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The Fox's Tower and Other Tales: A Collection of Magical Short Stories
“Locus Award winner Lee (Phoenix Extravagant) takes on the folktale form in a collection of 25 gorgeous, magical stories, tiny jewels of worldbuilding that tap into mythic themes to feel somehow both ancient and delightfully fresh… The result is breathtaking in its playful grace." —Publisher’s Weekly Starred Review
Enter a world of magic and myth, where foxes fall in love and robots build their own dragons. In The Fox’s Tower and Other Tales , New York Times bestselling author Yoon Ha Lee crafts together short and moving stories of love, adventure, magic, and nature. With poetic language and intricate world building, readers will be whisked away to a different adventure with every new story. Full of fascinating creatures and LGBT+ romances, this flash fiction collection combines the classic with the contemporary in Yoon’s captivating style.
Enter a world of magic and myth, where foxes fall in love and robots build their own dragons. In The Fox’s Tower and Other Tales , New York Times bestselling author Yoon Ha Lee crafts together short and moving stories of love, adventure, magic, and nature. With poetic language and intricate world building, readers will be whisked away to a different adventure with every new story. Full of fascinating creatures and LGBT+ romances, this flash fiction collection combines the classic with the contemporary in Yoon’s captivating style.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published June 14, 2015
79 people are currently reading
3487 people want to read
About the author
Yoon Ha Lee
208 books2,067 followersYoon Ha Lee is an American science fiction writer born on January 26, 1979 in Houston, Texas. His first published story, “The Hundredth Question,” appeared in Fantasy & Science Fiction in 1999; since then, over two dozen further stories have appeared. He lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
December 5, 2021
A short volume of mystical, wise, confounding parables and myths, sort of like Aesop's fables crossed with Borges. I've enjoyed everything of Lee's that I have read even it it takes some work to understand what's going on behind these scenes; these stories are no different. And they also manage to somehow feel both like an icy wind and a comforting sip of hot chocolate. Well worth your time.
**Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2021
Confession: I was expecting a children’s book! And I didn’t get it. So I am still confused about whether to put the blame for this disappointing experience: on the book or on myself!
This is a collection of 25 short stories (all are of flash fiction length) with one thing in common: all have magic/myth as a central theme. There are a few ideas that recur, such as LGBT romances or common animals such as foxes or birds in a magical setting, or mythical figures such as dragons and witches. Most of the stories end very abruptly. Some stories take care of world-building while others end even before you realise what’s happening. The cover and the title made me feel that it would suit children but the nature of the stories is such that young children won’t even understand the content. I enjoy open-ended stories but the end should make sense. I didn’t find that happening in many of the stories here.
On the positive side, the writing is very poetic and at times, metaphorical. So those who enjoy a book for good writing alone will certainly relish this collection much more.
I found very few of the stories worth rating 5 stars. Most are just average or disappointing. My favourite stories from this collection were The Fox's Tower, The Dragon Festival, The Cursed Piano, Sand and Sea, Two Bakeries, and The Mermaid's Teeth. So only 6 stories out of 25. Not really a good sign.
But as I said, this might just be me because I was expecting something very different from the book. Do give it a try if you enjoy fantasy-based flash fiction and aren’t looking for conclusive/logical endings in each tale.
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
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Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
This is a collection of 25 short stories (all are of flash fiction length) with one thing in common: all have magic/myth as a central theme. There are a few ideas that recur, such as LGBT romances or common animals such as foxes or birds in a magical setting, or mythical figures such as dragons and witches. Most of the stories end very abruptly. Some stories take care of world-building while others end even before you realise what’s happening. The cover and the title made me feel that it would suit children but the nature of the stories is such that young children won’t even understand the content. I enjoy open-ended stories but the end should make sense. I didn’t find that happening in many of the stories here.
On the positive side, the writing is very poetic and at times, metaphorical. So those who enjoy a book for good writing alone will certainly relish this collection much more.
I found very few of the stories worth rating 5 stars. Most are just average or disappointing. My favourite stories from this collection were The Fox's Tower, The Dragon Festival, The Cursed Piano, Sand and Sea, Two Bakeries, and The Mermaid's Teeth. So only 6 stories out of 25. Not really a good sign.
But as I said, this might just be me because I was expecting something very different from the book. Do give it a try if you enjoy fantasy-based flash fiction and aren’t looking for conclusive/logical endings in each tale.
Thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
July 28, 2019
The Fox's Tower and Other Tales is a collection of flash fairytales, many of which gay, many of which featuring shapeshifting foxes and fox spirits, all of them delightful.
This was the book equivalent of a chocolate box. Every story is just a few pages, and maybe not all of them are as memorable, but all of them are pretty and a pleasure to read. And the ones that are memorable are the kind of stories I will never forget, for their wonderful atmosphere or their clever endings or just for how much they made me happy. I feel like we tend to talk a lot about the books that manage to make us cry, and while I can appreciate occasional heartbreak, books like this one will always be more valuable to me.
In The Fox's Tower and Other Tales you'll meet dormouse paladins, non-binary oracles, stories about animal wives with a gay twist, and so many surprisingly cuddly foxes. Here you'll find stories to remind you that a dragon is a state of mind, stories that will give you some insight into the lives of carousel horses, stories that will show you how shadows are just another reminder of the importance of heartlight.
Apart from the really appreciated casual queerness these stories are full of - multiple stories about f/f couples, some stories about gay characters with no romance, some with non-binary main characters - what I loved the most about this collection were the descriptions. They're as unique as they're beautiful, and maybe talking about crystals unfed by unsunlight and the ice-fruit of stars shouldn't make sense but it does, it always does.
Also, if you've read Ninefox Gambit, a fun part is noticing how in some of these stories there are small references to the trilogy, so much that I almost think of this book as "what the people in the world of the Machineries of Empire trilogy tell as fairytales". I think the three prose poems - How the Andan Court explicitly, but very likely also Candles and Thunder - were written specifically with some of those characters/parts of that world in mind. The prose poems are really pretty even if you don't know the context, but with context... I have too many feelings that I can't put them into words.
Apart from the prose poems, my favorite stories were The Virtues of Magpies, featuring a non-binary youth and their mischievous magical magpie friends, and The Red Braid, whose ending was everything to me. Also, The Firziak Mountains made me laugh, and stories like The Youngest Fox, The Fox's Forest and The Crane Wife were adorable.
This was the book equivalent of a chocolate box. Every story is just a few pages, and maybe not all of them are as memorable, but all of them are pretty and a pleasure to read. And the ones that are memorable are the kind of stories I will never forget, for their wonderful atmosphere or their clever endings or just for how much they made me happy. I feel like we tend to talk a lot about the books that manage to make us cry, and while I can appreciate occasional heartbreak, books like this one will always be more valuable to me.
In The Fox's Tower and Other Tales you'll meet dormouse paladins, non-binary oracles, stories about animal wives with a gay twist, and so many surprisingly cuddly foxes. Here you'll find stories to remind you that a dragon is a state of mind, stories that will give you some insight into the lives of carousel horses, stories that will show you how shadows are just another reminder of the importance of heartlight.
Apart from the really appreciated casual queerness these stories are full of - multiple stories about f/f couples, some stories about gay characters with no romance, some with non-binary main characters - what I loved the most about this collection were the descriptions. They're as unique as they're beautiful, and maybe talking about crystals unfed by unsunlight and the ice-fruit of stars shouldn't make sense but it does, it always does.
Also, if you've read Ninefox Gambit, a fun part is noticing how in some of these stories there are small references to the trilogy, so much that I almost think of this book as "what the people in the world of the Machineries of Empire trilogy tell as fairytales". I think the three prose poems - How the Andan Court explicitly, but very likely also Candles and Thunder - were written specifically with some of those characters/parts of that world in mind. The prose poems are really pretty even if you don't know the context, but with context... I have too many feelings that I can't put them into words.
Apart from the prose poems, my favorite stories were The Virtues of Magpies, featuring a non-binary youth and their mischievous magical magpie friends, and The Red Braid, whose ending was everything to me. Also, The Firziak Mountains made me laugh, and stories like The Youngest Fox, The Fox's Forest and The Crane Wife were adorable.
January 17, 2024
A candle isn't an eye. A candle isn't a jewel. And a candle isn't a star. It can't show you where the wolves scratch poetry in the chambers of your heart. It can't buy you wine pressed from winter promises. It can't tell you where your maps are marked with dragons, or dreams, or dust blowing black in the dark.
Yoon Ha Lee was on my list of authors that I wanted to try for quite some time, so I'm really glad that I can finally say that I read a book by him. This is absolutely delightful collection of his fairy-tale flash-fiction. His prose is marvelous as always and while some pieces were biger hits than others, there wasn't a single piece that I would disliked. My favourites are: The Crane Wife, The Fox's Forest, The Youngest Fox. Which... I don't think is particularly surprising because at least two of those are romance stories or at least I read them as such.
Aside from the tales being absolutely beautiful little gemstones, it also should have been said that the stories subvert quite a lot of gender stereotypes and have super casual, but super present queer rep. Reading this made me think about turning some of the stories into picture books. Those stories aren't really intended for children and not all would be suitable for that, but quite a lot of these might be. Kind of makes me wish I was a better illustrator.
I feel like the actual rating is kind of between 4,5 to 5⭐ but bumping it up because this was so joyful and lovely. Absolutely would recommend! Especially if you like whimsical fairy-tale-like reads.
Source: https://www.deviantart.com/culpeo-fox...
May 3, 2022
3.5 stars rounded down. It was a quick read, the stories are so short they might be flash fics. The stories, as expected for the author, they all paint a very lush, imaginative, and vivid world. Plot wise however, maybe because of the length, either I did not get the meaning/supposed lessons or they just end too abrupt for me. Still recommend it though for those who do not have much time to read and prefer a quick intake once in a while.
May 13, 2022
Excellent collection of flash fiction. Great format, even better execution. For me this is somewhere in between Sturm & Drang poetry and Aesops fables, only thoroughly modernized. I will surely come back to this author very soon!
March 23, 2017
"Sometimes it’s about thunder, and sometimes it’s about the pale horses who thrash the sea into storm, and sometimes it’s about gunfire opening your heart."
* * *
Sometimes you find the treatment for a pain you didn't even know you had. Sometimes you don't even realize how hungry or thirsty you are until you're nourished again.
You can very much be hungry for words. The past year was a very hard one in my life, and I think that's quickly becoming a universal statement. I'm tired, in pain, and easily discouraged. I knew this. I didn't know how much I needed to read something that quenched, satisfied and reminded me beautiful things exist in the world.
I've never read a microfiction compilation before, by the same author or otherwise. I'm not sure whether starting here is a good thing or not - and not because of any problem with the book itself. Quite the opposite. The Fox's Tower often reads like a poetry collection, writing so lyrical and intricate I feel like anything I read after this will seem minimalist by comparison. I need to remember not to judge/compare anything against it, because it's so much its own genre... and a hard act to follow!
I've been trying to choose a favorite mini-story, and I can't. Single lines stand out - "angels come to her when their wings want mending." "She had not found the heartsease she sought amid those great and grim treasures, but she had found the one she had brought with her from the very beginning."
I've thought about these for days after finishing. And I've found I can't think of one without contemplating/appreciating all of them together.
These stories build a world. They're like shining threads in the same gorgeous tapestry. The whole they create is something transcendent. And inclusive, easily and gracefully. Gender, sexuality, pronouns, these things simply are. Identity threads are important, of course, but they make up the weaving of a much larger and more elaborate whole.
I needed these. Not just words of beauty, but words of hope and reassurance. It's not outright stated "there are still good things in the world, still magic, still reasons to live in it." It doesn't need to be. Some things simply shift your experience, give you strength by virtue of existing.
Sometimes, a beautiful dream is the thing that wakes you up, and reminds you of all the things you didn't know you forgot, and never want to live without again.
"Above all things, a dragon is a state of mind."
* * *
Sometimes you find the treatment for a pain you didn't even know you had. Sometimes you don't even realize how hungry or thirsty you are until you're nourished again.
You can very much be hungry for words. The past year was a very hard one in my life, and I think that's quickly becoming a universal statement. I'm tired, in pain, and easily discouraged. I knew this. I didn't know how much I needed to read something that quenched, satisfied and reminded me beautiful things exist in the world.
I've never read a microfiction compilation before, by the same author or otherwise. I'm not sure whether starting here is a good thing or not - and not because of any problem with the book itself. Quite the opposite. The Fox's Tower often reads like a poetry collection, writing so lyrical and intricate I feel like anything I read after this will seem minimalist by comparison. I need to remember not to judge/compare anything against it, because it's so much its own genre... and a hard act to follow!
I've been trying to choose a favorite mini-story, and I can't. Single lines stand out - "angels come to her when their wings want mending." "She had not found the heartsease she sought amid those great and grim treasures, but she had found the one she had brought with her from the very beginning."
I've thought about these for days after finishing. And I've found I can't think of one without contemplating/appreciating all of them together.
These stories build a world. They're like shining threads in the same gorgeous tapestry. The whole they create is something transcendent. And inclusive, easily and gracefully. Gender, sexuality, pronouns, these things simply are. Identity threads are important, of course, but they make up the weaving of a much larger and more elaborate whole.
I needed these. Not just words of beauty, but words of hope and reassurance. It's not outright stated "there are still good things in the world, still magic, still reasons to live in it." It doesn't need to be. Some things simply shift your experience, give you strength by virtue of existing.
Sometimes, a beautiful dream is the thing that wakes you up, and reminds you of all the things you didn't know you forgot, and never want to live without again.
"Above all things, a dragon is a state of mind."
May 8, 2022
Flash fiction is hit or miss for me, but I think this was overall a good collection. Probably improved by being read across a whole month, rather than all at one time. Some of the stories ended abruptly or without a feeling of resolution, which I actually enjoyed in small doses. Favorites were The Youngest Fox and The Fox's Forest.
April 6, 2022
Simply amazing flash fiction fairy tales that are entirely amazing considering the world-building enchantment that Lee creates with in such a short form. I'm in love with Lee's writing ability!
December 6, 2022
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
The Fox's Tower and Other Tales is a collection of short (flash fiction) story collection of enchanting magical tales. These are very quick reads which often ended quite abruptly so if you're not a fan of flash fiction this wouldn't be a book I'd recommend you read but if you've never read this type of book please give it a go! Told in fairytale type but with a more modern day feel, I found these to be cleverly written and quite diverse in their shortness. My favourites were Sand and Sea, The Youngest Fox and The foxes forest.
The Fox's Tower and Other Tales is a collection of short (flash fiction) story collection of enchanting magical tales. These are very quick reads which often ended quite abruptly so if you're not a fan of flash fiction this wouldn't be a book I'd recommend you read but if you've never read this type of book please give it a go! Told in fairytale type but with a more modern day feel, I found these to be cleverly written and quite diverse in their shortness. My favourites were Sand and Sea, The Youngest Fox and The foxes forest.
April 13, 2022
Short and sweet fairytale-like stories. As someone not overly fond of extremely short stories or fairytales, I'm sure other readers might get more out of this collection than I did, but for what it was, I liked it quite well. The writing, though it did sometimes read a little purple in some stories, was often very nice. These tales are imaginative and fresh with some nice diverse twists often not found in traditional fairytales, so I definitely appreciated that aspect. And, what can I say? I love foxes, which were featured in several of these stories.
I just wish some of these had been longer, as these glimpses made me want to read more about the worlds and characters featured in them.
Stories that stood out for me would be:
- The School of the Empty Book
- Sand and Sea
- The Youngest Fox
- The Fox's Forest
3.5 stars, rounded down.
I just wish some of these had been longer, as these glimpses made me want to read more about the worlds and characters featured in them.
Stories that stood out for me would be:
- The School of the Empty Book
- Sand and Sea
- The Youngest Fox
- The Fox's Forest
3.5 stars, rounded down.
October 28, 2015
This is a lovely collection of microfiction, which often teasingly looks over the edge at poetry in the imagery, the choice of words, the spare precise nature of the prose. It’s a collection of fable-like stories, some of them more familiar than others, all of them given their own little twist. There were a few that didn’t really strike me, but microfiction is a very difficult art, and I think Yoon Ha Lee does an amazing job with the form. Each word has to be necessary — done. Each image has to evoke a picture, an emotion, a perfect still moment — done.
I also liked that gender is not a major thing in these stories. It shifts. Someone is referred to as someone’s son, and yet the pronoun is ‘they’. It’s noticeable at first because people don’t usually do it, but I quickly got used to it, and it’s a part of the narrative voice. (Some characters are ‘she’ or ‘he’; it also depends on the character, the story.)
I know Yoon Ha Lee has a sci-fi book deal with Solaris, and I’m definitely looking forward to that on the strength of this.
Originally posted here.
I also liked that gender is not a major thing in these stories. It shifts. Someone is referred to as someone’s son, and yet the pronoun is ‘they’. It’s noticeable at first because people don’t usually do it, but I quickly got used to it, and it’s a part of the narrative voice. (Some characters are ‘she’ or ‘he’; it also depends on the character, the story.)
I know Yoon Ha Lee has a sci-fi book deal with Solaris, and I’m definitely looking forward to that on the strength of this.
Originally posted here.
May 3, 2022
I didn't know I was a fan of flash fiction until I read this book. Turns out I am a fan if it's done right. These tiny little stories were absolutely lovely. I read a few in a row but then realized I enjoyed them much more one at a time. I would read one before bed each night. It also turned me into a Yoon Ha Lee fan that has exploded my TBR in a wonderful way! I also think I will return to this often for little bite sized pieces of happiness.
September 9, 2021
Rep: sapphic, nonbinary & achillean mcs
June 24, 2023
With only a few illustrations and stories which very much rest above most children's comprehension, this book is not what I had expected. One reviewer likened the tales to bedtime stories, and from that I assumed a much different demographic. But as it were, I enjoyed this book far more than I likely would have if the stories truly were bedtime fairy tales for kids.
In fact, I'm very glad I bought it, as it's more or less exactly what I needed to keep my imagination active and my love of reading flowing. Plus, as a nice bonus, the hardcover is gorgeous and feels wonderfully velvety to the touch. This one's definitely going at the front of my book shelf so everyone can see the beautiful cover!
The tales within are short and somewhat rushed, but in a way I found useful to making me think and ponder what possible meanings each might hide within its brief page time. In a way, I was reminded of a book I had as a child, kept in my grandmother's home. It, too, had visible thread binding and shiny pages with a few illustrations placed between short stories. This book is much smaller, and I can't recall a title for the one in my past, but I enjoyed it in much the same was as I do this one, like a parallel version of the book of fables - this one for adults, the other for children. (Sort of. I recall my grandma being a little horrified at how gruesome one tale was, though details escape me.) I've always loved stories that make me think and bring life to my imagination.
In the before-times when I had no internet and the world was a playground, these were the ways I saw fantasy worlds in my mind. It's nice to get back to that feeling, if only for a fleeting moment, and have it interlaced with little hints of lore and grand worlds just beyond reach.
Or, to put it more simply: I love this book and enjoyed it so much I found myself deliberately pacing myself so I didn't finish the whole thing in one sitting. It hit me with a mega-dose of nostalgic joy, and while the stories are more like brief fables I found the majority of them to be quite enjoyable.
I can't say much, as it doesn't take many words to spoil a story that spans mere paragraphs, but I will try to share my impressions of each tale anyway.
The Fox's Tower
A man is imprisoned after forsaking a woman to which he'd sworn his loyalty. He finds himself approached by a fox who speaks with the voice of a human and soon gets visited in his dreams... I suspect this one may be a metaphor for the freedom of discovering and embracing one's true self. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I gathered, and it struck me as rather beautiful because of that. Definitely a strong starting point for this collection.
The Dragon Festival
Robots build a dragon, and something genuinely unexpected occurs as a result. I can't say anything without spoiling this one, but I will say I wish it had spent maybe one more paragraph building up to the ending. Otherwise, it's a tale which surprised me because what I expected is not what happened. If there was a moral, it evaded me, but that's okay; I don't believe all stories need to have a 'purpose' beyond existing and I liked it all the same.
The Cursed Piano
What price must be paid for the beauty of music, and is it worthwhile? This one made me feel emotions I wouldn't have expected from something so short. (My heart ached! Emotions were felt!) It flows and feels very much like an old fable, fast-paced yet poignant - and with a rather strong point to be made (which, by the way, doesn't actually have that much to do with music in general). Also? Unicorns.
The Melancholy Astromancer
If I explain anything, I will spoil it. But a certain Audioslave song comes to mind. To be yourself is all that you can do~ I like the song; I like the story. It definitely would have been special to my younger self, who could have easily identified with the melancholy astromancer.
The School of The Empty Book
I loved the concept, but my brain got a little caught up in the details. You see, it's a world in which children go the first ten years of their life only speaking and being spoken to and then are given two books upon their tenth birthday, one of which teaches them how to read and write. There's a poignant story here, and I surprisingly spoiled nothing with what I revealed, but my brain pumped the brakes hard trying to wrap itself around the logic in such a world and very nearly missed the point as a result.
Moonwander
An origin story for the phases of the moon. Interesting, but not as well-written as some of the others. I liked the concept but felt the execution was somewhat lacking.
Sand and Sea
This one's a cute and charming tale exploring the bond between twin witches. I think there may be something more beneath the surface, but I can't decide what. Maybe it'll come to me on a future reading.
The Pale Queen's Sister
Money and treasures cannot buy everything. The Pale Queen, in her war-ravaged land, learns this the hard way as she attempts to gain allies. That, of course, is where her sister steps in. I could see the destination very easily, but still enjoyed the trip.
The Sunlit Horse
A touching, heartwarming story about family - particularly a father, a son, and a mystical wooden horse. I love this one to pieces, in part for what it depicts and in part because it reminds me to some degree of a bedtime story I was told as a child. There was no magic in that one as there is here, but even so the familiarity made my heart even warmer.
Tiger Wives
Man, I just absolutely love the flow and wording choices in this one. It is a very simple tale, but it's so nice to read. One of my favourite lines: It is not that the general carries a corroded pale lump where her heart should be; it is not that ledgers of spilled lives are recorded in blurred inexactitude upon her bones.
The Rose and the Peacock
A short and sweet story, alluding to why the boundary between summer and winter is malleable and a mixture of the two climates. I'm not entirely certain the shortness of this one worked as well as the others, but it does retain the folktale or fable element which makes the edge of incompleteness palatable.
The Youngest Fox
This follows a young fox spirit whose ideas of happiness differ from her family's. I don't want to give away too many details, but I will say that I absolutely loved this one - especially the way the family treated the youngest fox with respect even though they had different world views.
The Godsforge
I read this one twice, and I'm still not entirely certain I get it. I think, perhaps, it may have a message about inner strength, but I'm not sure. It's one of the weaker tales, in my opinion.
The Witch and the Traveler
A little bit wicked, a little bit whimsical. A traveler approaches a witch to discuss rumours of her eating visitors. It went where I expected, but then did a turn into things I'd have never guessed - all within the span of a few, short pages. I loved the mental image this one managed to paint for me.
A Single Pebble
A dragon who owns merely a pebble goes into the unknown seeking the greatest treasure of all, yet returns with something she hadn't expected. This one's a bit cliché, if I'm being honest, but it kind of works in the fable-like format. I loved the way words were woven together here, like threads of silk forming a beautiful tapestry. Sure, the tapestry has an image on it which is not particularly fresh - an image many have used before - but it is still a fine tapestry all the same.
Two Bakeries
There are two bakeries: one which sells lavish, luxury bread and the other which sells only a single, plain variety. The owner of the lavish bakery is perplexed by the patronage of the smaller, plainer one and decides to investigate. I think I get what this one was aiming for, but it fell a little short for me. While I normally enjoy the way these tales flow, this one didn't have the same energy to it. The flowery wording felt more of a burden than an asset, but I can't discern or articulate what makes it different from the rest.
The Virtues of Magpies
I adored this one. It's a somewhat sweet, somewhat humourous story of what happens when a child shows kindness to creatures which are often reviled as bad luck. Thankfully, it comes without the annoyingly saccharine ending one might expect of such a tale.
The Stone-Hearted Soldier
As the first line of this tale says: In a war-torn land, the queen had a habit of demanding her soliders' hearts be removed and replaced with hearts of stone, that they might serve her better. This is the story of one such soldier who remains after the war has ended, and the plight she faces in trying to find meaning in life as a person of hardened heart. The message is uplifting in an expected yet enchanting way. Very fluffy, but still tasteful, like just the right amount of cotton candy and not a bite more.
The Mermaid's Teeth
A mermaid finds herself in quite a dilemma, but refuses to let it get her down for long. I did not see this one coming, not at all. It surprised me in a way that made me giggle a bit - which startled my poor dog, who was napping beside me. Having this one's ending placed beside a page with a beautiful painting of two koi was just too much for me to handle, in a delightful way.
The Fox's Forest
I loved this tale of a fox who meets a woman in seek of something impossible and has her life changed forever. In trying not to give anything away, I'm not doing it any justice with my description, but suffice to say it's a lovely story told in only as many words as necessary.
The Village and the Embroiderer
An old woman wields magic in the form of embroidery, defending the village she calls home. But what price does she pay for that magic, and are her apprentices ready to accept it? I absolutely loved the concept of this one and I think my grandma, who loved to embroider until she lost the dexterity required, would enjoy it as well - though she might find herself tsk-ing about morbidity - kind of like she did over the book I kept at her place as a child. That would be quite fitting, wouldn't it?
The Tenth Sword
A traveler goes to the Wood at the End of the World carrying nine swords. They are careful to respect the land and its customs, as their purpose is not one of violence or disrespect. But what is their purpose...? This is another one that is short and to the point, yet still managed to surprise me with its ending. I expected something very different, and had a little smile when I finished. I like the message, even if it's a touch on the cliché side.
The Society of the Veil
Birds reign in the great celestial palace, ensuring that stars and planets all fall into their proper place. Within this community of spacefaring birds, there is a society of blind birds who have a mysterious role in the cosmos. This is the fable of their purpose in the universe. I think I liked this one a bit more in concept than execution, but I didn't dislike it by any means - just didn't feel it was as good as some of the others. The overall theme is right up my alley, so I'm not entirely certain where it fell short for me. I think, perhaps, the surreal wording I normally love was a touch overdone in this one.
The Leafless Forest
A forest has been ravaged by war, but while all the wildlife has fled to greener pastures the ghosts of the trees remain, lamenting what has been lost. Eventually, the butterflies of a distant forest hear their cries, and come to visit. I absolutely adored the imagery and beauty of this one. It's so short, but so sweet, and it's another one I love to pieces.
The Last Angel
At only three paragraphs' length, this is the shortest of the tales. There isn't really anything I can say about it, other than it's quite bittersweet and blends hopelessness with an undercurrent of hope. It's not one of my favourites, but it still had an impact - especially as the final tale in this collection. Much like the titular angel at the end of the world, I want to linger despite this book having reached its conclusion.
In fact, I'm very glad I bought it, as it's more or less exactly what I needed to keep my imagination active and my love of reading flowing. Plus, as a nice bonus, the hardcover is gorgeous and feels wonderfully velvety to the touch. This one's definitely going at the front of my book shelf so everyone can see the beautiful cover!
The tales within are short and somewhat rushed, but in a way I found useful to making me think and ponder what possible meanings each might hide within its brief page time. In a way, I was reminded of a book I had as a child, kept in my grandmother's home. It, too, had visible thread binding and shiny pages with a few illustrations placed between short stories. This book is much smaller, and I can't recall a title for the one in my past, but I enjoyed it in much the same was as I do this one, like a parallel version of the book of fables - this one for adults, the other for children. (Sort of. I recall my grandma being a little horrified at how gruesome one tale was, though details escape me.) I've always loved stories that make me think and bring life to my imagination.
In the before-times when I had no internet and the world was a playground, these were the ways I saw fantasy worlds in my mind. It's nice to get back to that feeling, if only for a fleeting moment, and have it interlaced with little hints of lore and grand worlds just beyond reach.
Or, to put it more simply: I love this book and enjoyed it so much I found myself deliberately pacing myself so I didn't finish the whole thing in one sitting. It hit me with a mega-dose of nostalgic joy, and while the stories are more like brief fables I found the majority of them to be quite enjoyable.
I can't say much, as it doesn't take many words to spoil a story that spans mere paragraphs, but I will try to share my impressions of each tale anyway.
The Fox's Tower
A man is imprisoned after forsaking a woman to which he'd sworn his loyalty. He finds himself approached by a fox who speaks with the voice of a human and soon gets visited in his dreams... I suspect this one may be a metaphor for the freedom of discovering and embracing one's true self. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what I gathered, and it struck me as rather beautiful because of that. Definitely a strong starting point for this collection.
The Dragon Festival
Robots build a dragon, and something genuinely unexpected occurs as a result. I can't say anything without spoiling this one, but I will say I wish it had spent maybe one more paragraph building up to the ending. Otherwise, it's a tale which surprised me because what I expected is not what happened. If there was a moral, it evaded me, but that's okay; I don't believe all stories need to have a 'purpose' beyond existing and I liked it all the same.
The Cursed Piano
What price must be paid for the beauty of music, and is it worthwhile? This one made me feel emotions I wouldn't have expected from something so short. (My heart ached! Emotions were felt!) It flows and feels very much like an old fable, fast-paced yet poignant - and with a rather strong point to be made (which, by the way, doesn't actually have that much to do with music in general). Also? Unicorns.
The Melancholy Astromancer
If I explain anything, I will spoil it. But a certain Audioslave song comes to mind. To be yourself is all that you can do~ I like the song; I like the story. It definitely would have been special to my younger self, who could have easily identified with the melancholy astromancer.
The School of The Empty Book
I loved the concept, but my brain got a little caught up in the details. You see, it's a world in which children go the first ten years of their life only speaking and being spoken to and then are given two books upon their tenth birthday, one of which teaches them how to read and write. There's a poignant story here, and I surprisingly spoiled nothing with what I revealed, but my brain pumped the brakes hard trying to wrap itself around the logic in such a world and very nearly missed the point as a result.
Moonwander
An origin story for the phases of the moon. Interesting, but not as well-written as some of the others. I liked the concept but felt the execution was somewhat lacking.
Sand and Sea
This one's a cute and charming tale exploring the bond between twin witches. I think there may be something more beneath the surface, but I can't decide what. Maybe it'll come to me on a future reading.
The Pale Queen's Sister
Money and treasures cannot buy everything. The Pale Queen, in her war-ravaged land, learns this the hard way as she attempts to gain allies. That, of course, is where her sister steps in. I could see the destination very easily, but still enjoyed the trip.
The Sunlit Horse
A touching, heartwarming story about family - particularly a father, a son, and a mystical wooden horse. I love this one to pieces, in part for what it depicts and in part because it reminds me to some degree of a bedtime story I was told as a child. There was no magic in that one as there is here, but even so the familiarity made my heart even warmer.
Tiger Wives
Man, I just absolutely love the flow and wording choices in this one. It is a very simple tale, but it's so nice to read. One of my favourite lines: It is not that the general carries a corroded pale lump where her heart should be; it is not that ledgers of spilled lives are recorded in blurred inexactitude upon her bones.
The Rose and the Peacock
A short and sweet story, alluding to why the boundary between summer and winter is malleable and a mixture of the two climates. I'm not entirely certain the shortness of this one worked as well as the others, but it does retain the folktale or fable element which makes the edge of incompleteness palatable.
The Youngest Fox
This follows a young fox spirit whose ideas of happiness differ from her family's. I don't want to give away too many details, but I will say that I absolutely loved this one - especially the way the family treated the youngest fox with respect even though they had different world views.
The Godsforge
I read this one twice, and I'm still not entirely certain I get it. I think, perhaps, it may have a message about inner strength, but I'm not sure. It's one of the weaker tales, in my opinion.
The Witch and the Traveler
A little bit wicked, a little bit whimsical. A traveler approaches a witch to discuss rumours of her eating visitors. It went where I expected, but then did a turn into things I'd have never guessed - all within the span of a few, short pages. I loved the mental image this one managed to paint for me.
A Single Pebble
A dragon who owns merely a pebble goes into the unknown seeking the greatest treasure of all, yet returns with something she hadn't expected. This one's a bit cliché, if I'm being honest, but it kind of works in the fable-like format. I loved the way words were woven together here, like threads of silk forming a beautiful tapestry. Sure, the tapestry has an image on it which is not particularly fresh - an image many have used before - but it is still a fine tapestry all the same.
Two Bakeries
There are two bakeries: one which sells lavish, luxury bread and the other which sells only a single, plain variety. The owner of the lavish bakery is perplexed by the patronage of the smaller, plainer one and decides to investigate. I think I get what this one was aiming for, but it fell a little short for me. While I normally enjoy the way these tales flow, this one didn't have the same energy to it. The flowery wording felt more of a burden than an asset, but I can't discern or articulate what makes it different from the rest.
The Virtues of Magpies
I adored this one. It's a somewhat sweet, somewhat humourous story of what happens when a child shows kindness to creatures which are often reviled as bad luck. Thankfully, it comes without the annoyingly saccharine ending one might expect of such a tale.
The Stone-Hearted Soldier
As the first line of this tale says: In a war-torn land, the queen had a habit of demanding her soliders' hearts be removed and replaced with hearts of stone, that they might serve her better. This is the story of one such soldier who remains after the war has ended, and the plight she faces in trying to find meaning in life as a person of hardened heart. The message is uplifting in an expected yet enchanting way. Very fluffy, but still tasteful, like just the right amount of cotton candy and not a bite more.
The Mermaid's Teeth
A mermaid finds herself in quite a dilemma, but refuses to let it get her down for long. I did not see this one coming, not at all. It surprised me in a way that made me giggle a bit - which startled my poor dog, who was napping beside me. Having this one's ending placed beside a page with a beautiful painting of two koi was just too much for me to handle, in a delightful way.
The Fox's Forest
I loved this tale of a fox who meets a woman in seek of something impossible and has her life changed forever. In trying not to give anything away, I'm not doing it any justice with my description, but suffice to say it's a lovely story told in only as many words as necessary.
The Village and the Embroiderer
An old woman wields magic in the form of embroidery, defending the village she calls home. But what price does she pay for that magic, and are her apprentices ready to accept it? I absolutely loved the concept of this one and I think my grandma, who loved to embroider until she lost the dexterity required, would enjoy it as well - though she might find herself tsk-ing about morbidity - kind of like she did over the book I kept at her place as a child. That would be quite fitting, wouldn't it?
The Tenth Sword
A traveler goes to the Wood at the End of the World carrying nine swords. They are careful to respect the land and its customs, as their purpose is not one of violence or disrespect. But what is their purpose...? This is another one that is short and to the point, yet still managed to surprise me with its ending. I expected something very different, and had a little smile when I finished. I like the message, even if it's a touch on the cliché side.
The Society of the Veil
Birds reign in the great celestial palace, ensuring that stars and planets all fall into their proper place. Within this community of spacefaring birds, there is a society of blind birds who have a mysterious role in the cosmos. This is the fable of their purpose in the universe. I think I liked this one a bit more in concept than execution, but I didn't dislike it by any means - just didn't feel it was as good as some of the others. The overall theme is right up my alley, so I'm not entirely certain where it fell short for me. I think, perhaps, the surreal wording I normally love was a touch overdone in this one.
The Leafless Forest
A forest has been ravaged by war, but while all the wildlife has fled to greener pastures the ghosts of the trees remain, lamenting what has been lost. Eventually, the butterflies of a distant forest hear their cries, and come to visit. I absolutely adored the imagery and beauty of this one. It's so short, but so sweet, and it's another one I love to pieces.
The Last Angel
At only three paragraphs' length, this is the shortest of the tales. There isn't really anything I can say about it, other than it's quite bittersweet and blends hopelessness with an undercurrent of hope. It's not one of my favourites, but it still had an impact - especially as the final tale in this collection. Much like the titular angel at the end of the world, I want to linger despite this book having reached its conclusion.
January 2, 2020
This collection of short stories was gorgeous! Oh, such beautiful, poetic writing.
I loved most of the stories. A few were unremarkable, and some were quite similar to each other in terms of theme, but otherwise it was a wonderful read.
Plus, I love foxes so... ♥️
I loved most of the stories. A few were unremarkable, and some were quite similar to each other in terms of theme, but otherwise it was a wonderful read.
Plus, I love foxes so... ♥️
November 29, 2021
Luminous and imaginative, but too brief to be impactful. Yoon Ha Lee's latest short story collection places strong emphasis on the "short", with none of his tales suprasing five pages. This collection of fables tells of mesmerizing foxes, unicorn-bone pianos, avian aristocrats, and mechanical dragons, showcasing the sheer breadth of Lee's creativity. Despite their differences, all of the stories share a dreamy, fairy-tale quality that reminded me moreso of Hans Christian Anderson than Disney. I also liked how many of them seemed to share a common thread, or could have ostensibly taken place within the same world. However, these butterfly-kiss brief stories felt more like impressions than true, substantive fiction: they were like snippets cut from more extensive worlds. My favorites were those that felt closer to fables: concise, but with a pithy message of some sort. The School of the Empty Book, Two Bakeries , and The Youngest Fox being among these. Though still lovely, I was less drawn to those that felt more like pretty but unsatisfying snapshots of a character or a place.
July 28, 2016
OH MY GOSH. So, this book consists of forty extremely tiny stories, about the length of your average Aesop's Fable, creation myth, or red light--no, I wasn't reading in the car--written in deliciously evocative prose. Lee took the formula of talking animals and magical people and added occasional queerness to it, which is probably how this ended up in my TBR (there are plenty of stories about, say, a witch with a girlfriend, and I counted at least three nonbinary characters.)
Some of my favorite stories were "Moonwander", "The Stone-Hearted Soldier", "The Pale Queen's Sister", "The Witch and Her Lover" (mentioned earlier as one of the f/f selections), and the idea of dormice having paladin sentinels from within their kind watching over their hibernation. Also, I am completely in love with this line: Roses that count the season's clock with their petals, disrobing red by red until all's gone except the sun's winter angles.
I am really glad that these exist.
Some of my favorite stories were "Moonwander", "The Stone-Hearted Soldier", "The Pale Queen's Sister", "The Witch and Her Lover" (mentioned earlier as one of the f/f selections), and the idea of dormice having paladin sentinels from within their kind watching over their hibernation. Also, I am completely in love with this line: Roses that count the season's clock with their petals, disrobing red by red until all's gone except the sun's winter angles.
I am really glad that these exist.
October 26, 2017
Five stars for sure. It's not that I loved every story -- there were so many! This is made up of flash fiction, after all. However, there are very few that I didn't enjoy immensely. No, it's five stars because I loved most of the stories and loved dearly quite a few of them. Yoon Ha Lee is able to speak to me (and hopefully you) so skillfully in so few words. Really, I'm amazed at how much power are contained in just a few paragraphs...
Bonus: the length of each tale makes this an excellent book keep on your phone for when you need just a quick story fix while you're waiting someplace. That also gives you time to digest each story well.
Bonus: the length of each tale makes this an excellent book keep on your phone for when you need just a quick story fix while you're waiting someplace. That also gives you time to digest each story well.
September 19, 2022
I found this little collection on a whim at Barnes and Noble yesterday, and after reading the first story I was hooked! Lee has a beautiful sense of writing and I felt like each short story was almost like a Ghibli or Disney film. The world in my head was enchanting, and the stories were encaging. This was just full of the elements I enjoy in fiction, but in smaller doses. I would recommend giving this hidden jewel a chance if you can find it. A lovely read for fall indeed!
Read
November 21, 2018Not that I don't love his baroque military SF, but it's fun to see Yoon Ha Lee in a simpler and often far gentler mode in these very short stories. Perhaps better named prose poems or fables, they share certain familiar concerns – foxes, birds, gloves, and a love of fine and strange meals (though also of the most familiar and homely tastes, because sometimes those are the best). Many are succinct enough that you can savour one in the briefest interval of spare time, but they share all the delight in the gem-like possibilities of language that bejewels his novels. Because while one might expect aphantasia to be a handicap in the writing of fantasy, in practice it means that where another author might worry about how something would actually work, Lee can just savour the sound of it. Hence, on every page some strange wonder such as "an empire of scythes and fissures" or "wine pressed from winter promises". An exquisite indulgence.
December 1, 2024
Whimsical flash fiction, some that absolutely charmed me, others that were either too simple or too similar to one another.
I was a bit disappointed to realize that the illustrations are all stock images, and not a great fit for the stories they accompany. They're all mundane landscapes and animals, whereas the stories are often wild fantasy. If the budget for an illustrator isn't there, I get it, but some original fantasy illustrations could have really elevated this book. At least this was published before widespread use of AI.
I was a bit disappointed to realize that the illustrations are all stock images, and not a great fit for the stories they accompany. They're all mundane landscapes and animals, whereas the stories are often wild fantasy. If the budget for an illustrator isn't there, I get it, but some original fantasy illustrations could have really elevated this book. At least this was published before widespread use of AI.
January 16, 2022
4.5 stars
June 11, 2022
A blend of magic, science, and science fiction coated in sweet poetry. Ha Lee is able to bring about the nostalgia of old folk tales being read in an imagined futuristic realm. Loved it!
November 6, 2022
Pure magic ✨
May 8, 2023
I felt like this read a little awkwardly but I think I just didn't love the translation. That said, the creativity of the stories saved it.
Read
November 26, 2025These tales are exactly my kind of atmospheric. Put more science and mythic vibes and poetry in short stories!
"The Mermaid's Teeth" gave me the most visceral reaction, but I think "The Melancholy Astromancer" was probably my favorite!
"The Mermaid's Teeth" gave me the most visceral reaction, but I think "The Melancholy Astromancer" was probably my favorite!
March 25, 2025
This was so, so, achingly, utterly, gloriously well-written. Yoon Ha Lee is a master of this specific genre of 'flash fiction', with stories between one and four pages long. Many of them read like fairy tales, except they all feel new, they all feel like they create their own tiny world in the space of a few carefully crafted words. I tried to read this slowly even as I wanted to clutch every word close, hoard every beautiful turn of phrase like the treasure it is. Highly, highly recommended!
August 19, 2016
I don't really have the words to describe the how of my enjoyment here, but it's a definite recommend from me.
May 8, 2022
An otherworldly gathering of slipstream fables. There's a lot of beauty in these flash fictions though not as much plot as I would have liked.
Granted, The Fox's Tower and Other Tales seems to be a book that revels in folktale logic, which can be light and mysterious. However, I often felt growing pains within each of these stories. A couple of extra pages per fiction would have enriched the world-building and also connected the initial quandary to its eventual solution. In my opinion, the beauty of a story lies in one or a couple of characters' journey to understanding. While this needs to be precise in the short story and flash fiction form, some fleshing out is acceptable and even makes the tale that much more satisfying to the reader.
Setting this bugbear aside, I enjoyed the magical realism and the gorgeously poetic description of The Fox's Tower and Other Tales. Some of the 'morals' were very neat and deserve to be shared through word of mouth. In fact, reading these stories aloud is probably the best way to enjoy them. Lee excels at setting a scene and giving a strong sense of character through physical attributes and actions.
The Fox's Tower and Other Tales is an intriguing collection with a delightful style, though I wish it lingered longer for each fable. I recommend this book to fans of enigmatic storytelling with philosophy to unpack.
Notable Stories
• The Cursed Piano – a mystical and musical ghost story that says a lot about art born of historic cruelty.
• The Youngest Fox – a unique blend of the trickster archetype and passion for scientific progress.
• The Leafless Forest – a glorious transformation that comments on deforestation and rewilding.
Granted, The Fox's Tower and Other Tales seems to be a book that revels in folktale logic, which can be light and mysterious. However, I often felt growing pains within each of these stories. A couple of extra pages per fiction would have enriched the world-building and also connected the initial quandary to its eventual solution. In my opinion, the beauty of a story lies in one or a couple of characters' journey to understanding. While this needs to be precise in the short story and flash fiction form, some fleshing out is acceptable and even makes the tale that much more satisfying to the reader.
Setting this bugbear aside, I enjoyed the magical realism and the gorgeously poetic description of The Fox's Tower and Other Tales. Some of the 'morals' were very neat and deserve to be shared through word of mouth. In fact, reading these stories aloud is probably the best way to enjoy them. Lee excels at setting a scene and giving a strong sense of character through physical attributes and actions.
The Fox's Tower and Other Tales is an intriguing collection with a delightful style, though I wish it lingered longer for each fable. I recommend this book to fans of enigmatic storytelling with philosophy to unpack.
Notable Stories
• The Cursed Piano – a mystical and musical ghost story that says a lot about art born of historic cruelty.
• The Youngest Fox – a unique blend of the trickster archetype and passion for scientific progress.
• The Leafless Forest – a glorious transformation that comments on deforestation and rewilding.
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