So, I got this e-book from Netgalley as an ARC, in exchange for an honest review. I did start reading it before it came out, however I only just finished it, so technically it is no longer an ARC.
This book was published in November, so I am a little bit late, but I got around to it, and I definitely enjoyed it. Here it is:
Where is Wendy? Leading a labor strike against the Lost Boys, of course.
A Scottish academic unearths ancient evil in a fishing village. Edgar Allan Poe's young bride is beguiled by a most unusual bird. Dorothy, lifted from Kansas, returns as a gymnastic sophisticate. Emily Dickinson dwells in possibility and sails away in a starship made of light. Alice’s wicked nemesis has jaws and claws but really needs a sense of humor.
In Jane Yolen’s first full collection in more than ten years discover new and uncollected tales of beloved characters, literary legends, and much more. Enter the Emerald Circus and be astonished by the transformations within.
There were two things that drew me into requesting this book from Netgalley. One is the cover. Green is my favourite colour, and the mixture of greens and yellows on this cover is such a beautiful eye-catching mix that I was drawn in as soon as I saw it available for request. (Can you tell the majority of things I request are because the cover drew me in yet?) Then the description had me hooked, I love a good re-imagining of the classics, and anything based on Alice in Wonderland will have me intrigued.
This was also my first time reading something that was purely short stories, as usually I only read full novels, and it was definitely eye opening for me, as it was so refreshing to be able to finish a story quickly on short journeys and not worry about having to remember what had happened when you stopped reading.
My favourite of this book was a story called Lost Girls - it switched up the story of Peter Pan, and painted a totally different picture of the goings on in Neverland, which I loved. It included numerous 'Wendy's' taken through the ages to Neverland and just what happened to them, and totally mixed up who the typically 'Good' characters were and who the 'Bad' characters were, which is different to most re-imaginings I've found.
At the end of this book, Jane Yolen also included a little summary of where she came up with the ideas for the short stories, and I liked that she added this. It helped you if you didn't understand what story the plot came from (as I couldn't tell for a few of them) and also showed you her inspirations.
Overall, a great book, and I'll definitely be reading more short-story compilations in the future!
I give this book: 4 cats!
What are your opinions on short stories? Have you read this book and got a different favourite short-story than me? Comment below!
