∎ PDF The Emerald Circus Jane Yolen Holly Black 9781616962739 Books

The Emerald Circus Jane Yolen Holly Black 9781616962739 Books

Download As PDF : The Emerald Circus Jane Yolen Holly Black 9781616962739 Books

The Emerald Circus Jane Yolen Holly Black 9781616962739 Books

Wonderfully vivid stories by the consummate storyteller. These are all riffs on fairy tales and legends and are delightful. An additional section in the back give info on some of her inspirations.


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The Emerald Circus Jane Yolen Holly Black 9781616962739 Books Reviews

I like collections of short stories because when you are not in the mood or have the time to read a full length novel sometimes it’s nice to pick one of these up, blow through a quick story to pass the time and still feel like you achieved that satisfying ending. No lingering questions of what is going to happen, who did what, how is the author possibly going to make this all work, etc because you got all your answers in those few minutes you had to read – hence ‘short’ story.

Yolen kind of screwed me over with this one because I found her writing so intriguing and was absolutely captivated by her take on well-known fairytale and literary figures I couldn’t stop at just one or two I had to read through her whole collection including the poems and story notes at the end. If you know someone who likes fairytales, who is even a fan of Hans Christian Anderson, then you’re going to want to pick this up which luckily for you comes out before the Christmas holiday – there I just helped you mark an item off your list.

Yolen’s story notes with the poems at the end are worth it all by themselves to pick this up as you feel like you get to know her, as if she’s sitting with you by the fire one late wintry night spinning tales to enthrall and bemuse you. She is the epitome of what the title “storyteller” hopes to define.

I have never read anything by her before and more is the pity that I have missed out on years’ worth of being entertained by her talent. In the Irish culture from which my family comes the Storyteller, or SeanchaÍ, was held in high esteem. They kept the histories alive and were heavily relied on since they were the only way to keep them from getting lost. Yolen does a remarkable job of taking up the torch in spirit.

You get to relive stories and people from long ago in a whole new way such as Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz, Anderson’s Snow Queen, Alice in Wonderland, Edgar Allen Poe with his Raven, Robin Hood, legends from Arthur’s genre and nods to works from across time periods and cultures. Her work entertains certainly but it also leaves you feeling intellectually satisfied.
Jane Yolen once again returns to fairy tales and classics for inspiration in this collection of 16 short stories (and as many poems in the author notes). My favorites were the longer stories that took more time to develop character motivations and subtleties. And even though I'd already read the Arthurian legend stories in Merlin's Booke, I loved rereading them. I hope she someday publishes her Arthurian trilogy like she originally planned!

Despite having read the Arthurian tales, all the other short stories were new to me. I thought I'd already read "Sister Emily's Lightship" -- about Emily Dickinson and extraterrestrials -- but I had not and it was a wonderful story. I also thought "Blown Away" -- a Wizard of Oz re-imagining -- and "A Knot of Toads" -- where Disraeli attempts to enchant Queen Victoria -- to be imaginative and unique.

Best of all (well, almost), Jane Yolen includes author notes about each story at the end, with accompanying poems! That was a really delightful surprise. I love hearing how stories come to be, and I love poetry.

Thanks to Tachyon Press and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Andersen’s Witch Hans Christian Andersen's life's fairy tale, when he makes a bargain with the Ice Queen. 3.5/5

Lost Girls (Nebula Award Winner) Darla from the 21st century gets transported to Never-Never Land, where she has some ideas about women's rights and isn't about to clean up after Peter. 3.5/5

Tough Alice Alice falls through into Wonderland again, and is trying to find a champion to fight the Jabberwock. But when no one steps up, she realizes she has to be her own champion. 3/5

Blown Away When Dorothy is blown away in the tornado, she doesn't go to the Emerald City, rather, the Emerald Circus. She returns 7 years later and a farmhand--who tells the story--can't believe how much she's changed. 4/5

A Knot of Toads A daughter returns from college to her small, Scottish hometown for her father's funeral. Only to discover her father's death occurred under unusual circumstances, while working on a history of witches. 4/5

The Quiet Monk Lancelot is a wandering monk, trying to find Guinevere's grave. 4/5

The Bird (Original story) Edgar Allan Poe gifts his wife Lenore a raven on the eve of her death. 2/5

Belle Bloody Merciless Dame A drunk chooses the wrong woman to molest in an alley. 2/5

Jewel in the Toad Queen’s Crown Disraeli tries to practice Kabbalah magic on Queen Victoria. 4/5

A Gift of Magicians Beauty and the Beast meets O. Henry's Gift of the Magi. 2/5

Rabbit Hole 80-year-old Alice goes down the rabbit hole once more. 2/5

Our Lady of the Greenwood Before Lady Margaret of Locksley dies in childbirth, she charges her midwife to take her infant son to the greenwood, to be named by the fae. 3.5/5

The Confession of Brother Blaise Merlin's birth, as told by Brother Blaise on his death bed. 4/5

Wonder Land Little Red Riding Hood goes through the woods to tell her BFF about where her boyfriend just put his hands, but she's not to be fooled by wolves or any other creature. 4/5

Evian Steel Elaine is sent to the isle of women to be trained in their magic and craft, and forms a friendship with Veera. When Veera forges a sword as part of her initiation into adulthood, something goes wrong with the ceremony, but it's exactly the sword, and the girl, that Merlin wants. This one reminds me of Sister Light, Sister Dark. 4.5/5

Sister Emily’s Lightship (Nebula Award Winner) Emily Dickinson trades poems with an alien. Yep! 4.5/5
This was recommend o me by a friend. We usually share the same taste/interest in books. This was an exception. #1 I am not a real fan of sort stories. #2 I was left at the end of the first 3 stories asking "yeah?" None of the 3 were interesting/well developed IMO. I stopped reading. Maybe at another time it will strike me differently.
Wonderfully vivid stories by the consummate storyteller. These are all riffs on fairy tales and legends and are delightful. An additional section in the back give info on some of her inspirations.