Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings: these are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries. This young adult novel is an excellent choice for accelerated tween readers in grades 7 to 8, especially during homeschooling. It’s a fun way to keep your child entertained and engaged while not in the classroom. engaged while not in the classroom.
Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate.
Compiled by We Need Diverse Books’s Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, the authors included in this exquisite collection are: Renée Ahdieh, Sona Charaipotra, Preeti Chhibber, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodard, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Rahul Kanakia, Lori M. Lee, E. C. Myers, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Shveta Thakrar, and Alyssa Wong.
A mountain loses her heart. Two sisters transform into birds to escape captivity. A young man learns the true meaning of sacrifice. A young woman takes up her mother’s mantle and leads the dead to their final resting place.
From fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge, these stories will beguile readers from start to finish. For fans of Neil Gaiman’s Unnatural Creatures and Ameriie’s New York Times–bestselling Because You Love to Hate Me.
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I enjoyed this book a lot. It was the first time that I had heard many of these folklores and myths, even with some retellings. The author notes with a few of the stories really added to the story but I also understood without it. There was also a great selection of authors, many who I am looking up other books from to get more of their writings.
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings.
Compiled by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman
I was excited to pick this up for the Indian stories. Retellings of Mahabharata, Dussehra, the festivals (as was hyped) by different authors. Don’t judge me here. Who wouldn’t pick up a book so popular and has stories by their native authors? And trust me you will never regret this.
I’ve read several anthologies over the years and perhaps, this one is the best YA authors have to offer.
Fantasy, mythology, science-fiction, history, allegory. Tales of revenge and of romance. Of Gods intruding human affairs, ghosts, and so many unfamiliar stories from Asian culture.
There were some stories where I thought that the authors tangled up the plot and retelling didn’t go that well. And some of them weren’t liked by a few fellow readers, as according to them the stories were too predictable. That is the case when you read folklores, you already know how it is gonna end.
But that’s fine. A few predictable legends with twists and knots are okay for me.
1. My favourite has to be “The Smile” by Aisha Saeed. It’s a retelling of the story of Anarkali. I’m glad that the author took major turns to end the story differently. (I love Aisha’s Amal Unbound so much and she was one of the reasons I picked up this book.)
2. Then of course “Olivia’s Table” by Alyssa Wong. A story about the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival. It was mysterious which I really enjoyed. I’m looking forward to reading other stories by Alyssa Wong. Such a fine storyteller.
3. Forbidden fruit by Roshani Chokshi. It’s a tragic retelling loosely based on the story of a Filipino Goddess, Maria Makiling. It’s about how a mountain loses her heart to a human. A must-read I say. I’ve loved her “A crown of wishes”. So, a part of me was also excited about this.
4. Eyes like Candlelight by Julie Kagawa
It has Kitsunes! Yes. Do I need any supplementary facts to galvanize you? It was so perfect as a closing story that I fell for her writing.
I won’t be giving spoilers. Get a copy to experience this delightful piece.
This book was, of course, one of my best read in the past 6 months.
I haven’t been able to read thick novels. I picked up so much task for my ” work from home” during this pandemic that my mind isn’t cooperating me for heavy reads. I needed something to relax and rejuvenate. I feel like it won’t do any justice to rate each story, rather I’ll rate my experience.
/5
Trying to put this book in appropriate bookshelves was like an Olympic challenge. The wide array of short stories truly touch everything: sci-fi, historial fiction, romance, fantasy, haunting, etc., etc.
AND LET’S CUT TO THE CHASE: I LOVED IT.
I’m a simple woman: I see that a book was inspired by Asian heritage and folklore, I open my wallet.
I mean honestly, (side note) I don’t understand why Disney hasn’t made more Asian princesses because the ARRAY OF INSPIRATION THEY COULD GRAB IS ENDLESS. I mean seriously!!! That story about the daughter of the sun and prince of the moon??? Beautiful. This book wraps so many stories into one book, and each is so intricately beautiful and magical, I’m so fangirling.
This made it to my all-time favorite shelf so fast. And will soon make it into my re-read shelf. And will soon make it into my “I’ve read this book a million times” shelf. The diversity in the short stories is astounding. Sometimes they take you to a mythological place, sometimes they take you to a sci-fi place, sometimes they take you to an urban place, and sometimes they take you to a apocalypse place; and the one thing that binds all the stories together is the little author’s excerpt on what Asian story it was inspired by. I loved that there were references of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, East Asian, South Asian, etc. folklore. It gave such diversity.
Every story was stunning, unique, and (staying true to folklore) affected you in a way emotionally.
I truly, truly, truly, truly ate this book up start to finish.
Interesting new twists on fairy tales and legends you likely do not know.