It’s the twenty-ninth of March. So it’s time to write about the short stories, miscellaneous posts, and podcast episodes I read or listened to in February.
This month was a much slower one, so I settled for reading a couple of stories from Naomi Novik’s short fiction collection, Buried Deep and Other Stories. I went into this one knowing I would likely encounter spoilers for Novik’s other series, including The Scholomance (which I have two books left to read). However, it doesn’t bother me or ruin my potential enjoyment, but it is something to keep in mind.
Araminta, Or, The Wreck Of The Amphidrake is the first story in the collection. Lady Araminta often went-against-the-grain, and as the story tells, she was caught reading a spellbook among other things. So a solution was reached: she was going to get married. But, as the way these things typically go in fiction, even the best laid plans can (and often do) go awry. I liked the seafaring and fantasy aspect of this story as well as Lady Araminta’s personality, her practical way of thinking, her inclination toward adventure, and her desire to do anything other than go home and do what was expected. That plus the environmental dangers and a rather inventive solution to Lady Araminta’s problems, made a story I found interesting and ultimately wanted more of.
Then there was After Hours, a story set in the Scholomance (and I believe it takes place after the end of the trilogy), about a mushroom witch who—after finding herself backed into a corner—enacts a desperate plan. But, the rules are there for a reason, and to break them is really at your own peril. And that was, ultimately, part of the lesson in the story for Beata. Oh, and it’s good to have friends/be on friendly terms with your roommate—because the Scholomance had its reasons for pairing people. Honestly, I adored this story, and I reminded me what I loved about A Deadly Education. And, hopefully, maybe, I’ll have time to take a look at the series again, like I did with The Raven Cycle.
From Around the Web…
This month was a much slower one, so I settled for reading a couple of stories from Naomi Novik’s short fiction collection, Buried Deep and Other Stories. I went into this one knowing I would likely encounter spoilers for Novik’s other series, including The Scholomance (which I have two books left to read). However, it doesn’t bother me or ruin my potential enjoyment, but it is something to keep in mind.
Araminta, Or, The Wreck Of The Amphidrake is the first story in the collection. Lady Araminta often went-against-the-grain, and as the story tells, she was caught reading a spellbook among other things. So a solution was reached: she was going to get married. But, as the way these things typically go in fiction, even the best laid plans can (and often do) go awry. I liked the seafaring and fantasy aspect of this story as well as Lady Araminta’s personality, her practical way of thinking, her inclination toward adventure, and her desire to do anything other than go home and do what was expected. That plus the environmental dangers and a rather inventive solution to Lady Araminta’s problems, made a story I found interesting and ultimately wanted more of.
Then there was After Hours, a story set in the Scholomance (and I believe it takes place after the end of the trilogy), about a mushroom witch who—after finding herself backed into a corner—enacts a desperate plan. But, the rules are there for a reason, and to break them is really at your own peril. And that was, ultimately, part of the lesson in the story for Beata. Oh, and it’s good to have friends/be on friendly terms with your roommate—because the Scholomance had its reasons for pairing people. Honestly, I adored this story, and I reminded me what I loved about A Deadly Education. And, hopefully, maybe, I’ll have time to take a look at the series again, like I did with The Raven Cycle.
From Around the Web…
- Thee Enduring Appeal of Magnificent Trees and Fantasy Forests [Kali Wallace; Reactor Magazine; January 30, 2025]: It's an essay about trees (both real world and of the magical/imagined variety from various works of fiction and media).
- Choose Your Fighter: YA versus Adult [Maggie Stiefvater Substack; December 6, 2024]: I enjoyed this essay from Maggie Stiefvater about her decision/mindset/approach to making the switch from YA to Adult fiction.
