Genre: Folklore, Fairy Tale, Holiday, Romance
Reviewer: Jay
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About The Book
During the cold winter months, we mirror the Earth as she lies quiet, waiting for the return of warm days. We gather around yule fires and perform rituals to lure back the sun. Drinking wassail, singing songs and exchanging gifts, some of us tell stories of the longest night.
Stories of new love and old magick.
Stories of the Holly King and his fight for the season.
Of death and lives well lived.
Of succumbing to the most feral parts of ourselves.
Of the Wild Hunt, and the wrath of Perchta.
And of fey magicks and sacrifices made for love.
Light a candle and bundle up. Within these pages you will find what you need for a hale and hearty Yule, a reconciliation with the shadows and a joyful return to the light.
The Review
This is an interesting collection of very short stories by various authors. All have the midwinter solstice as their main theme, and most have strong women as their major characters and some kind of romance.
Each tale is introduced by a delightful illustration and a quotation appropriate to the season and the story. Every one is beautifully written. If you love the solstice and celebrate it, this will be a treat.
However, the book is very short and the price is high for the length, especially the paperback version. Also, the stories are all so brief that I was left wanting more – possibly not a bad thing, in that it makes each author worth looking out for, but slightly disappointing.
I had a free review copy; I think I might have felt some resentment if I’d paid to read it. Worth encouraging your local library to purchase a copy. 4 stars.
The Reviewer
I’ve been doing book reviews on my website, crossposted or linked to various social media, for a few years. I read a number of genres but I really enjoy all kinds of speculative fiction so thought I’d like to share my views with you. I love sci fi and other speculative fiction because of the way it can, at its best, make us see ourselves in a new light. Quite apart from the exciting stories, of course! I used to be an English teacher, and I’m a writer (fantasy) so I can be quite critical about style etc. but I hope I can also appreciate properly some books that don’t appeal to me personally but might be simply perfect for others. I have, obviously, read widely, and continue to do so.
