Tag Archives: Easy Reading

The Flame After the Candle by Catherynne M. Valente

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for mad hatters and march hares ellen datlow book cover

Title: The Flame After the Candle
Author: Catherynne M. Valente
In: Mad Hatters and March Hares (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy, Wordplay
Dates read: 22nd March 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tor
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: Everyone liked the pig screaming about its mother.

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Synopsis

Olive has visited Wonderland and finds that things aren’t all as they ought to be. Meanwhile, Mrs Hargreaves and Peter are sitting down for a dinner and reminiscing on the pasts that were stolen, but never should have been.

Thoughts

This is a bit of a jumpy short story. Which is pretty typical for a tale from Mad Hatters and March Hares if I’m being truly honest with myself. But, it felt kind of jumpier and more confusing than some of the other stories that I had read. Not to say that it was bad… but it did take me a little more to understand what I was reading than usual. I actually read through this twice… just because there was not one, but two different storylines to try and get my damn head around.

Although I liked the storyline about Olive, it was the secondary tale that really caught my attention. The parallels drawn between Peter Pan and Alice were ones that I had never even considered. But they were really powerful and potent in their own way. And now, when I finally get the time to read Peter Pan, I’m going to be drawing those connecting lines the entire time.

 <- A Comfort, One Way ReviewMoon, and Memory, and Muchness Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

A Sound, Like Angels Singing by Leonard Rysdyk

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for snow white, blood red book cover

Title: A Sound, Like Angels Singing
Author: Leonard Rysdyk
In: Snow White, Blood Red (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fairy tales
Dates read: 21st March 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Signet
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: His eyes bulged and he caught his breath.

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Synopsis

Nails and her family just want to eat, sleep and get fat. But the sound of angels singing keeps on drawing them out for the promise of a better future.

Thoughts

The introduction to this short story tells you that you are going to recognise the fairy tale upon which it is based at the end of the tale. And, to be honest, I wasn’t really sure that I was going to recognise it. there just seemed to be nothing recognisable in it. Until the last two pages… then I finally understood exactly which fairy tale this was. And I loved it.

I was expecting this story to be a slightly twisted version of a tale from the villains’ point of view. It had all of the gore and self-centred-ness of this kind of tale. But, at the end, it become clear that it wasn’t really about the villains per se, but rather, a totally different perspective to a story that I don’t often see retellings of. Which also made me kind of love it all the more…

 <- Troll Bridge ReviewPuss Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Realer Than You by Christopher Barzak

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for coyote road book cover

Title: Realer Than You
Author: Christopher Barzak
In: The Coyote Road (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Japanese mythology, Tricksters
Dates read: 23rd March 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Firebird Fantasy
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: My dad’s boss, Mr. Fujita, got my dad acclimated to the area quickly, so I don’t think he ever felt that vertigo.

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Synopsis

It’s hard to find yourself, but when you’ve moved across the world to a country you don’t understand, it can be even more difficult. But a visit from a trickster spirit could help this young boy figure out what his new path to happiness will be.

Thoughts

We all know the feeling of not belonging. Of being a fish out of water, so to say. Sadly, not many of us necessarily know how to get rid of this feeling. And, sometimes when people are teenagers, they never move beyond this. Which is all the kinds of feelings that this short story reminded me of. The feeling of not belonging and loss. And, quite honestly, the suicide forest that I’ve heard of in Japan. It just had that beautifully and tragically eerie feeling to the tale that I just didn’t quite know what to do with.

I really like the idea of kitsune in the Japanese folklore, but I don’t know much about it. Nor have I read much based on this (as I am writing this review, I’m also ordering some novels to fix this gap in my reading). This didn’t give me much more information than I already have, but it did help to fill my need to find out more. After all, this is a mythology I’m not familiar with, in a culture that I think is fascinating and beautiful. And I’m especially obsessed with tricksters, so it just makes the book nerd in my salivate all the more.

I was kind of expecting a bit of a sad ending in this short story. After all, it immediately reminded me of suicide forests and tragedy. Luckily, it didn’t end in this way. And I had the privilege of closing the final page with a smile on my face.

 <- The Listeners ReviewThe Fiddler of Bayou Teche Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Coven of Mercy by Deborah Cooke

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: Coven of Mercy
Author: Deborah Cooke
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Medical, Vampires
Dates read: 29th March 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: But one kiss, one kiss was nothing.

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Synopsis

Dr Taylor is about to find out the true meaning of mercy. Taught by a man who has haunted her dreams for years, against the villain she has always fought.

Thoughts

I think if you talk to most people, you will find that cancer has impacted on them in some way, shape or form. Which means that there tends to be a whole heap of stories out there that feature cancer. What I wasn’t expecting was to find such a story in a collection of vampire romance tales… that kind of took me by surprise. In the best way possible.

I loved the play of mercy in this story. After all, everyone’s ideas and experiences of mercy are different. And this story was able to highlight that in a very few pages. The idea that each person’s experiences and needs for mercy are different. Actually, as the story unfolds, Rosemary’s ideals and experiences of mercy change too.

The naming of the chief protagonist as Rosemary was a final, nice touch to this story. Rosemary is used in funerals with Thyme (for remembrance I’m fairly certain) and I loved that a story which featured death as a mercy has a main character named for such…

 <- Paris After Dark ReviewLe Cirque de la Nuit Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the silver chair grafton book cover

Title: The Silver Chair
Author: C.S. Lewis
Series: Chronicles of Narnia #6
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Classics, Easy reading, Fantasy
Dates read: 23rd – 27th March 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Grafton
Year: 1953
5th sentence, 74th page: The children thanked her again, with shining eyes, and the Lady waved to them.

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Synopsis

Quick!” said Eustace. “Hold hands! We mustn’t get separated!”
And before Jill quite knew what was happening, he had pulled her out of our whole world into That Place.

Eustace and Jill are whisked to the land of Narnia where Aslan, the great Lion, needs their help to find the missing Prince Rilian. Teaming up with Puddleglum, the Marsh Wiggle, the search takes them through some of the most dangerous underland of Narnia. Even if they attain their goal, it can only be the start of further trouble…

Thoughts

This is probably my least favourite of the Chronicles of Narnia. It’s still really good, but it just doesn’t have the same adventure spirit and oomph as the other tales. Maybe it’s because the Pensieve children don’t feature in this story at all. They are completely out of the picture, and I really missed them. After all, they are the children that made me fall in love with this series in the first place.

This was a great message of not letting your pride stand in the way of doing what is right. Every mistake that led to extra complications throughout this story happened because one of the characters, mostly Jill, was too prideful and didn’t share what was in her head. Or what she was told. Basically this story could have been much easier and the adventure much simpler if it wasn’t for the fact that Jill was kind of a pain in the ass child…

I did like that this story helps to span the rest of Prince Caspian’s lifetime. It follows the stories of Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and gives him a happily ever after that just wasn’t quite expected. And was definitely appreciated. He’s the only Narnian in the whole series that you get to span his entire life, and I kind of really liked that fact. It made this story feel a little more rounded, and a little more reassured that he too got a happily ever after in the end…

 <- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader ReviewThe Last Battle Review ->
Image source: Sherlockian Booklover

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Author: C.S. Lewis
Series: Chronicles of Narnia #5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Classics, Easy reading, Fantasy
Dates read: 19th – 22nd March 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Grafton
Year: 1951
5th sentence, 74th page: He realized that he was a monster cut off from the whole human race.

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Synopsis

“Stop it!” cried Eustace. “It’s some silly trick you are playing! Ow!”
A great cold, salt splash had broken right out of the frame and they were breathless from the smack of it, as well as being wet through.

Lucy and Edmund, stuck with their awful cousin Eustace, suddenly find themselves on board the Dawn Treader – and realise they have fallen into the magical land of Narnia. Reunited with old friends, the young King Caspian and Reepicheep the mouse, they gladly join the voyage to the World’s End. Eustace, however, is not so happy…

Thoughts

It doesn’t matter how many times I read this story, I still love it. And my heart melts. And I get all gooey and happy on the inside. It really doesn’t matter how many times I read this, it is just as wonderful and amazing as the first time I read it when I was six years old.

I honestly don’t know why I love this story so much more than anything else from my childhood. It has the same level of writing, engagement and storytelling as some of the other tales I read as a kid. But it is just SO MUCH BETTER. It is change your life, melt your heart better. And honestly, I think part of the reason, is that as a child, Lucy was so easy for me to relate to. Even now, as an adult, I can understand and sympathise with Lucy better than most characters in the adult books I read today.

The other part of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader that I love is that it is a series of mini adventures. The overall story flows beautifully, but you could almost read each chapter separately. They are each their own tales and adventures. Something that I don’t often come across in novels. Or at least, this was the first time (as a child) that I read a story that was a little less dependent on what happened before to tell the story.

 <- Prince Caspian ReviewThe Silver Chair Review ->
Image source: Narnia Translations Home

The Ballad of the Last Human by Lavie Tidhar

Book Review, , ,
Overview
The Mammoth Book of Steampunk

Title: The Ballad of the Last Human
Author: Lavie Tidhar
In: The Mammoth Book of Steampunk (Sean Wallace)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Steampunk
Dates read: 6th March 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: They looked at the water and it seemed to form a strange, alien face, moonlight and moonshade adding to the semblance of a figure that mouthed words at them without sound.

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Synopsis

Dogs and spiders can be best friends too… and they can go on many epic adventures in the mean time.

Thoughts

I kind of found it fitting that The Mammoth Book of Steampunk ended with a story called The Last Ballad. And that it talked about epic adventures by two best friends (who happen to be a dog and a spider) as they sail off into the sunset. An incredibly fitting ending to a very intense collection of stories.

This isn’t one of those stories that I really remember exactly what happened. It was just an easy and fun read. One that, whilst I might not remember the central storyline, I did certainly remember the end of the tale. Like I said, the imagery of riding off into the sunset together for more steampunk-esque adventures.

 <- To Seek Her Fortune ReviewThe Mammoth Book of Steampunk Adventures Review ->
Image source: Amazon

A Comfort, One Way by Genevieve Valentine

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for mad hatters and march hares ellen datlow book cover

Title: A Comfort, One Way
Author: Genevieve Valentine
In: Mad Hatters and March Hares (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Wordplay
Dates read: 12th March 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tor
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: Mary Anns show up at the door a little sooner; they don’t eat cakes and cordials that are just lying around.

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Synopsis

We all know what happens to Alice, but what about the girls who are left behind? What about the duchess?

Thoughts

I loved the idea of a Mary Ann in the Alice world. This idea that every young girl who enters the world of Wonderland is a Mary Ann or an Alice and that there are defining moments which classify them as one or the other. It gives a great alternate point of view to the world which is a little less rushed and insane, and a little calmer and more deeply thought out.

I’ve never really thought much about the duchess in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. She’s just yet another quite absurd and, well, creepy character that shows up in this calamity of crazy. But, now when I reread it, I’m going to pay far more attention to this one moment. After all, the backstory that this short tale provides makes me think about her in a whole new light.

 <- The Queen of Hats ReviewThe Flame After the Candle Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

Blue Serge by Martin Edwards

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of jack the ripper stories book cover

Title: Blue Serge
Author: Martin Edwards
In: The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories (Maxim Jakubowski)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Crime, Easy reading, Historical fiction
Dates read: 13th March 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: But you had no fear, and you emerged vindicated.

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Synopsis

A mysterious man approaches an old detective with the knowledge of Jack the Ripper’s identity. But as his story unfolds, so do the many twists and turns of the tale of the Blue Serge.

Thoughts

This short story really made me decide to pick up my book on The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper. It had this beautiful complexity and background to the storyline that I wasn’t expecting. There was also a lot of information and context in it that completely went over my head because I really don’t know all that much about Jack the Ripper.

I like the idea that the man who is perceived as the good guy at the beginning of the story slowly becomes unravelled. The roles become reversed and your sympathies slowly change throughout the unfolding of the tale. I always enjoy stories that make you question your perceptions and understandings. Although the change in your perception comes slowly, I love that the moments in which it most definitively hits are highlighted by a change in location. The symbolism and methodology work brilliantly together and gives you a sense of suspense throughout.

 <- The Ripper Legacy ReviewThe Simple Procedure Review ->
Image source: Amazon

One Letter Different by Joanna Cannon

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: One Letter Different
Author: Joanna Cannon
In: I Am Heathcliff (Kate Mosse)
Rating Out of 5: 3.5 (Liked this)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Family
Dates read: 5th March 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Borough Press
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: Her father pulled straight into a space at the side of the road, and both her parents stared at her through the gap between the front seats.

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Synopsis

Sometimes it takes the beauty and serenity of the Moors to find a way to move on. Sometimes you just need to stop and be still to breathe again.

Thoughts

This was so much less creepy than many of the other short stories in the I Am Heathcliff collection. Where the rest are about weird, obsessive, unrequited love, this is something a little more different. The moors still play a major part in the story. As does the sense of love and loss.

To me, this story was a lot about healing. From the outset I was kind of expecting a horror and another unhealthy and creepy love. But, as it unfolded, I realised that it was about a slightly different kind of love. It was still one that couldn’t be returned, but it was one that wasn’t so unhealthy. And mostly it just left me with a feeling of comfortable loss and sadness. One that I can’t fathom, but could kind of sympathise with.

 <- Thicker Than Blood ReviewThe Howling Girl Review ->
Image source: Harper Collins Publishers