A Girl Made of Time

by Tiffany Chu

When a peasant girl follows glowing mushrooms into the forbidden forest, she discovers the witch waiting in the cave wears her own face—and the mad queen in the castle does too.

In a kingdom gripped by famine, young Carys has always been the wild child her mother couldn't tame. But when mysterious mushrooms begin to glow at her touch and lead her deep into the forest, she stumbles into an impossible she is the witch, she will become the queen, and time itself has trapped her in an endless cycle.

As Carys learns to see the hidden threads connecting past, future, and the secret stores of food that could save her starving family, she must choose between remaining the girl she was or becoming the powerful, feared woman she's destined to be. But in a story where the ending is also the beginning, can she find a way to break free—or is she doomed to walk the same path forever?

Perfect for fans of Alix E. Harrow and Naomi Novik, A Girl Made of Time is a lyrical, genre-bending tale of magic, sacrifice, and the impossible weight of living three lives at once.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

39 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 17, 2024

About the author

Tiffany Chu is a Taiwanese American literary fantasy author of stories that aim to stab your heart out with a spoon. She has been called “the queen of angsty beauty,” and writes on evergreen themes of grief, belonging, and what it means to be human.

Her essays and short stories have been published by Open Secrets Magazine, Chicago Story Press, and San Diego Writers, Ink.

She is obsessed with J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and reads it religiously every year. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two surviving children.

Tiffany writes a weekly newsletter where she shares literary nonfiction and fiction. To read more of her writing, subscribe at https://tiffanychu.org/

Reviews

[Mai H.]

You had me at forests, mushrooms, and witches. A little fantasy. A little magical realism. What is real? What isn't? Is Carys the girl, the witch, or the queen? What is time?

📱 Thank you to Goodreads and Glass Bottle Press

[Lavins]

3 stars

Short and cute

[Bojana]

A Girl Made of Time delivers a compelling concept wrapped in a format that suits it well — a short story that wisely doesn’t overstay its welcome. its central theme is time: cyclical, repeating itself, and the question of whether we could (or should) break the loops we're caught in; it is thought-provoking and lingers after reading. while the writing is generally solid, it occasionally drags with repetitive descriptions that, in my opinion, could have been better used to deepen the core ideas. the characters feel more like vehicles for the theme than fully fleshed-out individuals, but that seems intentional. in the end, it’s less about who the girl is and more about what time asks of her, and of us: to embrace our fate and surrender to it — not passively, but in a deliberate, proactive way.

[Elaina Wall]

I absolutely LOVED it! This whimsical short story keep me intrigued from cover to cover. I reread a few lines as they just spoke to my soul. I will absolutely be keeping up with this author.

[Hanna Delaney]

Immediately immersive, poignant and bittersweet. A Girl Made Of Time is a haunting fairy tale.

[Julia Wellham]

Beautifully written with prose reminiscent of Alix E Harrow and VE Schwab, this is a story equally enchanting and meditative.

“Time gets tangled when you’ve lived it thrice over”

[Mouse]

I enjoyed this short story! The feeling it gave and the small tale it spun. It was fascinating and sparked a few emotions in me! Which isn’t always an easy task. I’d definitely consider checking out more of the author’s work and recommend you try out A Girl Made of Time.

[Trivenefica]

A Girl Made of Time was a beautifully told, almost fairytale-like journey of a woman caught in an unending cycle. It felt quiet yet powerful, and left a lasting impression despite its length. Short, but truly impactful. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Melissa]

This is a very enjoyable story with some good messages within. When power and wealth are in the hands of a few, there are many who suffer. When power (e.g. to feed the hungry) falls to others and, the formerly powerful and wealthy begin to suffer, it puts things into a different perspective. Having to relive a single life, let alone three, can be unbearable but there is always a hope that minor changes will ultimately have an impact on the final outcome.

[Kayleigh]

I received a free download in a goodreads giveaway! I really enjoyed this novellette! For such a short story I really felt the depth of the main character and the magical world that the story was set in!

[maité]

such an intriguing short story !! definitely want to read more by this author !

[Courtney]

Absolutely gorgeously written fantastical short story! Even though it’s a short story I felt like I was really there in the forest. Such a quick and easy read.

[Sunshine]

This was a very quick read but it left me with a lot to think about. The idea of time as a never ending cycle was unique and really drew me in. Following a woman who is trapped in time and able to witness the past the present and the future made for such an interesting story. The writing was beautiful and had an almost dreamlike feeling that fit the concept perfectly. It may be a short book but it is one that stays with you after you finish.

[Aprajita]

4.5

[Shriyanshi]

I really loved A Girl Made of Time. It’s such a short read but somehow still feels so full and a little haunting in a good way. The whole vibe—soft magic, time loops, that slightly eerie fairytale feeling—just pulled me in, and the mother–daughter relationship hit more than I expected. It felt personal in a quiet way. I’d honestly recommend it a lot, especially if you want something quick but meaningful. It also got me out of a reading slump, so that alone makes it special to me.

[Lynxman44]

2.25
Review
be honest going into this book I wasn't really sure what to expect with it being a short story. This book was confusing throughout and felt the plot was just messy and not clear in my opinion. I feel this book was a good idea but comes across poorly. I feel if it was a longer book it might have worked better. I say give this a go still as others might like it more than me

[Fyra]

Just 21 pages, yet a full package to take in. A girl, what should I call her? A peasant girl? A madwoman, the queen, the witch? A girl living three lives, one linking the two, one trying to break the cycle, and one playing her part. The style is amazing, and so is the ending.
‘Time is not a river.’
A perfect story, everyone should read it.
Written has done such a good job.

[mellowtea]

I honestly wasn't expecting much when I decided to read this but omg the novelette was so interesting. The plot and writing style gave me an Alice in Wonderland vibe but the storyline was so unique. it was also really satisfying to read the way the plot unfolded and draw lines between each scene to see how it connects.
I'm so glad I decided to read this 🤍

[Mary L]

“A Girl Made of Time” is, in a word, magic. It conjures Ursula K. LeGuin in its vividness of imagery and imaginative scope. Tiffany Chu has a true gift for storytelling. More than that, she shows the heart’s connection to the universe, the glimmering threads that bind us through time and space. A compelling tale by a remarkably talented author.

[Chantel Ward]

Quick changes during this quick read. Nice analogy ending.

[Brianna Bello]

Very interesting short story. A girl who is someone else in different times but all the same person at once. Definitely enjoyed this.

[Casey]

This was a neat little story. It was enchanting and magical. A very quick read to listen to while driving.

[Isabella]

I would have liked to spend more time in this world. Carys came off a little generic, likely because of how short the book is, but it had a distinct fairytale feel that I really enjoyed.

[Kari]

A very quick read, it is an interesting concept of time being a never-ending cycle. A woman trapped in time, seeing what was, what is, and what will be.

Beautifully written.

[L.R. Scott]

This is a hard story to review. The prose takes a second to get used to, but once you do it is very enjoyable! Because I enjoyed it, how can I remove a star? The story feels like a hint of more, there are a lot of cool ideas that definitely hint at a wider world and I definitely want the ideas to be explored more fully. The story left me wanting more--how can I remove a star?? The story itself is beautifully written and strangely impactful. I say "strangely" because there's not a LOT of characterization, but eventually the story takes on an allegorical weight without diminishing it's narrative, it's like tasting a whiskey with complex flavor that evolves long after you've finished drinking. It lingered--how can I remove a star??? There is more to this story than meets the eye at first brush, and shoot, I read it for free--HOW CAN I REMOVE A STAR???? An excellent first taste of a writer whose work I am now excited to explore more deeply.

[E.H. Lau]

(Disclaimer: I have interact with the author on Substack before, and I picked up the ebook version of this during its free period.)
A Girl Made of Time is a time-bending fairy tale with a more lyrical style of narration.
The time travel used can be a bit too abstract and obtuse, especially when compared to more conventional depictions (and even moreso if you're used to the more common sci-fi ones).
However, I really enjoyed the more emotional and fantastical take on it, and how it was used to explore the main character's journey as she wrestles with being a poor peasant girl who is destined/doomed to become a queen and a witch in a seemingly unending cycle.
Overall, I was very engrossed with the story and enjoyed my TIME with it!

[Endora Pan]

I absolutely LOVED this book! This is fantasy at its best.

I first discovered this book through the audiobook and the narrator, Emily Lawrence, really does a brilliant job keeping you captivated throughout the whole story. She brought the story to life without being overly theatrical, which is a huge plus when sitting in rush hour traffic.

To anyone who thinks this book is too short, well, it clearly states that it's a novelette from the title. It's an easy read, but one that I would re-read again.

[Parris]

🍵🍵🍵.75/5
I have enjoyed this book as much as I was entitled to up until page (where the mushrooms were discovered) and took me from enjoying to overly thinking about the people that I cannot help. I can help by praying, but as a human being, we're sort of limited to certain things.
It's really short. Can finish in an hour or less. It's also a good hot weather read, well, according to the narrator.

[Cassie Guerin]

Thank you Goodreads, Tiffany Chu, and the publisher for a free copy. I enjoyed the writing of this short story, but I just couldn't help wishing we got more. The story felt like it was almost a play on the maiden, mother, crone archetype, but not quite. The time loop concept is interesting and overall I enjoyed the story. Nice for a quick read

[clementine]

I really enjoyed this! Beautiful prose and writing style. I kind of figured out the twist, but it was still very satisfying to read how it played out and was revealed. Overall my only complaint is that it wasn't longer! I'd love to read a full length novel by this author!