I always think the first story in a collection is the moment you decide whether a book is for you.
In this case, we begin with The Crystal Minors, and it gripped me from the start. It opens normally enough, but then you realise it is built on a lie, and from there the tale takes on an entirely new twist. I really enjoyed it.
All of the stories are exceptionally good and, as the title suggests, they feature “weird women”. Not in a negative sense, but in ways that feel fresh, different, and intriguing.
These tales take turns I didn’t expect. Moving between horror and science fiction and more, I loved the way each one unfolded into something compelling. They kept me turning the pages until I reached the final story. I shall never look at a grandfather clock in quite the same way again.
If you enjoy a wide variety of storytelling styles, I’m sure you will appreciate this collection. They feel satisfying and well-rounded. In fact, you almost forget you’re not reading a full novel.
Books
Book Blurb and Link
Twelve stories, separated into seasons of life, are told through the perspectives of maidens, mothers, and crones. Each one shows us how a fractured reality-or a fractured mind-can warp even the most mundane of events into a bizarre tale.
From a twenty-something office worker trapped by a mountaintop cult to an unstable mother trying to resist the urge to flee to another dimension, one by one, these women step to the edge of what they know and see the impossible looking back at them.
This speculative collection meanders through genres including urban fantasy, science fiction, magic realism, steampunk, folk horror, and cosmic horror. Perfect for readers who are, themselves, strange and unusual.
World of Stories 