White Cat, Black Dog
2023
Ratings6
Average rating4.2
15
Ratings6
Average rating4.2
Seven ingeniously reinvented fairy tales that play out with astonishing consequences in the modern world, from one of today's finest short story writers—MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellow Kelly Link, bestselling author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist Get in Trouble Finding seeds of inspiration in the Brothers Grimm, seventeenth-century French lore, and Scottish ballads, Kelly Link spins classic fairy tales into utterly original stories of seekers—characters on the hunt for love, connection, revenge, or their own sense of purpose. In “The White Cat’s Divorce,” an aging billionaire sends his three sons on a series of absurd goose chases to decide which will become his heir. In “The Girl Who Did Not Know Fear,” a professor with a delicate health condition becomes stranded for days in an airport hotel after a conference, desperate to get home to her wife and young daughter, and in acute danger of being late for an appointment that cannot be missed. In “Skinder’s Veil,” a young man agrees to take over a remote house-sitting gig for a friend. But what should be a chance to focus on his long-avoided dissertation instead becomes a wildly unexpected journey, as the house seems to be a portal for otherworldly travelers—or perhaps a door into his own mysterious psyche. Twisting and winding in astonishing ways, expertly blending realism and the speculative, witty, empathetic, and never predictable—these stories remind us once again of why Kelly Link is incomparable in the art of short fiction.
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Kind of an off-the-wall pick for me, as I don't normally read/review short story collections, but I was drawn in by the premise of modern-day takes on fairy tales, and it seemed short enough to not overstay its welcome. As with most short story collections, it's a mixed bag, but I mostly enjoyed my experience. I think the premise of giving fairy tales a modern day spin is stretching it a bit though, as most of the stories here take names and place inspiration, but not much else.
The White Cat's Divorce (The White Cat) – 3/5, I actually knew a variation of this story from Japan, told there as The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, but I thought this was a nice take. Kinda drug/pot-heavy, but still a nice tale. Prince Hat Underground (East of the Sun, West of the Moon) – 4/5, I don't know the source material for this one, but I thought this managed to be both dark and light-hearted at the same time. I appreciate the lengths Gary was willing to go to get his Prince Hat back.The White Road (The Musicians of Bremen) – 5/5, very little to do with the Musicians of Bremen beyond some names, but still manages to be one of my favorites of the collection. Very dark, creepy, with an expected/unexpected conclusion. Wish more was discussed about what it actually was, but as this is meant as a short story, it's understandable. The Girl Who Did Not Know Fear (The Boy Who Did Not Know Fear) – 3/5, There was so much build-up in this one that I was all about, but in the end I'm not entirely sure what the story was about. Unsettling to me, but not much else.The Game of Smash and Recovery (Hansel and Gretel) – 4/5, Another unsettling one where I'm not sure who won and who lost, but I loved the sci-fi ride. I wasn't expecting the ending we got, for sure.The Lady and the Fox (Tam Lin) – 3/5, Cute and warm and fuzzy, very Christmas-y. Kind of felt out of place with the rest of the stories in this collection though, just based on tone. Unanswered questions in this one as well, I think the lack of answers detracts from the story in this one though.Skinder's Veil (Snow-White and Rose-Red) – 5/5, woah. Easily the weirdest/creepiest one of the batch. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the characters. Anything I could say further would spoil the ending, but I wasn't expecting it.
So overall, an out-of-the-ordinary pick for me, but I actually really enjoyed the experience. They definitely hit the mark as being modern-day fairy tales, but they aren't super faithful to the originals, which is fine. If you're looking for authentic retellings, this isn't your book, but otherwise if the premise sounds interesting, give it a go.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.
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