to force themselves to breed. The glass lady is beautiful and what they once were and they may take care of her coffin but they still are jealous of her looks. It's an interesting take and I enjoyed it.
BEAR TRAP
4 stars - It was really good
A story about a young woman who was trapped in a bear trap and then kept captive for years but the trapper. While short, this was well written and a great ending. I like that she kept her cool when the trader confronted her.
NOT A PRINCESS
4 stars - It was really good
A great Rapunzel retelling with Rachel waiting years to escape by tricking the dumb prince who tries to rescue her. I enjoyed that she finally got her freedom and used it to do what she actually wanted.
THE WEAPON
2 stars - It was ok
This was about a civil war where the government continues to make both sides fight by breeding new soldiers and forcing all men into the military. It was an interesting concept with a brutal ending because the soldier is trying to prevent further casualties and has to kill his own children. I think I would have liked it a little more if there was a little more explanation on the soldier’s abilities.
HOTTING FUGGAM AND THE DRAGON
2 stars - It was ok
A story about a man constantly bragging about better things and depressing small country folk. He gets tricked into dealing with a dragon and ends up taming it. This was ok. It was a very short story and I was mostly indifferent to the outcome.
TUNNEL
2 stars - It was ok
This was weird and I don’t know what is actually happening at all. It feels like the first chapter of a story to get you hooked. I need more to actually understand what is going on and if I like it.
MATCH GIRL
2 stars - It was ok
TW: on page physical and sexual violence, torture
This was really dark and violent and it's hard for me to rate it. I didn’t really enjoy it but I think it was a unique story so I will give it two stars.
RAPUNZEL
4 stars - It was really good
This was a great Rapunzel story. I like that it started with her parents first and then progressed to her life. I think her mother was a terrible woman who was never going to be happy and got what she deserved in the end with her husband leaving her. Rapunzel was a strong woman who spent her life imprisoned but when given the chance of a new life, she embraced it and found true happiness.
TW: physical abuse; pregnancy;
THE WILD HEART
4 stars - It was really good
An interesting take on sleeping beauty. I enjoyed this version and how she got the life she wanted in the end.
TW: rape; physical abuse;
THE FAIREST ONE OF ALL
3 stars - I liked it
An interesting take on Snow White. I liked the concept and that it wasn't just the old queen asking the mirror questions.
HOME FOR THE HOWLIDAYS
5 stars - I loved it!
This holiday story takes place a few months after Etched in Bone. The courtyard is preparing for winter solstice but a big storm rolls through and Simon and Vlad end up having to go rescue friends. I love that we got this short holiday story with the Courtyard. It was great to see how everyone is doing after the series ended and also see how Meg is coping.
Also we get to see Meg and Simon as a couple and even though they don't spend a lot of time together, I still like what we got.
THE DARK SHIP
4 stars - It was really good
This was a great pirate-esq story in the Others world. Vandette helps a trapped pony and finds herself getting a boob from the Others that save her and a bunch of other children's lives. I enjoyed this one and liked learning more about the other areas of the world.
TW: physical and emotional abuse; threat of rape; human trafficking;
FRIENDS AND CORPSES
4.5 stars
This was a fascinating story about a town called Neuterville that makes people sterile after two kids and reanimates the dead sometimes. Cecily Blanque is a Deceased Reclamation Catcher, aka corpse catcher, and spends her days wrangling the people who come back to life.
When a family friend calls and Cecily realizes she is reanimated after being murdered, she has to investigate what happened. I really enjoyed Cecily's story and everything about this world. I also like that she didn't let family hold her back from doing the right thing and getting justice for those murdered. I would totally read more stories about Cecily and her reanimation adventures.
TW: toxic and emotionally abusive mother; toxic friendship; graphic depictions of death and decay;
THE DAY WILL COME
5 stars - I loved it!
This is a reflection on the events of September 11 and was extremely moving and accurate. There will come a day when people don't think of that event when they walk by the site, they won't have been born when it happened, and our memories of that event need to be shared so future generations will understand.
TRUTH AND STORY
2 stars - It was ok
This was very short and I don’t really have any feelings or reactions about it so it was just ok for me.
STANDS A GOD WITHIN THE SHADOWS
DNF
I wasn’t really enjoying this story. It was very vague with what was happening to this woman and I just found myself not caring.
SHE MOVED THROUGH THE FAIR
3 stars - I liked it
An interesting story about a ghost and how she gets her revenge against her murder with the help of a distant cousin who is still alive. I enjoyed this one and how unique it was.
A STRAND IN THE WEB
4 stars - It was really good
This was a very interesting sci-fi story about Restorers, who travel space and attempt to restore life to planets. This follows a young student named Willow who wants to be a Restorer and is given a chance. She is a natural which is good because their ship is failing. I really enjoyed this and the whole concept.
THE LADY IN GLASS
3 stars - I liked it
An interesting version of Snow White that is sent in a future where humans have been deformed and now everyone is ugly and have to force themselves to breed. The glass lady is beautiful and what they once were and they may take care of her coffin but they still are jealous of her looks. It's an interesting take and I enjoyed it.
BEAR TRAP
4 stars - It was really good
A story about a young woman who was trapped in a bear trap and then kept captive for years but the trapper. While short, this was well written and a great ending. I like that she kept her cool when the trader confronted her.
NOT A PRINCESS
4 stars - It was really good
A great Rapunzel retelling with Rachel waiting years to escape by tricking the dumb prince who tries to rescue her. I enjoyed that she finally got her freedom and used it to do what she actually wanted.
THE WEAPON
2 stars - It was ok
This was about a civil war where the government continues to make both sides fight by breeding new soldiers and forcing all men into the military. It was an interesting concept with a brutal ending because the soldier is trying to prevent further casualties and has to kill his own children. I think I would have liked it a little more if there was a little more explanation on the soldier’s abilities.
HOTTING FUGGAM AND THE DRAGON
2 stars - It was ok
A story about a man constantly bragging about better things and depressing small country folk. He gets tricked into dealing with a dragon and ends up taming it. This was ok. It was a very short story and I was mostly indifferent to the outcome.
TUNNEL
2 stars - It was ok
This was weird and I don’t know what is actually happening at all. It feels like the first chapter of a story to get you hooked. I need more to actually understand what is going on and if I like it.
MATCH GIRL
2 stars - It was ok
TW: on page physical and sexual violence, torture
This was really dark and violent and it's hard for me to rate it. I didn’t really enjoy it but I think it was a unique story so I will give it two stars.
RAPUNZEL
4 stars - It was really good
This was a great Rapunzel story. I like that it started with her parents first and then progressed to her life. I think her mother was a terrible woman who was never going to be happy and got what she deserved in the end with her husband leaving her. Rapunzel was a strong woman who spent her life imprisoned but when given the chance of a new life, she embraced it and found true happiness.
TW: physical abuse; pregnancy;
THE WILD HEART
4 stars - It was really good
An interesting take on sleeping beauty. I enjoyed this version and how she got the life she wanted in the end.
TW: rape; physical abuse;
THE FAIREST ONE OF ALL
3 stars - I liked it
An interesting take on Snow White. I liked the concept and that it wasn't just the old queen asking the mirror questions.
HOME FOR THE HOWLIDAYS
5 stars - I loved it!
This holiday story takes place a few months after Etched in Bone. The courtyard is preparing for winter solstice but a big storm rolls through and Simon and Vlad end up having to go rescue friends. I love that we got this short holiday story with the Courtyard. It was great to see how everyone is doing after the series ended and also see how Meg is coping.
Also we get to see Meg and Simon as a couple and even though they don't spend a lot of time together, I still like what we got.
THE DARK SHIP
4 stars - It was really good
This was a great pirate-esq story in the Others world. Vandette helps a trapped pony and finds herself getting a boob from the Others that save her and a bunch of other children's lives. I enjoyed this one and liked learning more about the other areas of the world.
TW: physical and emotional abuse; threat of rape; human trafficking;
FRIENDS AND CORPSES
4.5 stars
This was a fascinating story about a town called Neuterville that makes people sterile after two kids and reanimates the dead sometimes. Cecily Blanque is a Deceased Reclamation Catcher, aka corpse catcher, and spends her days wrangling the people who come back to life.
When a family friend calls and Cecily realizes she is reanimated after being murdered, she has to investigate what happened. I really enjoyed Cecily's story and everything about this world. I also like that she didn't let family hold her back from doing the right thing and getting justice for those murdered. I would totally read more stories about Cecily and her reanimation adventures.
TW: toxic and emotionally abusive mother; toxic friendship; graphic depictions of death and decay;
THE DAY WILL COME
5 stars - I loved it!
This is a reflection on the events of September 11 and was extremely moving and accurate. There will come a day when people don't think of that event when they walk by the site, they won't have been born when it happened, and our memories of that event need to be shared so future generations will understand.
TRUTH AND STORY
2 stars - It was ok
This was very short and I don’t really have any feelings or reactions about it so it was just ok for me.
STANDS A GOD WITHIN THE SHADOWS
DNF
I wasn’t really enjoying this story. It was very vague with what was happening to this woman and I just found myself not caring.
SHE MOVED THROUGH THE FAIR
3 stars - I liked it
An interesting story about a ghost and how she gets her revenge against her murder with the help of a distant cousin who is still alive. I enjoyed this one and how unique it was.
A STRAND IN THE WEB
4 stars - It was really good
This was a very interesting sci-fi story about Restorers, who travel space and attempt to restore life to planets. This follows a young student named Willow who wants to be a Restorer and is given a chance. She is a natural which is good because their ship is failing. I really enjoyed this and the whole concept.
January 2, 2025
Gathering together bits and pieces from her earliest writings to a couple of new never-before-published pieces covering genres ranging through fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and urban fantasy, The Lady in Glass and Other Stories is a rather eclectic collection of Anne Bishop's works that show her range as an author.
While I was curious about how Anne Bishop's writing has matured and how she writes in other genres, I confess that I really came to this collection for one particular story, the latest novella set in The Others' world. Along the way, I took in her other new piece and revisited some I read previously. My review will only be for the three I listened to, but I might come back and add thoughts on the other stories as I have time.
First up, Home for the Howlidays was a holiday story set at Winter Solstice in the world of The Others. Meg has a particularly troubling prophecy while still recovering from injuries that happened previously in Etched in Bone. The prophecy is of death for someone close to her. So, when she and her human pack are making festive and Simon is trying to figure out the human custom of gift giving, he learns that not all gifts can be bought from a store shelf.
This was a lovely return visit to the Lakeside Courtyard and all the familiar characters for the holidays.
Second, Dark Ship , also in the world of The Others and previously published in another anthology. Dark Ship is set in the area of the former Cel-Romano Alliance in a village by the sea where a young woman is stuck by her greedy father, step-mother, and a pirate captain, but shows kindness and courage to strangers and her friends alike even when its deadly to do so.
I enjoyed visiting The Others' world in a distant land and including the seascape.
Finally, there was Friends and Corpses a standalone murder mystery with a paranormal twist and interesting take on zombies. A woman's county is known for its unusual water. The water has two particular magical traits- people are limited to two children and when they die, people's brains remain alive a bit longer than the body. Because of this second ticklish bit, a new law enforcement department exists so that deputies respond to calls to bring the living dead to a safe facility where they can be housed in comfort until the final death happens. This keeps no squishy or disgusting "bursts" or un-hygenic issues from causing trouble among the regular living.traits. Unfortunately, her latest call out is a murder situation and it is a complicated one.
Decidedly unusual, but oh so engaging.
Alexandra Harris narrated all three I listened to and is already a favorite narrator thanks to her work as The Others series narrator. She gives personality in voice to all the cast and captures the emotional tone of the story so well.
When I return for the rest of the book, I'll update my review to reflect my thoughts. For now, I heartily recommend the collection particularly to current fans of the author's works.
“Friends and Corpses,” a murder mystery in which the corpse has some decidedly unusual qualities, and “Home for the Howlidays,”
While I was curious about how Anne Bishop's writing has matured and how she writes in other genres, I confess that I really came to this collection for one particular story, the latest novella set in The Others' world. Along the way, I took in her other new piece and revisited some I read previously. My review will only be for the three I listened to, but I might come back and add thoughts on the other stories as I have time.
First up, Home for the Howlidays was a holiday story set at Winter Solstice in the world of The Others. Meg has a particularly troubling prophecy while still recovering from injuries that happened previously in Etched in Bone. The prophecy is of death for someone close to her. So, when she and her human pack are making festive and Simon is trying to figure out the human custom of gift giving, he learns that not all gifts can be bought from a store shelf.
This was a lovely return visit to the Lakeside Courtyard and all the familiar characters for the holidays.
Second, Dark Ship , also in the world of The Others and previously published in another anthology. Dark Ship is set in the area of the former Cel-Romano Alliance in a village by the sea where a young woman is stuck by her greedy father, step-mother, and a pirate captain, but shows kindness and courage to strangers and her friends alike even when its deadly to do so.
I enjoyed visiting The Others' world in a distant land and including the seascape.
Finally, there was Friends and Corpses a standalone murder mystery with a paranormal twist and interesting take on zombies. A woman's county is known for its unusual water. The water has two particular magical traits- people are limited to two children and when they die, people's brains remain alive a bit longer than the body. Because of this second ticklish bit, a new law enforcement department exists so that deputies respond to calls to bring the living dead to a safe facility where they can be housed in comfort until the final death happens. This keeps no squishy or disgusting "bursts" or un-hygenic issues from causing trouble among the regular living.traits. Unfortunately, her latest call out is a murder situation and it is a complicated one.
Decidedly unusual, but oh so engaging.
Alexandra Harris narrated all three I listened to and is already a favorite narrator thanks to her work as The Others series narrator. She gives personality in voice to all the cast and captures the emotional tone of the story so well.
When I return for the rest of the book, I'll update my review to reflect my thoughts. For now, I heartily recommend the collection particularly to current fans of the author's works.
“Friends and Corpses,” a murder mystery in which the corpse has some decidedly unusual qualities, and “Home for the Howlidays,”
February 18, 2024
The lady in glass and other stories is a short story collection by Anne Bishop that is broken up into five sections the early stories, fairytales, black jewels, the story of the others and a potpourri of stories. While reading these short stories I found Ann Bishop has a way of ending every story with a twist and although it is rare to have a short story collection with so many surprising endings in every story be a class act but that was the case with this collection. There’s a short note at the beginning of the section she also has short stories in here that correlate with her which in vampire book series and although I have never read those books I absolutely enjoy the short stories. Whenever reviewing a short story collection I always pick my favorite story and in this one there were two. The first one is Truth And Story it was a really quick story that was so cute, then secondly there was She Walks At The Fair. It was a ghost story and a murder mystery and although it was hard for me to pick my favorite in this collection especially with the great Rapunzel and the title story and many others those are the two that stood out to me I am sure if you read it you’ll have your own. If you love magical realism Syfy and all the goodness that genre has to offer including fairytales the you absolutely love this book, I certainly did! I want to thank Berkeley publishing and Net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
June 6, 2024
I like Anne Bishop. I love her Black Jewels series. I enjoyed most of the stories in this book. In fact, I’ve almost decided to give her series about The Others a try simply because Home for the Howlidays and The Dark Ship were so good. The world of Ephemera turned out to be really depressing and I don’t think I’ll be going back to it anytime soon.
In case you’re wondering why it took so long to finish this book I read The Early Stories section the day I got it. Then put it aside to read something I knew would be more ‘fun’ and simply never got back to it until mid-May
There’s some really interesting stuff in the last section but nothing I’m absolutely loving. The Fairy Tales section is pretty good. Match Girl is super depressing until the end; Rapunzel is a hoot: The Wild Heart is really cool Sleeping Beauty story and The Fairest of Them All left me scratching my head. I honestly have no clue what was going on with that one
In case you’re wondering why it took so long to finish this book I read The Early Stories section the day I got it. Then put it aside to read something I knew would be more ‘fun’ and simply never got back to it until mid-May
There’s some really interesting stuff in the last section but nothing I’m absolutely loving. The Fairy Tales section is pretty good. Match Girl is super depressing until the end; Rapunzel is a hoot: The Wild Heart is really cool Sleeping Beauty story and The Fairest of Them All left me scratching my head. I honestly have no clue what was going on with that one
Currently reading
April 2, 2024Anthology
1. The Lady and the Glass - deformed men and women are either in love or hate this beautiful preserved woman in a glass case. They discuss whether to let her out. 3 stars.
2. Bear Trap - Very short story about a young girl who is trapped and has to rescue herself. 3 stars.
3. Not A Princess - Kind of a Rapunzel story but the "princess" falls in love with not who expected. This was kind of funny. Different than the author's usual stuff. 3 stars.
4. The Weapon - Was the guy the dad? I was confused. 2 stars.
5. Hotting Fuggam and the Dragon - Silly story. Hotting didn't really redeem himself at the end, he still left everyone miserable. 2 stars.
6. Tunnel - Very short story about driving through a tunnel and not getting through. 2 stars.
7. Match Girl - I enjoyed this story. Very ruthless/stark beginning but ended well. 4 stars.
8. Rapunzel - I felt really sorry for the husband but was glad the daughter got away. 3 stars.
9. The Wild Heart - Two sides of one person are divided and then brought back together. 3 stars.
10. The Fairest One of All - The mirror is sick of being questioned and shuts down. 2 stars.
11. By the Time the Witchblood Blooms - A woman is hired to get rid of a monster. She does. 3 stars.
12. The Khaldharon Run - An male friend is freaking out when his female friend does scary things. 3 stars.
13. The Price - Another story I must have read in an anthology. I'd forgotten a portion of it so that's good for a second reading. 3-1/2 stars.
14. The Voice -
15. Home for the Howlidays - (Others story) It's winter solstice and/or Christmas and Simon is wonder what to get Meg. Then he comes up with the perfect gift. I was surprised Meg's prediction wasn't shared with the wife and mother, but it ended up great. 4 stars.
16. The Dark Ship - I read this before - it must have been in another anthology. I liked it. 5 stars.
17. Friends and Corpses -
18. The Day Will Come -
19. Truth and Story -
20. Stands A God Within the Shadows-
21. She Moved Through The Fair -
22. A Strand in the Web-
1. The Lady and the Glass - deformed men and women are either in love or hate this beautiful preserved woman in a glass case. They discuss whether to let her out. 3 stars.
2. Bear Trap - Very short story about a young girl who is trapped and has to rescue herself. 3 stars.
3. Not A Princess - Kind of a Rapunzel story but the "princess" falls in love with not who expected. This was kind of funny. Different than the author's usual stuff. 3 stars.
4. The Weapon - Was the guy the dad? I was confused. 2 stars.
5. Hotting Fuggam and the Dragon - Silly story. Hotting didn't really redeem himself at the end, he still left everyone miserable. 2 stars.
6. Tunnel - Very short story about driving through a tunnel and not getting through. 2 stars.
7. Match Girl - I enjoyed this story. Very ruthless/stark beginning but ended well. 4 stars.
8. Rapunzel - I felt really sorry for the husband but was glad the daughter got away. 3 stars.
9. The Wild Heart - Two sides of one person are divided and then brought back together. 3 stars.
10. The Fairest One of All - The mirror is sick of being questioned and shuts down. 2 stars.
11. By the Time the Witchblood Blooms - A woman is hired to get rid of a monster. She does. 3 stars.
12. The Khaldharon Run - An male friend is freaking out when his female friend does scary things. 3 stars.
13. The Price - Another story I must have read in an anthology. I'd forgotten a portion of it so that's good for a second reading. 3-1/2 stars.
14. The Voice -
15. Home for the Howlidays - (Others story) It's winter solstice and/or Christmas and Simon is wonder what to get Meg. Then he comes up with the perfect gift. I was surprised Meg's prediction wasn't shared with the wife and mother, but it ended up great. 4 stars.
16. The Dark Ship - I read this before - it must have been in another anthology. I liked it. 5 stars.
17. Friends and Corpses -
18. The Day Will Come -
19. Truth and Story -
20. Stands A God Within the Shadows-
21. She Moved Through The Fair -
22. A Strand in the Web-
May 24, 2024
The Lady in Glass by Anne Bishop
Yet another example of why Anne Bishop is my favourite author. This collection of short stories is eclectic and varied in genre and yet still maintains the excellent storytelling that Bishop always delivers.
From twisted fairytale retellings to tales featuring beloved characters from her fantasy series, this was a joy to read and such a reminder on what a great writer can achieve, even in a plot that only spans a modest number of pages. The poignant environmental tale ‘A Strand in the Web’ had me thinking for days afterwards and should be a required read for literally everybody.
Trigger warning: there are a number of stories that involve abuse, both physical and sexual.
Yet another example of why Anne Bishop is my favourite author. This collection of short stories is eclectic and varied in genre and yet still maintains the excellent storytelling that Bishop always delivers.
From twisted fairytale retellings to tales featuring beloved characters from her fantasy series, this was a joy to read and such a reminder on what a great writer can achieve, even in a plot that only spans a modest number of pages. The poignant environmental tale ‘A Strand in the Web’ had me thinking for days afterwards and should be a required read for literally everybody.
Trigger warning: there are a number of stories that involve abuse, both physical and sexual.
Read
July 18, 2024DNF
I didn't read all the stories in this book. I only read three: two stories from The Others universe and one other. As I love Bishop's novels of The Others series, those two stories were my goal here, and I'm glad I read them. I tried one more story - Friends and Corpses - and found it well-written but dark and disturbing. Not my cup of tea at all. I didn't want to read anything else. Bishop's other series never worked for me, so I decided not to try any other story.
I didn't read all the stories in this book. I only read three: two stories from The Others universe and one other. As I love Bishop's novels of The Others series, those two stories were my goal here, and I'm glad I read them. I tried one more story - Friends and Corpses - and found it well-written but dark and disturbing. Not my cup of tea at all. I didn't want to read anything else. Bishop's other series never worked for me, so I decided not to try any other story.
August 2, 2024
I have read most of these stories before, but it has been awhile and there were several I had never read. A nice sampling across Bishop's worlds with plenty of the familiar tropes she returns to again and again in every world.
February 10, 2025
A great collection of short stories. There were a number of these that were fun and even more that were haunting. A fair bit I'd love to see more of the worlds previewed get more exploration in the future.
March 5, 2024
3,5*
Loved The Others stories 😍
Loved The Others stories 😍
March 15, 2024
Fascinating collection that only made me want to read more
March 16, 2024
Mixed bag
March 29, 2024
Loved all of these stories, they were so great, some of them were pretty dark, but I loved the variety, and I loved the new stories!
May 17, 2024
I have to admit my stars are for the Others stories. I can not get enough stories of Simon and Meg.
January 2, 2025
***
Collection of short stories by Anne Bishop.
-Scribere- Poem.
-The Lady in Glass- A Snow White retelling in which the world is populated only by dwarves, who unearth a strange glass coffin which upsets the order and threatens the continuation of their society.
-Bear Trap- A girl is saved from one trap, only to be caught in another.
-Not a Princess- A humorous retelling of Rapunzel. Matilda the witch wants nothing but a leisurely life, but her plans to turn Rachel into princess material is met with fierce rebellion.
-The Weapon- Society has devolved into fighting endless reenactments of old wars. Although this started slow and the premise is weird, it became really interesting towards the end.
-Hotting Fuggam and the Dragon- Humorous tale about a man that has to one-up everyone in the tall tales he perpetually tells.
-Tunnel- A woman is slowly engulfed by a tunnel.
-Matchgirl- Retelling of the Little Match Girl. Phoenix is mistreated by the people who took her in, and then horribly abused by the men of a rundown town they travel to. Extremely disturbing.
-Rapunzel- Retelling of Rapunzel through three parts- her birth mother, her witch mother, and Rapunzel herself. An interesting, bittersweet take, especially the ending.
-The Wild Heart- Retelling of Sleeping Beauty. After being hurt, the princess takes extreme measures to protect herself. Another interesting take, with a very unique premise.
-The Fairest One of All- The magic mirror from Snow White, sick of all the selfishness he sees before him, decides to twist matters.
-By the Time the Witchblood Blooms- Black Jewels story. Surreal takes great pleasure in completing an assassination. This story is also included in the Black Jewels book Tangled Webs.
-The Khaldharon Run- Black Jewels story. Jaenelle and a healing Lucivar fly the Khaldharon Run, the most difficult flight for an Eyrien. A fun little story that takes place during Heir to the Shadows, this cut scene used to be on the author's website.
-The Price- Black Jewels story. Surreal teams up with Rainier, and with a little help from Jaenelle and Daemon, solves a series of mysterious murders. This story shows the beginning of Surreal and Rainier's long friendship.
-The Voice- Ephemera story. A village pours all of its woes onto one nameless woman, who accepts and bears their pain in silence. As a child, Nalah finds out the truth and is horrified, and spends years trying to reconcile the horror her village willingly participates in. Very unsettling. This novella is also included in Bridge of Dreams.
-Home For the Howlidays- The Others story. Meg and Simon celebrate their first Winter Solstice together, amid threats of a looming storm and a dire prophecy from Meg. This was fantastic fun, and it was great to check in on Meg and Simon.
-The Dark Ship- World of the Others story. Dett lives in a small seaside village in Cel-Ramona, controlled by a dangerous sea captain. When she risks violence to save an innocent life, she catches the attention of Corvo Sanguinati, a man who is much more than he seems. This story takes place in a new location and with all new characters in this series. It's quite a bit darker than the latest versions of that world, and although it offered nothing really different, it was interesting enough that I wouldn't mind seeing these characters explored further.
-Friends and Corpses- The water in different counties across the world has different properties. The one in Cecily's hometown can reanimate the recently deceased, and she is a part of a team that catches and helps them process their unfinished business. A fun premise that was unfortunately weighed down by an overly convoluted murder mystery.
-The Day Will Come- The importance of remembering 9-11.
-Truth and Story-Truth and story are equally important.
-Stands a God Within the Shadows-Retelling of Lady of Shalott. In a post-apocalyptic world, Eleanor is imprisoned within a tower and is allowed to view her world only through a TV screen, depicting the world as it was. This story was quite strange, and not very fulfilling.
-She Moved Through the Fair- When Elaine inherits her ancestral home, she is visited by her ancestor and solves an old murder.
-A Strand in the Web- A space-faring people travel the stars, saving and restoring planets capable of supporting life. Willow is a talented young Restorer, who may play a larger role within her society.
Many of these stories are very dark, with sexual violence, chillingly inventive repression of women, and the casual cruelty of men. Although many of Bishop's books are like this, its easier to accept it spread throughout an entire novel, mixed with her unique blend of humor, fantasy, and magic, rather than in short vignettes where the darkness overwhelms the other aspects. Yet most of these stories have at least a hopeful, if not outright happy ending. Even so, it was difficult to read all of this in a row.
Some of these stories are difficult to get a hold of, with most of the collections they appeared in out of print, so it's nice to have them all collected together and I enjoyed quite a few of them.
Personal history: Borrowed from library (after a VERY long wait). Will purchase paperback once available.
Black Jewels:
10. The Shadow Queen
13. The Queen's Bargain
14. The Queen's Weapons
15. The Queen's Price
Ephemera:
2. Belladonna
World of the Others (spin-off series from The Others):
3. Crowbones
Collection of short stories by Anne Bishop.
-Scribere- Poem.
-The Lady in Glass- A Snow White retelling in which the world is populated only by dwarves, who unearth a strange glass coffin which upsets the order and threatens the continuation of their society.
-Bear Trap- A girl is saved from one trap, only to be caught in another.
-Not a Princess- A humorous retelling of Rapunzel. Matilda the witch wants nothing but a leisurely life, but her plans to turn Rachel into princess material is met with fierce rebellion.
-The Weapon- Society has devolved into fighting endless reenactments of old wars. Although this started slow and the premise is weird, it became really interesting towards the end.
-Hotting Fuggam and the Dragon- Humorous tale about a man that has to one-up everyone in the tall tales he perpetually tells.
-Tunnel- A woman is slowly engulfed by a tunnel.
-Matchgirl- Retelling of the Little Match Girl. Phoenix is mistreated by the people who took her in, and then horribly abused by the men of a rundown town they travel to. Extremely disturbing.
-Rapunzel- Retelling of Rapunzel through three parts- her birth mother, her witch mother, and Rapunzel herself. An interesting, bittersweet take, especially the ending.
-The Wild Heart- Retelling of Sleeping Beauty. After being hurt, the princess takes extreme measures to protect herself. Another interesting take, with a very unique premise.
-The Fairest One of All- The magic mirror from Snow White, sick of all the selfishness he sees before him, decides to twist matters.
-By the Time the Witchblood Blooms- Black Jewels story. Surreal takes great pleasure in completing an assassination. This story is also included in the Black Jewels book Tangled Webs.
-The Khaldharon Run- Black Jewels story. Jaenelle and a healing Lucivar fly the Khaldharon Run, the most difficult flight for an Eyrien. A fun little story that takes place during Heir to the Shadows, this cut scene used to be on the author's website.
-The Price- Black Jewels story. Surreal teams up with Rainier, and with a little help from Jaenelle and Daemon, solves a series of mysterious murders. This story shows the beginning of Surreal and Rainier's long friendship.
-The Voice- Ephemera story. A village pours all of its woes onto one nameless woman, who accepts and bears their pain in silence. As a child, Nalah finds out the truth and is horrified, and spends years trying to reconcile the horror her village willingly participates in. Very unsettling. This novella is also included in Bridge of Dreams.
-Home For the Howlidays- The Others story. Meg and Simon celebrate their first Winter Solstice together, amid threats of a looming storm and a dire prophecy from Meg. This was fantastic fun, and it was great to check in on Meg and Simon.
-The Dark Ship- World of the Others story. Dett lives in a small seaside village in Cel-Ramona, controlled by a dangerous sea captain. When she risks violence to save an innocent life, she catches the attention of Corvo Sanguinati, a man who is much more than he seems. This story takes place in a new location and with all new characters in this series. It's quite a bit darker than the latest versions of that world, and although it offered nothing really different, it was interesting enough that I wouldn't mind seeing these characters explored further.
-Friends and Corpses- The water in different counties across the world has different properties. The one in Cecily's hometown can reanimate the recently deceased, and she is a part of a team that catches and helps them process their unfinished business. A fun premise that was unfortunately weighed down by an overly convoluted murder mystery.
-The Day Will Come- The importance of remembering 9-11.
-Truth and Story-Truth and story are equally important.
-Stands a God Within the Shadows-Retelling of Lady of Shalott. In a post-apocalyptic world, Eleanor is imprisoned within a tower and is allowed to view her world only through a TV screen, depicting the world as it was. This story was quite strange, and not very fulfilling.
-She Moved Through the Fair- When Elaine inherits her ancestral home, she is visited by her ancestor and solves an old murder.
-A Strand in the Web- A space-faring people travel the stars, saving and restoring planets capable of supporting life. Willow is a talented young Restorer, who may play a larger role within her society.
Many of these stories are very dark, with sexual violence, chillingly inventive repression of women, and the casual cruelty of men. Although many of Bishop's books are like this, its easier to accept it spread throughout an entire novel, mixed with her unique blend of humor, fantasy, and magic, rather than in short vignettes where the darkness overwhelms the other aspects. Yet most of these stories have at least a hopeful, if not outright happy ending. Even so, it was difficult to read all of this in a row.
Some of these stories are difficult to get a hold of, with most of the collections they appeared in out of print, so it's nice to have them all collected together and I enjoyed quite a few of them.
Personal history: Borrowed from library (after a VERY long wait). Will purchase paperback once available.
Black Jewels:
10. The Shadow Queen
13. The Queen's Bargain
14. The Queen's Weapons
15. The Queen's Price
Ephemera:
2. Belladonna
World of the Others (spin-off series from The Others):
3. Crowbones
Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews