This would’ve easily been a five star read for me if there hadn’t been a love triangle (of all the godforsaken tWhy? Why a love triangle? Why why why?
This would’ve easily been a five star read for me if there hadn’t been a love triangle (of all the godforsaken things) in this book. I can’t stand love triangles. The only thing I hate more than a love triangle (and not even a well-handled one, at that) is a surprise pregnancy. Do you know how much I hate the surprise pregnancy trope? It’s literally my least favorite trope.
The characters in this book are old enough to know better and mature enough to handle their emotions better and I… ugh. I just can’t handle love triangles. This love triangle is especially vexing because it was so transparent and poorly written in a book that was excellent in every single other way.
That’s the rub here: Curious Tides–when you pull out the love triangle–is some of the most imaginative and interesting fantasy I’ve read this year. It kind of feels like a mix of Rachel Griffin’s imagery mixed with Erin Morgenstern’s writing style. In case you’re wondering, that’s a really sincere and great compliment coming from me, because Morgenstern is one of my favorite writers of all time and Griffin is a writer I think is at the top of the game when it comes to writing imagery that contains natural elements like water (see Bring Me Your Midnight, which is fantastic).
The dark academia vibe is truly there and isn’t just a “vibe”. Dark academia is supposed to be a perversion of the academic system in some way. Here in Curious Tides, it’s in how disinformation about a certain class of students has been demonized and how disinformation has been sown about them for the sake of oppression out of fear and greed. It’s not just in the environment or the look of the school–it’s a systemic problem. That’s true dark academia and I’m living for it.
I’m eagerly waiting for the second half of the duology no matter what, because I need to know. I really, really do.
All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
Come one, come all, to witness a horror anthology where not a single protagonist is a straight, white male! Where the key word is right there in the tCome one, come all, to witness a horror anthology where not a single protagonist is a straight, white male! Where the key word is right there in the title and it isn’t just lip service: INCLUSIVE. It was completely refreshing to read and was definitely the best anthology I’ve read so far this year by far.
Look: No anthology is perfect. You’re gonna have some stories you don’t fully understand, some that you feel are a little long, some you don’t feel fit the anthology’s theme, and some you’ll just find plain bad or boring. While not every story in this anthology hit it out of the ballpark, there were some standouts for me I made note of that I wanted to point out, and why.
“Other Fears” by Christina Sng is a poem at the very beginning of the anthology about domestic violence. It’s a very vulnerable piece… very raw. There’s a great sadness to the piece, a lot of self-blame and loathing, anger, burning rage, desperation, and utter hopelessness.
“Idiot Girls” by Jennifer McMahon is a suspenseful tale full of xenophobia, cultural stereotypes, trusting the wrong people, and being super careful when it comes to the people who essay they love you but only seem to want to keep you a secret.
“Night Shopper” by Michael H. Hanson is a absolutely brilliant satirical horror story about how those who are non-human might be more empathetic toward transgender persons and vice-versa when it comes to trying to fit into society when society doesn’t seem to want you around.
“Help, I’m a Cop” by Nathan Carson is a standout story about a life lived completely in the closet and how that poisons your entire person.
“Miss Infection USA” by Shanna Heath is a hoot of dark satirical genius that made me think of something like if Chuck Pahalnuik wrote a post-apocalyptic novel about “RuPaul’s Drag Race”. You better werk, girl!
“Black Screams, Yellow Stars” by Maxwell I. Gold both reminds us of horrifying deaths in the millions in the past, current terrifying deaths in the present, and inhuman prophetic visions of a possible future that seems more likely with each year that goes by. This story is profoundly sad and very grim.
“Invasive Species” by Ann Davila Cardinal is a weird but also relevant story about gentrification and cultural erasure.
“The Voices of the Nightingales” by M. E. Bronstein is a fantastic story about men and organized religion revising and rewriting women’s history when it doesn’t suit their needs and wants and those women finding a way to take their stories back.
(Also worth a mention is Stephen Graham Jones’ story “Tiddlywinks”).
Like I said, the whole anthology is a great read, but these are the stories that stood out the most to me. I recommend giving the whole thing a read.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for granting me access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review. ...more
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