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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 Stories 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 Stories 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 Stories 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.
Audible Audio
Expected publication March 24, 2026
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March 13, 2026i love a fairytale.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
★★★
“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. The 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 is lyrical and pretty, which made it easy to sink into. But these aren't the kind of stories that linger. days later, I remember how they felt more than what they said—the beauty was more in the moment than in lasting resonance. That's why I landed on three stars.
Some stories take inventive forms—diaries ("The Green Book"), letters ("A Hollow Play"), and poems—and those were my favorites, along with the title story, "Seasons of Glass and Iron." What makes that one so compelling is its refusal to sentimentalize suffering. Amira lives atop a glass hill, trapped not by bars but by her own refusal to be touched. Tabitha walks in iron shoes, wearing out one pair per year of her seven-year marriage to a man who is a bear by day. The iron shoes read as a symbol of emotional labor—the weight women carry when they love at their own expense. Amira's glass hill works similarly: it represents the isolating safety of emotional walls, the choice to remain untouched rather than risk being hurt. The story isn't simply about a woman escaping a bear or another living on a glass hill eating apples; it's about the quiet, radical act of deciding that a free woman is, by definition, a happy one.
I also appreciated how the collection reflects the writer's identity while drawing from multiple folklores, touching on war, refuge, female friendship, and queer characters—but never feel like a checklist. In one story, the characters are named after a few Arabic latters, a small but meaningful detail that made the collection feel especially rich.
“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. The 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 is lyrical and pretty, which made it easy to sink into. But these aren't the kind of stories that linger. days later, I remember how they felt more than what they said—the beauty was more in the moment than in lasting resonance. That's why I landed on three stars.
Some stories take inventive forms—diaries ("The Green Book"), letters ("A Hollow Play"), and poems—and those were my favorites, along with the title story, "Seasons of Glass and Iron." What makes that one so compelling is its refusal to sentimentalize suffering. Amira lives atop a glass hill, trapped not by bars but by her own refusal to be touched. Tabitha walks in iron shoes, wearing out one pair per year of her seven-year marriage to a man who is a bear by day. The iron shoes read as a symbol of emotional labor—the weight women carry when they love at their own expense. Amira's glass hill works similarly: it represents the isolating safety of emotional walls, the choice to remain untouched rather than risk being hurt. The story isn't simply about a woman escaping a bear or another living on a glass hill eating apples; it's about the quiet, radical act of deciding that a free woman is, by definition, a happy one.
I also appreciated how the collection reflects the writer's identity while drawing from multiple folklores, touching on war, refuge, female friendship, and queer characters—but never feel like a checklist. In one story, the characters are named after a few Arabic latters, a small but meaningful detail that made the collection feel especially rich.
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.
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
November 23, 2025
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.
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.
Full review to come.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) exchange for an honest review. **
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.
Full review to come.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) exchange for an honest review. **
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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 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 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.
December 20, 2025
Black mirror but make it empathetic, dreamy, kind, sad, and filled with love. I’m in awe of the level of imagination that was required to write such diverse and distinct stories, but also the lesson I mastery over language! This is such a treat. Short stories that take your breath and hear away.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for the ARC
Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for the ARC
February 15, 2026
This was an emotional collection of short stories and poems. The stories varied between fantasy and real world fiction, most commonly addressing themes of love and identity. In the introduction we are told that Amal loves women and that’s undeniable from the text, where roughly half were about lesbians, and many more focusing on a female perspective in other ways. Consuming so much of her works together like this paints a very vivid picture of Amal herself, whether that be her Lebanese heritage, experiences with discrimination in Canada, her queerness or her love of Scotland.
This did unfortunately create a divide in the collection for me though, where this was described as containing ‘fairy tales with teeth’ which technically true as there were many stories like that; they were contrasted with the previously mentioned personal perspectives offered in the rest of the stories and all of the poems. I think this could have been two books, one more focused on fantasy and one on her more personal pieces as having them side by side in unclear ordering forced a comparison I didn’t want to make.
As a more fantasy reader, who’s only engaged with Amal previously in ���This is how you lose the time war’, I enjoyed the fantasy offerings more. In particular my favourites were ‘Seasons of Glass and Iron’, ‘madeleine’ and ‘The lonely sea in the sky’. Interestingly these, three were all in the first four stories of the collection which offered a very strong start but the later ones were also of high quality. I did also write in my notes on each of them they were lesbian so that’s another commonality. In my eyes for a short story more than novels the main thing you need is a good concept as that will stick with the reader much longer than the execution and this definitely delivers on that with a wide variety of ideas that I’d never seen before.
All together I found this to be a strong collection of impactful works that gives a clear insight into Amal El-Mohtar’s thoughts and experiences which I think I could recommend to anyone.
This did unfortunately create a divide in the collection for me though, where this was described as containing ‘fairy tales with teeth’ which technically true as there were many stories like that; they were contrasted with the previously mentioned personal perspectives offered in the rest of the stories and all of the poems. I think this could have been two books, one more focused on fantasy and one on her more personal pieces as having them side by side in unclear ordering forced a comparison I didn’t want to make.
As a more fantasy reader, who’s only engaged with Amal previously in ���This is how you lose the time war’, I enjoyed the fantasy offerings more. In particular my favourites were ‘Seasons of Glass and Iron’, ‘madeleine’ and ‘The lonely sea in the sky’. Interestingly these, three were all in the first four stories of the collection which offered a very strong start but the later ones were also of high quality. I did also write in my notes on each of them they were lesbian so that’s another commonality. In my eyes for a short story more than novels the main thing you need is a good concept as that will stick with the reader much longer than the execution and this definitely delivers on that with a wide variety of ideas that I’d never seen before.
All together I found this to be a strong collection of impactful works that gives a clear insight into Amal El-Mohtar’s thoughts and experiences which I think I could recommend to anyone.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I absolutely loved this beautiful collection of stories and poetry. Canadian author Amal El-Mohtar’s writing is both lyrical and piercing, effortlessly balancing tenderness and intensity. While I’m grateful to @netgalley and Tor Publishing (@tordotcompub) for the ARC, I’m also a little heartbroken that I can’t share the many stunning quotes I highlighted along the way.
Many of El-Mohtar’s pieces echo the language and emotional resonance of fairy tales, while others are firmly grounded in reality, tackling weighty subjects such as the 2006 bombing of Lebanon. My very favourite story was “The Truth About Owls,” in which a young girl living in Lebanon during the bombings uses magical thinking to make sense of her experiences—and of the difficulty of resettling in Scotland afterward.
That said, I had so many other “favourites,” including the title story, “And Their Lips Rang With the Sun,” and “John Hollowback and the Witch.” This collection has absolutely convinced me that I need to pick up one of El-Mohtar’s novels next.
Many of El-Mohtar’s pieces echo the language and emotional resonance of fairy tales, while others are firmly grounded in reality, tackling weighty subjects such as the 2006 bombing of Lebanon. My very favourite story was “The Truth About Owls,” in which a young girl living in Lebanon during the bombings uses magical thinking to make sense of her experiences—and of the difficulty of resettling in Scotland afterward.
That said, I had so many other “favourites,” including the title story, “And Their Lips Rang With the Sun,” and “John Hollowback and the Witch.” This collection has absolutely convinced me that I need to pick up one of El-Mohtar’s novels next.
February 3, 2026
Wow. This felt like food for the soul. Seasons of Glass and Iron is a collection of fantasy short stories and poems that have twists and a dark edge to them. Despite a little bit of darkness these stories are full of hope, love, and human connection. Each story is unique in its feel and has its own message. The subtle light shed on shared women’s experiences in these stories feels important given the state of the world. In addition, she highlights Arabic culture, war, and several moral truths.
My favorites of this collection are The Lonely Sea and the Sky, And Their Lips Rang with the Sun, and The Truth About Owls, however I could just list all of them because they each are different and so good. This is most certainly a book that I will be recommending to others. Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the ARC of this book
My favorites of this collection are The Lonely Sea and the Sky, And Their Lips Rang with the Sun, and The Truth About Owls, however I could just list all of them because they each are different and so good. This is most certainly a book that I will be recommending to others. Thank you NetGalley and Tor for the ARC of this book
February 22, 2026
4.25💫
Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal El-Mohtar is a collection of 18 award-winning short stories and poems. While this is a short book, I found myself in no rush to get through it. Reading one or two stories a day was perfect, allowing me to sit with, ponder, and savor each one. I found myself looking forward to this collection, almost as if it was a treat or an appetizer; a little morsel of literature to add to my day.
I adored many of these works, most notably the title story 'Seasons of Glass and Iron' as it was a perfect introduction, 'And Their Lips Rang with the Sun' was as intriguing as it was cruel, and 'Florilegia; Or, Some Lies About Flowers' was haunting in its beauty.
All collections of short stories can be hit or miss and unfortunately, there were a few misses for me. 'The Green Book' in particular felt unoriginal and incomplete; It felt like a story I had already heard iterations of many times before, but almost as if I only had a few random pages plucked out of the book. Other people do appear to love 'The Green Book', so this is likely just a me issue. I also found 'A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds' to fall flat in comparison to some of the other works and left me with more questions than answers.
All of the stories in this collection felt unique from one another, yet remained cohesive with repeated motifs (birds, primarily owls) and shared themes (feminism, queerness, war, and identity).
Overall, I really did have a great time with this. I have not yet had the fortune of reading any other works by El-Mohtar, but this book was a great introduction her writing style and is a great starting point for anyone else interested in picking up her work.
A huge thank you to Tor and NetGalley for providing an early access copy of this book in exchange for this honest review.
Seasons of Glass and Iron by Amal El-Mohtar is a collection of 18 award-winning short stories and poems. While this is a short book, I found myself in no rush to get through it. Reading one or two stories a day was perfect, allowing me to sit with, ponder, and savor each one. I found myself looking forward to this collection, almost as if it was a treat or an appetizer; a little morsel of literature to add to my day.
I adored many of these works, most notably the title story 'Seasons of Glass and Iron' as it was a perfect introduction, 'And Their Lips Rang with the Sun' was as intriguing as it was cruel, and 'Florilegia; Or, Some Lies About Flowers' was haunting in its beauty.
All collections of short stories can be hit or miss and unfortunately, there were a few misses for me. 'The Green Book' in particular felt unoriginal and incomplete; It felt like a story I had already heard iterations of many times before, but almost as if I only had a few random pages plucked out of the book. Other people do appear to love 'The Green Book', so this is likely just a me issue. I also found 'A Tale of Ash in Seven Birds' to fall flat in comparison to some of the other works and left me with more questions than answers.
All of the stories in this collection felt unique from one another, yet remained cohesive with repeated motifs (birds, primarily owls) and shared themes (feminism, queerness, war, and identity).
Overall, I really did have a great time with this. I have not yet had the fortune of reading any other works by El-Mohtar, but this book was a great introduction her writing style and is a great starting point for anyone else interested in picking up her work.
A huge thank you to Tor and NetGalley for providing an early access copy of this book in exchange for this honest review.
March 16, 2026
All of it reads like poetry. Some of it took a minute to settle, like a delayed bullet. One of those books that has several lines and monologues that I know my brain will continue coming back to. The pace is a meandering in the way that a stream meanders through seasons. Her writing is the kind that demands to be read once twice three times just to see if your lips get tired of the absolute sorcery of it. There is a hidden rage within that runs neck and neck with resilient wonder.
Favorites were: and their lips rang with the sun, a tale of ash in 7 birds, the truth about owls, to follow the waves, pieces, John hollowback and the witch. Absolute favorite, what turned this from a 4 star to 5 star: Florilegia.
Thank you to Tor publishing and NetGalley for providing this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Favorites were: and their lips rang with the sun, a tale of ash in 7 birds, the truth about owls, to follow the waves, pieces, John hollowback and the witch. Absolute favorite, what turned this from a 4 star to 5 star: Florilegia.
Thank you to Tor publishing and NetGalley for providing this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.
This is excellent and hella sapphic and I cannot get over how beautiful El-Mohtar’s prose is.
I’ve been in love with Amal El-Mohtar’s writing since How to Lose the Time War, and her books are an automatic read for me. I’ve never read any of her previous short story and anthology submissions, so this collection was a treat. I loved the different ways fairy tales were imagined, as well as the different ways women were portrayed. I don’t know if I have a favorite story, but “Pockets” was super fun in the way it ended and it plays with time and space, while “John Hollowback and the Witch” was one of my favorites with how it played with memory and perception. El-Mostar is a phenomenal storyteller, and I can’t wait to see what she’ll write next.
This is excellent and hella sapphic and I cannot get over how beautiful El-Mohtar’s prose is.
I’ve been in love with Amal El-Mohtar’s writing since How to Lose the Time War, and her books are an automatic read for me. I’ve never read any of her previous short story and anthology submissions, so this collection was a treat. I loved the different ways fairy tales were imagined, as well as the different ways women were portrayed. I don’t know if I have a favorite story, but “Pockets” was super fun in the way it ended and it plays with time and space, while “John Hollowback and the Witch” was one of my favorites with how it played with memory and perception. El-Mostar is a phenomenal storyteller, and I can’t wait to see what she’ll write next.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Beautifully written.
This is the second book I've read from AE-M. I've never read a collection of stories that I have loved so much so quickly. I am obsessed with the way she writes. It feels like something between poetry and prose with a lyrical quality to it. She is also so incredibly vulnerable with these stories and you can tell she really poured so much of herself into them.
The collection includes stories about grief, loss, identity, sacrifice, and love. I think Qahr broke me the most but I also loved Madeleine, The Truth About Owls, Anabasis, and A Hollow Play. Really all of them. I be purchasing a physical copy when this book is released. I'll be thinking about these stories and re-examining them frequently for the foreseeable future.
This is the second book I've read from AE-M. I've never read a collection of stories that I have loved so much so quickly. I am obsessed with the way she writes. It feels like something between poetry and prose with a lyrical quality to it. She is also so incredibly vulnerable with these stories and you can tell she really poured so much of herself into them.
The collection includes stories about grief, loss, identity, sacrifice, and love. I think Qahr broke me the most but I also loved Madeleine, The Truth About Owls, Anabasis, and A Hollow Play. Really all of them. I be purchasing a physical copy when this book is released. I'll be thinking about these stories and re-examining them frequently for the foreseeable future.
March 13, 2026
i really enjoyed this book of short stories!
a specific quote stood out in the introduction that i think sums up the binding theme of this collection: “Over and over, in these stories, I find myself returning to what Emily Yoshida called, “the terrifying magic of two women in a room talking…””
some stand out favorites were:
- Seasons of Glass and Iron
- The Truth About Owls
- Wing
- To Follow the Waves
- John Hollowback and the Witch
- Florilegia; Or, Some Lies About Flowers
i think the creativity behind these stories is absolutely incredible. i love the prose, though it can go over my head at times.
highly recommend! and may i reiterate: WOMEN. :)
thanks to NetGalley and TOR Publishing group for the ARC. all thoughts are my own.
a specific quote stood out in the introduction that i think sums up the binding theme of this collection: “Over and over, in these stories, I find myself returning to what Emily Yoshida called, “the terrifying magic of two women in a room talking…””
some stand out favorites were:
- Seasons of Glass and Iron
- The Truth About Owls
- Wing
- To Follow the Waves
- John Hollowback and the Witch
- Florilegia; Or, Some Lies About Flowers
i think the creativity behind these stories is absolutely incredible. i love the prose, though it can go over my head at times.
highly recommend! and may i reiterate: WOMEN. :)
thanks to NetGalley and TOR Publishing group for the ARC. all thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a really strong short story collection! I like that it gathered up El-Mohtar's previously published pieces; I really enjoy her writing style and I wouldn't have thought to go seek these out individually.
Her signature lyricism is on display throughout this collection, and some pieces lean harder than others on the fantastical elements. As with all short story collections, some individual pieces are better than others, but this was not nearly so uneven a collection as others I've read before.
My personal favorite stories were Seasons of Glass and Iron, And Their Lips Rang With The Sun, and John Hollowback and the Witch.
Thanks to Tor and Netgalley for the ARC!
Her signature lyricism is on display throughout this collection, and some pieces lean harder than others on the fantastical elements. As with all short story collections, some individual pieces are better than others, but this was not nearly so uneven a collection as others I've read before.
My personal favorite stories were Seasons of Glass and Iron, And Their Lips Rang With The Sun, and John Hollowback and the Witch.
Thanks to Tor and Netgalley for the ARC!
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