Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire
I half succeeded at a library run the other day. I did succeed at getting the next 3 Wayward Children books, but failed to get any more of a manga series I’d grabbed the first 3 of on a whim; at some point in 2 days someone took volumes 4-12. Now I’ve gotta wait at least 2 weeks on those. At least I had Down Among the Sticks and Bones to make up for it. Volume 2 of the Wayward Children series is basically the […]
Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord
It’s been difficult for me to write about Redemption in Indigo. Karen Lord’s novel feels familiar and good in so many ways. It reminds me of the kinds of fairy tales and fables we’re told as children of normal but brave lives interrupted by magic, gods or other mystical beings hidden in sight, and important lessons drawn from their exchanges. But this familiarity, which is partially drawn from the brevity of the tale, was also a draw back for me. I wanted even more from […]
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
I decided to re-read this short novel when I saw a video of Neil dedicating the actual lane referenced in this story in his hometown in England & I am so glad I did because I loved it much more the second time through. Let me get some minor quibbles out of the way first: are there aspects of this book that are a bit repetitive from Neil’s earlier works? Yes. Fans of Sandman or Anansi Boys can pick out scenes, characters and themes that […]
Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins by Emma Donoghue
Familiar stories are passed, one by one, from one storyteller to another. There are thirteen tales in Kissing the Witch; some will be immediately recognizable, some will require you to dust off your mental library, and some are fantastically new- conjured from collective memory and superstition but new none the less. Each tale is handed off from teller to teller; frequently the perceived villain will be the heroine of the following story. Most are, to quote Emmylou Harris, “full of heartbreak and desire”. She sings that […]
As Old as Time by Liz Braswell
Given my love of reading, it always felt like I should like Belle and Beauty and the Beast much more than I did. Maybe it was timing, since I saw it when I had started transitioning to life action mostly and didn’t want to watch kids’ stuff. Maybe it’s simply that I hated the color yellow at that age. Either way, it’s never been one of my favorite Disney stories or even fairy tales. However! I was surprised to find that I enjoyed this one […]
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
I have yet to find a stealth-signed Neil Gaiman book in an airport. Maybe it’s just the places I’ve been lately, like Omaha, Nebraska, or maybe just my luck and not finding the right one (the signed one), especially since there’s currently some massive Gaiman book displays in honor of the new season of American Gods and the forthcoming live-action Good Omens. At the bookshop in the Omaha airport, I made an impulse decision to console myself by getting a copy of Coraline. Coraline is […]
