Excellent book! It's a collection of short fantasy stories. While connected to the Ancient Magnus Bride anime/manga, it doesn't require any previous knowledge. However, one of the short stories in this one continues on from one in the first book. I read most of this before The Golden Yarn, but wanted to read part 1 of Jack the Flash and the Rainbow Egg first.
First book is The Golden Yarn, this book is the second, it's The Silver Yarn. Both have gorgeous covers and each short story has a single illustration.
Again, it's a very light and fun read. 8 short stories. Somewhere around 50ish pages each. Writing a bit about all of them.
War at the Walshes's is about two different house fairies, brownies, like Silky, in neighboring homes. Dramatic and emotional, but a good read. This one is told a bit as if Elias and Chise, from the main series are learning the story. It's nice again to have a few extra moments of them. Most of the stories in these two books seem to me like they would be in the library Elias has.
Natural Colors was a great read. Very much a thinker, about a man who is lost in his way and craft who spends time with an herbalist. This one was very nice.
Children of the Battlefield was an interesting one. It's about WW2, with gremlins and golems, and magic between England and Germany. I'll leave it at that, and certainly stories like this were around at the time I'm guessing.
Beneath the stairs at Wald Abbey was a very nice read. It's a very Downton Abbey type story. About the people who own and live at a fancy mansion. Of course, there are some supernatural and mysterious elements at the mansion. Very deep read.
Love is a Troublesome tale is about cats, being the magical, in charge, incredible beings they are, and human family drama in a small town in England. The first time I barely got this one, but I decided to read it again. With more attention and care, I think I like this one a fair bit, but it's nothing too incredible. I think this place was briefly portrayed in the main anime series, but I'll have to go back to it.
Agnella's Song is a dark one. About a child at an orphanage. Relating to others, going to a fair. This one might raise a few hairs on your neck.
Jack the Flash and the Rainbow Egg (Part 2). Continuing from the story in the first book, the Golden Yarn. This did a great job in expanding and furthering the characters and story in the first part. It was a very satisfactory conclusion. I'm glad there was more and I got to spend more with this. It's a bit of an urban fantasy, a dragon egg, people with magic and crime in New York. Again, it feels like this could be it's own series. Leaves you wondering. Minor appearance of a character in the main series.
Flightless stars was a good one, about wanderers, magic silkworms, and life on the road. Looking for purpose, cycle of life, and more. This one was nice, though very quick and perhaps I'll have to read it again at some point.
Edit: I read it again. Liked it more this time. Tweaked my writing on it. Maybe a few of these I was a little sleepy and rushed the first time reading, but the second time they were better.
These two books are certainly staying on my shelf and it's very easy to read one story in a day.