By Holly Black
Published By Big Mouth House
Summary (Goodreads): Poisonous girls whose kisses will kill. A fateful eating contest with the devil. Faeries who return to Ironside, searching for love. A junior prom turned bacchanalia. In twelve short stories, eerie and brimming with suspense and unexpected humor, Holly Black twists the fantastical creatures you thought you knew in ways you’ll never expect.
My Thoughts:
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown ~ This story had an interesting take on vampires. For some reason the description of Coldtown made me think more of a concentration camp than anything else. This was a good choice for the first story.
A Reversal Of Fortune ~ Gross is the only word I can think of for this one. An interesting way to win a bet but still Gross.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf ~ Not bad but not one of my favorites. Alex's need to read only things that he believes are facts and what he does with that information to try and save his family.
The Night Market ~ What one sister will do to save the life of another who has been cursed by an enkato (elf boy)
The Dog King ~ I enjoyed this one. The king that has most of the wolves killed but keeps one as a pet and how said pet turns on him.
Virgin ~ I felt confused when I finished reading this one. Like I missed something or it wasn't long enough to fill in the blanks.
In Vodka Veritas ~ A private school, latin club secret society, prom, and a junior class orgy.
The Coat of Stars ~ Everyone should know by now, don't try and bargain with a fairie. It works in this story though.
Paper Cuts Scissors ~ I had read this one in another anthology and it was my favorite, it still is. A guy who is trying to help his girlfriend, who has gotten lost in her books.
Going Ironside ~ This was too short and I didn't really get much from it. I have only read Tithe so that may be why I was lost on this one.
The Land of Heart's Desire ~ This is another of my favorites. An odd mix of why you should keep some things secret, the punishment if you don't, and how easy it is to mistake love and hate.
The Poison Eaters ~ This was a great ending to this collection. Royal politics, grudges, and ambitions that caused The Poison Eaters to be created as tools for their "father".
Rating: 4 more good than bad in this collection
I just read this the other day and really enjoyed it. I think it's definitely one for Holly Black's fans. If a person doesn't like her, they won't like these stories. I adore her, so of course, I loved it. :)
ReplyDeleteI read and reviewed this a while ago and felt the same way .. as with all collections, some were better than others, but they were all eminently readable and enjoyable. :)
ReplyDelete