Andrea Purcell

An impressive anthology, no clunkers across 24 stand-alone stories offering a wide variety in tone, illustration style, and overall aesthetic. The stories also approach their narratives in a diverse manner, ranging from fantastic to scientific, from somber to almost twee. I enjoyed reading each one, and the quality convinced me to seek out other Iron Circus anthologies. Of particular interest are the Cautionary Fables & Fairytales series, and two thematic anthologies: one on horror (The Sleep of Reason) and another perhaps on faerie weird (Tim'rous Beastie).

Some recurring themes became evident across unrelated chapters, seemingly written without knowledge of one another: memory (on the part of the living, and also that of the dead); ways of moving on after the death of a loved one; teasing out the choices wound up in death, however minor or unrecognised these choices might seem.

Favourite contributions: "Ghost Friend" (heartwarming characters); "Inanna's Descent to the Underworld" (mythological); "What Eats Us" and "Peat, Bone, Oak" (grossly informative).

I almost missed the clever spot colour on the cover, until turning out the light after a reading session in bed and the art transformed before my eyes.… (mer)