The Death of All Things

Jane Yellowrock #11.5 (Death and the Fashionista)

by Laura Anne Gilman (Editor), Kat Richardson (Editor), K.M. Laney

Lie.
Cheat.
Bargain.
Fight.
Accept.
Bribe.
Conquer.
Evade.

No matter what humanity tries, Death always wins. Or does it?

Discover the answer in The Death of All Things, where twenty-two writers take their shot at the Grim Reaper with explorations of the mythical, fantastical, and futuristic bonds between life and death. Learn the cost of mortality, the perils—and joys—of the afterlife, and the potential pitfalls of immortality …

Featuring stories from: K. M. Laney, Andrea Mullen, Faith Hunter, Kendra Leigh Speedling, Jason M. Hough, Julie Pitzel, Shaun Avery, Christie Golden, Leah Cutter, Aliette de Bodard, Andrew Dunlop, Juliet E. McKenna, A. Merc Rustad, Ville Meriläinen, Amanda Kespohl, Mack Moyer, Fran Wilde, Kathryn McBride, Andrija Popovic, Jim C. Hines, Stephen Blackmoore, and Kiya Nicoll.

Introduction by Laura Anne Gilman & Kat Richardson
“Raveling” by K. M. Laney
“Death and Mrs. Morrison” by Andrea Mullen
“Death and the Fashionista” by Faith Hunter
“Awake, Awake” by Kendra Leigh Speedling
“The End” by Jason M. Hough
“The Dance” by Julie Pitzel
“The Legend of John Barrett” by Shaun Avery
“The Wolves of Lady Death” by Christie Golden
“Wedding Vows” by Leah Cutter
“Cicada Song, in a Country Since Long Gone” by Aliette de Bodard
“Dying on Stage” by Andrew Dunlop
“A Constant Companion” by Juliet E. McKenna
“Thrice Remembered” by A. Merc Rustad
“Charnel House” by Ville Meriläinen
“How Death Came By His Soul” by Amanda Kespohl
“The Tab” by Mack Moyer
“Death and My Mentions” by Fran Wilde
“A Shift in Mood” by Kathryn McBride
“Finding the Dancer” by Andrija Popovic
“The Fallow Grave of Dream” by Jim C. Hines
“What Happens in Vegas” by Stephen Blackmoore
“Delayed Exchange Deferred” by Kiya Nicoll

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Anthologies, Fantasy, Short Stories, Magic, Demons, Vampires

249 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2017

About the author

Laura Anne Gilman’s work has been hailed as “a true American myth” by NPR, and praised for her “deft plotting and first-class characters” by Publishers Weekly. She has won the Endeavor Award for THE COLD EYE, and been shortlisted for a Nebula, (another) Endeavor, and a Washington State Book Award. Her work includes the Devil’s West trilogy, the Cosa Nostradamus urban fantasy series, the Vineart trilogy, and the story collection WEST WINDS’ FOOL. Her upcoming move, UNCANNY TIMES, will be out from Saga Books in 2022.

She lives in Seattle with a cat, a dog, and many deadlines.

Reviews

[Pers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of these stories made me cry (one in a public place!), they were so moving. Most of them were really good. And two just didn't work for me, sadly. All in all an excellent anthology of stories that is worth your time and money!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Raveling by K. M. Laney
Awake, Awake by Kendra Leigh Speedling
The Dance by Julie Pitzel
The Wolves of Lady Death by Christie Golden
Dying on Stage by Andrew Dunlop
A Constant Companion by Juliet E. McKenna
A Shift in Mood by Kathryn McBride
The Fallow Grave of Dream by Jim C. Hines
Delayed Exchange Deferred by Kiya Nicoll

4stars

How Death Came By His Soul by Amanda Kespohl
Charnel House by Ville Meriläinen

3 stars

Death and Mrs. Morrison by Andrea Mullen
Wedding Vows by Leah Cutter
Thrice Remembered by A. Merc Rustad
What Happens in Vegas by Stephen Blackmoore

2stars

The End by Jason M. Hough
The Tab by Mack Moyer

1star

Death and the Fashionista by Faith Hunter
The Legend of John Barrett by Shaun Avery
Cicada Song, in a Country Since Long Gone by Aliette de Bodard
Death and My Mentions by Fran Wilde
Finding the Dancer by Andrija Popovic

[Michelle Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolutely fantastic anthology of stories about Death.
I helped with the Kickstarter because a few favorite authors were involved. I was expecting the usual Kickstarter anthology a few great stories and a couple of good ones and then a bunch of meh.
There was no meh!!! I was astounded. I liked EVERY SINGLE STORY.

This anthology made me laugh, cry (in public,) and think. Exactly what a good short story anthology should do. Because it was so good, I immediately start another of the books that was in the 3 book Kickstarter.

Seriously, you should read this.

[Mary Saha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection

As always there were a few stories that didn't connect with me, but the ones that did really did. Death and Mrs Morrison was really funny. I would really like more about the couple from Raveling. How death came by his soul was beautiful. The tab would be a great anthology topic on its own. I always like an Eric Carter story. Delayed exchange deferred made me cry. Will definitely follow some new authors after this.

[Taldragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lie.
Cheat.
Bargain.
Fight.
Accept.
Bribe.
Conquer.
Evade.

No matter what humanity tries, Death always wins. Or does it?

Discover the answer in The Death of All Things, where twenty-two writers take their shot at the Grim Reaper with explorations of the mythical, fantastical, and futuristic bonds between life and death. Learn the cost of mortality, the perils—and joys—of the afterlife, and the potential pitfalls of immortality …

[Ending Well · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun collection of stories about Death in its personified form- mythical, magical, noir, futurism are all featured here- along with some well known and surprising insights about Death, dying, living, and the afterlife.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some really different interpretations

Interesting how everyone views death thru different lenses. A couple stories I didn’t particularly care for. A couple made me tear up. Quite a few resonated.

Worth the purchase.

[Laurla2]

read only the story death and the fashionista

molly deals with some demons that show up at her house seeking power.
"a tea party, with Death, Fear, and a demon."

for my records - read in the anthology of fangs and claws

[Thenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death and the Fashionista on Books On Track by Faith Hunter


RTC

[Brewergnome · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best anthologies I've read recently. A really nice, diverse collection of stories that get at Death in a lot of neat and interesting ways. Highly recommend.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the Faith Hunter story but the rest were okay but not brilliant.

[Jessica Reads It · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read only "Death and the Fashionista” by Faith Hunter

An unlikely tea party with Death, Fear and a Demon, the Everblood Trueharts really know how to host!

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read the Faith Hunter story and I just didn't care for it. I love visiting the Molly and Big Evan but this one just seemed pointless.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating for Death and the Fashionista only

[Edna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just read Faith Hunter's story

[Erin Penn]

Participated in Kickstarter.

[Melissa Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Death & the Fashionista (Jane Yellowrock #11.5)
Molly's POV

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

****Raveling by K. M. Laney—Short, uneventful, yet touching tale on the cycle of life and on the role that Birth and Death in their compassionate personifications play in all of our lives.

****Death and Mrs. Morrison by Andrea Mullen—This one was unabashedly funny, in showcasing a truly fed-up Grim Reaper as he (repeatedly!) attempts to deal with an individual who is downright too stubborn to go gentle into the good night. Especially liked the line about how it's apparently possible for empty eye sockets to roll after all.

***Death and the Fashionista by Faith Hunter—Could have used a bit more background; it was somewhat confusing as-is, especially concerning the way that magic works. Still, I do tend to like the whole "magical family of witches" trope, and Death and Fear dropping by for a chat was an interesting storyline at least.

****Awake, Awake by Kendra Leigh Speedling—Interesting take on the storyline where a character must choose between their own personal desire (even though it's literally the one thing they've ever wanted) and the fate of the whole world. While I was sometimes internally screaming "You want to know what's unfair? How about the whole world collapsing because some self-serving priestess cared more about her vengeance than she did about everyone else's lives?", I still liked the touch where the very person she was trying to avenge showed up and pointed out that no, this isn't helping anything at all and she needs to let go and let him move on.

***The End by Jason M. Hough—"She killed you, you idiot!" Ah, the curse of genre savvy.

*****The Dance by Julie Pitzel—It's hard to say anything about this one. On the surface, it's a revenge fantasy, but it's more than that; it's about seeking justice. The idea that someday, women's voices will be heard, and that someday, men previously above the law will finally be held accountable, was both moving and powerful.

***The Legend of John Barrett—I tend not to like stories with a really despicable protagonist, much less one who gets away with it all in the end. Even so, a post-apocalypse full of mortally-wounded people who don't die when they should because Death is hampered from doing his job was a pretty neat idea.

*****The Wolves of Lady Death by Christie Golden—Beautiful tale of loneliness, sacrifice, and love. We fear wolves and Death alike because we do not understand them, but if we seek understanding rather than letting ourselves be ruled by the fear, there is unexpected beauty to be found in both.

****Wedding Vows by Leah Cutter—A sweet, touching story about two people whose lives were shattered prematurely who are, through each other, given a second chance.

****Cicada Song, in a Country Since Long Gone by Aliette de Bodard—A brutal and wrenching take on the life of a family of refugees fleeing a war-torn country, and the sacrifices that one must make for the price of survival.

****Dying on Stage by Andrew Dunlop—Another funny one about a rather exasperated senior's attempts to deal with the attentions of a rather inept banshee, but was also surprisingly touching in the end.

****A Constant Companion by Juliet E. McKenna—I liked how Death was a peripheral yet nevertheless constantly present player in this story of a beseiged young noblewoman fighting to keep her inheritance. I also liked the humanizing of Keresh, and how, far from a villainous money-grabber who was taking advantage of a tragic death in order to get his hands on a fortune that didn't belong to him, he was simply a lost young man who was honestly trying to find his place in the world. In the end, Dalria recognized that, and far from holding the whole debacle against him saw his worth for his own sake and was willing to give him a chance to stay, not as her long-lost brother, but as himself.

****Thrice Remembered by A. Merc Rustad—Dark and brutal, with some really neat worldbuilding. What if Death itself were captured and enslaved?

*****Charnel House by Ville Meriläinen—This one was incredibly sad and bleak to begin with, but I absolutely lost it when it was revealed that Huntress's pups, which she'd been wandering the barren, deadened earth to find, had already died in their den, and she'd perished with them because she couldn't bear to leave them. Even given the incredible bleakness, though, there was still that oh-so-fragile glimpse of hope in the end.

****How Death Came By His Soul by Amanda Kespohl—A sweet, touching story about a love affair between Death and a forest dryad, and the ways in which love can endure even beyond the grave.

***The Tab by Mack Moyer—Didn't really do it for me. Man makes excuses and gets let off. We've seen this song and dance already.

***Death and My Mentions by Fran Wilde—Another one that didn't really do it for me. There was some interesting commentary about how our obsession with technological immortality is interfering with actually living, but overall it was just confusing.

***A Shift in Mood by Kathryn McBride—Again, didn't really do it for me. Office shenanigans generally don't. (Didn't help that I found most of the characters to be pretty annoying.)

****Finding the Danger by Andrija Popovic—Yet another one about second chances; surprisingly uplifting in the end.

****The Fallow Grave of Dream by Jim C. Hines—I liked the takeaway message that it isn't always a bad thing when one's dearest dreams die. It's not about losing hope; it's about letting go of impossible expectations so that realistic dreams can take root.

****What Happens in Vegas by Stephen Blackmoore—Not normally my type of story, but it was pretty fun to see the two people who'd tried to double-cross each other both get screwed over and the reward, such as it was, given to someone who wanted it for the right reasons. Had a fair number of fun one-liners as well.

*****Delayed Exchange Deferred by Kiya Nicoll—Simultaneously wrenching but also uplifting, a story about love, loss, and coming home that made the perfect finish to this series.