A Girl Made of Time: A Novelette

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

40 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 San Diego Writers, Inc., Chicago Story Press, and Renewal Missions.

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.ghost.io/

Reviews

[Lavins · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

Short and cute

[Bojana · Rating 3 out of 5]

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 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Julia Wellham · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[maité · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Chantel Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick changes during this quick read. Nice analogy ending.

[Brianna Bello · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

[Endora Pan · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Lynxman44 · Rating 2 out of 5]

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 · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[clementine · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.