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Circuits & Slippers
A collection of retold fairy tales with a science fiction twist.
Rapunzel is a soldier, the last remaining member of the human race, locked in a zoological tower on an alien planet. Doctor Belle must remain in quarantine with a powerful politician who has contracted a beastly disease. Jack sells his arm for a chance up the Stalk, the space elevator he hopes will take him to his fortune.
These twenty stories will take you across the galaxy, exploring new technology alongside aliens and cyborgs, princes and evil stepmothers, and telling your favorite classic tales like you've never seen them before.
Rapunzel is a soldier, the last remaining member of the human race, locked in a zoological tower on an alien planet. Doctor Belle must remain in quarantine with a powerful politician who has contracted a beastly disease. Jack sells his arm for a chance up the Stalk, the space elevator he hopes will take him to his fortune.
These twenty stories will take you across the galaxy, exploring new technology alongside aliens and cyborgs, princes and evil stepmothers, and telling your favorite classic tales like you've never seen them before.
374 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2016
About the author
Jaylee James
16 books79 followersDemi-bisexual writer, editor, and story curator who spends way too much time on the internet. Er dogs are absolutely cuter than you.
Best known as the senior editor of Vitality Magazine, which published awesome stories featuring LGBT protagonists from 2014-2016.
(NOTE: I *rarely* check my private messages on Goodreads. If you need to get a hold of me, you're much better using email or twitter.)
Best known as the senior editor of Vitality Magazine, which published awesome stories featuring LGBT protagonists from 2014-2016.
(NOTE: I *rarely* check my private messages on Goodreads. If you need to get a hold of me, you're much better using email or twitter.)
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 25, 2016
I love anthologies – small bits of exquisite writing I can fit into my day without the commitment of a novel. The submissions are often collated by date, carefully culled from all the short stories published within a year by an editor with her own biases (think “The Year’s Best…”) Disagree with her choices? Then surely you don’t understand art, dahling.
In Circuits & Slippers, the stories are united by a common theme – fairy tales reimagined through a sci-fi filter – leaving the reader free to love, like or hate them, guilt-free. When I learned of its imminent publication, I requested (ok, I begged) an advanced review copy in exchange for a fair review.
The writing varies from average to exquisite with good editing throughout. There were a few minor editorial issues – missed commas, typos etc. – but nothing egregious and certainly nothing which detracted from my enjoyment of the content. The layout was well-done, and – yes, I’m a geek – I loved the fonts and the symbols used for the section breaks. (You did notice the two different fonts in the cover title, right? RIGHT?)
Of the twenty stories, I adored five, two left me scratching my head, and one I simply didn’t like. The other twelve ranged from good-to-very good. The collection included a variety of fairy tales from various cultures, and the characters were refreshingly diverse in their ethnic and sexual orientations.
To me, the mark of a great story is one which sticks in my mind for days and haunts my nights. This book has two such tales. The Last is similar to a story I’ve had lolling around in my head for decades now and never wrote. I’m glad I didn’t. Mandy Nachampassack-Maloney did it so much better. You’ll never look at zoos the same way again.
As for the second, Alone and Palely Loitering is still in my head. It whispers to me in a quiet voice, “Galahad.” I never knew I could ache so badly for a computer, no matter how advanced. Exquisite.
In summary, I found this book to be well-worth my time, and, given its diversity, it will appeal to both men and women across a broad spectrum of genre preferences. While the book is aimed at an adult audience, a few of these updated fairy tales could still be read to children of our modern age, who have grown up tapping on computers. (Prina and the Pea is a prime example.) Some are too dark or too explicit, but not by much. After all, the Grimm brothers were, well, grim. And don’t get me started on Hans Christian Andersen. Read them yourselves, and let me know what you think.
In Circuits & Slippers, the stories are united by a common theme – fairy tales reimagined through a sci-fi filter – leaving the reader free to love, like or hate them, guilt-free. When I learned of its imminent publication, I requested (ok, I begged) an advanced review copy in exchange for a fair review.
The writing varies from average to exquisite with good editing throughout. There were a few minor editorial issues – missed commas, typos etc. – but nothing egregious and certainly nothing which detracted from my enjoyment of the content. The layout was well-done, and – yes, I’m a geek – I loved the fonts and the symbols used for the section breaks. (You did notice the two different fonts in the cover title, right? RIGHT?)
Of the twenty stories, I adored five, two left me scratching my head, and one I simply didn’t like. The other twelve ranged from good-to-very good. The collection included a variety of fairy tales from various cultures, and the characters were refreshingly diverse in their ethnic and sexual orientations.
To me, the mark of a great story is one which sticks in my mind for days and haunts my nights. This book has two such tales. The Last is similar to a story I’ve had lolling around in my head for decades now and never wrote. I’m glad I didn’t. Mandy Nachampassack-Maloney did it so much better. You’ll never look at zoos the same way again.
As for the second, Alone and Palely Loitering is still in my head. It whispers to me in a quiet voice, “Galahad.” I never knew I could ache so badly for a computer, no matter how advanced. Exquisite.
In summary, I found this book to be well-worth my time, and, given its diversity, it will appeal to both men and women across a broad spectrum of genre preferences. While the book is aimed at an adult audience, a few of these updated fairy tales could still be read to children of our modern age, who have grown up tapping on computers. (Prina and the Pea is a prime example.) Some are too dark or too explicit, but not by much. After all, the Grimm brothers were, well, grim. And don’t get me started on Hans Christian Andersen. Read them yourselves, and let me know what you think.
November 11, 2018
Another lucky find for me: an anthology of fairy tale retellings where all the stories are consistently good, some more than others but without any sticking out for being bad.
This one contains 20 retellings by as many authors, all in the Science Fiction genre, some Steampunk and others straight Sci-Fi. Of them, my favourites were the following:
Alone and Palely Loitering by Nitai R. Poddar
5 stars
This one takes the Arthurian legend of Sir Galahad's quest for the Holy Grail to space, and is so stunningly well done, so hopeful yet so melancholy and tragic at the same time. Here, Galahad is an AI knight in charge of rescuing, sorting out and preserving what's left of humanity and civilisation (the "Holy Grail"), and in his "quest" he finds both hope and encouragement as well as heartache (well, as much as an AI can suffer from heartache!).
Treating the Beast by L. G. Keltner
5 stars
A "Beauty and the Beast" retelling like I hadn't seen yet. In this one, the Beauty is a high-profile and skilled scientist that's forced to find a cure for a deforming virus that's threatening the life of the Beast, who's the absolute ruler of this world. I liked the play of conflicting emotions, conscience and honour-bound duty to heal that occur in the woman's head and heart as she must struggle with the challenge to cure a seemingly unsurmountable disease; and also that there's no insta-love. In fact, there's no love at all here, just a new appreciation gained for the man at the end of the ordeal, which is both satisfying and credible. I'd have hated it if she'd ended up starry-eyed given what went down!
Besides these, honourable mentions go to:
The Slumbering Hill by Diane Dubas
4 stars
A "Sleeping Beauty" version that not only swaps genders but also turns it all on its head. I'm sorry that the finale was so short and felt unsatisfying because of this shortness, as it should've been a bit longer. Besides, this world is screaming for expansion, too.
The Last by Mandy Nachampassack-Maloney
4 stars
Based on "Rapunzel," it's a post-apocalyptic retelling of the tale, in which Humanity doesn't survive the cataclysm despite attempts to flee the planet as it's being destroyed. Only one woman soldier survives, and only thanks to an alien race that gets her in time . . . or so she thinks. This story is another that'd have benefitted from expanding the world a wee bit, especially as regards explaining why exactly the planet was going up in flames.
Compatible by C. M. Lloyd
4.5 stars
Another "Rapunzel" retelling involving humans and aliens, only that this time the planet isn't in danger or being blown up in pieces. It has a simple premise: an alien teen has an assignment for his planet's science fair, and nothing better occurs to him/her (it's both male and female, but mostly male) than to study human hair. Happens that he's noticed humans pay a lot of attention to hair, so it must be very, very special, right? The search for answers results in a hilarious story.
Overall, this anthology is worth recommeding, perfect for times when you only can read a bit at a time.
This one contains 20 retellings by as many authors, all in the Science Fiction genre, some Steampunk and others straight Sci-Fi. Of them, my favourites were the following:
Alone and Palely Loitering by Nitai R. Poddar
5 stars
This one takes the Arthurian legend of Sir Galahad's quest for the Holy Grail to space, and is so stunningly well done, so hopeful yet so melancholy and tragic at the same time. Here, Galahad is an AI knight in charge of rescuing, sorting out and preserving what's left of humanity and civilisation (the "Holy Grail"), and in his "quest" he finds both hope and encouragement as well as heartache (well, as much as an AI can suffer from heartache!).
Treating the Beast by L. G. Keltner
5 stars
A "Beauty and the Beast" retelling like I hadn't seen yet. In this one, the Beauty is a high-profile and skilled scientist that's forced to find a cure for a deforming virus that's threatening the life of the Beast, who's the absolute ruler of this world. I liked the play of conflicting emotions, conscience and honour-bound duty to heal that occur in the woman's head and heart as she must struggle with the challenge to cure a seemingly unsurmountable disease; and also that there's no insta-love. In fact, there's no love at all here, just a new appreciation gained for the man at the end of the ordeal, which is both satisfying and credible. I'd have hated it if she'd ended up starry-eyed given what went down!
Besides these, honourable mentions go to:
The Slumbering Hill by Diane Dubas
4 stars
A "Sleeping Beauty" version that not only swaps genders but also turns it all on its head. I'm sorry that the finale was so short and felt unsatisfying because of this shortness, as it should've been a bit longer. Besides, this world is screaming for expansion, too.
The Last by Mandy Nachampassack-Maloney
4 stars
Based on "Rapunzel," it's a post-apocalyptic retelling of the tale, in which Humanity doesn't survive the cataclysm despite attempts to flee the planet as it's being destroyed. Only one woman soldier survives, and only thanks to an alien race that gets her in time . . . or so she thinks. This story is another that'd have benefitted from expanding the world a wee bit, especially as regards explaining why exactly the planet was going up in flames.
Compatible by C. M. Lloyd
4.5 stars
Another "Rapunzel" retelling involving humans and aliens, only that this time the planet isn't in danger or being blown up in pieces. It has a simple premise: an alien teen has an assignment for his planet's science fair, and nothing better occurs to him/her (it's both male and female, but mostly male) than to study human hair. Happens that he's noticed humans pay a lot of attention to hair, so it must be very, very special, right? The search for answers results in a hilarious story.
Overall, this anthology is worth recommeding, perfect for times when you only can read a bit at a time.
September 22, 2016
First, I have to say I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Begin honest review. Go.
This collection combines two of my favourite things—fairy tales and scifi. I’m fascinated by the intersection of fantasy and science fiction, and it’s really cool to see fairies translated into aliens, magic into technology, and ancient stories into futurescapes.
In a twitter chat with the authors recently, editor Jaylee James asked a question that strikes at the heart of the anthology:
"Do you think fairy tales will still be relevant in the distant future, or will we invent new fairy tales?"
Each story in Circuits & Slippers seeks to explore this question in some way.
Disclaimer: It’s really hard to review a collection of stories. Even in a collection by a single author, each story is a separate work with its own world, characters, and objectives. Since I can’t go into all of them here, I’ll just give you a little taste of what you can expect overall.
The anthology opens with “The Slumbering Hill,” a Sleeping Beauty retelling that sees Saira, a tech scavenger from a place called The Pits, journey across a desert to find a cozy town without tech where she discovers “fabric not yet made into clothing, seeds not yet grown, and ingredients not yet made into food.” The story is full of wonderfully imaginative details like these, and there is also a story within the story, a type of legend referred to as a “star story,” which is an answer to the earlier question as to the future of fairy tales. Anyway, the star story here is a scifi Sleeping Beauty tale that wraps up into the larger meta-narrative and comes to a satisfying conclusion that sets the perfect tone for the rest of the anthology.
The next tale is a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk—but the beanstalk is a space elevator. This story has a similar atmosphere to the first, a wonderful blend of fable and future.
Then things take a dramatic turn with “Alone, and Palely Loitering," which is about Galahad, who is an “automated museum curator," an AI tasked with filling and protecting a grail with the history of Earth after its demise. While the lore it’s based on is still central, the story has a strong scifi atmosphere (in an awesome, creepy, "what happens when we’re gone?" kind of way.) Similarly, "The Last" tells the tale of the last woman from Earth, a warrior who was salvaged from the planet’s wreckage and preserved in a tower as a specimen of humanity. Her final mission...Project Rapunzel.
“CAT Beyond the Moon” mixes things up even more, with a very funny narrator who tells us about a girl named Cara who wants to attend the Newton-Nye institute, and doesn’t think she has a chance until CAT a “Creature for the Annihilation of Tragedy” comes along to help her—after getting a new pair of boots, of course. While the story is set far in the history of our own solar system, there are a lot of hilarious current references, such as the “tragic tale of the Downgrading of Pluto” which is taught to all the children in this world, and is yet another answer to the question of what fairy tales will become.
Another story that stands out is “Le Trotteur,” which takes us into a future version of the Quebecois legend of Alexis Lapointe, who in this reality is a Magskater hurling across gravity-defying tracks. The story has a fun, sporty feel because it's driven by races and speed, yet finds time to slow down to incorporate the strong flavour of French language and culture.
“Fit for Purpose” is narrated by an android, which gives it a unique perspective, and there's some interesting gender stuff going on here as the android is sexualized even though it doesn’t have a gender.
Another one of my favourites, “Compatible” is a hilarious and touching story about an alien studying human hair. It involves a trans human and a “more-male-than-female” alien who can’t quite be Earth-gendered. Here is an example of the humour: “I’m just now realizing how expressive eyebrows can be. Maybe humans use the hair on their head to communicate with other humans, and that’s why they’re obsessed [with it].” Maybe you have to read it in context, but trust me, when you do it’s hilarious.
These are just the stories that stood out to me, but the rest of the anthology doesn’t disappoint. There are cool scifi twists on some of the most conventional tales, like Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood, and Beauty and the Beast. And as you find yourself slipping deeper into this timeless future, it becomes clear that the stories themselves are both the questions and the answers—blending the wisdom of the past, the progress of the present, and our hope for the future. Fairy tales are timeless because, in the telling and evolving, they inspire us to push ourselves to the stars.
Begin honest review. Go.
This collection combines two of my favourite things—fairy tales and scifi. I’m fascinated by the intersection of fantasy and science fiction, and it’s really cool to see fairies translated into aliens, magic into technology, and ancient stories into futurescapes.
In a twitter chat with the authors recently, editor Jaylee James asked a question that strikes at the heart of the anthology:
"Do you think fairy tales will still be relevant in the distant future, or will we invent new fairy tales?"
Each story in Circuits & Slippers seeks to explore this question in some way.
Disclaimer: It’s really hard to review a collection of stories. Even in a collection by a single author, each story is a separate work with its own world, characters, and objectives. Since I can’t go into all of them here, I’ll just give you a little taste of what you can expect overall.
The anthology opens with “The Slumbering Hill,” a Sleeping Beauty retelling that sees Saira, a tech scavenger from a place called The Pits, journey across a desert to find a cozy town without tech where she discovers “fabric not yet made into clothing, seeds not yet grown, and ingredients not yet made into food.” The story is full of wonderfully imaginative details like these, and there is also a story within the story, a type of legend referred to as a “star story,” which is an answer to the earlier question as to the future of fairy tales. Anyway, the star story here is a scifi Sleeping Beauty tale that wraps up into the larger meta-narrative and comes to a satisfying conclusion that sets the perfect tone for the rest of the anthology.
The next tale is a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk—but the beanstalk is a space elevator. This story has a similar atmosphere to the first, a wonderful blend of fable and future.
Then things take a dramatic turn with “Alone, and Palely Loitering," which is about Galahad, who is an “automated museum curator," an AI tasked with filling and protecting a grail with the history of Earth after its demise. While the lore it’s based on is still central, the story has a strong scifi atmosphere (in an awesome, creepy, "what happens when we’re gone?" kind of way.) Similarly, "The Last" tells the tale of the last woman from Earth, a warrior who was salvaged from the planet’s wreckage and preserved in a tower as a specimen of humanity. Her final mission...Project Rapunzel.
“CAT Beyond the Moon” mixes things up even more, with a very funny narrator who tells us about a girl named Cara who wants to attend the Newton-Nye institute, and doesn’t think she has a chance until CAT a “Creature for the Annihilation of Tragedy” comes along to help her—after getting a new pair of boots, of course. While the story is set far in the history of our own solar system, there are a lot of hilarious current references, such as the “tragic tale of the Downgrading of Pluto” which is taught to all the children in this world, and is yet another answer to the question of what fairy tales will become.
Another story that stands out is “Le Trotteur,” which takes us into a future version of the Quebecois legend of Alexis Lapointe, who in this reality is a Magskater hurling across gravity-defying tracks. The story has a fun, sporty feel because it's driven by races and speed, yet finds time to slow down to incorporate the strong flavour of French language and culture.
“Fit for Purpose” is narrated by an android, which gives it a unique perspective, and there's some interesting gender stuff going on here as the android is sexualized even though it doesn’t have a gender.
Another one of my favourites, “Compatible” is a hilarious and touching story about an alien studying human hair. It involves a trans human and a “more-male-than-female” alien who can’t quite be Earth-gendered. Here is an example of the humour: “I’m just now realizing how expressive eyebrows can be. Maybe humans use the hair on their head to communicate with other humans, and that’s why they’re obsessed [with it].” Maybe you have to read it in context, but trust me, when you do it’s hilarious.
These are just the stories that stood out to me, but the rest of the anthology doesn’t disappoint. There are cool scifi twists on some of the most conventional tales, like Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood, and Beauty and the Beast. And as you find yourself slipping deeper into this timeless future, it becomes clear that the stories themselves are both the questions and the answers—blending the wisdom of the past, the progress of the present, and our hope for the future. Fairy tales are timeless because, in the telling and evolving, they inspire us to push ourselves to the stars.
December 21, 2016
This anthology is so great! If you have just finished Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles and are now wishing for MORE sci-fi fairy tales, this right here is what you are looking for.
I think my favorite was "Across the Stars," but I also enjoyed "Treating the Beast," "Spinward of the Sun," and "Compatible." Those were just the ones that stuck out; there weren't any stories that I really disliked. The whole anthology was fun, diverse, creative, and well worth reading.
I think my favorite was "Across the Stars," but I also enjoyed "Treating the Beast," "Spinward of the Sun," and "Compatible." Those were just the ones that stuck out; there weren't any stories that I really disliked. The whole anthology was fun, diverse, creative, and well worth reading.
Read
February 10, 2017Full disclosure: I'm one of the authors. Also, I don't know exactly how to review a collection of stories so I'm just going to throw out some random thoughts.
I wish I had a book like this when I was younger. A book that tells us it's okay to twist your favorite stories into something new, that a princess doesn't have to sit around and wait to be rescued.
I think my favorite stories are China White and the Seven, by James Wood, which takes the story of Snow White to a delightfully disturbing place; and the adorable and quirky Rapunzel-inspired tale Compatible, by C.M. Lloyd.
Some of the stories didn't grab my attention as much, but that's just personal preference and I still enjoyed them.
There's a ton of diversity represented in this book. Off the top of my head, I can think of stories with an asexual character, gay Latinas, a trans girl, and androids that use gender neutral pronouns.
I wasn't familiar with all the stories retold here, but that didn't make Le Trotteur or Some Assembly Required any less enjoyable.
I didn't know what to expect in terms of sex and violence, but there isn't much of either and what there is isn't superduper graphic.
I love the little details, like the fonts and the way scene breaks (usually denoted by asterisks) are a graphic that looks like circuitry.
Jaylee James put together something special here.
I wish I had a book like this when I was younger. A book that tells us it's okay to twist your favorite stories into something new, that a princess doesn't have to sit around and wait to be rescued.
I think my favorite stories are China White and the Seven, by James Wood, which takes the story of Snow White to a delightfully disturbing place; and the adorable and quirky Rapunzel-inspired tale Compatible, by C.M. Lloyd.
Some of the stories didn't grab my attention as much, but that's just personal preference and I still enjoyed them.
There's a ton of diversity represented in this book. Off the top of my head, I can think of stories with an asexual character, gay Latinas, a trans girl, and androids that use gender neutral pronouns.
I wasn't familiar with all the stories retold here, but that didn't make Le Trotteur or Some Assembly Required any less enjoyable.
I didn't know what to expect in terms of sex and violence, but there isn't much of either and what there is isn't superduper graphic.
I love the little details, like the fonts and the way scene breaks (usually denoted by asterisks) are a graphic that looks like circuitry.
Jaylee James put together something special here.
October 13, 2016
I generally struggle to review collections, because the stories are always so different, and it's hard to judge them as a whole. In this case, the diversity - particularly diversity of gender & sexuality - in these stories is part of what makes this collection fascinating. While there are a wide variety of styles, voices, and subgenres, all of the stories are unified by fairy tale inspirations with a sci-fi twist. I loved seeing all of the creativity springing from that theme! It was great to see some twists on classics and some of my favorite fairy tales, but it was also really fun to try to figure out some I didn't immediately recognize and to be introduced to new tales I'd never heard of before.
There are plenty of stories to love here, and even more that I liked and found entertaining or interesting even if they weren't my favorites. The few stories that didn't really speak to me were simply a matter of personal preference regarding voice or writing style. Overall, I found this to be an excellent collection, and one I'll look forward to reading through again.
There are plenty of stories to love here, and even more that I liked and found entertaining or interesting even if they weren't my favorites. The few stories that didn't really speak to me were simply a matter of personal preference regarding voice or writing style. Overall, I found this to be an excellent collection, and one I'll look forward to reading through again.
October 18, 2016
Circuits and Slippers blends technology and fairy tales, with each short story bringing a modern twist to the stories we've heard all our lives. I loved the variety in this book, which included plenty of adventure and even a little humor along the way. Leandra Wallace's take on the Princess and the Pea and Jennifer Lee Rossman's version of Goldilocks were my two favorites, but you can't go wrong with any of these stories!
October 2, 2016
I adored this anthology. So many different styles and stories. I was lucky enough to read Prina and the Pea early on, and was so happy to read it again. All the stories in here are unique and beautifully crafted. Loved!!!
October 1, 2016
I received an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.
Circuits & Slippers is an anthology of fairy tales rettelings with a sci-fi twist. I'm not the biggest fan of fairy tales, but I do love a fairy tale retelling when the new version is original, different, but still, well, the fairy tale. That's the main reason Circuits & Slippers caught my attention.
I didn't recognize all fairy tales in this book though, but I was able to enjoy the stories anyway. My favorite was Alone, and Palely Loitering by Nitai R. Poddar, which tells the story of Galahad, an AI tasked with gathering everything humanity has created after Earth was abandoned, but I really enjoyed Mi Sombra by Sara Daniele Rivera and The Last by Mandy Nachampassack-Maloney too. Le Trotteur by Claudie Arsenault was also really good & had an awesome asexual character (which had me going :D) and Compatible by C.M. Lloyd was cute and sweet, the kind of story that you read with a big smile on your face.
These are my favorites, but there are many other good stories in Circuit & Slippers. I liked all of them but one or two that didn't caught my attention, and overall it is strong anthology full of talented authors and creative stories. 4.0 stars.
Circuits & Slippers is an anthology of fairy tales rettelings with a sci-fi twist. I'm not the biggest fan of fairy tales, but I do love a fairy tale retelling when the new version is original, different, but still, well, the fairy tale. That's the main reason Circuits & Slippers caught my attention.
I didn't recognize all fairy tales in this book though, but I was able to enjoy the stories anyway. My favorite was Alone, and Palely Loitering by Nitai R. Poddar, which tells the story of Galahad, an AI tasked with gathering everything humanity has created after Earth was abandoned, but I really enjoyed Mi Sombra by Sara Daniele Rivera and The Last by Mandy Nachampassack-Maloney too. Le Trotteur by Claudie Arsenault was also really good & had an awesome asexual character (which had me going :D) and Compatible by C.M. Lloyd was cute and sweet, the kind of story that you read with a big smile on your face.
These are my favorites, but there are many other good stories in Circuit & Slippers. I liked all of them but one or two that didn't caught my attention, and overall it is strong anthology full of talented authors and creative stories. 4.0 stars.
November 10, 2016
There are an uncommon amount of great stories in this anthology, proving that Jaylee James has a great eye for what makes a story resound with readers. I usually like one or two stories in an anthology but here I deeply enjoyed more than half. I probably shouldn't really be reviewing this book as I wrote Spinward of the Sun, Handed of the Moon which is in the anthology, but completely ignoring my story this is a great anthology. This is a book with stardust in its hair and a hundred wonders to show you. From the deeply macabre to the surprisingly uplifting. If you like your sci-fi with a feel of magic, this is a book not to miss.
Read
October 30, 2018I only read the first two stories. I enjoyed the first one. Not so much the second. I was in the mood for the concept of traditional fairy tales retold with a sci fi twist but it would have worked better for me had it been a single full length story. Maybe I’ll come back to it later.
KU. If the concept appeals to you and you enjoy short stories, it may be worth checking out.
KU. If the concept appeals to you and you enjoy short stories, it may be worth checking out.
October 12, 2017
This anthology was excellent, with a wide range of really great stories, and none that I can point to as weak points. I like my sci fi sans magic, and I appreciated that only one story toed close to the magic versus science side. I'm generally a blast-straight-through reader, and found myself setting this book aside to savor many of the stories before continuing. There were mostly well-known tales, but also some more obscure ones.
One very minor quibble is I wish that they hadn't told me which fairy tale each story was at the beginning - I would have preferred to figure it out as I went and get confirmation at the end.
One very minor quibble is I wish that they hadn't told me which fairy tale each story was at the beginning - I would have preferred to figure it out as I went and get confirmation at the end.
April 5, 2017
I truly savored this, letting each story sink in before continuing, because each story honestly deserved it. And I'm not just saying that because I'm mutuals with a majority of the authors, girlscout's honor. My favorites were Compatible by C.M Lloyd (adorable trans Rapunzel romance), Treating the Beast by L.G. Keltner (incredibly well-written Beauty & the Beast medical thriller), Some Assembly Required by Chrisopher Walker (cute The Fisherman & his Wife retelling but more like The Fisherman & his Assistant Who Really Wants to be His Husband) and Voices by Shannon McDermott (Princess & the Pea retelling with some of the greatest worldbuilding I've ever seen). This is just a really well edited anthology, with each piece really bringing something to the table. Even the stories I didn't have a pleasant time reading (there are some difficult, challenging pieces in here) were so interesting and unique that even a "rating is on enjoyment level only lmao" person like myself can't help but give it 5 stars.
to-be-finished-eventually
February 25, 20188/2017 ACROSS THE STARS by M. Z. Medina: The editor of the anthology was my friend and e highly recommended this short story as one of er favorites. It was a sweet, though predictable, story that elicited misty-eyes. I liked the slow development of the relationship, but kinda negative feelings about how he messed with her key so she couldn’t leave with her sisters, which wasn’t a surprise to me at all.
2/25/18 COMPATIBLE by C. M. Lloyd: I loved this story~ C. M. is one of my favorite authors because their stories are always so soft and gentle. A sweet reimagining of Rapunzel with a trans girl who tries a pill for hair growth from an alien who wants to have a star named after him. Super short and super soft~
2/25/18 COMPATIBLE by C. M. Lloyd: I loved this story~ C. M. is one of my favorite authors because their stories are always so soft and gentle. A sweet reimagining of Rapunzel with a trans girl who tries a pill for hair growth from an alien who wants to have a star named after him. Super short and super soft~
August 7, 2017
Carrie, Central patron, August 2017, 4 stars:
This is an excellent collection of stories that touch on old favorites while bringing fresh and intriguing perspectives to those familiar tales. Each author has a unique voice and every story has its own magic. It is refreshing too to see a mix of queer characters represented in a collection not specifically marketed as queer fiction. This collection is a must for fans of both science fiction and classic fairy tales.
This is an excellent collection of stories that touch on old favorites while bringing fresh and intriguing perspectives to those familiar tales. Each author has a unique voice and every story has its own magic. It is refreshing too to see a mix of queer characters represented in a collection not specifically marketed as queer fiction. This collection is a must for fans of both science fiction and classic fairy tales.
November 26, 2018
An excellent collection of fairy tales - from all over the world, not just Europe - given a Sci-Fi and diverse twist, to upgrade these stories to a wider world that represents a lot more than the Grimm's Brothers originally imagined, while sticking to the core theme these stories originally addressed - that there are dangers lurking out there to be faced, and love to be embraced. :-)
December 30, 2018
Book 63 of my Goodreads Challenge
An anthology of 20 fairytales given a SciFi twist. A great book to dip in and out of when the mood takes you.
An anthology of 20 fairytales given a SciFi twist. A great book to dip in and out of when the mood takes you.
June 29, 2020
There were a lot of great stories in here but also some i didn't care for and a few i didn't like at all.
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