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Seasons of Glass and Iron: Stories
Full of glimpses into gleaming worlds and fairy tales with teeth, Seasons of Glass and Iron is a collection of acclaimed and awarded work from Amal El-Mohtar.
With confidence and style, El-Mohtar guides us through exquisitely told and sharply observed tales about life as it is, was, and could be. Like miscellany from other worlds, these stories are told in letters, diary entries, reference materials, folktales, and lyrical prose.
Full of Nebula, Locus, World Fantasy, and Hugo Award-winning and nominated stories, Seasons of Glass and Iron includes "Seasons of Glass and Iron," "The Green Book," "Madeleine," "The Lonely Sea in the Sky," "And Their Lips Rang with the Sun," "The Truth About Owls," "A Hollow Play," "Anabasis," "To Follow the Waves," "John Hollowback and the Witch," "Florilegia, or, Some Lies About Flowers," "Pockets," and more.
With confidence and style, El-Mohtar guides us through exquisitely told and sharply observed tales about life as it is, was, and could be. Like miscellany from other worlds, these stories are told in letters, diary entries, reference materials, folktales, and lyrical prose.
Full of Nebula, Locus, World Fantasy, and Hugo Award-winning and nominated stories, Seasons of Glass and Iron includes "Seasons of Glass and Iron," "The Green Book," "Madeleine," "The Lonely Sea in the Sky," "And Their Lips Rang with the Sun," "The Truth About Owls," "A Hollow Play," "Anabasis," "To Follow the Waves," "John Hollowback and the Witch," "Florilegia, or, Some Lies About Flowers," "Pockets," and more.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews
March 25, 2026
i love a fairytale.
mini reviews for each of them!
SEASONS OF GLASS AND IRON
princesses and wives get the short end of the stick in most fairytales. it's nice to read this meeting of the minds of two of them. ladies let's unionize!
rating: 4
THE GREEN BOOK
different notes in different handwriting in a kind of haunted book scenario? i don't know. kind of confusing. i yearn for the whimsy of varying typefaces.
rating: 3
MADELEINE
this is more about side effects from a clinical trial than i would have expected a fairytale to be.
rating: 3.5
THE LONELY SEA IN THE SKY
this gave me reason to be grateful for both my terror and disgust toward space and my ambivalence toward diamonds.
rating: 3
SONG FOR AN ANCIENT CITY
this one really is just a song.
rating: 3
AND THEIR LIPS RANG WITH THE SUN
this one was really nice :)
rating: 4
A TALE OF ASH IN SEVEN BIRDS
did not know that the enemy of birds was a unionized nation-state of wizards.
rating: 3
QAHR
oh, oh, oh. free palestine.
rating: 5
THE TRUTH OF OWLS
i love sad and witchy girls.
rating: 4
WING
book-based romance.
rating: 3.5
A HOLLOW PLAY
this is just...some intensely corny and heavy dialogue we have here.
rating: 2.5
THUNDERSTORM IN GLASGOW, JULY 25, 2013
another poem.
rating: 3
ANABASIS
to quote bella swan, your mood swings are giving me whiplash. i cannot keep up with where this is going.
rating: 3
TO FOLLOW THE WAVES
i'm just getting frustrated at this point. these are so short and range so widely. there are no stakes or deep feelings because of it.
rating: 2.5
PIECES
it's another...poem...
rating: 3
JOHN HOLLOWBACK AND THE WITCH
what an emotional rollercoaster — we're back to fairytales. a bit of a didactic, misandrist fairytale, but a fairytale all the same.
rating: 3.5
FLORILEGIA; OR, SOME LIES ABOUT FLOWERS
see above.
rating: 3.5
POCKETS
did not predict this story of finding stuff impossibly in your pockets would suddenly end with an instagram-esque "you are so important there is only one of you" love letter.
rating: 3
OVERALL
unfortunately i didn't feel this collection was building toward anything bigger. it's not long, but it's packed with so many different stories and poems in different structures and genres and styles. instead of feeling exciting and interesting, over time it felt almost distracting. after the first story i thought i was in for a volume of fairytales, and i truly wish i had been.
rating: 3
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
mini reviews for each of them!
SEASONS OF GLASS AND IRON
princesses and wives get the short end of the stick in most fairytales. it's nice to read this meeting of the minds of two of them. ladies let's unionize!
rating: 4
THE GREEN BOOK
different notes in different handwriting in a kind of haunted book scenario? i don't know. kind of confusing. i yearn for the whimsy of varying typefaces.
rating: 3
MADELEINE
this is more about side effects from a clinical trial than i would have expected a fairytale to be.
rating: 3.5
THE LONELY SEA IN THE SKY
this gave me reason to be grateful for both my terror and disgust toward space and my ambivalence toward diamonds.
rating: 3
SONG FOR AN ANCIENT CITY
this one really is just a song.
rating: 3
AND THEIR LIPS RANG WITH THE SUN
this one was really nice :)
rating: 4
A TALE OF ASH IN SEVEN BIRDS
did not know that the enemy of birds was a unionized nation-state of wizards.
rating: 3
QAHR
oh, oh, oh. free palestine.
rating: 5
THE TRUTH OF OWLS
i love sad and witchy girls.
rating: 4
WING
book-based romance.
rating: 3.5
A HOLLOW PLAY
this is just...some intensely corny and heavy dialogue we have here.
rating: 2.5
THUNDERSTORM IN GLASGOW, JULY 25, 2013
another poem.
rating: 3
ANABASIS
to quote bella swan, your mood swings are giving me whiplash. i cannot keep up with where this is going.
rating: 3
TO FOLLOW THE WAVES
i'm just getting frustrated at this point. these are so short and range so widely. there are no stakes or deep feelings because of it.
rating: 2.5
PIECES
it's another...poem...
rating: 3
JOHN HOLLOWBACK AND THE WITCH
what an emotional rollercoaster — we're back to fairytales. a bit of a didactic, misandrist fairytale, but a fairytale all the same.
rating: 3.5
FLORILEGIA; OR, SOME LIES ABOUT FLOWERS
see above.
rating: 3.5
POCKETS
did not predict this story of finding stuff impossibly in your pockets would suddenly end with an instagram-esque "you are so important there is only one of you" love letter.
rating: 3
OVERALL
unfortunately i didn't feel this collection was building toward anything bigger. it's not long, but it's packed with so many different stories and poems in different structures and genres and styles. instead of feeling exciting and interesting, over time it felt almost distracting. after the first story i thought i was in for a volume of fairytales, and i truly wish i had been.
rating: 3
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
March 12, 2026
WOW.
This anthology is filled to the brim with a collection of works that are deeply layered, playful, a little weird, gorgeously written, and bursting with heart and soul.
I finished a number of these stories thinking, what the f- did I just read, at the same time as, omg. that was amazing — and I think that sums up my experience with everything I’ve read from this author. Would it be too weird to say her writing is transcendent? Probably, but I’m going to say it anyway.
I’m so glad I have a physical copy, this is something I’ll be revisiting again and again and I know each time I’ll discover a new facet.
Simply put…I loved this. Every piece in this short story collection is absolutely phenomenal. There are some I liked more than others, but not a single one I didn’t enjoy.
I think my favorite is And Their Lips Rang With the Sun, but I reserve the right to change my mind. There are so many that I connected with.
Certainly not for everyone, you’ve gotta be able to lean into a little confusion and weirdness, but if that sounds like something you’d enjoy this—and everything Amal El-Mohtar writes—is an absolute must read.
Audiobook: 5/5
Narrator: Rachel Elizabeth Smith
Length: 6 hrs 58 mins
WOW! Talk about a phenomenal audiobook performance. 10/10 no notes. I need Rachel Elizabeth Smith to narrate more audiobooks soon! As far as I can tell this is her first? Only? I need more from her! Her voice is gorgeous but her execution was also gorgeous. Pacing, pausing, inflection, the whole thing. PERFECT.
5⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Tor Books for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
This anthology is filled to the brim with a collection of works that are deeply layered, playful, a little weird, gorgeously written, and bursting with heart and soul.
I finished a number of these stories thinking, what the f- did I just read, at the same time as, omg. that was amazing — and I think that sums up my experience with everything I’ve read from this author. Would it be too weird to say her writing is transcendent? Probably, but I’m going to say it anyway.
I’m so glad I have a physical copy, this is something I’ll be revisiting again and again and I know each time I’ll discover a new facet.
Simply put…I loved this. Every piece in this short story collection is absolutely phenomenal. There are some I liked more than others, but not a single one I didn’t enjoy.
I think my favorite is And Their Lips Rang With the Sun, but I reserve the right to change my mind. There are so many that I connected with.
Certainly not for everyone, you’ve gotta be able to lean into a little confusion and weirdness, but if that sounds like something you’d enjoy this—and everything Amal El-Mohtar writes—is an absolute must read.
Audiobook: 5/5
Narrator: Rachel Elizabeth Smith
Length: 6 hrs 58 mins
WOW! Talk about a phenomenal audiobook performance. 10/10 no notes. I need Rachel Elizabeth Smith to narrate more audiobooks soon! As far as I can tell this is her first? Only? I need more from her! Her voice is gorgeous but her execution was also gorgeous. Pacing, pausing, inflection, the whole thing. PERFECT.
5⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Tor Books for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
April 4, 2026
"And anything is poison if you have too much of it."
_This collection of stories was a delight—especially since fairy tales like these have a way of reading me as much as I read them. This book saved me from more than one boring day; I savored it one or two stories at a time, careful not to overindulge :-).
The writing was lyrical and pretty, which got me immersed, but I shall say these stories are not the kind that live free in the mind after reading them for a while. For that, I gave it three stars.
_Some stories are written like diaries ("The Green Book") and letters ("A Hollow Play"), and even poems, which are my favorites—adding to the first story that shares the name of the collection, "Seasons of Glass and Iron." It is my favorite one.What makes this story so compelling is its refusal to sentimentalize suffering. Amira lives atop a glass hill, trapped not by physical bars but by her own refusal to be touched by any man. Tabitha, meanwhile, walks in iron shoes, wearing them out one pair per year of her seven-year marriage to a man who is a bear by day. I think the iron shoes are symbols of emotional labor, of the weight women carry when they love at their own expense. Amira's glass hill, too, is more than a literal prison. It represents the isolating safety of emotional walls—the choice to remain untouched rather than risk being hurt. It is not simply about a woman escaping a bear or another living on a glass hill eating apples; it is about the quiet, radical act of deciding that a free woman is, by definition, a happy one.
_P.S. I loved that the stories mirror how the writer is proud of her identity. We have stories from other folklores, and others about war, refuge, women friendship, and queers. What I loved most is that in one of the stories, the characters' names are after some Arabic letters.
_This collection of stories was a delight—especially since fairy tales like these have a way of reading me as much as I read them. This book saved me from more than one boring day; I savored it one or two stories at a time, careful not to overindulge :-).
The writing was lyrical and pretty, which got me immersed, but I shall say these stories are not the kind that live free in the mind after reading them for a while. For that, I gave it three stars.
_Some stories are written like diaries ("The Green Book") and letters ("A Hollow Play"), and even poems, which are my favorites—adding to the first story that shares the name of the collection, "Seasons of Glass and Iron." It is my favorite one.What makes this story so compelling is its refusal to sentimentalize suffering. Amira lives atop a glass hill, trapped not by physical bars but by her own refusal to be touched by any man. Tabitha, meanwhile, walks in iron shoes, wearing them out one pair per year of her seven-year marriage to a man who is a bear by day. I think the iron shoes are symbols of emotional labor, of the weight women carry when they love at their own expense. Amira's glass hill, too, is more than a literal prison. It represents the isolating safety of emotional walls—the choice to remain untouched rather than risk being hurt. It is not simply about a woman escaping a bear or another living on a glass hill eating apples; it is about the quiet, radical act of deciding that a free woman is, by definition, a happy one.
_P.S. I loved that the stories mirror how the writer is proud of her identity. We have stories from other folklores, and others about war, refuge, women friendship, and queers. What I loved most is that in one of the stories, the characters' names are after some Arabic letters.
Want to read
May 22, 2025most beautiful cover award 🌟
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25 ★— After not being wowed by El-Mohtar's 2025 effort, The River Has Roots, but still finding her prose and storytelling techniques interesting, I went into this intrigued and found myself loving this anthology a lot!
The stories presented here are varied, with some feeling very fairytale-like while others have more of a contemporary setting with a magical realism angle. But across them, there are a few through lines: all of them are woman-focused, many of them are very queer, and several deal with feelings of alienation, especially the sense of Otherness that comes with having a cultural upbringing differing from those around you. I also liked how present the Arabic language was in many of the stories and how artfully it was utilised (even though I couldn't understand it!)
There were definitely some stories I enjoyed less than others, but as a listening experience, I really can’t say that there were any I disliked. This was wondrous, lyrical, and sometimes just plain weird and her gorgeous prose made me feel transported into a different realm as I listened to this throughout my day!
🎧 Audiobook Notes
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo
⭐ Listener Rating: 5/5
Let me just say how soothing and smooth the narration was for this! I loved how calming it all felt while still conveying the emotions and the different tones of each story perfectly. I definitely think this is a title where the audiobook format enhanced the entire experience for me! Listening to it made the stories feel more otherworldly and magical, almost as if I were being told a series of tales by a particularly talented storyteller.
___________
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
The stories presented here are varied, with some feeling very fairytale-like while others have more of a contemporary setting with a magical realism angle. But across them, there are a few through lines: all of them are woman-focused, many of them are very queer, and several deal with feelings of alienation, especially the sense of Otherness that comes with having a cultural upbringing differing from those around you. I also liked how present the Arabic language was in many of the stories and how artfully it was utilised (even though I couldn't understand it!)
There were definitely some stories I enjoyed less than others, but as a listening experience, I really can’t say that there were any I disliked. This was wondrous, lyrical, and sometimes just plain weird and her gorgeous prose made me feel transported into a different realm as I listened to this throughout my day!
🎧 Audiobook Notes
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo
⭐ Listener Rating: 5/5
Let me just say how soothing and smooth the narration was for this! I loved how calming it all felt while still conveying the emotions and the different tones of each story perfectly. I definitely think this is a title where the audiobook format enhanced the entire experience for me! Listening to it made the stories feel more otherworldly and magical, almost as if I were being told a series of tales by a particularly talented storyteller.
___________
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
February 7, 2026
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this short story collection overall because I adore Amal El-Mohtar's writing, but I expected this to leave more of an impact on me. I admit that I often find it difficult to collect my thoughts on short story collections. There were a few stories I liked and one that I really enjoyed—The Green Book. That one was creepy and gripping and managed to pack a punch in a few pages. I really prefer my short fiction weird and ambiguous, which is what made The Green Book a standout favorite.
Though there were none that I really disliked, many of the stories were forgettable or lacked impact. I found myself wishing for a coherent thread to tie this collection together, beyond a love of women. But I acknowledge that the author made it very clear in the introduction that that was not the goal of this collection. Fans of Amal El-Mohtar will luxuriate in more examples of her beautiful writing, but I don't see this as a strong entry point for new readers.
Thank you TorDotCom for the advanced copy!
Links to my TikTok | Instagram | Bindery Books
I enjoyed this short story collection overall because I adore Amal El-Mohtar's writing, but I expected this to leave more of an impact on me. I admit that I often find it difficult to collect my thoughts on short story collections. There were a few stories I liked and one that I really enjoyed—The Green Book. That one was creepy and gripping and managed to pack a punch in a few pages. I really prefer my short fiction weird and ambiguous, which is what made The Green Book a standout favorite.
Though there were none that I really disliked, many of the stories were forgettable or lacked impact. I found myself wishing for a coherent thread to tie this collection together, beyond a love of women. But I acknowledge that the author made it very clear in the introduction that that was not the goal of this collection. Fans of Amal El-Mohtar will luxuriate in more examples of her beautiful writing, but I don't see this as a strong entry point for new readers.
Thank you TorDotCom for the advanced copy!
Links to my TikTok | Instagram | Bindery Books
March 24, 2026
This is a short read comprised of many short reads; some stories with plots, some feelings with bits of stories, some magical and some real, some both, and even some poems.
Ultimately there's no contesting that El-Mohtar's writing is often transcendent, gorgeously descriptive, and evocative. Most of these are heartbreaking in one way or another, and much like she promises in her preface, in SEASONS OF IRON AND GLASS there is a focus on women; their loves, their losses, their conversations, their connections. And I really enjoyed that.
Initially for this review I started with the intention of commenting my feelings and rating for all the stories but as it went on I did skip a few — mostly the poems — when I didn’t have much of anything to say.
Overall, I think this is a wonderful journey, whether you sit and devour them one after another or chip away at them over time. And even though I didn’t love all of them, I did enjoy most — whether by marveling at it, taking something from it, appreciating it, or just simply having a good time with it.
SEASONS OF IRON AND GLASS : A tale of female friendship as these two review and process their past situations that left them in their current magical-stipulated circumstances and, with the support of one another, leave it all behind for better. Absolutely lovely, four stars.
THE GREEN BOOK : This had a bit of a weird start but how it unfolds, and what the aforementioned book is revealed to be, is quite.. well. Fascinating. I would love a longer story about this concept! Three and a half stars.
MADELEINE: This one gave me very loose hints of the timeline jumping in HOW TO LOSE THE TIME WAR but without any of the same setting or context and instead is both a little heartbreaking and also hopeful. I didn't love it all the way through but it had a great ending. Three stars.
THE LONELY SEA IN THE SKY : Didn't quite find myself engaging in this one but did enjoy that we switched gears to a space or sci-fi setting. Two stars.
AND THEIR LIPS RANG WITH THE SUN : I found the descriptions to be lovely and vivid and the story of two almost star-crossed lovers to be classic, with a twist, but I'll admit to being a little checked out of this because of the narrative choice. Two and a half stars.
A TALE OF ASH IN SEVEN BIRDS : This was magnificent. Don't ask me what it was about — some kind of timeless, endless, cat and mouse chase, a battle for supremacy via nature and creature — but it was stunning. Four stars.
WING : This was just a morsel of strangeness and magic and connection. What an image to end on. Three stars.
A HOLLOW PLAY : Easily my least favourite of the bunch. This felt somewhat early in the author's writing (or maybe my dislike makes me want to believe that) and it's not anything of what I've come to love or even enjoy as far as her storytelling. Two stars? Maybe one and a half.
TO FOLLOW THE WAVES : Oof. This took a turn in a way I absolutely did not expect and there was a darkness, an almost violence, in it that took me by surprise and yet I was totally fascinated by it, too. This is definitely one that makes you think. Four stars.
JOHN HOLLOWBACK AND THE WITCH : Oh I liked this. This sorry is a little bit revenge and a little bit redemption and a lot of reckoning. Four stars.
POCKETS : Our final story ends with a bit of whimsy and wonder and one day I too hope to pull a trombone out of my pocket. Three stars.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Ultimately there's no contesting that El-Mohtar's writing is often transcendent, gorgeously descriptive, and evocative. Most of these are heartbreaking in one way or another, and much like she promises in her preface, in SEASONS OF IRON AND GLASS there is a focus on women; their loves, their losses, their conversations, their connections. And I really enjoyed that.
Initially for this review I started with the intention of commenting my feelings and rating for all the stories but as it went on I did skip a few — mostly the poems — when I didn’t have much of anything to say.
Overall, I think this is a wonderful journey, whether you sit and devour them one after another or chip away at them over time. And even though I didn’t love all of them, I did enjoy most — whether by marveling at it, taking something from it, appreciating it, or just simply having a good time with it.
SEASONS OF IRON AND GLASS : A tale of female friendship as these two review and process their past situations that left them in their current magical-stipulated circumstances and, with the support of one another, leave it all behind for better. Absolutely lovely, four stars.
THE GREEN BOOK : This had a bit of a weird start but how it unfolds, and what the aforementioned book is revealed to be, is quite.. well. Fascinating. I would love a longer story about this concept! Three and a half stars.
MADELEINE: This one gave me very loose hints of the timeline jumping in HOW TO LOSE THE TIME WAR but without any of the same setting or context and instead is both a little heartbreaking and also hopeful. I didn't love it all the way through but it had a great ending. Three stars.
THE LONELY SEA IN THE SKY : Didn't quite find myself engaging in this one but did enjoy that we switched gears to a space or sci-fi setting. Two stars.
AND THEIR LIPS RANG WITH THE SUN : I found the descriptions to be lovely and vivid and the story of two almost star-crossed lovers to be classic, with a twist, but I'll admit to being a little checked out of this because of the narrative choice. Two and a half stars.
A TALE OF ASH IN SEVEN BIRDS : This was magnificent. Don't ask me what it was about — some kind of timeless, endless, cat and mouse chase, a battle for supremacy via nature and creature — but it was stunning. Four stars.
WING : This was just a morsel of strangeness and magic and connection. What an image to end on. Three stars.
A HOLLOW PLAY : Easily my least favourite of the bunch. This felt somewhat early in the author's writing (or maybe my dislike makes me want to believe that) and it's not anything of what I've come to love or even enjoy as far as her storytelling. Two stars? Maybe one and a half.
TO FOLLOW THE WAVES : Oof. This took a turn in a way I absolutely did not expect and there was a darkness, an almost violence, in it that took me by surprise and yet I was totally fascinated by it, too. This is definitely one that makes you think. Four stars.
JOHN HOLLOWBACK AND THE WITCH : Oh I liked this. This sorry is a little bit revenge and a little bit redemption and a lot of reckoning. Four stars.
POCKETS : Our final story ends with a bit of whimsy and wonder and one day I too hope to pull a trombone out of my pocket. Three stars.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
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January 7, 2026
Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:
After experiencing the brilliance of her novella The River Has Roots and the Bigolas Dikolas Wolfwood-famed and stunning This is How You Lose the Time War, co-authored with Max Gladstone, I am chomping at the bit for Amal El-Mohtar's upcoming short story collection. Mohtar's writing has always struck me as masterful, lyrical, and mesmerizing, and I can't wait to dive into the full scope of her talent. Seasons of Glass and Iron is sure to be a compendium of beautiful stories, folktales, and imaginings of our world's possibilities. You don't want to miss it. —Lyndsie Manusos
After experiencing the brilliance of her novella The River Has Roots and the Bigolas Dikolas Wolfwood-famed and stunning This is How You Lose the Time War, co-authored with Max Gladstone, I am chomping at the bit for Amal El-Mohtar's upcoming short story collection. Mohtar's writing has always struck me as masterful, lyrical, and mesmerizing, and I can't wait to dive into the full scope of her talent. Seasons of Glass and Iron is sure to be a compendium of beautiful stories, folktales, and imaginings of our world's possibilities. You don't want to miss it. —Lyndsie Manusos
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When I read Amal El-Mohtar's The River has Roots I thought it was fine, but I actually enjoyed the short story from this collection featured at the end, John Hollowback and the Witch, more. I was excited to check out the rest.
This collection contains fourteen short stories plus four poems. Full disclosure--I am not much of a poetry person, and I skipped those entries. Sorry, sorry!
But most of the short stories were a success for this reader (favorites include The Green Book, Madeleine, and, of course, John Hollowback and the Witch). The author is very skilled with a pen/keyboard, and so even the few tales that didn't really hit with me were still not a hardship to read. As El-Mohtar explains in the Introduction, several of these pieces were commissioned for specific projects with a core thematic or demographic concern (witches, steampunk, fairytales; Arab, women, queer). All of the stories have a fantasy element to them, and recurring themes include birds, flowers, gemstones, female friendship (sometimes more), and women fighting back against the patriarchy.
Short stories don't often resonate with me as well as novels do, but there was still much to enjoy in this lyrical, otherworldly, analytic work.
My thanks to NetGalley and Tordotcom for the eARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
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This collection contains fourteen short stories plus four poems. Full disclosure--I am not much of a poetry person, and I skipped those entries. Sorry, sorry!
But most of the short stories were a success for this reader (favorites include The Green Book, Madeleine, and, of course, John Hollowback and the Witch). The author is very skilled with a pen/keyboard, and so even the few tales that didn't really hit with me were still not a hardship to read. As El-Mohtar explains in the Introduction, several of these pieces were commissioned for specific projects with a core thematic or demographic concern (witches, steampunk, fairytales; Arab, women, queer). All of the stories have a fantasy element to them, and recurring themes include birds, flowers, gemstones, female friendship (sometimes more), and women fighting back against the patriarchy.
Short stories don't often resonate with me as well as novels do, but there was still much to enjoy in this lyrical, otherworldly, analytic work.
My thanks to NetGalley and Tordotcom for the eARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
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November 4, 2025
A lovely collection from a much-loved author! I'm glad that her stories were compiled in this because I probably wouldn't have sought them out individually.
A woman cursed to wear iron shoes meets a women cursed to stay on a glass hill. A women seemingly resides within the pages of a book, prompting the obsession of its readers. A women keeps findings items that don't belong to her in her pockets.
All short story collections are hit or miss, but even though these stories were written over many years and for many different projects El-Mohtar's unique style shines through. I always think of her writing being unintuitive but welcoming, like it wants you to do some of the work to understand it but is also fully willing to reward you for the effort. I also really liked the intro and her thoughts on the common threads across her works. I didn't really care for the poems between stories because that's not really my thing and there were some stories that didn't work for me, but a great showing nonetheless!
Thank you to Amal El-Mohtar and Tordotcom for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
A woman cursed to wear iron shoes meets a women cursed to stay on a glass hill. A women seemingly resides within the pages of a book, prompting the obsession of its readers. A women keeps findings items that don't belong to her in her pockets.
All short story collections are hit or miss, but even though these stories were written over many years and for many different projects El-Mohtar's unique style shines through. I always think of her writing being unintuitive but welcoming, like it wants you to do some of the work to understand it but is also fully willing to reward you for the effort. I also really liked the intro and her thoughts on the common threads across her works. I didn't really care for the poems between stories because that's not really my thing and there were some stories that didn't work for me, but a great showing nonetheless!
Thank you to Amal El-Mohtar and Tordotcom for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
March 17, 2026
Whimsical, lush vignettes of dark fairytale-esque stories. Perfect for sad girls who feel unmoored from time.
November 12, 2025
Amal El-Mohtar has beautiful writing that doesn’t always make sense. Overall I enjoyed this collection but I didn’t love it. Some stories I liked more than others. All of them have a magical feel to them or are outright fantastical. The overarching theme of the collection is women: women being strong and independent, women learning truths about themselves, women going on adventures, and women loving women.
Seasons of Glass and Iron—4/5 stars
I liked the writing and the cadence of the words. This story gives off fairytale vibes mixed with the modern day. A woman hiking in iron boots meets a woman who lives on a glass hill. I liked it all quite a bit.
The Green Book—1/5 stars
A woman gets turned into a book. Sadly not as interesting as it sounds. This story honestly made no sense to me.
Madeleine—2.5/5 stars
A woman starts seeing visions of another woman in her memories and dreams and forms a friendship with her. Good concept, but it won’t stick with me.
The Lonely Sea in the Sky—3/5 stars
Theoretical sci-fi story about a woman who develops a condition that is basically an addiction to diamonds found on Neptune. Strange. But I liked it. Even if I didn’t understand the ending.
Song for an Ancient City—2.5/5 stars
Poem. Fine but forgettable.
And Their Lips Rang with the Sun—2/5 stars
I didn’t really care for this story or understand it either. A woman has an affair with the Sun and births its child? Meh.
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds—3/5 stars
Literally just a long poem about seven birds, but with a fantasy twist. Enjoyable.
Qahr—3.5/5 stars
Powerful.
The Truth About Owls—4/5 stars
I liked this story a lot. You do learn a lot about owls, but it’s also the story of a girl. Worth reading.
Wing—3/5 stars
A girl wears a book around her neck, a book which holds a secret. I liked this story but I wanted it to be quite a bit longer.
A Hollow Play—3/5 stars
This is probably the longest and most developed story in this collection. It was enjoyable. Magical realism. The ending made me feel like I was missing something though.
Thunderstorm in Glasgow, July 25, 2013—1/5 stars
Huh?
Anabasis—2.5/5 stars
I don’t have much to say about this. It was fine.
To Follow the Waves—2.5/5 stars
I think El-Mohtar’s writing is beautiful, but this story was just okay. It’s about a gem and stone worker. Once again I didn’t really understand the ending.
Pieces—2/5 stars
Each set of words in this poem was lyrical and beautiful on its own. But as a whole I don’t know what the poem was about or was trying to convey.
John Hollowback and the Witch—4.25/5 stars
John Hollowback has a hollow back, so he goes to a witch for help. This was a unique story and I really enjoyed it. It felt like a fairytale. It’s the longest story in this collection.
Florilegia; Or, Some Lies About Flowers—3/5 stars
A retelling of the Welsh myth of Blodeuwedd, which I didn’t know about prior to reading this book. It was interesting, but I don’t know how accurate it is.
Pockets—4.5/5 stars
This was a really delightful story of a woman who pulls random items out of her pockets that just show up there without rhyme or reason. I loved the direction this story went in, and I would enjoy a much longer version of this.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher via Edelweiss.
Seasons of Glass and Iron—4/5 stars
I liked the writing and the cadence of the words. This story gives off fairytale vibes mixed with the modern day. A woman hiking in iron boots meets a woman who lives on a glass hill. I liked it all quite a bit.
The Green Book—1/5 stars
A woman gets turned into a book. Sadly not as interesting as it sounds. This story honestly made no sense to me.
Madeleine—2.5/5 stars
A woman starts seeing visions of another woman in her memories and dreams and forms a friendship with her. Good concept, but it won’t stick with me.
The Lonely Sea in the Sky—3/5 stars
Theoretical sci-fi story about a woman who develops a condition that is basically an addiction to diamonds found on Neptune. Strange. But I liked it. Even if I didn’t understand the ending.
Song for an Ancient City—2.5/5 stars
Poem. Fine but forgettable.
And Their Lips Rang with the Sun—2/5 stars
I didn’t really care for this story or understand it either. A woman has an affair with the Sun and births its child? Meh.
A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds—3/5 stars
Literally just a long poem about seven birds, but with a fantasy twist. Enjoyable.
Qahr—3.5/5 stars
Powerful.
The Truth About Owls—4/5 stars
I liked this story a lot. You do learn a lot about owls, but it’s also the story of a girl. Worth reading.
Wing—3/5 stars
A girl wears a book around her neck, a book which holds a secret. I liked this story but I wanted it to be quite a bit longer.
A Hollow Play—3/5 stars
This is probably the longest and most developed story in this collection. It was enjoyable. Magical realism. The ending made me feel like I was missing something though.
Thunderstorm in Glasgow, July 25, 2013—1/5 stars
Huh?
Anabasis—2.5/5 stars
I don’t have much to say about this. It was fine.
To Follow the Waves—2.5/5 stars
I think El-Mohtar’s writing is beautiful, but this story was just okay. It’s about a gem and stone worker. Once again I didn’t really understand the ending.
Pieces—2/5 stars
Each set of words in this poem was lyrical and beautiful on its own. But as a whole I don’t know what the poem was about or was trying to convey.
John Hollowback and the Witch—4.25/5 stars
John Hollowback has a hollow back, so he goes to a witch for help. This was a unique story and I really enjoyed it. It felt like a fairytale. It’s the longest story in this collection.
Florilegia; Or, Some Lies About Flowers—3/5 stars
A retelling of the Welsh myth of Blodeuwedd, which I didn’t know about prior to reading this book. It was interesting, but I don’t know how accurate it is.
Pockets—4.5/5 stars
This was a really delightful story of a woman who pulls random items out of her pockets that just show up there without rhyme or reason. I loved the direction this story went in, and I would enjoy a much longer version of this.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher via Edelweiss.
Want to read
June 9, 2025This Is How You Lose the Time War: 5/5
The River Has Roots 4/5
already climbing up the walls and foaming at the mouth
The River Has Roots 4/5
already climbing up the walls and foaming at the mouth
Want to read
May 8, 2025This will be for those who know fairy tales are always cautionary stories.
March 28, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
I slowly fell in love with Seasons of Glass and Iron.
I enjoyed the stories in the first half, but I adored nearly all of the stories in the second half! I read this over a couple weeks, and treated it mostly as my nighttime bedtime story which was such a delightful experience! Her writing is just so beautiful, so soothing. I think my favorites were A Hollow Play and Florilegia.
Happy Women's Month, I love women 💖
“so long as there is love in the movement of a pen over paper and love in the movement of eyes over words we will be all right, we will know each other, we will learn each other like songs.”
“You read woman and gleaned docile, pretty, fragrant, weak. But you misread me, Lleu. I have in me the hearts of great ships, the bones of cathedrals. I have in me the sharpness of claws. And you, Lleu, what do you have? You cling like ivy. You smother like mistletoe. But what are you, besides wizard's work?"
“Everyone wants to see a witch punish someone for stealing from her. A witch is a kind of justice in the world. It makes for a fine story. No one wants to admit the truth, for all it stares them plainly in the face… Steal from a woman long enough, and a witch is what she'll become."
Thank you to Tor books and NetGalley for a copy of an eARC in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
I slowly fell in love with Seasons of Glass and Iron.
I enjoyed the stories in the first half, but I adored nearly all of the stories in the second half! I read this over a couple weeks, and treated it mostly as my nighttime bedtime story which was such a delightful experience! Her writing is just so beautiful, so soothing. I think my favorites were A Hollow Play and Florilegia.
Happy Women's Month, I love women 💖
“so long as there is love in the movement of a pen over paper and love in the movement of eyes over words we will be all right, we will know each other, we will learn each other like songs.”
“You read woman and gleaned docile, pretty, fragrant, weak. But you misread me, Lleu. I have in me the hearts of great ships, the bones of cathedrals. I have in me the sharpness of claws. And you, Lleu, what do you have? You cling like ivy. You smother like mistletoe. But what are you, besides wizard's work?"
“Everyone wants to see a witch punish someone for stealing from her. A witch is a kind of justice in the world. It makes for a fine story. No one wants to admit the truth, for all it stares them plainly in the face… Steal from a woman long enough, and a witch is what she'll become."
Thank you to Tor books and NetGalley for a copy of an eARC in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
March 24, 2026
Lyrical, distinctive and entrancing…Seasons Of Glass And Iron Stories is a collection of stories and poems that showcase author Amal El-Mohtar’s incredible prose and remarkable creativity.
Some stories possess a fairytale-like setting that I especially enjoyed, others touch upon more contemporary settings with magical aspects-at times-and one even offers a glimpse of a future where an illness fueled by an obsession with the nature and properties of diamonds has developed.
Told from various sources and perspectives, the stories and poems focus upon women and share many themes pertaining to: queerness, falling in love, feelings of isolation, reclaiming personal power and the beauty of friendship.
Certain aspects involving dreams, gemstones, transformation and birds are also repeatedly mentioned. I’m not a reader of much poetry, but the poems in Seasons Of Glass And Iron Stories are wonderfully written and it was lovely to see some of them written in both Arabic and English.
Narration by Rachel Elizabeth Smith is splendid and draws you into the stories and poems effortlessly. Despite the different dimensions of each title, her voice remains evocative and captivating. Listening to the audiobook while I read the physical copy enhanced the experience.
There were a few stories that were my favorites: Seasons Of Glass And Iron, The Truth About Owls, John Hollowback And The Witch and Florilegia; Or, Some Lies About Flowers. I didn’t dislike any of the stories or poems, although a couple of them left me contemplating whether or not I fully grasped what was being presented.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and The StoryGraph for providing this audiobook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Some stories possess a fairytale-like setting that I especially enjoyed, others touch upon more contemporary settings with magical aspects-at times-and one even offers a glimpse of a future where an illness fueled by an obsession with the nature and properties of diamonds has developed.
Told from various sources and perspectives, the stories and poems focus upon women and share many themes pertaining to: queerness, falling in love, feelings of isolation, reclaiming personal power and the beauty of friendship.
Certain aspects involving dreams, gemstones, transformation and birds are also repeatedly mentioned. I’m not a reader of much poetry, but the poems in Seasons Of Glass And Iron Stories are wonderfully written and it was lovely to see some of them written in both Arabic and English.
Narration by Rachel Elizabeth Smith is splendid and draws you into the stories and poems effortlessly. Despite the different dimensions of each title, her voice remains evocative and captivating. Listening to the audiobook while I read the physical copy enhanced the experience.
There were a few stories that were my favorites: Seasons Of Glass And Iron, The Truth About Owls, John Hollowback And The Witch and Florilegia; Or, Some Lies About Flowers. I didn’t dislike any of the stories or poems, although a couple of them left me contemplating whether or not I fully grasped what was being presented.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and The StoryGraph for providing this audiobook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Read
March 2, 2026Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the opportunity to review the eARC of Seasons of Iron and Glass.
Amal El-Mohtar, you could lure me into the fires of Mt. Doom with your words, of this I am convinced. I was all in after reading Time War last year and have since fallen more in love. In typical fashion, this collection of stories and poems in gorgeously written. Lush, lyrical prose, whimsical settings, fable-esque tales, this collection has ALL of it. At the center of it all though, the strength, resiliency and relationships women cultivate are the heart of Seasons of Glass and Iron. It is a celebration of the feminine and harnessing the power that comes with that. Rising through the horrors that we endure at the hands of the world (of men, the patriarchy, etc) in the comfort of other women and our own sheer will to hold space in a world that was not meant for us.
Usually I have a difficult time with anthologies like this but I can honestly say that I got something out of every entry in this book. El-Mohtar's writing is ethereal while still being able to capture the rawness of the human condition. If it wasn't clear by now, I'm a fan.
"A witch is a kind of justice in the world. It makes for a fine story. No one wants to admit the truth, for all it stares them plainly in the face.
What's that?
Steal from a woman long enough, and a witch is what she'll become."
Amal El-Mohtar, you could lure me into the fires of Mt. Doom with your words, of this I am convinced. I was all in after reading Time War last year and have since fallen more in love. In typical fashion, this collection of stories and poems in gorgeously written. Lush, lyrical prose, whimsical settings, fable-esque tales, this collection has ALL of it. At the center of it all though, the strength, resiliency and relationships women cultivate are the heart of Seasons of Glass and Iron. It is a celebration of the feminine and harnessing the power that comes with that. Rising through the horrors that we endure at the hands of the world (of men, the patriarchy, etc) in the comfort of other women and our own sheer will to hold space in a world that was not meant for us.
Usually I have a difficult time with anthologies like this but I can honestly say that I got something out of every entry in this book. El-Mohtar's writing is ethereal while still being able to capture the rawness of the human condition. If it wasn't clear by now, I'm a fan.
March 26, 2026
i'm not usually one for anthologies (don't know if i've ever read any short story collection from start to finish except for this one here tbh) so let me just say this- it was PHENOMENAL! loved how diverse all of them were but still connected to each other in quiet yet profound ways. wanted to savour it so much but ended up flying thro it cuz of course. standouts for me were (in no particular order): a tale of ash in seven birds, florilegia, the lonely sea in the sky (you know i love me some good mind fuck sci-fi), john hollowback and the witch, the truth about owls and very black mirror-coded to follow the waves and madeleine. others like green book had such potential but were slightly missing smth imo. poems i've enjoyed not as much (except for qahr which literally made me cry so there's that) but that's just personal preference ig
Read
March 18, 2026⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 | 4.5 rounded up
This anthology of short stories and poems is a beautiful rumination on identity, on love, on resilience, on grief, on injustice, on regret, on friendship. This is not an anthology to fly through; each story or poem weighed heavy on my chest.
Unsurprisingly, the writing is gorgeous, haunting, cerebral. My vocabulary grows with each bit of El-Mohtar's writing that I read, and it is truly joy to witness how she uses language to create immersive worlds.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group | Tordotcom for the eARC
This anthology of short stories and poems is a beautiful rumination on identity, on love, on resilience, on grief, on injustice, on regret, on friendship. This is not an anthology to fly through; each story or poem weighed heavy on my chest.
Unsurprisingly, the writing is gorgeous, haunting, cerebral. My vocabulary grows with each bit of El-Mohtar's writing that I read, and it is truly joy to witness how she uses language to create immersive worlds.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group | Tordotcom for the eARC
Want to read
March 10, 2026Likely to try this one, when the library gets a copy. TBP: late March 2026. Check back. Good writer, good reviewer. Sweet cover art!
A sample story: "Pockets", Uncanny 2006: https://www.uncannymagazine.com/artic...
Which seems familiar....
A sample story: "Pockets", Uncanny 2006: https://www.uncannymagazine.com/artic...
Which seems familiar....
March 24, 2026
I am utterly charmed by El-Mohtar's voice. These all feel like true fairy tales, closer or further from their inspirations, depending on which one, but ultimately filled with new beauty and depth. I had not yet read the book that made her so well-known, but I will be picking it up shortly.
March 30, 2026
As with any short story collection there were some I liked and some I didn't really connect with. El-Mohtar's prose is gorgeous throughout though, so reading these stories was always pleasant. The themes came through strongly and connected the stories, which I appreciated.
Favorite story: John Hollowback and the Witch
Favorite story: John Hollowback and the Witch
March 25, 2026
4.5 stars! Review to come
March 3, 2026
stories that read like a fever dream fairytale with prose that’s pretty enough to eat, sounds right up my alley, but it just didn’t work for me.
the writing was spectacular but the stories gave almost nothing. as aretha franklin once said “great gowns, beautiful gowns” lmao
none of them lingered in my mind when i finished reading. not many of them left me with a satisfying end, and the play with structure in some were odd and confusing. the poems sprinkled in between the stories really highlighted el-mohtar’s writing, but felt almost alien next to the short stories.
sad i didn’t get to enjoy it as much because on paper, this sounds like it was made specially for me.
thanking netgalley & publishers for the ARC!!!
the writing was spectacular but the stories gave almost nothing. as aretha franklin once said “great gowns, beautiful gowns” lmao
none of them lingered in my mind when i finished reading. not many of them left me with a satisfying end, and the play with structure in some were odd and confusing. the poems sprinkled in between the stories really highlighted el-mohtar’s writing, but felt almost alien next to the short stories.
sad i didn’t get to enjoy it as much because on paper, this sounds like it was made specially for me.
thanking netgalley & publishers for the ARC!!!
March 18, 2026
Objectively, this is a solid and sound book with beautiful prose and thought provoking themes. I’m not sure what I expected going into this book, but I sure wasn’t in the mood for something so literary and purple-prose-y. As a mood reader, I did a disservice listening to this when going in blind. So with that being said, take my review with a grain of salt. This is obviously a well received, beautiful book that has its audience and will most likely do well with most readers who love speculative, literary fiction. It just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.
April 1, 2026
** Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing this ALC in exchange for an honest review **
I had been looking forward to Amal El-Mohtar's Seasons of Glass and Iron ever since I heard the preview story at the end of the The River Has Roots, and I'm so glad that I did, because this book did not disappoint.
As someone who will always have a deep love and appreciation for short stories, I find that El-Mohtar's writing style lends itself particularly well to the format. Most of the stories in this book have that cosy and nostalgic feeling of a fairytale read in childhood, and even more so when listening to the audiobook — it's such a delightful little read!
Of course that there were stories that I liked more than others, but while not all of them stayed with me in a significant way, I was thoroughly engaged from beginning to end, and there were moments when I was completely in awe of the narrative. What stayed with me above all was the appreciation some of these stories show for other cultures, their mythology, and folklore. Fantasy is full of settings that make use of Celtic inspiration (and that arguably often go too far with how much they borrow without any acknowledgement), but rarely do we see a North American author show such appreciation for the Welsh language, Welsh mythology, and the Mabinogion — especially focusing on the love shown to them by a character from a different culture, which is something to which I deeply relate to. Truth be told, the stories focused on these elements and the way that they were handled are part of what raised my rating for this book, since while I generally tend to not be fond of mythology retellings and always approach them with apprehension, these felt to me as if they were El-Mohtar's love letter to the Mabinogion itself.
Like I previously mentioned, I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook! It's honestly such a wonderful way to engage with these stories and Rachel Elizabeth Smith did a terrific job with the narration. In particular, I found it to be very relaxing and excellent to listen to while crocheting, which is always a plus for me. While I did find myself wishing that I had the text with me, to read along as I listened, I don't think that this was to the audiobook's detriment, but rather, what convinced me to hopefully get a physical copy to listen along to one day.
Now, as its mentioned at the very beginning of the book, this is a collection of El-Mohtar's work from different time periods, commissioned for different reasons, and on different topics, and while I personally love these kinds of anthologies, I do think that the fact that it is one could have been clearer in the book's title and in the way that it is promoted. Not every reader may be used to jumping from one theme to the next, and perhaps the stories should have been organised differently for better flow from one theme to the next.
With this small grievance aside, I have nothing but praise for Seasons of Glass and Iron! The trend in recently-published fantasy seems to favour long novels and series, so to me, books like this exist as a refreshing contrast, and it makes me hopeful that we might soon see a rise in popularity for fantasy short stories and novellas. It's definitely one that I would recommend to anyone who loves that sort of short fiction, queer literature, and fairytales!
I had been looking forward to Amal El-Mohtar's Seasons of Glass and Iron ever since I heard the preview story at the end of the The River Has Roots, and I'm so glad that I did, because this book did not disappoint.
As someone who will always have a deep love and appreciation for short stories, I find that El-Mohtar's writing style lends itself particularly well to the format. Most of the stories in this book have that cosy and nostalgic feeling of a fairytale read in childhood, and even more so when listening to the audiobook — it's such a delightful little read!
Of course that there were stories that I liked more than others, but while not all of them stayed with me in a significant way, I was thoroughly engaged from beginning to end, and there were moments when I was completely in awe of the narrative. What stayed with me above all was the appreciation some of these stories show for other cultures, their mythology, and folklore. Fantasy is full of settings that make use of Celtic inspiration (and that arguably often go too far with how much they borrow without any acknowledgement), but rarely do we see a North American author show such appreciation for the Welsh language, Welsh mythology, and the Mabinogion — especially focusing on the love shown to them by a character from a different culture, which is something to which I deeply relate to. Truth be told, the stories focused on these elements and the way that they were handled are part of what raised my rating for this book, since while I generally tend to not be fond of mythology retellings and always approach them with apprehension, these felt to me as if they were El-Mohtar's love letter to the Mabinogion itself.
Like I previously mentioned, I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook! It's honestly such a wonderful way to engage with these stories and Rachel Elizabeth Smith did a terrific job with the narration. In particular, I found it to be very relaxing and excellent to listen to while crocheting, which is always a plus for me. While I did find myself wishing that I had the text with me, to read along as I listened, I don't think that this was to the audiobook's detriment, but rather, what convinced me to hopefully get a physical copy to listen along to one day.
Now, as its mentioned at the very beginning of the book, this is a collection of El-Mohtar's work from different time periods, commissioned for different reasons, and on different topics, and while I personally love these kinds of anthologies, I do think that the fact that it is one could have been clearer in the book's title and in the way that it is promoted. Not every reader may be used to jumping from one theme to the next, and perhaps the stories should have been organised differently for better flow from one theme to the next.
With this small grievance aside, I have nothing but praise for Seasons of Glass and Iron! The trend in recently-published fantasy seems to favour long novels and series, so to me, books like this exist as a refreshing contrast, and it makes me hopeful that we might soon see a rise in popularity for fantasy short stories and novellas. It's definitely one that I would recommend to anyone who loves that sort of short fiction, queer literature, and fairytales!
March 21, 2026
I’ve read a lot of anthologies and short story collections, but none quite like this one. It was honestly hard to get through just by virtue of the fact that every story changed my brain chemistry within 25 pages, and I needed several business hours to process and recover before reading the next.
Amal is just completely unmatched in writing craft: her style, prose, creativity of world-building and conceits, on and on, I cannot sing enough praise.
Regarding the connecting thread of the stories, Amal says “Mostly, what emerged is that I love women.
I love women talking to each other. I love women reading each other, through letters and journals and flowers, offering up the stories of themselves to each other’s tender scrutiny. I love women being friends and being lovers, in all of their shapes, across the breadth and depth of their lives.”
This was equal parts celebration and revelation, and I cannot recommend it enough.
Amal is just completely unmatched in writing craft: her style, prose, creativity of world-building and conceits, on and on, I cannot sing enough praise.
Regarding the connecting thread of the stories, Amal says “Mostly, what emerged is that I love women.
I love women talking to each other. I love women reading each other, through letters and journals and flowers, offering up the stories of themselves to each other’s tender scrutiny. I love women being friends and being lovers, in all of their shapes, across the breadth and depth of their lives.”
This was equal parts celebration and revelation, and I cannot recommend it enough.
March 29, 2026
This book is a whimsical collection of short stories written in a whimsical prose. The introduction opens by saying that these stories are a homage to the magic of women. It covers fairy tales, science fiction, sapphic romance, journal entries, mental health, and much more. Many of the stories are soft conversations between two or three people, and some of them incorporate the Arabic language. My favourites were Seasons of Glass and Iron, The Green Book, and John Hollowback and the Witch.
🐇Adult Fiction
🌿Short Story Collection
🐇Fairy Tale Fantasy
🌿Science Fiction
🐇Folklore & Poetry
🐇Adult Fiction
🌿Short Story Collection
🐇Fairy Tale Fantasy
🌿Science Fiction
🐇Folklore & Poetry
March 28, 2026
I recieved an audiobook ARC of this book thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. The review below is honest and entirely my own.
Short stories usually are hit or miss for me, as some of them are good ana some are bad. But I loved all of these. Amal El-Mohtar has such a way with words that just hooked me with every story, even the ones that were short and that I didn't quite get. So worth reading, especially if you love stories about women empowering women.
Short stories usually are hit or miss for me, as some of them are good ana some are bad. But I loved all of these. Amal El-Mohtar has such a way with words that just hooked me with every story, even the ones that were short and that I didn't quite get. So worth reading, especially if you love stories about women empowering women.
March 30, 2026
Solid short story collection, though I often felt like the stories were trying too hard to be impactful. There were a few that were incredible though, particularly the one about the sacrifice (I read it before bed and currently don't remember the title.)
Overall, not my favorite but still good.
Overall, not my favorite but still good.
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