School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-The three authors behind the dazzling collection The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories (Carolrhoda Lab, 2012) have assembled a new trio of vignettes; each author has penned one tale, including comments for future writers located in the margins, but with mixed results. Each short work sheds light on one aspect of writing: characterization, world-building, and the development of an idea. "Ladylike," Stiefvater's contribution and the weakest of the three, opens the volume. Aspiring writers will likely enjoy the literary advice more than the story. Stiefvater's quest is to thoroughly define protagonist Petra by one main trait. Unfortunately, this makes her one-dimensional and lowers readers' ability to empathize with her or to imagine adding their own little flourishes to the character. Gratton's "Desert Canticle," the instructive entry on world-building, presents a timely tale of the mage Aniv, a magically gifted transgender woman who is romantically paired with her male assistant, Rafel, in a bomb-defusing mission. The achingly desolate story examines identity, secrets, transformations, and hypocrisy in a postwar setting. Both the novella and the advice are equally memorable. Yovanoff's haunting tale, "Drowning Variations," thoroughly chronicles the growth of an idea. It is fascinating to see one drowning become the basis for many different stories and how the author refines and edits until completion. Yovanoff provides the largest amount of literary advice, placing it mostly within the chapter proper. VERDICT Purchase for aspiring authors seeking advice; otherwise, pass.-Cindy Wall, Southington Library & Museum, CT © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
This appealing and accessible compilation of three novellas is both a book of paranormal fiction and a how-to for teens wanting to be writers. With notes from and discussion among the authors throughout, each work focuses on a different aspect of the creative process: Stiefvater's story focuses on character growth and personal knowledge; Gratton's on world-building; and Yovanoff's on the all-consuming idea. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
In this second collaboration inspired by their writing blog (The Curiosities, 2012), three fantasy novelists aim to illuminate their craft through stories created for that purpose. Stiefvater's Petra is a bright, klutzy teen with a gift for oratory, hired to read to an elderly shut-in who affirms Petra's undervalued gifts while modeling the gracious poise Petra longs for. Though grateful, Petra senses a sinister, hidden agenda at work. In Gratton's novella, set in a world recovering from war, a young, disillusioned soldier returns to the site of his deployment, this time to deactivate deadly bombs, and there finds love that draws him out of his comfort zone. Yovanoff's tale, in several iterations, portrays a girl haunted by a boy recently drowned in a shallow creek. Through short essays and annotations, the authors share the challenges and dilemmas they faced writing these stories. Stiefvater and Gratton, especially, offer advice and encouragement to aspiring writers: tips on characterization, worldbuilding, theme, revision, and more; they point out where and why they changed, condensed, or deleted scenes. Yovanoff's tale is weakest, the dead teen serving mainly to showcase the protagonist's sensitivity and alienation, and it conveys a chilly narcissism that distances readers. That is echoed in vague, abstract annotations too inward-looking to empower novice writers. At its best, this is an accessible guidebook for creating fiction that illustrates the complexity of the process while offering practical tips for managing it. (Fiction. 12-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
As they did in The Curiosities (2012), critique partners Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff reunite to produce a short-story collection that is as much about the writing process as it is about the final creation. Each author contributes one short story and an introduction that indicates her approach and priorities when crafting a story. For Stiefvater, character is key. Her story Ladylike follows painfully shy Petra, who learns poise from an elegant old lady who may also be a monster; margin notes detail how Stiefvater conceived of the characters and carefully worked to shape them. Gratton's Desert Canticle, about a young soldier who disarms beautiful, magical IEDs in a fantastical desert, epitomizes her focus on world building as she indicates how even the smallest details create a fuller backdrop for a story. And it's all about the idea for Yovanoff, whose Drowning Variations offers less a coherent story and more a series of vignettes that all circle back around to drowning, demonstrating the evolution and impact of a single concept. For these authors' many fans, the true-to-form stories will deliver and delight. For budding writers, the insight into the creation and editing processes is even more valuable. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Each of these authors draws a crowd on her own; together they are unstoppable.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2015 Booklist
