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Yolen's Short Fiction #4
The Scarlet Circus
This third volume in Jane Yolen’s World Fantasy Award-winning series brings you passionate treasures and delirious transformations. This bewitching assemblage, with an original introduction from Brandon Sanderson, is an ideal read for anyone who appreciates witty, compelling, and classic romantic fantasy.
“The Scarlet Circus is a magical collection of love stories, where love is often an act of courage and intelligence. Jane Yolen has a true storyteller's voice.”
—Anne Bishop, New York Times bestselling author of the Black Jewels series
A rakish fairy meets the real Juliet behind Shakespeare's famous tragedy. A jewelry artist travels to the past to meet a successful silver-smith. The addled crew of a ship at sea discovers a mysterious merman. More than one ignored princess finds her match in the most unlikely men.
From ecstasy to tragedy, with love blossoming shyly, love at first sight, and even love borne of practical necessity—beloved fantasist Jane Yolen’s newest collection celebrates romance in all its glory.
Other short story collections by Jane Yolen in the Jane Yolen Circus series
The Emerald Circus
How to Fracture a Fairy Tale
The Midnight Circus
“The Scarlet Circus is a magical collection of love stories, where love is often an act of courage and intelligence. Jane Yolen has a true storyteller's voice.”
—Anne Bishop, New York Times bestselling author of the Black Jewels series
A rakish fairy meets the real Juliet behind Shakespeare's famous tragedy. A jewelry artist travels to the past to meet a successful silver-smith. The addled crew of a ship at sea discovers a mysterious merman. More than one ignored princess finds her match in the most unlikely men.
From ecstasy to tragedy, with love blossoming shyly, love at first sight, and even love borne of practical necessity—beloved fantasist Jane Yolen’s newest collection celebrates romance in all its glory.
Other short story collections by Jane Yolen in the Jane Yolen Circus series
The Emerald Circus
How to Fracture a Fairy Tale
The Midnight Circus
198 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 14, 2023
31 people are currently reading
3258 people want to read
About the author
Jane Yolen
972 books3,238 followersJane Yolen is a novelist, poet, fantasist, journalist, songwriter, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s book author who has written more than three hundred books. Her accolades include the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Awards, the Kerlan Award, two Christopher Awards, and six honorary doctorate degrees from colleges and universities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Born and raised in New York City, the mother of three and the grandmother of six, Yolen lives in Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
October 22, 2022
This collection is advertised as the fourth in Jane Yolen's anthology series, but as far as I know, there's only two other such anthology with circus in the title ("The Emerald Circus" and "The Midnight Circus"), and her two other anthologies don't follow the circus theme. I've read all four, and I can say this one is my favourite, maybe because I liked more stories than in the others.
Despite the title, this doesn't take place in a circus nor is a circus the unifying theme, it's more about the whimsical nature of the stories, I'd imagine. There are 11 short stories here, none of which is new but has been plucked from previous publications to make into this collection. Yolen added a Story Notes segment by the end, in which she explains whence each story came from and adds the poems she's complemented each of the stories with. The result is a lovely bouquet of retellings and original stories, although I'd have loved it had this included some artwork; Yolen is so imaginative I'm sure she'd be a challenge for many artists.
Anyway, of all the stories, I loved these three best:
SANS SOLEIL
4 stars
This looked like a retelling of the Grimms' "The Singing, Springing Lark" at first, a B&B variant in which the cursed lion-prince can't be caught dead in the sunlight because it'd meant his curse becomes permanent. In this, Yolen takes it up a notch and makes the sunlight deathly to the cursed prince, whose name translates as "Sunless."
It's horrifying in a way, because the girl the prince marries in hopes of breaking his curse is a complete, utter, and irredeemable MORON. Everything that goes tragically bad is her fault, because she thinks in her own superiority that she can handwave away all warnings and dangers merely because she knows best, and is proven wrong when it's too late. It's tragic and told so well I liked it despite hating the heroine so much.
UNICORN TAPESTRY
4 stars
This story had a sweet and plain princess whose talent lies in embroidery, a non-marketable skill in the royal marriages market unlike her sisters' beauty. But one day, she stumbles into a magical bird she helps and in return is granted the traditional three wishes. Not convinced anything will result of it, Princess Marian makes her wish half-heartedly, and returns to her routine in the castle, resigned to grow into an old spinster embroidering beautiful tapestries for the rest of her life.
To her surprise, the bird wasn't making fun of her, and Marian soon discovers there's magic in her embroidery, and that she soon will see that magic leap from the tapestry into her life. It's a sweet little story, ideal for readers that like plain heroines with quiet strength.
A GHOST OF AN AFFAIR
5 stars
This one is heartwrenching by the end, but starts so hopeful that I was thinking it'd be another love story with a cloying Happily Ever After and no substance. But substance it does have! It's so unique, it subverts your expectations all the way to the end, and just when you're convinced Andrea and Simon will make it and be together at last, it . . . well, I'll let you read it and shed a tear or two.
It's so beautiful a romance! I think this one could be made into a novella or even a short novel, but I kinda don't want it to be expanded on, because short as it is, with all its omissions and hints at, it's still going to pull your heart's strings.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Despite the title, this doesn't take place in a circus nor is a circus the unifying theme, it's more about the whimsical nature of the stories, I'd imagine. There are 11 short stories here, none of which is new but has been plucked from previous publications to make into this collection. Yolen added a Story Notes segment by the end, in which she explains whence each story came from and adds the poems she's complemented each of the stories with. The result is a lovely bouquet of retellings and original stories, although I'd have loved it had this included some artwork; Yolen is so imaginative I'm sure she'd be a challenge for many artists.
Anyway, of all the stories, I loved these three best:
SANS SOLEIL
4 stars
This looked like a retelling of the Grimms' "The Singing, Springing Lark" at first, a B&B variant in which the cursed lion-prince can't be caught dead in the sunlight because it'd meant his curse becomes permanent. In this, Yolen takes it up a notch and makes the sunlight deathly to the cursed prince, whose name translates as "Sunless."
It's horrifying in a way, because the girl the prince marries in hopes of breaking his curse is a complete, utter, and irredeemable MORON. Everything that goes tragically bad is her fault, because she thinks in her own superiority that she can handwave away all warnings and dangers merely because she knows best, and is proven wrong when it's too late. It's tragic and told so well I liked it despite hating the heroine so much.
UNICORN TAPESTRY
4 stars
This story had a sweet and plain princess whose talent lies in embroidery, a non-marketable skill in the royal marriages market unlike her sisters' beauty. But one day, she stumbles into a magical bird she helps and in return is granted the traditional three wishes. Not convinced anything will result of it, Princess Marian makes her wish half-heartedly, and returns to her routine in the castle, resigned to grow into an old spinster embroidering beautiful tapestries for the rest of her life.
To her surprise, the bird wasn't making fun of her, and Marian soon discovers there's magic in her embroidery, and that she soon will see that magic leap from the tapestry into her life. It's a sweet little story, ideal for readers that like plain heroines with quiet strength.
A GHOST OF AN AFFAIR
5 stars
This one is heartwrenching by the end, but starts so hopeful that I was thinking it'd be another love story with a cloying Happily Ever After and no substance. But substance it does have! It's so unique, it subverts your expectations all the way to the end, and just when you're convinced Andrea and Simon will make it and be together at last, it . . . well, I'll let you read it and shed a tear or two.
It's so beautiful a romance! I think this one could be made into a novella or even a short novel, but I kinda don't want it to be expanded on, because short as it is, with all its omissions and hints at, it's still going to pull your heart's strings.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2022
In this collection of eleven short stories, the reader encounters love in its myriad forms – romance, but familial love and friendship and love of duty too – all splashed with plenty of fantasy.
I am a little embarrassed to admit that I did not recognize Jane Yolen right away – she has written over four hundred books, and it turns out that though I have not read any of them, I knew plenty of them. Anyway I have rectified that sad oversight with The Scarlet Circus.
Though the stories are for the most part classic romantic fantasy, they don’t have much in common thematically. Instead they all share a lovely, whimsical feel, whether they end happily or sadly or in an ambivalent way. They have a fairytale quality to them that makes for light reading. I also liked the short essay by Yolen about writing romance, and how it ties in with writing fantasy.
However, I did find some of the stories perhaps too light, without substance. They did not have much staying power, maybe because of that fairytale quality. I also wished the romance was a little more pronounced in some of the stories, as it shows up only in the faintest traces in those.
My favorite stories from this collection were “Dark Seed, Dark Stone,” about a king’s niece who wants to serve her uncle as her father did, and “The Sword and the Stone,” which was a humorous take on the King Arthur sword in the stone legend.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
I am a little embarrassed to admit that I did not recognize Jane Yolen right away – she has written over four hundred books, and it turns out that though I have not read any of them, I knew plenty of them. Anyway I have rectified that sad oversight with The Scarlet Circus.
Though the stories are for the most part classic romantic fantasy, they don’t have much in common thematically. Instead they all share a lovely, whimsical feel, whether they end happily or sadly or in an ambivalent way. They have a fairytale quality to them that makes for light reading. I also liked the short essay by Yolen about writing romance, and how it ties in with writing fantasy.
However, I did find some of the stories perhaps too light, without substance. They did not have much staying power, maybe because of that fairytale quality. I also wished the romance was a little more pronounced in some of the stories, as it shows up only in the faintest traces in those.
My favorite stories from this collection were “Dark Seed, Dark Stone,” about a king’s niece who wants to serve her uncle as her father did, and “The Sword and the Stone,” which was a humorous take on the King Arthur sword in the stone legend.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
March 14, 2023
2.5 stars rounded up
Let me caveat this review by saying I'm not super familiar with Jane Yolen's work, and I'm not sure this was the best introduction to it. The Scarlet Circus is an anthology of short stories with a somewhat romantic bent, some more than others. I'll be honest, most of the stories were just okay for me. Though I am now curious to try a full-length novel from Yolen.
There are elements and ideas I like in many of the stories, but they largely lacked staying power and often the romance would be a major leap that feels as if she ran out of time rather than being able to briefly give a sense of time passing and feelings developing.
There were also several stories that handled race and ethnicity in a way that was kind of uncomfortable. It's doesn't feel ill-intentioned, but also not well-handled. Part of this may be that these stories were mostly written many years in the past and are just now being collected together, but there are stories that include characters saying racist things in ways that aren't super well handled, and a couple of stories that sort of fetishize the "exotic". Again, none of it feels malicious per se, just oblivious and uncomfy.
On the other hand, there are stories with strong, interesting heroines of all sorts. Lady warriors yes, but also a lovely story about a plain young woman with middling embroidery that ends up carrying magic anyway. And we definitely see the range in kinds of stories Yolen is able to weave. Ultimately this was a mixed bag. Some stories I enjoyed, others were very meh, but I can't say this is something that will really stick with me. I was hoping for more, but if anyone has a suggestion of a full-length novel to try from this author, I would be interested. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Let me caveat this review by saying I'm not super familiar with Jane Yolen's work, and I'm not sure this was the best introduction to it. The Scarlet Circus is an anthology of short stories with a somewhat romantic bent, some more than others. I'll be honest, most of the stories were just okay for me. Though I am now curious to try a full-length novel from Yolen.
There are elements and ideas I like in many of the stories, but they largely lacked staying power and often the romance would be a major leap that feels as if she ran out of time rather than being able to briefly give a sense of time passing and feelings developing.
There were also several stories that handled race and ethnicity in a way that was kind of uncomfortable. It's doesn't feel ill-intentioned, but also not well-handled. Part of this may be that these stories were mostly written many years in the past and are just now being collected together, but there are stories that include characters saying racist things in ways that aren't super well handled, and a couple of stories that sort of fetishize the "exotic". Again, none of it feels malicious per se, just oblivious and uncomfy.
On the other hand, there are stories with strong, interesting heroines of all sorts. Lady warriors yes, but also a lovely story about a plain young woman with middling embroidery that ends up carrying magic anyway. And we definitely see the range in kinds of stories Yolen is able to weave. Ultimately this was a mixed bag. Some stories I enjoyed, others were very meh, but I can't say this is something that will really stick with me. I was hoping for more, but if anyone has a suggestion of a full-length novel to try from this author, I would be interested. I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher, all opinions are my own.
February 14, 2023
Ahoy there mateys! I have always loved reading Jane Yolen's novels but as I have gotten older I have loved her short stories just as much. The publisher is continuing the trend of gifting us with these collections. This is the fourth one and deals with romance in lovely, untypical ways.
This collection has 10 varied tales. Like any collection, I liked some better than others. I also very much enjoyed Yolen's "Story Notes" at the end of the book which gives background on the short stories in the collection.
I don't want to spoil the magic of the stories and can't really do them justice with me own paltry words but I will try to give ye an idea of the bare bones of the stories:
"Sans Soleil" - This was a tragic tale of love gone wrong despite the best intentions. Loved the sun imagery.
"Dusty Loves" - A rather unique take on the Romeo and Juliet story. Involves the fae and a ghost. I loved this.
"Unicorn Tapestry" - The deals with magic and unicorn embroidery and a middling middle princess. I don't know that I understood all of the magic but the ending was excellent.
"A Ghost of an Affair" - A chance encounter has consequences across time. I loved how the assumptions I had continued to be wrong. Another lovely ending if somewhat bittersweet.
"Dark Seed, Dark Stone" - I loved this tale set in the 600s of a forward thinking woman dealing with the death of her warrior-hero father. The time period came to life on the page. The historical notes at the end were also lovely.
"Dragonfield" - Everyone knows that dragons are long gone. Until they aren't. A girl helps a boy become the hero he is thought to be. Excellent.
"The Sword in the Stone" - I don't like King Arthur retellings but this one was fun. It made me want Yolen to tell me what happens next and how things end up going wrong cause this version rocked.
"The Sea Man" - A short sea yarn about compassion and humanity in all its forms.
"Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn" - A Greek slave meets a Djinn and an usual wish is made.
"Peter in Wonderland" - This Wonderland tale was fine but didn't thrill me.
"The Erotic in Faerie: The Footnotes" - Weird. I didn't get this piece at all.
I have to admit that I did enjoy the emerald circus better than this one but I will certainly read another collection of Jane Yolen's work, especially if published by Tachyon. Arrrr!
This collection has 10 varied tales. Like any collection, I liked some better than others. I also very much enjoyed Yolen's "Story Notes" at the end of the book which gives background on the short stories in the collection.
I don't want to spoil the magic of the stories and can't really do them justice with me own paltry words but I will try to give ye an idea of the bare bones of the stories:
"Sans Soleil" - This was a tragic tale of love gone wrong despite the best intentions. Loved the sun imagery.
"Dusty Loves" - A rather unique take on the Romeo and Juliet story. Involves the fae and a ghost. I loved this.
"Unicorn Tapestry" - The deals with magic and unicorn embroidery and a middling middle princess. I don't know that I understood all of the magic but the ending was excellent.
"A Ghost of an Affair" - A chance encounter has consequences across time. I loved how the assumptions I had continued to be wrong. Another lovely ending if somewhat bittersweet.
"Dark Seed, Dark Stone" - I loved this tale set in the 600s of a forward thinking woman dealing with the death of her warrior-hero father. The time period came to life on the page. The historical notes at the end were also lovely.
"Dragonfield" - Everyone knows that dragons are long gone. Until they aren't. A girl helps a boy become the hero he is thought to be. Excellent.
"The Sword in the Stone" - I don't like King Arthur retellings but this one was fun. It made me want Yolen to tell me what happens next and how things end up going wrong cause this version rocked.
"The Sea Man" - A short sea yarn about compassion and humanity in all its forms.
"Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn" - A Greek slave meets a Djinn and an usual wish is made.
"Peter in Wonderland" - This Wonderland tale was fine but didn't thrill me.
"The Erotic in Faerie: The Footnotes" - Weird. I didn't get this piece at all.
I have to admit that I did enjoy the emerald circus better than this one but I will certainly read another collection of Jane Yolen's work, especially if published by Tachyon. Arrrr!
December 24, 2022
This lovely ARC of The Scarlet Circus was provided to me by Edelweiss, Tachyon Publications, and Jane Yolen. The thoughts below are reflective of my honest and voluntary opinions.
Like a lot of anthologies, this mix of 11 short stories had various hit and miss moments for me. I found the writing very well done, but I was left disappointed with some of the romance aspects of these works. I feel like a lot of the less romantic stories or stories with no HEAs were situated near the front of the anthology, which made me, a lover of love and HEAs, want to stop reading at several points.
Let’s go story-by-story and give you some high-level analyses.
Sans Soleil – 3 stars
This is the story of a Prince named Sans Soleil, who was said to be so handsome that he rivaled the sun. So handsome in fact that he would die if sunlight ever touched him out of the star’s jealousy towards him. When his young bride does not believe the legend as anything other than poppycock, she intends to force him to see the truth by trapping him in the sunlight (what a great wife…). But “sometimes, what we believe is stronger than what is true.”
This story reminded me of a tale I would have heard as a child. While I didn’t like any of the characters, it did invoke that wonderful fairy tale nostalgia that I appreciated. This was a solid 3 stars for me.
Dusty Loves – 2 stars
What happens after Juliet dies in Romeo and Juliet, but Romeo continues to live his best fuccboi life?… She haunts him, of course!
While I liked the premise and creativity behind this one, I absolutely hated the execution! This story would have been so much better if the main character, Dusty, was not there at all. Oh, yeah, did I mention there is a playboy who basically is the main character but doesn’t add anything but feelings of ewwwww to the story? Bummer, since this one could have been fantastic.
Unicorn Tapestry – 3 stars
A woman (the least beautiful and special of her sisters), is able to mix fantasy into reality with her embroidery and get her HEA.
I liked this one enough. It was a good underdog story where she gets the last smile, which is one of my favorite themes to read. Like all others, the writing was great, but I did feel like it was missing a real wow factor.
A Ghost of an Affair – 3.5 stars
A curious jewelry maker, a hardworking silversmith, and a 100-year time difference between them. “Love, though it may take many a circuitous route, somehow manages to get from one end of the map to another. Always.”
I really liked this one…until the end! That was a TERRIBLE ending! I was fully prepared to give this 4, maybe even 5, stars, and then it got completely ruined. It’s getting 3.5 stars solely because of the ending. Don’t mess around with my HEA!
If you liked The Lake House, About Time, or The Time Traveler’s Wife, you would probably enjoy this like I did until the ending.
Dark Seed, Dark Stone – 4 stars
When the King’s Shield and brother-in-law loses his life, the King’s niece is determined to take over for her father and become the new Shield.
I liked the strategy and the setting that took place in this one. I also liked how Bryony was a strong female character, especially for the time the story took place during. I definitely got Brienne of Tarth vibes from her. What I did not like was the love story was a strategic love only. I hate the marriage of convenience trope, and this was like the love letter to that.
Please note, at this point in reading, I was really frustrated about why this was a collection of “love stories” but all the love sucked. Good thing we got Dragonfield next ❤
Dragonfield – 5 stars
Outcast woman, convenient hero guy, dragons, science, and a happily ever after. THIS IS WHAT I WANTED FROM THIS COLLECTION! This was phenomenal. The characters were well fleshed out, the history of the dragon and herbs was incredibly well built for a short story, and the characters (neither of which were your typical leading man or lady) were so wonderfully imperfect that you couldn’t help but love them both. The romance in this one was actually romance, which was so nice after all the romantic duds above.
The Sword and the Stone – 5 stars
An interesting, new take on the legend of King Arthur and The Sword in the Stone. We follow Merlinnus in his last year as he tries to help the existing King, Arthur, obtain and control all of Britain. In order to do this, he must remove an immoveable sword from a stone. Of course, Merlinnus has a little spell he can say at just the right moment to help him with this endeavor. Enter a smart youngling who may not be who you think they are…
I liked this one a lot! I loved the twist at the end and the new take on this old story. It was a very fun short to read and reminded me of watching the movie as a kid. Great nostalgia inducing tale!
The Sea Man – 0 stars – Did Not Finish
I honestly cannot even tell you what this one was about other than some old dude, a young dude, and a merman.
I tried guys, I really tried. This felt like being forced to read Moby Dick in high school. I skimmed that one then, and I didn’t finish this one now.
Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn – 3.5 stars
Aladdin with a better backstory meets I Dream of Jeannie in this story of a man who finds the magic lamp and ultimately wishes for the djinn’s love.
This one took me a good minute to get into, but once I did I really enjoyed it. I liked all the references to Greek philosophy and how she was both beautiful and smart. I also loved the twist at the end and the shift in the narrator’s perspectives.
Peter in Wonderland – 4 stars
Alice takes another trip to Wonderland, but this time with a friend-boy.
I love everything Alice in Wonderland so it was no surprise to me that I loved this simple little story.
The Erotic Faerie: The Footnotes – 0 stars – Did Not Finish
Ummm, so yeah, this is exactly what it sounds like. This consisted of random “footnotes” to a story that “doesn’t exist anymore”. I found this confusing and irritating, and I immediately DNF’d it knowing it was the last story in the batch. Not a great note to end on in my opinion, especially after following two stories that were wonderful.
Average Rating: 3 stars!
Like a lot of anthologies, this mix of 11 short stories had various hit and miss moments for me. I found the writing very well done, but I was left disappointed with some of the romance aspects of these works. I feel like a lot of the less romantic stories or stories with no HEAs were situated near the front of the anthology, which made me, a lover of love and HEAs, want to stop reading at several points.
Let’s go story-by-story and give you some high-level analyses.
Sans Soleil – 3 stars
This is the story of a Prince named Sans Soleil, who was said to be so handsome that he rivaled the sun. So handsome in fact that he would die if sunlight ever touched him out of the star’s jealousy towards him. When his young bride does not believe the legend as anything other than poppycock, she intends to force him to see the truth by trapping him in the sunlight (what a great wife…). But “sometimes, what we believe is stronger than what is true.”
This story reminded me of a tale I would have heard as a child. While I didn’t like any of the characters, it did invoke that wonderful fairy tale nostalgia that I appreciated. This was a solid 3 stars for me.
Dusty Loves – 2 stars
What happens after Juliet dies in Romeo and Juliet, but Romeo continues to live his best fuccboi life?… She haunts him, of course!
While I liked the premise and creativity behind this one, I absolutely hated the execution! This story would have been so much better if the main character, Dusty, was not there at all. Oh, yeah, did I mention there is a playboy who basically is the main character but doesn’t add anything but feelings of ewwwww to the story? Bummer, since this one could have been fantastic.
Unicorn Tapestry – 3 stars
A woman (the least beautiful and special of her sisters), is able to mix fantasy into reality with her embroidery and get her HEA.
I liked this one enough. It was a good underdog story where she gets the last smile, which is one of my favorite themes to read. Like all others, the writing was great, but I did feel like it was missing a real wow factor.
A Ghost of an Affair – 3.5 stars
A curious jewelry maker, a hardworking silversmith, and a 100-year time difference between them. “Love, though it may take many a circuitous route, somehow manages to get from one end of the map to another. Always.”
I really liked this one…until the end! That was a TERRIBLE ending! I was fully prepared to give this 4, maybe even 5, stars, and then it got completely ruined. It’s getting 3.5 stars solely because of the ending. Don’t mess around with my HEA!
If you liked The Lake House, About Time, or The Time Traveler’s Wife, you would probably enjoy this like I did until the ending.
Dark Seed, Dark Stone – 4 stars
When the King’s Shield and brother-in-law loses his life, the King’s niece is determined to take over for her father and become the new Shield.
I liked the strategy and the setting that took place in this one. I also liked how Bryony was a strong female character, especially for the time the story took place during. I definitely got Brienne of Tarth vibes from her. What I did not like was the love story was a strategic love only. I hate the marriage of convenience trope, and this was like the love letter to that.
Please note, at this point in reading, I was really frustrated about why this was a collection of “love stories” but all the love sucked. Good thing we got Dragonfield next ❤
Dragonfield – 5 stars
Outcast woman, convenient hero guy, dragons, science, and a happily ever after. THIS IS WHAT I WANTED FROM THIS COLLECTION! This was phenomenal. The characters were well fleshed out, the history of the dragon and herbs was incredibly well built for a short story, and the characters (neither of which were your typical leading man or lady) were so wonderfully imperfect that you couldn’t help but love them both. The romance in this one was actually romance, which was so nice after all the romantic duds above.
The Sword and the Stone – 5 stars
An interesting, new take on the legend of King Arthur and The Sword in the Stone. We follow Merlinnus in his last year as he tries to help the existing King, Arthur, obtain and control all of Britain. In order to do this, he must remove an immoveable sword from a stone. Of course, Merlinnus has a little spell he can say at just the right moment to help him with this endeavor. Enter a smart youngling who may not be who you think they are…
I liked this one a lot! I loved the twist at the end and the new take on this old story. It was a very fun short to read and reminded me of watching the movie as a kid. Great nostalgia inducing tale!
The Sea Man – 0 stars – Did Not Finish
I honestly cannot even tell you what this one was about other than some old dude, a young dude, and a merman.
I tried guys, I really tried. This felt like being forced to read Moby Dick in high school. I skimmed that one then, and I didn’t finish this one now.
Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn – 3.5 stars
Aladdin with a better backstory meets I Dream of Jeannie in this story of a man who finds the magic lamp and ultimately wishes for the djinn’s love.
This one took me a good minute to get into, but once I did I really enjoyed it. I liked all the references to Greek philosophy and how she was both beautiful and smart. I also loved the twist at the end and the shift in the narrator’s perspectives.
Peter in Wonderland – 4 stars
Alice takes another trip to Wonderland, but this time with a friend-boy.
I love everything Alice in Wonderland so it was no surprise to me that I loved this simple little story.
The Erotic Faerie: The Footnotes – 0 stars – Did Not Finish
Ummm, so yeah, this is exactly what it sounds like. This consisted of random “footnotes” to a story that “doesn’t exist anymore”. I found this confusing and irritating, and I immediately DNF’d it knowing it was the last story in the batch. Not a great note to end on in my opinion, especially after following two stories that were wonderful.
Average Rating: 3 stars!
March 24, 2023
This is an absolutely gorgeous collection of stories that touch the heart. Jane Yolen's talent blows me away. Longer review to follow later so I can do justice to this work.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
February 14, 2023
This is the fourth volume in a series collecting Jane Yolen's short fiction, in this case, romantic fantasy. It's important to be clear that this isn't Romance in the romance genre sense. These stories contain romance, but are not primarily about romance. It's not the main point of the stories, and endings may be happy, sad, or something in between.
So, expectations set, right?
"Sans Soleil" is the story of a prince born with curse; he's "as handsome as the sun," and the sun will kill him if a sunbeam so much as touches his brow. But there's a lovely young woman, daughter of a duke, who is convinced that this is an old wives' tale, complete nonsense, and who is determined to save him from his confinement to the dark.
"Unicorn Tapestry" features one of the three daughters of a king, the least beautiful, and the one without any special talent to make her stand out. She's assigned the task of embroidering the seat covers for the upcoming unicorn hunt. Her work is competent, and people will be sitting on them, not studying the quality of her work. But gradually, with the help of a very plain little bird, she discovers that her needlework can affect the world in small but significant ways. And someone may recognize what's really special about her.
"Dragonfield" features a young woman who has her father's healing gift, and is not much on doing the essential household chores. Tansy discovers evidence of a dragon back in the area after two centuries--and no one believes her. Once the dragon begins hunting in the village, no one has a clue how to stop it. When a "hero" is recruited from outside the area, with a lack of any information on what they want him for, the "hero," Lancot, also has no real plan--but he and Tansy talk. Tansy knows where the dragonbane is, and Lancot knows how to build really good kites. They both confess--only to each other--that they are not heroes, but they do at least have a plan.
"The Sword and the Stone" is a different take on, well, you know. Nicely done, Merlin is determined to get Britain bound together as one country. Some of Arthur's knights have a plan to get Arthur married. There's a nice touch of historical accuracy--among the knights, only Arthur and a few others can be called literate at all, and reading and writing are work for them. The young lad that turned up at Merlin's workshop, hoping to go to court and learn to be a knight, can read quite well, and that's a clue. Fun story!
This is a very readable and enjoyable collection. Not everyone will love every story, but they're all well-done, and I loved or seriously liked most of them, and found all but one at least enjoyable. In addition, the "story notes" include poems Yolen wrote connected to these stories--some poems were written first, and others after, but they're connected, and she includes them for the enjoyment of the reader.
A really enjoyable collection--I said that, right?
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
So, expectations set, right?
"Sans Soleil" is the story of a prince born with curse; he's "as handsome as the sun," and the sun will kill him if a sunbeam so much as touches his brow. But there's a lovely young woman, daughter of a duke, who is convinced that this is an old wives' tale, complete nonsense, and who is determined to save him from his confinement to the dark.
"Unicorn Tapestry" features one of the three daughters of a king, the least beautiful, and the one without any special talent to make her stand out. She's assigned the task of embroidering the seat covers for the upcoming unicorn hunt. Her work is competent, and people will be sitting on them, not studying the quality of her work. But gradually, with the help of a very plain little bird, she discovers that her needlework can affect the world in small but significant ways. And someone may recognize what's really special about her.
"Dragonfield" features a young woman who has her father's healing gift, and is not much on doing the essential household chores. Tansy discovers evidence of a dragon back in the area after two centuries--and no one believes her. Once the dragon begins hunting in the village, no one has a clue how to stop it. When a "hero" is recruited from outside the area, with a lack of any information on what they want him for, the "hero," Lancot, also has no real plan--but he and Tansy talk. Tansy knows where the dragonbane is, and Lancot knows how to build really good kites. They both confess--only to each other--that they are not heroes, but they do at least have a plan.
"The Sword and the Stone" is a different take on, well, you know. Nicely done, Merlin is determined to get Britain bound together as one country. Some of Arthur's knights have a plan to get Arthur married. There's a nice touch of historical accuracy--among the knights, only Arthur and a few others can be called literate at all, and reading and writing are work for them. The young lad that turned up at Merlin's workshop, hoping to go to court and learn to be a knight, can read quite well, and that's a clue. Fun story!
This is a very readable and enjoyable collection. Not everyone will love every story, but they're all well-done, and I loved or seriously liked most of them, and found all but one at least enjoyable. In addition, the "story notes" include poems Yolen wrote connected to these stories--some poems were written first, and others after, but they're connected, and she includes them for the enjoyment of the reader.
A really enjoyable collection--I said that, right?
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
February 3, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
In recent years Yolen has been sharing collections of short stories and poems of things she has written in the past and some more recent ones. The Scarlet Circus focuses on romance fantasy stories. While a bunch do, there are also stories where I found a distinct lack of romance, that didnt seem to fit with the theme. Instead I felt that a lot of these stories shared the whimsical and fairytale like quality. A lot of them were also based on fairytales and legends like Camelot and Alice in Wonderland.
Perhaps it was the whimscial and fairytale like part but most of these stories were forgettable for me. There was very little for me to connect too and I missed a bit of diversity in the tales. As in classic fantasy romance doesn't always have to be straight.
Thoughts per story
Sans Soleil - 3 stars
Written as an old fairytale. Appreciated it was the male who was hidden away.
Dusty loves - 3 stars
A twist on Romeo and Juliet? It was cute. But there wasn't much actual love from Dusty here.
Unicorn Tapestry - 2 stars
Not sure what I'm suppose to take away from this.
A Ghost of an Affair 3 stars
A little whimsical, fairytale like. Could do well as a longer story.
Dark Seed, Dark Stone 2 stars
This really could have been great but for me it just stops in the middle and it feels so unresolved.
Dragonfield 4 stars
Dragonslaying! Cute interactions.
The Sword and the Stone 4 stars
I liked the playing of the King Arthur legend here.
The Sea Man 3 stars
As this story features a Dutch MC I'm going to look more critically at this. It was inspired by a Dutch Navy Man who said that he saw a mermaid. Leyden should have been Leiden. I understand that it is the English name for it but with a Dutch MC you could at least try since all the other names were the proper ones. And if you are going to say zee wyven then write it in Dutch in full which is Zee Wijven. Which you can translate as Sea Wives (as happened in the story at some point) but wijven is a bit more degatory. The story was okay.
Memoris of a Bottle Djinn 3 stars
An okay story, the start was a bit boring.
Peter in Wonderland 4 stars
Cute, would work for Alice.
The Erotic of Faerie 2 stars
Not sure what this was suppose to be?
In recent years Yolen has been sharing collections of short stories and poems of things she has written in the past and some more recent ones. The Scarlet Circus focuses on romance fantasy stories. While a bunch do, there are also stories where I found a distinct lack of romance, that didnt seem to fit with the theme. Instead I felt that a lot of these stories shared the whimsical and fairytale like quality. A lot of them were also based on fairytales and legends like Camelot and Alice in Wonderland.
Perhaps it was the whimscial and fairytale like part but most of these stories were forgettable for me. There was very little for me to connect too and I missed a bit of diversity in the tales. As in classic fantasy romance doesn't always have to be straight.
Thoughts per story
Sans Soleil - 3 stars
Written as an old fairytale. Appreciated it was the male who was hidden away.
Dusty loves - 3 stars
A twist on Romeo and Juliet? It was cute. But there wasn't much actual love from Dusty here.
Unicorn Tapestry - 2 stars
Not sure what I'm suppose to take away from this.
A Ghost of an Affair 3 stars
A little whimsical, fairytale like. Could do well as a longer story.
Dark Seed, Dark Stone 2 stars
This really could have been great but for me it just stops in the middle and it feels so unresolved.
Dragonfield 4 stars
Dragonslaying! Cute interactions.
The Sword and the Stone 4 stars
I liked the playing of the King Arthur legend here.
The Sea Man 3 stars
As this story features a Dutch MC I'm going to look more critically at this. It was inspired by a Dutch Navy Man who said that he saw a mermaid. Leyden should have been Leiden. I understand that it is the English name for it but with a Dutch MC you could at least try since all the other names were the proper ones. And if you are going to say zee wyven then write it in Dutch in full which is Zee Wijven. Which you can translate as Sea Wives (as happened in the story at some point) but wijven is a bit more degatory. The story was okay.
Memoris of a Bottle Djinn 3 stars
An okay story, the start was a bit boring.
Peter in Wonderland 4 stars
Cute, would work for Alice.
The Erotic of Faerie 2 stars
Not sure what this was suppose to be?
July 2, 2023
Book Summary:
The Scarlet Circus is the fourth anthology collection of some of Jane Yolen's greatest works. She's an award-winner who writes short fiction, most famously fractured fairy tales, and fables. If this is your cup of tea, dive in and enjoy!
The Scarlet Circus has an introduction by Brandon Sanderson. It also collects ten of Jane Yolen's stories: Sans Soleil, Dusty Loves, Unicorn Tapestry, A Ghost of an Affair, Dark Seed Dark Stone, Dragonfield, The Sword in the Stone, The Sea Man, Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn, Peter in Wonderland, and The Erotic in Faerie: The Footnotes. As always, it also contains a bunch of Jane Yolen's notes about the creation and intent behind these stories.
My Review:
Jane Yolen is SUCH a talented author. I just can't get over that fact. I will read every anthology that comes my way. I don't care if it's eight hundred pages long – it'll be worth every minute/hour I spend reading it.
Moving on. The Scarlet Circus is a fantastic read, especially for those that love fractured fairy tales and romantic fantasy. As always, Jane Yolen adds her unique twist to these stories, breaking them apart and showing us a new side. It's perfection.
The forward by Brandon Sanderson was a surprise but a pleasant one. It's always interesting to see the professional relationships that pop up.
Highlights:
Short Stories
Anthology
Fantasy/Romance
Fractured Fairy Tales
Trigger Warnings:
Persecution
Antisemitism
Thanks to StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
You Can Also Find Me On:
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | The Book Review Crew | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy
The Scarlet Circus is the fourth anthology collection of some of Jane Yolen's greatest works. She's an award-winner who writes short fiction, most famously fractured fairy tales, and fables. If this is your cup of tea, dive in and enjoy!
The Scarlet Circus has an introduction by Brandon Sanderson. It also collects ten of Jane Yolen's stories: Sans Soleil, Dusty Loves, Unicorn Tapestry, A Ghost of an Affair, Dark Seed Dark Stone, Dragonfield, The Sword in the Stone, The Sea Man, Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn, Peter in Wonderland, and The Erotic in Faerie: The Footnotes. As always, it also contains a bunch of Jane Yolen's notes about the creation and intent behind these stories.
My Review:
Jane Yolen is SUCH a talented author. I just can't get over that fact. I will read every anthology that comes my way. I don't care if it's eight hundred pages long – it'll be worth every minute/hour I spend reading it.
Moving on. The Scarlet Circus is a fantastic read, especially for those that love fractured fairy tales and romantic fantasy. As always, Jane Yolen adds her unique twist to these stories, breaking them apart and showing us a new side. It's perfection.
The forward by Brandon Sanderson was a surprise but a pleasant one. It's always interesting to see the professional relationships that pop up.
Highlights:
Short Stories
Anthology
Fantasy/Romance
Fractured Fairy Tales
Trigger Warnings:
Persecution
Antisemitism
Thanks to StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
You Can Also Find Me On:
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | The Book Review Crew | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy
October 1, 2022
Jane Yolen is a dreamer of dreams and a weaver of tales. She’s been doing this for over 50 years as a writer, poet, and editor, and The Scarlet Circus demonstrates that gamut of experience through the frame of love. This collection will, simply put, enchant you.
Each story in this collection—the earliest of which was written in 1975!—looks at some aspect of love. That love can be wistful or valiant or silly or sad, but in Yolen’s hands every story lands with impact. She frames the stories with poems she wrote with her poem-a-day project during the pandemic. What emerges is a rich portrait of an emotion that is an intrinsic part of us all.
There isn’t a weak story in the bunch, but I loved the wise and ironic Sans Soleil as well as Yolen’s very distinctive take on Romeo and Juliet. Dragonfield is a marvelous examination of heroism, while Peter in Wonderland is a glorious return to all things Lewis Carroll. Yolen even has a medieval romance and time-travel romance with a twist all its own in this rich collection.
Yolen is an alchemist who twists everyday words into something magical. And love is something to enjoy experiencing in our reading. Yolen’s takes on it in this collection are magnificent. Pick The Scarlet Circus up, and prepare to be seduced, mesmerized, and enthralled.
Thanks to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for the advance reader's copy!
Each story in this collection—the earliest of which was written in 1975!—looks at some aspect of love. That love can be wistful or valiant or silly or sad, but in Yolen’s hands every story lands with impact. She frames the stories with poems she wrote with her poem-a-day project during the pandemic. What emerges is a rich portrait of an emotion that is an intrinsic part of us all.
There isn’t a weak story in the bunch, but I loved the wise and ironic Sans Soleil as well as Yolen’s very distinctive take on Romeo and Juliet. Dragonfield is a marvelous examination of heroism, while Peter in Wonderland is a glorious return to all things Lewis Carroll. Yolen even has a medieval romance and time-travel romance with a twist all its own in this rich collection.
Yolen is an alchemist who twists everyday words into something magical. And love is something to enjoy experiencing in our reading. Yolen’s takes on it in this collection are magnificent. Pick The Scarlet Circus up, and prepare to be seduced, mesmerized, and enthralled.
Thanks to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for the advance reader's copy!
February 19, 2023
Is Jane Yolen losing her touch? I grew up in love with her writing, but this collection of poetry and short fiction was mediocre for the most part. I did thoroughly enjoy a handful of stories (I'm always a sucker for "girl in disguise as a boy" esp in Arthurian tales, and "the Sea Man" story was a nice mer tale), but a lot of the others felt.. flat and trying too hard and missing the magic I was looking for. Not terrible but not wonderful either.
February 11, 2023
This was a cute little book of fantasy short stories. Some a different telling, others a different time line in a fantasy’s story. This is my first Jane Yolen book it was very interesting and a quick read. I didn’t really know what to expect but it was a pleasant surprise. The collection of short stories is a continuation from others yolen has written as well as hundred of other books. Golem’s imagination is unending. The style of writing is very clear and easily digestible. Thank you net galley for the advanced reading copy.
April 5, 2023
3.5 stars
This review is based on an ARC ebook received for free from NetGalley. I am not being paid to review this book and what I write here is my own opinion. My rating scale is below.
The Scarlet Circus is part of Yolen’s fractured fairy tale series of short stories. I have read one other in this series and found her fresh adaptations of well-known stories interesting and particularly enjoyed her story notes about how she changed the stories and why. Shockingly, I think I actually want to own a copy of this collection for the poems in the story notes as much as for the stories.
Brandon Sanderson’s introduction talks about how Yolen’s Dragon’s Blood was one of the books that turned him into a reader, and about Yolen’s versatility as a writer, which is hardly surprising - with more than 400 publications to her name, she would have to be versatile to stay in the game. Yolen’s preface, “A Little Bit of Loving,” delves more deeply into the variety of genres she has published in, seemingly with an eye toward preparing the reader for a collection with an emphasis on love in its myriad forms.
“Falling in Love with the Other” - A poem that serves as an introduction. It talks about the many forms love and relationship can take nonjudgmentally and with hope.
“Sans Soleil” - A prince is prophesied to grow up to be so handsome he’ll outshine the sun and so he’s kept in the dark, away from the rays of the jealous star. In his bride’s determination to prove to him that he’s in no danger from the sun, to stop him fleeing to his cave at cock’s crow, one sees shades of Sleeping Beauty’s spindle and the tale of Eros and Psyche. It turns out, science is not always correct.
“Dusty Loves” - Opens with a tree on which is carved “Dusty loves ___” and there follow the names of the many beings the narrator’s brother Dusty has loved. This story is about the time Dusty fell in love with the ghost of a suicide whose tale is rather similar to that of Romeo and Juliet. He is not a particularly romantic paramour, even though he is one of the fey, and he falls out of love quickly, but agrees to help the lovers reunite - by convincing Roman to die. The narrator’s dry tone really does make the story seem like something a sister would tell. I particularly liked the line, “Humor is difficult enough between consenting adults.”
“Unicorn Tapestry” - I know I have read this story elsewhere (perhaps in Here Be Unicorns?), and I remember enjoying it the first time around, too. It’s about a middling, muddling princess named Marian who cannot marry because there are no more eligible princes and prefers not to be shut away in a convent. Her indifferent embroidery skills see her assigned to stitch unicorn hunt seat covers for her father’s unicorn hunt and on the final one she stitches a brown-eyed, uncollared unicorn that is both mundane and magical.
“A Ghost of an Affair” - Told in numbered sections, the first section has some excellent lines: “The heart need not be beating to entertain the idea of romance. To think otherwise is to misunderstand the nature of the universe. To think otherwise is to miscalculate the odds of love.” It tells the story of Andrea Crow, a rockhound and jeweler who sells her wares at renfaires and large stores and falls in love with a ghost, Simon Morrison, and then with his great-great-grandson, whom she marries eventually. Nobody dies who wasn’t already dead at the beginning of the story and it’s nice.
“Dark Seed, Dark Stone” - Bears some resemblance to Cinderella with a good, dead father and a less-than-heartbroken stepmother, but the stepmother is secondary. Bryony makes a future for herself and her people by defending her king and demanding a boon that sees them allied to another kingdom.
“Dragonfield” - This is the story of the end of the last dragon, Aredd, and of a maiden once called Tansy who, together with a man who is not a hero, pits her courage and her wits against fire and fury. The Italics bracketing the story, making it into a legend and not just a short story, could be shorter. Apparently it was made into a graphic novel with Rebecca Guay that I have read and really enjoyed, though I had to be reminded of this by the story notes.
“The Sword and the Stone” - This is probably the longest story and it is an Arthurian tale. Sort of. The king in question is a nominal Christian who still swears by Mithras. Merlinnus, a Christian Druid, is doing his best to prod him into actions that will lead to greatness, having failed with Uther and Morgana and dismissed Mordred as not worth the effort, but Arthur’s interest in a sword in the stone to declare him king over all Britain when he already holds that title is minimal. Eventually, a strange boy called Gawen (not Gawain, who is already one of the Three Fearless Men) appears. He has a mighty part to play in Arthur’s life, but not what one might expect.
“The Sea Man” - A lieutenant’s sea voyage is disrupted when a merman is brought aboard and most are mistrustful, and so it is soon thrown back to its wife and daughter, setting the lieutenant’s heart at ease. As thanks, the sea man later warns the crew of a storm ahead that they ride out in safety, allowing the lieutenant to return home to his own wife and daughter.
“Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn” - Another story about seamen, this one a Greek slave who has discovered a promising bottle. He sees no point in wishing for his own freedom, and the djinn does not want hers. Eventually, he wishes himself into her bottle as well.
“Peter in Wonderland” - An adult Alice Liddell visiting Wonderland meets an unprepared Peter Wallace and the eccentricities of Wonderland force them into a farcical marriage that will eventually become real in the world outside. One of the only truly new stories in the anthology.
“The Erotic in Faerie: The Footnotes” - The footnotes to a scholarly paper supposedly based on a presentation given by Jane Yolen at the Hundredth Anniversary of the International Society to Preserve the Fey. I do enjoy a good pseudo-scholarly presentation in my fiction. It reads almost like a poem.
Of course, one of the things that makes collections like this one so worthwhile are the story notes. For Yolen's fractured fairytale books, each story's note includes a poem about the story as well as the story’s provenance. Many of these poems were written during 2020 as part of her efforts to write a poem a day. My particular favorites were "Chaucer's Nightmare," a humorous poem about how horrified Chaucer would by by his scholarly legacy, and "The Girl Speaks to the Mage," which accompanied "The Sword and the Stone" and which I would love to see illustrated and on a wall.
Overall, I enjoyed this collection quite a lot, and I think that other readers will, too, whether for the fun of playing Spot the Storybones (or whatever you call it when you try to figure out what classic tale served as inspiration for the work you're currently reading), or for actually accessible poetry on fantastic themes (I do appreciate how accessible Yolen's poetry is, compared to many writers'), or simply for the craft that goes into them. Many are reprints, it's true, but they're strong enough to read again, I feel. At any rate, I like this book enough that I have added a print copy to my wedding registry.
rating scale
1 star - I was barely able to finish it. I didn't like it.
2 stars - It was okay. I didn't dislike it.
3 stars - It was interesting. I liked it.
4 stars - It was excellent. I really liked it.
5 stars - It was extraordinary. I really hope the author wrote more things.
This review is based on an ARC ebook received for free from NetGalley. I am not being paid to review this book and what I write here is my own opinion. My rating scale is below.
The Scarlet Circus is part of Yolen’s fractured fairy tale series of short stories. I have read one other in this series and found her fresh adaptations of well-known stories interesting and particularly enjoyed her story notes about how she changed the stories and why. Shockingly, I think I actually want to own a copy of this collection for the poems in the story notes as much as for the stories.
Brandon Sanderson’s introduction talks about how Yolen’s Dragon’s Blood was one of the books that turned him into a reader, and about Yolen’s versatility as a writer, which is hardly surprising - with more than 400 publications to her name, she would have to be versatile to stay in the game. Yolen’s preface, “A Little Bit of Loving,” delves more deeply into the variety of genres she has published in, seemingly with an eye toward preparing the reader for a collection with an emphasis on love in its myriad forms.
“Falling in Love with the Other” - A poem that serves as an introduction. It talks about the many forms love and relationship can take nonjudgmentally and with hope.
“Sans Soleil” - A prince is prophesied to grow up to be so handsome he’ll outshine the sun and so he’s kept in the dark, away from the rays of the jealous star. In his bride’s determination to prove to him that he’s in no danger from the sun, to stop him fleeing to his cave at cock’s crow, one sees shades of Sleeping Beauty’s spindle and the tale of Eros and Psyche. It turns out, science is not always correct.
“Dusty Loves” - Opens with a tree on which is carved “Dusty loves ___” and there follow the names of the many beings the narrator’s brother Dusty has loved. This story is about the time Dusty fell in love with the ghost of a suicide whose tale is rather similar to that of Romeo and Juliet. He is not a particularly romantic paramour, even though he is one of the fey, and he falls out of love quickly, but agrees to help the lovers reunite - by convincing Roman to die. The narrator’s dry tone really does make the story seem like something a sister would tell. I particularly liked the line, “Humor is difficult enough between consenting adults.”
“Unicorn Tapestry” - I know I have read this story elsewhere (perhaps in Here Be Unicorns?), and I remember enjoying it the first time around, too. It’s about a middling, muddling princess named Marian who cannot marry because there are no more eligible princes and prefers not to be shut away in a convent. Her indifferent embroidery skills see her assigned to stitch unicorn hunt seat covers for her father’s unicorn hunt and on the final one she stitches a brown-eyed, uncollared unicorn that is both mundane and magical.
“A Ghost of an Affair” - Told in numbered sections, the first section has some excellent lines: “The heart need not be beating to entertain the idea of romance. To think otherwise is to misunderstand the nature of the universe. To think otherwise is to miscalculate the odds of love.” It tells the story of Andrea Crow, a rockhound and jeweler who sells her wares at renfaires and large stores and falls in love with a ghost, Simon Morrison, and then with his great-great-grandson, whom she marries eventually. Nobody dies who wasn’t already dead at the beginning of the story and it’s nice.
“Dark Seed, Dark Stone” - Bears some resemblance to Cinderella with a good, dead father and a less-than-heartbroken stepmother, but the stepmother is secondary. Bryony makes a future for herself and her people by defending her king and demanding a boon that sees them allied to another kingdom.
“Dragonfield” - This is the story of the end of the last dragon, Aredd, and of a maiden once called Tansy who, together with a man who is not a hero, pits her courage and her wits against fire and fury. The Italics bracketing the story, making it into a legend and not just a short story, could be shorter. Apparently it was made into a graphic novel with Rebecca Guay that I have read and really enjoyed, though I had to be reminded of this by the story notes.
“The Sword and the Stone” - This is probably the longest story and it is an Arthurian tale. Sort of. The king in question is a nominal Christian who still swears by Mithras. Merlinnus, a Christian Druid, is doing his best to prod him into actions that will lead to greatness, having failed with Uther and Morgana and dismissed Mordred as not worth the effort, but Arthur’s interest in a sword in the stone to declare him king over all Britain when he already holds that title is minimal. Eventually, a strange boy called Gawen (not Gawain, who is already one of the Three Fearless Men) appears. He has a mighty part to play in Arthur’s life, but not what one might expect.
“The Sea Man” - A lieutenant’s sea voyage is disrupted when a merman is brought aboard and most are mistrustful, and so it is soon thrown back to its wife and daughter, setting the lieutenant’s heart at ease. As thanks, the sea man later warns the crew of a storm ahead that they ride out in safety, allowing the lieutenant to return home to his own wife and daughter.
“Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn” - Another story about seamen, this one a Greek slave who has discovered a promising bottle. He sees no point in wishing for his own freedom, and the djinn does not want hers. Eventually, he wishes himself into her bottle as well.
“Peter in Wonderland” - An adult Alice Liddell visiting Wonderland meets an unprepared Peter Wallace and the eccentricities of Wonderland force them into a farcical marriage that will eventually become real in the world outside. One of the only truly new stories in the anthology.
“The Erotic in Faerie: The Footnotes” - The footnotes to a scholarly paper supposedly based on a presentation given by Jane Yolen at the Hundredth Anniversary of the International Society to Preserve the Fey. I do enjoy a good pseudo-scholarly presentation in my fiction. It reads almost like a poem.
Of course, one of the things that makes collections like this one so worthwhile are the story notes. For Yolen's fractured fairytale books, each story's note includes a poem about the story as well as the story’s provenance. Many of these poems were written during 2020 as part of her efforts to write a poem a day. My particular favorites were "Chaucer's Nightmare," a humorous poem about how horrified Chaucer would by by his scholarly legacy, and "The Girl Speaks to the Mage," which accompanied "The Sword and the Stone" and which I would love to see illustrated and on a wall.
Overall, I enjoyed this collection quite a lot, and I think that other readers will, too, whether for the fun of playing Spot the Storybones (or whatever you call it when you try to figure out what classic tale served as inspiration for the work you're currently reading), or for actually accessible poetry on fantastic themes (I do appreciate how accessible Yolen's poetry is, compared to many writers'), or simply for the craft that goes into them. Many are reprints, it's true, but they're strong enough to read again, I feel. At any rate, I like this book enough that I have added a print copy to my wedding registry.
rating scale
1 star - I was barely able to finish it. I didn't like it.
2 stars - It was okay. I didn't dislike it.
3 stars - It was interesting. I liked it.
4 stars - It was excellent. I really liked it.
5 stars - It was extraordinary. I really hope the author wrote more things.
March 2, 2023
First, there is no physical circus in this book. I was really looking forward to this book of shorts when I realized it was more on the romance/love side of things. I expected a lot of sweet stories. While some were sweet, others weren't as sweet. It's hard to give a ratings to a book of short stories as each story would have it's own rating...so, I rated each and took the average.
1) "Sans Soleil" 3 Stars
- Ok start to the book but wasn't necessarily the outcome I had hoped for. The FMC in this one rubbed me the wrong way.
2) "Dusty Loves" 3 Stars
- I liked the oddness of this and sort of a weird Romeo and Juliet telling.
3) "Unicorn Tapestry" 4.5 Stars
- This was probably my favorite. I liked the magic tapestry and where this story went.
4) "A Ghost of an Affair" 4.25 Stars
- I really enjoyed the unexplained in this one. I kind of wish it ended differently but overall, I enjoyed the story as a whole. I would have read a full length novel about this.
5) "Dark Seed, Dark Stone" 4 Stars
- The outcome of this one, I thought, was beautifully told.
6) "Dragonfield" 3.75 Stars
- I felt bad for the dragon but overall a clever story.
7) "The Sword and the Stone" 3.75 Stars
- Interesting take on Arthurian legend...It was a fun little twist at the end and some interesting humor in this one.
8) "The Sea Man" - 3.5 Stars
9) "Memoirs of a Bottle Dinn" 3.5 Stars
10) "Peter in Wonderland" 3 Stars
- I liked the concept of this.
11) "The Erotic in Faerie: The Footnotes" 2.5 Stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
1) "Sans Soleil" 3 Stars
- Ok start to the book but wasn't necessarily the outcome I had hoped for. The FMC in this one rubbed me the wrong way.
2) "Dusty Loves" 3 Stars
- I liked the oddness of this and sort of a weird Romeo and Juliet telling.
3) "Unicorn Tapestry" 4.5 Stars
- This was probably my favorite. I liked the magic tapestry and where this story went.
4) "A Ghost of an Affair" 4.25 Stars
- I really enjoyed the unexplained in this one. I kind of wish it ended differently but overall, I enjoyed the story as a whole. I would have read a full length novel about this.
5) "Dark Seed, Dark Stone" 4 Stars
- The outcome of this one, I thought, was beautifully told.
6) "Dragonfield" 3.75 Stars
- I felt bad for the dragon but overall a clever story.
7) "The Sword and the Stone" 3.75 Stars
- Interesting take on Arthurian legend...It was a fun little twist at the end and some interesting humor in this one.
8) "The Sea Man" - 3.5 Stars
9) "Memoirs of a Bottle Dinn" 3.5 Stars
10) "Peter in Wonderland" 3 Stars
- I liked the concept of this.
11) "The Erotic in Faerie: The Footnotes" 2.5 Stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Tachyon Publications for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 18, 2022
Like most short story anthologies, this book was a mixed mag.
I did enjoy the cozy fairytale settings in her stories, although I do feel that writing good romantic stories with a speculative slant within the limited format of a short story is a tad difficult, and yet the author manages to do a decent job out of it. Also, following Sanderson's introduction, the author write a personal note where she makes a distinction between Romance novels and stories with romantic elements, which is quite pertinent in general and certainly pertinent to the tales here.
My absolute favourite was "Dusty Loves"; I liked how the author played with genre expectations in the narration of "A Ghost of an Affair"; nothing beats a straightforward fantasy adventure with a dragon as in "Dragonfield"; "Peter in Wonderland" is quaint but not that remarkable. Finally the closing piece " The Erotic in Faerie" is a flash piece told entirely in footnotes and it could have benefited from a great deal more footnotes and "Unicorn Tapestry" although stitched nicely doesn't quite dazzle as you'd expect it to.
The other stories and poems weren't particularly memorable for me, but I'm definitely going to read Yolen's other works now, and I'd recommend this collection to lovers of romantic fantasy/fairytale fiction and fans of Robin McKinley.
(I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)
I did enjoy the cozy fairytale settings in her stories, although I do feel that writing good romantic stories with a speculative slant within the limited format of a short story is a tad difficult, and yet the author manages to do a decent job out of it. Also, following Sanderson's introduction, the author write a personal note where she makes a distinction between Romance novels and stories with romantic elements, which is quite pertinent in general and certainly pertinent to the tales here.
My absolute favourite was "Dusty Loves"; I liked how the author played with genre expectations in the narration of "A Ghost of an Affair"; nothing beats a straightforward fantasy adventure with a dragon as in "Dragonfield"; "Peter in Wonderland" is quaint but not that remarkable. Finally the closing piece " The Erotic in Faerie" is a flash piece told entirely in footnotes and it could have benefited from a great deal more footnotes and "Unicorn Tapestry" although stitched nicely doesn't quite dazzle as you'd expect it to.
The other stories and poems weren't particularly memorable for me, but I'm definitely going to read Yolen's other works now, and I'd recommend this collection to lovers of romantic fantasy/fairytale fiction and fans of Robin McKinley.
(I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)
May 31, 2023
I haven’t read any of Jane Yolen’s books before, and this is a really good introduction to her work.
The collection contains eleven short fantasy stories, not themes particularly around circuses or the colour scarlet, but around elements of love and romance within other genres.
Most of the stories feel like traditional fairy tales, folk tales or ghost stories. I loved the first six (Sans Soleil; Dusty Loves; Unicorn Tapestry; A Ghost of an Affair; Dark Seed, Dark Stone; Dragonfield) which deal with dragons and unicorns, fae and ghosts, magic and curses. I enjoyed the next three stories too, featuring a retelling of an Arthurian legend, a merman and a djinn respectively (The Sword in the Stone; The Sea Man; Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn). Finally, I was less fond of the last two stories – Peter in Wonderland and The Erotic in Faeries: The Footnotes, which I found a little bit too chaotic and disjointed compared to the earlier standard. (I guess that is the problem with setting the bar so high earlier in the book!)
All of the stories are well-written and the whole collection makes a lovely taster for newcomers to this author’s work. While I hadn’t read any of her stories before, I certainly will be in future!
The collection contains eleven short fantasy stories, not themes particularly around circuses or the colour scarlet, but around elements of love and romance within other genres.
Most of the stories feel like traditional fairy tales, folk tales or ghost stories. I loved the first six (Sans Soleil; Dusty Loves; Unicorn Tapestry; A Ghost of an Affair; Dark Seed, Dark Stone; Dragonfield) which deal with dragons and unicorns, fae and ghosts, magic and curses. I enjoyed the next three stories too, featuring a retelling of an Arthurian legend, a merman and a djinn respectively (The Sword in the Stone; The Sea Man; Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn). Finally, I was less fond of the last two stories – Peter in Wonderland and The Erotic in Faeries: The Footnotes, which I found a little bit too chaotic and disjointed compared to the earlier standard. (I guess that is the problem with setting the bar so high earlier in the book!)
All of the stories are well-written and the whole collection makes a lovely taster for newcomers to this author’s work. While I hadn’t read any of her stories before, I certainly will be in future!
March 11, 2025
This is such a fun little book! I loved the majority of the stories, and there were definitely a few that I’d wished were longer. I really enjoyed how easy it was to get into Jane Yolen’s writing. I did find that a few of the stories didn’t really hit for me, which is usually the case with short story collections. Overall though, this is a fun little book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy!
May 20, 2023
A fairly decent anthology, even if I wouldn't market it as a "romance/romantic" collection in the traditional sense.
I had more but apparently GR lost it all so here's what I can recall.
"Dragonfield" was by far my favorite of the bunch. The writing style and tone was different than Yolan's usual fare (of what I've read by her) and I liked it! The only two that I would never bother to read again would be "Dark Seed, Dark Stone" and "The Erotic in Faerie: The Footnotes" or whatever that one was called.
"Dusty Loves" had a fun concept, but I dislike the sexual thoughts/manners of Dusty. This seems to be a trend of Yolan's: random sexual undertones or comments that almost never fail to be tasteless and add nothing to the story.
I had more but apparently GR lost it all so here's what I can recall.
"Dragonfield" was by far my favorite of the bunch. The writing style and tone was different than Yolan's usual fare (of what I've read by her) and I liked it! The only two that I would never bother to read again would be "Dark Seed, Dark Stone" and "The Erotic in Faerie: The Footnotes" or whatever that one was called.
"Dusty Loves" had a fun concept, but I dislike the sexual thoughts/manners of Dusty. This seems to be a trend of Yolan's: random sexual undertones or comments that almost never fail to be tasteless and add nothing to the story.
July 6, 2023
Short stories that describe various kinds of love by the inimitable Yolen--according to the author's biography, she's written over 400 books in her long and storied career--create a fast-reading book that will stay with most readers long after the covers are closed. For each story, there's a poem lurking among the footnotes, some written exclusively for this volume.
December 8, 2023
Had to return it to the library so dnf. The compilation of short folk stories was intriguing but obviously didn’t catch my eye long enough to finish it in 3 weeks. I might pick it back up when I have more time.
February 22, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ - Full Review to come
Favorites of the short stories were “Unicorn Tapestry” and “A Ghost of an Affair”
Favorites of the short stories were “Unicorn Tapestry” and “A Ghost of an Affair”
not-for-me
March 18, 2023I read a few of the short stories, but this ended up just not being for me. It wasn't anything bad, but the stories just did not catch my interest.
April 25, 2023
Pleasant but not outstanding. All short stories that are various adaptations or twists on fairy tales or legends, and one on Romeo and Juliet. Not much romance, imo. A quick read.
January 30, 2023
This Scarlet Circus is a collection of beautifully written short stories. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every story in this collection and it was nice to have such a wide variety of tales to read. I especially enjoyed the stories that were retellings of some of my favorite fairy tales. This is definitely a book every fantasy lover should add to their collection.
February 17, 2023
I really liked a lot of the stories in this one! Honestly there were only one or two that I didn’t quite get or care for after reading that much. While the other books might have been aimed at a bit younger readers, I feel like this might have had some more adult stories in it. But that could just be my opinion. Here are my quick thoughts about each story in the book.
Sans Soleil – This was short and not bad, but I did kind of wish for a bit more explanation for what happened at the end. However the moral of the story as the author put in the little notes at the end was definitely there.
Dusty Loves – I really liked this kind of retelling or different take on the Romeo and Juliet story.
Unicorn Tapestry – this was another really good story that I liked. It reminded me of the Unicorns vs. Zombies book in some ways.
A Ghost of an Affair – Another story that I really loved! It had a ghost romance but it was done in such a sad kind of way with just a short time for the couple to be together. But I liked it!
Dark Seed Dark Stone – An interesting story as well. I noticed a lot of the stories had the three sisters, and the one the story was about just didn’t fit in with the others.
Dragonfield – This story had a dragon and also a hero that wasn’t really quite a hero until made to be.
The Sword and the Stone – another fun re-imagining of the King Arthur story, and I liked it a lot as well!
The Sea Man – This was one that kind of made me think the stories were a little older than past collections in this series. But it was good and I liked the way the story went.
Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn – This had some good parts, although the ending was another that was kind of eh for me. And also a bit of a story that seemed a little older like I mentioned before.
Peter in Wonderland – This had some fun takes on a retelling of Alice in Wonderland. But it also was a little confusing at times in what was happening, and things happened really quick. Which I know has to be that way for a short story, but it left me a little bit unsatisfied with the story overall.
After all the stories there were poems to go with them in a little section at the end. As I’m not a big poetry reader, I didn’t really read them all. But I think they were probably perfect for the stories they went with.
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
Sans Soleil – This was short and not bad, but I did kind of wish for a bit more explanation for what happened at the end. However the moral of the story as the author put in the little notes at the end was definitely there.
Dusty Loves – I really liked this kind of retelling or different take on the Romeo and Juliet story.
Unicorn Tapestry – this was another really good story that I liked. It reminded me of the Unicorns vs. Zombies book in some ways.
A Ghost of an Affair – Another story that I really loved! It had a ghost romance but it was done in such a sad kind of way with just a short time for the couple to be together. But I liked it!
Dark Seed Dark Stone – An interesting story as well. I noticed a lot of the stories had the three sisters, and the one the story was about just didn’t fit in with the others.
Dragonfield – This story had a dragon and also a hero that wasn’t really quite a hero until made to be.
The Sword and the Stone – another fun re-imagining of the King Arthur story, and I liked it a lot as well!
The Sea Man – This was one that kind of made me think the stories were a little older than past collections in this series. But it was good and I liked the way the story went.
Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn – This had some good parts, although the ending was another that was kind of eh for me. And also a bit of a story that seemed a little older like I mentioned before.
Peter in Wonderland – This had some fun takes on a retelling of Alice in Wonderland. But it also was a little confusing at times in what was happening, and things happened really quick. Which I know has to be that way for a short story, but it left me a little bit unsatisfied with the story overall.
After all the stories there were poems to go with them in a little section at the end. As I’m not a big poetry reader, I didn’t really read them all. But I think they were probably perfect for the stories they went with.
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
February 19, 2023
This ended up being my Valentine’s Day review because, to paraphrase the author’s forward just a bit, while the stories contained within are not “Romances” with a capital R, each story does contain a romantic element – even if that element is not the center of the story and seldom results in anything like a happy ever after.
Then again, one does have to kiss a fair number of frogs – and a few outright toads – in order to find the person they’ve been looking for all along.
Many of the stories in this collection are twists on familiar themes – or at least they sound familiar upon reading. “San Soleil” is one of those. It sounds just like the kind of fairy tale we all used to read – with the same kind of sting in its tail about listening to warnings provided by witches and sorceresses. It starts as a love story but is also a bit of a ‘just desserts’ kind of story. Not that anyone is evil. A bit TSTL but not evil.
As the opening story in the collection, it certainly sets the tone for the many and varied ways that love can go off the rails.
I had a sneaking bit of admiration for “Dusty Loves” in the way it takes off on Romeo & Juliet. This is one where the ‘heroine’ really is Too Stupid To Live, and consequently doesn’t. Which is pretty much what happens in Romeo & Juliet which is, after all, a TRAGEDY and not a romance. That the teller of this particular version of the tale has their tongue very firmly in cheek as they relate it makes the whole thing work a bit better than it would on its own.
On that favorite other hand, in “Unicorn Tapestry” the heroine is really a heroine, and most definitely not TSTL. If you like stories where the underdog wins the day, then this one will be right up your reading alley. It certainly left me with a smile at the end.
My least favorite stories in the collection were “A Ghost of an Affair”, “The Sea Man” and “The Erotic Faerie”. “Ghost” because it had so much promise but ended a bit ‘meh’. I felt like I was set up for a better and happier ending than I got. “Sea Man” felt like it didn’t belong here, it gave me vibes of other, more horrific tales than fit in this collection. And “Erotic Faerie” was an interesting concept rather than an actual story, a concept I’ve seen done better in Kenneth Schneyer’s “Selected Program Notes from the Retrospective Exhibition of Theresa Rosenberg Latimer” in his Anthems Outside Time collection.
Those initial stories were interesting and fun but didn’t quite touch my heart – although “Dusty Loves” certainly tickled my funny bone a bit. These next ones, however, got a bit closer to the heart of the matter – or at least my heart.
“Dark Seed, Dark Stone” takes the idea of a warrior’s child picking up their weapons to defend their king and country and changes that child from the usual son to a daughter who uses more smarts than skills to defend her homeland. This one isn’t so much a romance as it is a story about duty and purpose – and I liked it better for that. It’s more a romance in the older meaning of the word than the current commercial definition, and I liked it all the better for it.
“Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn” takes the usual Aladdin-type story and gives it a twist that’s been seen before – but does it well. In this case, the savvy but desperate discoverer of the bottle is wary about spending his wish foolishly and without thought. At the same time, as a slave he’s all too able to empathize with the djinn’s plight. So he makes a wish they can both live with, happily ever after.
“Peter in Wonderland” was a delightful surprise. It’s clearly a takeoff on Alice in Wonderland, but shows that the real Alice Liddell still travels to Wonderland even in adulthood, and gives her a fellow-adventurer on her trip that leads to a happy ever after a bit different from the one she experienced in real life.
As much as I enjoyed the above stories, my two favorite entries in this Scarlet Circus were wonderfully entertaining indeed.
“Dragonfield” was wonderful because all of its characters are so very flawed in such human ways, and yet they manage to pull each other up and together to defeat the all too real dragon that is terrorizing the town and achieve a happy ever after that neither of them expected or thought they could ever deserve. It’s a romance and an adventure wrapped into one shiny, magical ball of a story and it’s just lovely.
Last, but not least, because the Matter of Britain can never be least of anything, is “The Sword and the Stone”, a much different story than The Sword in the Stone that you may remember from either the novel by T.H. White (part of The Once and Future King), or the Disney movie or even the episode of the British TV series Merlin. For an inanimate object, Excalibur sure does manage to get around.
This version of the tale is told from Merlin’s point of view, and he’s getting pretty jaded at this point in his long life of meddling with Britain. Arthur himself is also a bit older in this version than the more traditional versions of the tale. While he’s trying his best, he’s clearly better, and happier, at some things than others. To the point where he’d much rather fight the wars than wrangle the peace that he needs to secure and maintain. Merlin cooks up the idea of the sword in the stone to give Arthur’s rule the final stamp of popularity and legitimacy it needs. Arthur thinks it’s all mummery, magic and cheating, which it most definitely is. Until it isn’t.
Which makes the ending just that bit more magical.
Escape Rating A-: Like most collections, the stories are a bit all over the map. I adored a couple, liked quite a few more, and a small number just missed the mark for me in one way or another – as the above descriptions show. But overall I’m very glad I picked this up, and enjoyed the ways that it played with romances of many types and stripes and definitions. That “love is all there is is all we know of love” doesn’t have to mean that all loves are exactly the same type.
The author has published three previous collections in a similar vein to this one, not necessarily romances but rather whole entire circuses of fractured and reinterpreted fairy tales like How to Fracture a Fairy Tale, The Midnight Circus and The Emerald Circus. I’m sure I’ll be visiting those circuses the next time I’m looking for familiar tales with just a bit of a twist in their tails.
Originally published at Reading Reality
Then again, one does have to kiss a fair number of frogs – and a few outright toads – in order to find the person they’ve been looking for all along.
Many of the stories in this collection are twists on familiar themes – or at least they sound familiar upon reading. “San Soleil” is one of those. It sounds just like the kind of fairy tale we all used to read – with the same kind of sting in its tail about listening to warnings provided by witches and sorceresses. It starts as a love story but is also a bit of a ‘just desserts’ kind of story. Not that anyone is evil. A bit TSTL but not evil.
As the opening story in the collection, it certainly sets the tone for the many and varied ways that love can go off the rails.
I had a sneaking bit of admiration for “Dusty Loves” in the way it takes off on Romeo & Juliet. This is one where the ‘heroine’ really is Too Stupid To Live, and consequently doesn’t. Which is pretty much what happens in Romeo & Juliet which is, after all, a TRAGEDY and not a romance. That the teller of this particular version of the tale has their tongue very firmly in cheek as they relate it makes the whole thing work a bit better than it would on its own.
On that favorite other hand, in “Unicorn Tapestry” the heroine is really a heroine, and most definitely not TSTL. If you like stories where the underdog wins the day, then this one will be right up your reading alley. It certainly left me with a smile at the end.
My least favorite stories in the collection were “A Ghost of an Affair”, “The Sea Man” and “The Erotic Faerie”. “Ghost” because it had so much promise but ended a bit ‘meh’. I felt like I was set up for a better and happier ending than I got. “Sea Man” felt like it didn’t belong here, it gave me vibes of other, more horrific tales than fit in this collection. And “Erotic Faerie” was an interesting concept rather than an actual story, a concept I’ve seen done better in Kenneth Schneyer’s “Selected Program Notes from the Retrospective Exhibition of Theresa Rosenberg Latimer” in his Anthems Outside Time collection.
Those initial stories were interesting and fun but didn’t quite touch my heart – although “Dusty Loves” certainly tickled my funny bone a bit. These next ones, however, got a bit closer to the heart of the matter – or at least my heart.
“Dark Seed, Dark Stone” takes the idea of a warrior’s child picking up their weapons to defend their king and country and changes that child from the usual son to a daughter who uses more smarts than skills to defend her homeland. This one isn’t so much a romance as it is a story about duty and purpose – and I liked it better for that. It’s more a romance in the older meaning of the word than the current commercial definition, and I liked it all the better for it.
“Memoirs of a Bottle Djinn” takes the usual Aladdin-type story and gives it a twist that’s been seen before – but does it well. In this case, the savvy but desperate discoverer of the bottle is wary about spending his wish foolishly and without thought. At the same time, as a slave he’s all too able to empathize with the djinn’s plight. So he makes a wish they can both live with, happily ever after.
“Peter in Wonderland” was a delightful surprise. It’s clearly a takeoff on Alice in Wonderland, but shows that the real Alice Liddell still travels to Wonderland even in adulthood, and gives her a fellow-adventurer on her trip that leads to a happy ever after a bit different from the one she experienced in real life.
As much as I enjoyed the above stories, my two favorite entries in this Scarlet Circus were wonderfully entertaining indeed.
“Dragonfield” was wonderful because all of its characters are so very flawed in such human ways, and yet they manage to pull each other up and together to defeat the all too real dragon that is terrorizing the town and achieve a happy ever after that neither of them expected or thought they could ever deserve. It’s a romance and an adventure wrapped into one shiny, magical ball of a story and it’s just lovely.
Last, but not least, because the Matter of Britain can never be least of anything, is “The Sword and the Stone”, a much different story than The Sword in the Stone that you may remember from either the novel by T.H. White (part of The Once and Future King), or the Disney movie or even the episode of the British TV series Merlin. For an inanimate object, Excalibur sure does manage to get around.
This version of the tale is told from Merlin’s point of view, and he’s getting pretty jaded at this point in his long life of meddling with Britain. Arthur himself is also a bit older in this version than the more traditional versions of the tale. While he’s trying his best, he’s clearly better, and happier, at some things than others. To the point where he’d much rather fight the wars than wrangle the peace that he needs to secure and maintain. Merlin cooks up the idea of the sword in the stone to give Arthur’s rule the final stamp of popularity and legitimacy it needs. Arthur thinks it’s all mummery, magic and cheating, which it most definitely is. Until it isn’t.
Which makes the ending just that bit more magical.
Escape Rating A-: Like most collections, the stories are a bit all over the map. I adored a couple, liked quite a few more, and a small number just missed the mark for me in one way or another – as the above descriptions show. But overall I’m very glad I picked this up, and enjoyed the ways that it played with romances of many types and stripes and definitions. That “love is all there is is all we know of love” doesn’t have to mean that all loves are exactly the same type.
The author has published three previous collections in a similar vein to this one, not necessarily romances but rather whole entire circuses of fractured and reinterpreted fairy tales like How to Fracture a Fairy Tale, The Midnight Circus and The Emerald Circus. I’m sure I’ll be visiting those circuses the next time I’m looking for familiar tales with just a bit of a twist in their tails.
Originally published at Reading Reality
September 12, 2023
(originally reviewed at
thelibraryladies.com
)
Jane Yolen is a powerhouse in the fantasy genre. She’s written over 400 novels, short stories, poems, and essays. Beyond that, her work has claimed numerous awards over the many decades she’s been writing, not least of which include a Caldecott Medal and numerous Nebula Awards. Such is the case that she’s one of those authors whose backlist is so intimidating that no matter how many books of hers I read, whenever I pick up a recent one, I’m immediately struck with a sense of guilt for not having gotten to more! So I was happy to see that she was releasing a short story collection this year (with a focus on romance, just in time for Valentine’s Day!), as that seemed like an easy, bite-size re-entry point to an author who deserves much more space on this blog.
This is a short story collection, so there’s really no point in including a summary paragraph. I also won’t be going over every single story in this collection. But I will say right here that I’d struggle to rank these stories or try to include any as “least favorites.” So right here at the top, this is a general recommendation for this collection, and any fans of fantasy short stories should definitely check this one out.
The collection covers a wide swatch of fantasy genres, including fairytale retellings (“Alice in Wonderland”), reimaginings of popular tales (like King Auther and “Romeo and Juliet”), time travel, and even a clever take on the footnotes of an essay that has disappeared after being written in invisible ink. Interspersed with all of these tales, Yolen has included her own poetry. While I do think that her prose is stronger than her poems, these were also nice breaks between the stories, and will likely appeal to those who like a bit more variety in their reading experience.
I did have a few favorites, however. While all of the stories focus on love in one way or another (some with happy endings, other with tragic), I did particularly like one of the later stories in the collection, “The Sea Man,” that focuses more on the love of family. The story follows a sea captain who discover the titular sea man. Though their connection is brief, the story explores the deep understanding of family and love that can cross all boundaries, including ones as simple as language to the more complicated kind that delve into the fantastical.
I also really liked “Dark Seed, Dark Stone,” a story that takes place in ancient Britain, focusing on the Picts and their in-fighting. After the death of her father, the shield of the King, Bridei, a young woman wishes to take upon herself that same role. But, of course, her skills with a spear and shield could never compete with the other warriors. Instead, she earns her place through sheer bravery and the ability to take on a threat in a unique way. Again, the love story is a very small part of this story, but I thought it was an interesting new look into this time period and Bridei himself.
Lastly, I really enjoyed “Dragonfield,” a more straight-forward, action-packed fantasy story. As the title suggests, it follows the tale of a brave young woman, a reluctant hero, and their fight to save their town from a rampaging dragon. While this story wasn’t doing anything particularly shocking, it was the sort of solid, familiar fantasy story that I think most authors work years to complete. And here, Yolen seems to whip it out as if it’s nothing. The simplicity of the story itself instead highlights her vast skills at amusing narration and the creation of interesting and sympathetic characters, even with a very limited format.
As I said, this is a thoroughly enjoyable collection of stories. It’s a must read for all fantasy short story fans, and I think it is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a unique take on a love story this Valentine’s season.
Rating 9: Yolen expertly weaves together a tapestry of romance, with the weft made of magic and the warp made of humanity’s joys and tragedies.
Jane Yolen is a powerhouse in the fantasy genre. She’s written over 400 novels, short stories, poems, and essays. Beyond that, her work has claimed numerous awards over the many decades she’s been writing, not least of which include a Caldecott Medal and numerous Nebula Awards. Such is the case that she’s one of those authors whose backlist is so intimidating that no matter how many books of hers I read, whenever I pick up a recent one, I’m immediately struck with a sense of guilt for not having gotten to more! So I was happy to see that she was releasing a short story collection this year (with a focus on romance, just in time for Valentine’s Day!), as that seemed like an easy, bite-size re-entry point to an author who deserves much more space on this blog.
This is a short story collection, so there’s really no point in including a summary paragraph. I also won’t be going over every single story in this collection. But I will say right here that I’d struggle to rank these stories or try to include any as “least favorites.” So right here at the top, this is a general recommendation for this collection, and any fans of fantasy short stories should definitely check this one out.
The collection covers a wide swatch of fantasy genres, including fairytale retellings (“Alice in Wonderland”), reimaginings of popular tales (like King Auther and “Romeo and Juliet”), time travel, and even a clever take on the footnotes of an essay that has disappeared after being written in invisible ink. Interspersed with all of these tales, Yolen has included her own poetry. While I do think that her prose is stronger than her poems, these were also nice breaks between the stories, and will likely appeal to those who like a bit more variety in their reading experience.
I did have a few favorites, however. While all of the stories focus on love in one way or another (some with happy endings, other with tragic), I did particularly like one of the later stories in the collection, “The Sea Man,” that focuses more on the love of family. The story follows a sea captain who discover the titular sea man. Though their connection is brief, the story explores the deep understanding of family and love that can cross all boundaries, including ones as simple as language to the more complicated kind that delve into the fantastical.
I also really liked “Dark Seed, Dark Stone,” a story that takes place in ancient Britain, focusing on the Picts and their in-fighting. After the death of her father, the shield of the King, Bridei, a young woman wishes to take upon herself that same role. But, of course, her skills with a spear and shield could never compete with the other warriors. Instead, she earns her place through sheer bravery and the ability to take on a threat in a unique way. Again, the love story is a very small part of this story, but I thought it was an interesting new look into this time period and Bridei himself.
Lastly, I really enjoyed “Dragonfield,” a more straight-forward, action-packed fantasy story. As the title suggests, it follows the tale of a brave young woman, a reluctant hero, and their fight to save their town from a rampaging dragon. While this story wasn’t doing anything particularly shocking, it was the sort of solid, familiar fantasy story that I think most authors work years to complete. And here, Yolen seems to whip it out as if it’s nothing. The simplicity of the story itself instead highlights her vast skills at amusing narration and the creation of interesting and sympathetic characters, even with a very limited format.
As I said, this is a thoroughly enjoyable collection of stories. It’s a must read for all fantasy short story fans, and I think it is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a unique take on a love story this Valentine’s season.
Rating 9: Yolen expertly weaves together a tapestry of romance, with the weft made of magic and the warp made of humanity’s joys and tragedies.
January 10, 2023
The Scarlet Circus is the third in Jane Yolen’s “Circus” series, but you don’t need to read the others to read this one. This particular short story collection is all about love in its many forms. Now, this might seem like an odd read for me seeing as, when it comes to books, I have the romantic sensibilities of a chewed-up piece of gum. That being said, I am a big fan of stories with fairy tale vibes (whether the more lighthearted kind or the darker ones) and I knew that’s what this collection would bring.
Smart, heartwarming, funny, and at times a little dark, The Scarlet Circus has a wide variety of tales. There are no descriptions of sex, which I vastly appreciate (sex scenes are not my thing). Instead, these take on the cadence of stories told around a fire to an appreciative audience. While they all feature love in some shape or form, each story is unique and adds something new to the collection.
I loved the entire book, but a couple stories stood out to me for various reasons. I’m a sucker for Arthurian tales so of course The Sword in the Stone was a favorite. It’s an alternate idea of how that pesky sword was originally yanked out of the stone and by whom. I loved the cleverness of it and how just a few tweaks turned that whole legend on its head. Merlinnus was delightful, a cunning wise man who played the long game, but could still be taken by surprise (his reaction to the word “cushion” made me laugh).
Dragonfield follows Tansy, a misfit who is in the wrong place at the right time (or the right place at the wrong time) and finds herself embroiled in a battle to defeat a dragon. Unfortunately, the hero who is supposed to slay the dragon isn’t quite a hero. He’s something better: a roguish coward with more muscles than scruples. I absolutely adored the characters in this story, and the amount of growth they did in so few words just goes to show what a great writer Yolen is. I did feel a bit sorry for the dragon, though.
Oddly enough, what really elevated this collection from great to amazing to me were the story notes and poems found at the back of the book. They shone a spotlight on the creativity and brilliance of The Scarlet Circus while adding extra details and revelations about the author herself. The poems often had a darker slant which I loved, especially compared to the happily ever beginnings found in several of the stories. The Girl Speaks to the Mage had me laughing out loud and cheering a little. An Old Story About the Mer was chilling with its sudden gruesome ending staying with me.
The Scarlet Circus is another fantastic collection by a master storyteller, one that should be added to every fantasy lover’s library. Turning the pages gave the sense of wonder and adventure that first drew me to fairytales as a child, making this a book to treasure.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
Smart, heartwarming, funny, and at times a little dark, The Scarlet Circus has a wide variety of tales. There are no descriptions of sex, which I vastly appreciate (sex scenes are not my thing). Instead, these take on the cadence of stories told around a fire to an appreciative audience. While they all feature love in some shape or form, each story is unique and adds something new to the collection.
I loved the entire book, but a couple stories stood out to me for various reasons. I’m a sucker for Arthurian tales so of course The Sword in the Stone was a favorite. It’s an alternate idea of how that pesky sword was originally yanked out of the stone and by whom. I loved the cleverness of it and how just a few tweaks turned that whole legend on its head. Merlinnus was delightful, a cunning wise man who played the long game, but could still be taken by surprise (his reaction to the word “cushion” made me laugh).
Dragonfield follows Tansy, a misfit who is in the wrong place at the right time (or the right place at the wrong time) and finds herself embroiled in a battle to defeat a dragon. Unfortunately, the hero who is supposed to slay the dragon isn’t quite a hero. He’s something better: a roguish coward with more muscles than scruples. I absolutely adored the characters in this story, and the amount of growth they did in so few words just goes to show what a great writer Yolen is. I did feel a bit sorry for the dragon, though.
Oddly enough, what really elevated this collection from great to amazing to me were the story notes and poems found at the back of the book. They shone a spotlight on the creativity and brilliance of The Scarlet Circus while adding extra details and revelations about the author herself. The poems often had a darker slant which I loved, especially compared to the happily ever beginnings found in several of the stories. The Girl Speaks to the Mage had me laughing out loud and cheering a little. An Old Story About the Mer was chilling with its sudden gruesome ending staying with me.
The Scarlet Circus is another fantastic collection by a master storyteller, one that should be added to every fantasy lover’s library. Turning the pages gave the sense of wonder and adventure that first drew me to fairytales as a child, making this a book to treasure.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
August 13, 2022
I received a copy of The Scarlet Circus from netgalley in return for an honest review.
This is apparently this is the 4th such collection she has done. Let’s get something great. This woman truly has made some great work. I remember as a teenager reading her Pit Dragon Chronicles and really getting into the ideas she brought up in her books in ways I didn’t in my classroom. Her “How to Dinosaurs” books really catch the interest of the preschoolers I’ve read them to.
I am saying all of this because I was very meh over this collection of short stories.
So, despite the title, as the description lets us know, the short stories are connected by themes of love (but in unexpected twists in the endings in how we’d expected they’d play out), usually centering around the women in them and taking place in fairytales and myths.
If this sounds interesting to you, there’s a good chance you’ll like these stories. They’re told very much like old fairytales like they have certain truths to tell.
They are also leading you to where the twist of the story will come into play because it’s playing off those classic fairytales and myths to tell its own story that you’ll never guess the ending of. (Which you can, but it might not be your first guess of an ending)
That said. The first story is an interesting idea with questions of who’s fault it is, and who was right in the end, and if I cared more at the moment, I might like to think about the ending of the short story more. There’s the Romeo and Juliet story, whose ending annoyed me, but I can’t say anything about it because of spoilers. There’s the King Arthur story that I did read twice through because I did enjoy it. And then there’s every other story. Some that I remember, and most that are almost completely gone in my memory despite just reading them.
I know that short stories will have stories you like and not, but this collection only had one I loved, with one that I wanted to think more about, and that’s not worth it for me, but I could see where people who love retelling of fairytales and myths would love it. So a solid 3.5 because it’s a solid book, brought down to a 3 because it’s a “Meh”.
This is apparently this is the 4th such collection she has done. Let’s get something great. This woman truly has made some great work. I remember as a teenager reading her Pit Dragon Chronicles and really getting into the ideas she brought up in her books in ways I didn’t in my classroom. Her “How to Dinosaurs” books really catch the interest of the preschoolers I’ve read them to.
I am saying all of this because I was very meh over this collection of short stories.
So, despite the title, as the description lets us know, the short stories are connected by themes of love (but in unexpected twists in the endings in how we’d expected they’d play out), usually centering around the women in them and taking place in fairytales and myths.
If this sounds interesting to you, there’s a good chance you’ll like these stories. They’re told very much like old fairytales like they have certain truths to tell.
They are also leading you to where the twist of the story will come into play because it’s playing off those classic fairytales and myths to tell its own story that you’ll never guess the ending of. (Which you can, but it might not be your first guess of an ending)
That said. The first story is an interesting idea with questions of who’s fault it is, and who was right in the end, and if I cared more at the moment, I might like to think about the ending of the short story more. There’s the Romeo and Juliet story, whose ending annoyed me, but I can’t say anything about it because of spoilers. There’s the King Arthur story that I did read twice through because I did enjoy it. And then there’s every other story. Some that I remember, and most that are almost completely gone in my memory despite just reading them.
I know that short stories will have stories you like and not, but this collection only had one I loved, with one that I wanted to think more about, and that’s not worth it for me, but I could see where people who love retelling of fairytales and myths would love it. So a solid 3.5 because it’s a solid book, brought down to a 3 because it’s a “Meh”.
April 23, 2023
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
The Scarlet Circus is a beautifully curated thematic collection of short fiction, poetry, and ruminations on love in all its iterations by Jane Yolen. Released 14th Feb (of course) 2023 by Tachyon, it's 256 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately
This is a nicely varied and wide ranging collection. Most of the material here is previously published, but there are several in each category which are original to this collection. Many of the stories are quite difficult to find and many were new to me in any form. One reason I prefer collections and anthologies is that short fiction is really challenging. It's spare and the author doesn't have a wealth of wordage to develop characters or the plotting. Well written short fiction is a delight. I also love collections because if one story doesn't really grab me, there's another story just a few pages away. I can only recall a few times where I've read a collection (or anthology) straight through from cover to cover. This one I did. I even re-read the stories which I had read before.
I'm not normally a huge reader of poetry but the included poems (they're interspersed with the story notes) were lyrical and beautifully written and engaging and so precisely put together that it was a pleasure.
The collection also includes an erudite and interesting introduction by Brandon Sanderson, which is worth a look.
A worthwhile collection for Yolen fans, readers of fantasy and speculative fiction, and folks who just appreciate well written prose. She's a master writer with a prodigious oeuvre and these are some of her best.
Five stars. Just gorgeous.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Scarlet Circus is a beautifully curated thematic collection of short fiction, poetry, and ruminations on love in all its iterations by Jane Yolen. Released 14th Feb (of course) 2023 by Tachyon, it's 256 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately
This is a nicely varied and wide ranging collection. Most of the material here is previously published, but there are several in each category which are original to this collection. Many of the stories are quite difficult to find and many were new to me in any form. One reason I prefer collections and anthologies is that short fiction is really challenging. It's spare and the author doesn't have a wealth of wordage to develop characters or the plotting. Well written short fiction is a delight. I also love collections because if one story doesn't really grab me, there's another story just a few pages away. I can only recall a few times where I've read a collection (or anthology) straight through from cover to cover. This one I did. I even re-read the stories which I had read before.
I'm not normally a huge reader of poetry but the included poems (they're interspersed with the story notes) were lyrical and beautifully written and engaging and so precisely put together that it was a pleasure.
The collection also includes an erudite and interesting introduction by Brandon Sanderson, which is worth a look.
A worthwhile collection for Yolen fans, readers of fantasy and speculative fiction, and folks who just appreciate well written prose. She's a master writer with a prodigious oeuvre and these are some of her best.
Five stars. Just gorgeous.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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