It's lush and vivid, raising goosebumps along my arms at its end. I didn't love Chokshi's first novel The Star-Touched Queen, but I have to say that her flowery, poetic writing works MUCH better in a short story. The collection gets off to a bang with this gorgeous Filipino fairy tale and love story. There's a whole world of fascinating history and culture out there - it's time to explore it!įorbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi - 5 stars My two sons are mixed race - Japanese and British - and it is so so important to me that they see their Japanese heritage represented in all forms of art and media.Īnd, honestly, it's just so refreshing to see fantasy stories outside of the vaguely-Medieval Euro-centric books we've come to expect. My average rating over the fifteen stories was 3.7.Ī few years ago, collections like these might have just been a way for me to go on some literary tourism of other cultures, but it's now very important to me on a personal level. Plus, it was just so great to see the exploration of mythologies we don’t often see in the mainstream. As with all anthologies, some stories are much stronger than others, but I enjoyed far more than I disliked. This is definitely one of the better YA short story collections I have read. Myers, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Shveta Thakrar, Alyssa Wong, and a new original story by Ellen Oh.

Renée Ahdieh, Elsie Chapman, Sona Charaipotra, Preeti Chhibber, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodard, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Rahul Kanakia, Lori M. In a starred review, Kirkus called it an “incredible anthology that will keep readers on the edges of their seats, wanting more.” Edited by We Need Diverse Books co-founder Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, this anthology contains stories from sixteen Asian and South Asian authors, including New York Times bestsellers and award-winners. From fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge, these stories will beguile readers from start to finish.

A young woman takes up her mother’s mantle and leads the dead to their final resting place.īestselling and award-winning authors explore the timeless themes of East and South Asian lore in sixteen original stories that will appeal to every reader. A young man learns the true meaning of sacrifice. Two sisters transform into birds to escape captivity.

In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called A Thousand Beginnings and Endings a “must-read.”Ī mountain loses her heart. This exquisite paperback anthology includes an original bonus story from Ellen Oh. Sixteen extraordinary authors-including New York Times bestsellers Melissa de la Cruz, Renée Ahdieh, and Julie Kagawa-reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate.

A thousand endings and beginnings