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Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings. These are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries.
Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and ...more
Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and ...more
ebook, 336 pages
Published
June 26th 2018
by Greenwillow Books
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Start your review of A Thousand Beginnings and Endings

This is definitely one of the better YA short story collections I have read. As with all anthologies, some stories are much stronger than others, but I enjoyed far more than I disliked. Plus, it was just so great to see the exploration of mythologies we don’t often see in the mainstream. My average rating over the fifteen stories was 3.7.
A 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 ...more
A 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 ...more

May 07, 2018
Melanie
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
arc,
read-in-2018,
own-voices,
young-adult,
fantasy,
magic,
retellings,
anthologies,
ghosts,
favorites

ARC provided by HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.
This is the anthology I’ve been waiting my entire life for. As a Filipina woman, I have no words to express how happy my heart is to just read a collection of short stories that are all ownvoices. And at the end of each short story is an author note on why they wrote the story that they did. And, I think I cried reading at least 75% of the author’s notes. This anthology is so beautiful, so powerful, and it means more to me than I ...more

Sep 04, 2018
Amalia Gavea
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
anthologies,
asia,
china,
fairy-tales,
india,
magical-realism,
myths-legends,
short-stories,
world-culture
This is a collection I couldn’t wait to start. When I was about eight years old, my grandma bought me a volume of Asian Folk Tales and thus, she opened a window to a world that was exotic, mysterious, a land of fairytale to my young mind. This was the beginning of my fascination with Asian cultures, especially the ones found in India and China. I thought that this collection, edited by Ellen Oh, would feel like a magic carpet to the lands that seem so distant, hidden, often misunderstood. Alas,
...more

I really enjoyed most of the short stories & this was definitely my favourite anthology I've ever read. My absolute favourite was 'The Land of the Morning Calm' by E.C. Myers (based on Korean mythology). My heart
...more
![destiny ♡⚔♡ [howling libraries]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1557144778p2/15335689.jpg)
We would have been overjoyed to have found this anthology, filled with characters with skin and hair and names more like ours, in our beloved libraries. It’s the book that was missing in our lives for far too long.
I have been so excited about this collection ever since I first heard about it. Ellen Oh is a wonderful woman (you may know her as one of the co-founders of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement!), and I knew that her co-editing efforts would lend to a perfectly wonderful anthology. I ...more

*4.5
I actually loved almost every single story in here. The only reason I’m knocking it down a half point was because there were a couple that just weren’t my cup of tea but if all anthologies could be as good as this one, I’d read many many more!! ...more
I actually loved almost every single story in here. The only reason I’m knocking it down a half point was because there were a couple that just weren’t my cup of tea but if all anthologies could be as good as this one, I’d read many many more!! ...more

While I appreciate the book's endeavor to promote more diversity and Asian stories in literature (especially with the cultural diversity of different Asian ethnicities featured), the anthology falls under the same issue that most do with many of the stories being quite forgettable or not as well written. I thought the second half was much stronger than the first, which goes to show the inconsistency of quality. My particular favorites were Spear Carrier by Rahul Kanakia, The Smile by Aisha Said,
...more

DNF at 48%.
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings is a collection of short stories that re-imagine South and East Asian myths, penned by fifteen authors tasked with representing their culture. While the myths themselves are interesting, the re-tellings lack sparkle. Halfway through the book, the only alluring tale is found in its opening pages: 'Forbidden Fruit' by Roshani Chokshi. Chokshi conveys a bittersweet tale of love and heartache with colorful prose, though the moral of the story is ...more
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings is a collection of short stories that re-imagine South and East Asian myths, penned by fifteen authors tasked with representing their culture. While the myths themselves are interesting, the re-tellings lack sparkle. Halfway through the book, the only alluring tale is found in its opening pages: 'Forbidden Fruit' by Roshani Chokshi. Chokshi conveys a bittersweet tale of love and heartache with colorful prose, though the moral of the story is ...more

3.75 stars
I requested A Thousand Beginnings and Endings for one reason and one reason only: Julie Kagawa. Her Talon series crashed and burned, she'll always have a special place in my heart due to The Iron Fey series. To my surprise, I found myself enjoying the other stories just as much, some even more.
Anthologies are always a bit of a mixed bag, so I'm going to review them individually:
Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi — 5 stars
Alright, I didn't ...more
I requested A Thousand Beginnings and Endings for one reason and one reason only: Julie Kagawa. Her Talon series crashed and burned, she'll always have a special place in my heart due to The Iron Fey series. To my surprise, I found myself enjoying the other stories just as much, some even more.
Anthologies are always a bit of a mixed bag, so I'm going to review them individually:
Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi — 5 stars
“Do not trust the fruit of Maria Makiling.”
Alright, I didn't ...more

5 stars. My heart is full. Special shout-out to the South Asian stories, including Sona Charaipotra's, Aisha Saeed's, Preeti Chhibber's, Rahul Kanakia's, and Shveta Thakrar's. <3 All of the stories in this anthology are lovely, but I have to especially appreciate the South Asian ones. =)
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: June 26, 2018
Rating: 5 stars
Source: Review copy sent by the publisher
Summary (from ...more
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
A Thousand Beginnings and Endings
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: June 26, 2018
Rating: 5 stars
Source: Review copy sent by the publisher
Summary (from ...more

ALERT ALERT ALERT
I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A FILIPINO STORY IN THIS BOOK
as in filipino
like me!!!!
i am crying actual tears of joy right now! i've never felt truly represented in any books before and this feels like such a huge step. i love the publishing industry. i love everyone. if you're reading this, i love you
so guess what i'm reading next
I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A FILIPINO STORY IN THIS BOOK
as in filipino
like me!!!!
i am crying actual tears of joy right now! i've never felt truly represented in any books before and this feels like such a huge step. i love the publishing industry. i love everyone. if you're reading this, i love you
so guess what i'm reading next

Reading anthologies is always an iffy experience for me. I just can’t seem to enjoy them as much as I like traditional novels. My ratings for anthologies almost always sit around three stars. I loved the inspiration for this anthology, but I didn’t enjoy all of the writing. This is definitely a five stars for rep but three stars for the actual stories situation. My favorite part was the authors' notes after each story explaining the myth/folklore that inspired their tales. I could read those
...more

Jul 28, 2018
CW (The Quiet Pond) ✨
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
2018,
2018-favourites,
audiobook,
fantasy,
has-poc-rep,
ownvoices,
science-fiction,
diverse-shelf,
romance,
mythology
My full review can be found on my, The Quiet Pond.
Reading A Thousand Beginnings and Endings is, quite frankly, a dream come true for me.
Growing up, I never read mythology or stories about my culture - apart from the occasional viewing of Sun Wukong or Mulan. So, not only was reading this anthology validating, it was also gave me a sense of relief because, with this book, Asian teenagers, adults, and children alike will be able to read stories about them and that have characters that are like ...more
Reading A Thousand Beginnings and Endings is, quite frankly, a dream come true for me.
Growing up, I never read mythology or stories about my culture - apart from the occasional viewing of Sun Wukong or Mulan. So, not only was reading this anthology validating, it was also gave me a sense of relief because, with this book, Asian teenagers, adults, and children alike will be able to read stories about them and that have characters that are like ...more

Nov 05, 2017
Elise (TheBookishActress)
marked it as on-the-kindle
reimagined South Asian folklore! also, anthology! also, what if this cover just murdered me, right where I stand
fifteen stories
Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi
Olivia’s Table by Alyssa Wong
Steel Skin by Lori M. Lee
Still Star-Crossed by Soman Charaipotra
The Counting of Vermillion Beads by Aliette De Bodard
The Land of the Morning Calm by E. C. Meyers
The Smile by Aisha Saeed
Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers by Preeti Chhibber
Nothing Into All by Renee Adhieh
Spear Carrier by ...more
fifteen stories
Forbidden Fruit by Roshani Chokshi
Olivia’s Table by Alyssa Wong
Steel Skin by Lori M. Lee
Still Star-Crossed by Soman Charaipotra
The Counting of Vermillion Beads by Aliette De Bodard
The Land of the Morning Calm by E. C. Meyers
The Smile by Aisha Saeed
Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers by Preeti Chhibber
Nothing Into All by Renee Adhieh
Spear Carrier by ...more

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings is a collection of short stories or retelling of lesser known Asian folktales and mythologies. Written by Asian writers, the stories cover a wide variety of genres such as sci-fi, fantasy, horror, etc. Each story in the collection is distinctive in the writer’s style and take on a particular tale. But there is also an overall theme of loneliness, melancholy, identity crisis, filial piety, and morality connecting these stories. I had a hard time reading through
...more

Ellen Oh, author and founder of We Need Diverse Books, and Elsie Chapman, author, are the editors of this anthology of young adult short-story/retellings of Asian folk tales. The authors are either from, or are second-generation Americans whose parents hale from, Japan, the Philippines, China, India, Korea, or Vietnam. Following each story is a short essay penned by the applicable author in which she identifies and explains the folk tale or story upon which her contemporary retelling is based. I
...more

Every story was absolutely amazing.
These are the stories of my childhood, the stories that are rarely explored in Young Adult fiction.
15 short stories, 15 #ownvoices reads...
From mountain spirits to mischievous devils to ancestral ghosts, each story brings alive a vastly unique and refreshing folklore dug from the roots of Asia. Each author adds a short explanation of the original story and why they chose to write what they did at the very end. The settings also range from present-day America ...more
These are the stories of my childhood, the stories that are rarely explored in Young Adult fiction.
15 short stories, 15 #ownvoices reads...
From mountain spirits to mischievous devils to ancestral ghosts, each story brings alive a vastly unique and refreshing folklore dug from the roots of Asia. Each author adds a short explanation of the original story and why they chose to write what they did at the very end. The settings also range from present-day America ...more

Jun 06, 2018
Nanly
marked it as to-read
"Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings. These are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries."
Short stories written by authors of Asian descent that are based on East and South Asian mythology and folklore?
I'VE BEEN WAITING ALL MY LIFE FOR THIS.
#WENEEDDIVERSEBOOKS


This review was originally posted on The Moonlight Library
I was really interested in reading this book because of #weneeddiversebooks and #ownvoices, so when the audiobook came up as available at my local library, I pounced.
It’s really hard to review an anthology as a whole, but here goes:
Most of the stories were phenomenal. Not only because they were taking stories I was unfamiliar with, but because you can identify elements of Western fairytales in them as well with common themes among all ...more
I was really interested in reading this book because of #weneeddiversebooks and #ownvoices, so when the audiobook came up as available at my local library, I pounced.
It’s really hard to review an anthology as a whole, but here goes:
Most of the stories were phenomenal. Not only because they were taking stories I was unfamiliar with, but because you can identify elements of Western fairytales in them as well with common themes among all ...more

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Nathalie DeFelice
It’s rare to see Asian characters in YA fantasy. Like in TV, characters of colour are often cast as side characters, or placed in roles easily forgotten, but young adult authors are changing the game, and one of their responses to this is A Thousand Beginnings and Endings. Edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, they feature fifteen stories told by various young adult authors concerning folktales, myths, and legends of Asian ...more
It’s rare to see Asian characters in YA fantasy. Like in TV, characters of colour are often cast as side characters, or placed in roles easily forgotten, but young adult authors are changing the game, and one of their responses to this is A Thousand Beginnings and Endings. Edited by Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, they feature fifteen stories told by various young adult authors concerning folktales, myths, and legends of Asian ...more

Review also posted HERE
I don’t remember when the last time I read an anthology book, and I think that last time made me realize that anthologies were not my cup of tea. But, as I saw the synopsis of this book, it made me think again that “I will try this time.”
And then I’m happy to announce that from the first story of this book made me continue to read it until the very end. I enjoyed every story and myths in every part of the world. Those stories want to convey that myths were not meant to be ...more
I don’t remember when the last time I read an anthology book, and I think that last time made me realize that anthologies were not my cup of tea. But, as I saw the synopsis of this book, it made me think again that “I will try this time.”
And then I’m happy to announce that from the first story of this book made me continue to read it until the very end. I enjoyed every story and myths in every part of the world. Those stories want to convey that myths were not meant to be ...more

Average rating 3.67 stars
“I finally know how it ends.”I love anthologies and mythology-based stories, so when I heard of A Thousand Beginnings and Endings - an anthology filled with own voices mythology retellings by South and East Asian Authors - it became on of my most anticipated releases of the year. These stories were all so beautifully crafted and utterly captivating. It confirmed my love for a few authors, and introduced me to some who I desperately want to read more from. This is a ...more


Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings. These are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries. Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate.
The short review...
Upfront... I'm not a fan of short stories... I ...more

“It was an ill-fated thing to claim that a heart is safe. Hearts are rebellious. The moment they feel trapped, they will strain against their bindings.”
Well, this was amazing. I posted a longer review of this on my blog , but here I'm just going to say that this was a wonderful read and I'm so excited for it to go out into the world!! Asian folklore is just as worthy of admiration as the Greek epics and the Nordic myths, and this collection of stories shows it – and will hopefully inspire ...more

Review Originally Posted On The Sassy Book Geek
4.5 Stars
**** Thank you to Greenwillow Books for providing me with a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review ****
I knew the second I saw this book that I wouldn’t be disappointed with it, and I am happy to say I was right! This is an #OwnVoices (written by Asian authors) anthology filled with some amazing retellings of East and South Asian folklore and mythology, so I mean really what’s not to like? I know I absolutely loved reading ...more
4.5 Stars
**** Thank you to Greenwillow Books for providing me with a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review ****
I knew the second I saw this book that I wouldn’t be disappointed with it, and I am happy to say I was right! This is an #OwnVoices (written by Asian authors) anthology filled with some amazing retellings of East and South Asian folklore and mythology, so I mean really what’s not to like? I know I absolutely loved reading ...more

Ack, how did I never review this until now? This is one of my very favorite anthologies I've ever read - it was just so much FUN and such a pleasure to read, from beginning to end.
I read it last year, loved it and raved about it on Twitter even though I forgot to review it here until now. But here are some of the notes I made about it as I read, which I just found in a file.
Roshani Chokshi's "Forbidden Fruit" is a gorgeous, lush jewel of a fairy tale; Alyssa Wong's "Olivia's Table" is hauntingly ...more
I read it last year, loved it and raved about it on Twitter even though I forgot to review it here until now. But here are some of the notes I made about it as I read, which I just found in a file.
Roshani Chokshi's "Forbidden Fruit" is a gorgeous, lush jewel of a fairy tale; Alyssa Wong's "Olivia's Table" is hauntingly ...more

Aug 11, 2016
Xandra (Literary Legionnaire)
marked it as tbr2
*grabby hands* WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT 2 YEARS FOR THIS

actual: 4.5
anthologies aren't usually my favorite specifically because i can't bond properly or relate with the characters within a short period of time. but, every short stories in a thousand beginnings and endings were so entertaining and gripping that i flew through all of them without feeling like i always did before. i think what made this time different was that all these stories are derived from myths passed through generations within the respective asian community. i particularly ...more
anthologies aren't usually my favorite specifically because i can't bond properly or relate with the characters within a short period of time. but, every short stories in a thousand beginnings and endings were so entertaining and gripping that i flew through all of them without feeling like i always did before. i think what made this time different was that all these stories are derived from myths passed through generations within the respective asian community. i particularly ...more

Like most short story collections, some stories were brilliant and some did not really speak out to me.
I loved that different authors have reimagined the folktales (not necessarily the ones who hail from the cultures. PS: I might be wrong here since I do not know every author's biography). Loved having a summary of the original folktale at the end so that we can compare the reimagining and the original. Also, loved that there were many reimaginings of Indian epics though all did not turn out to ...more
I loved that different authors have reimagined the folktales (not necessarily the ones who hail from the cultures. PS: I might be wrong here since I do not know every author's biography). Loved having a summary of the original folktale at the end so that we can compare the reimagining and the original. Also, loved that there were many reimaginings of Indian epics though all did not turn out to ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA magical realism: swan becomes boy. [s] | 5 | 49 | Apr 06, 2019 06:28AM | |
YA Buddy Readers'...: A Thousand Beginnings and Endings by Ellen Oh and Others - Starting June 1st, 2018 | 14 | 32 | Jul 19, 2018 08:27PM | |
Lit CelebrAsian B...: #1KBE – A Thousand Beginnings and Endings – Author Interviews with Elsie Chapman, Shveta Thakrar, Cindy Pon, Aliette de Bodard, and more! | 1 | 2 | Jul 16, 2018 06:35PM | |
Lit CelebrAsian B...: We're co-hosting the #1KBE Reading Challenge with Read At Midnight - Join us! | 1 | 6 | Jun 10, 2018 09:43PM | |
It would be beautiful with Illustrations | 2 | 9 | Jan 05, 2017 09:36PM |
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For more information please visit my website at ellenoh.com
For more information please visit my website at ellenoh.com
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“I am left with pieces of remembering though I loved him whole.”
—
6 likes
“It was an ill-fated thing to claim that a heart is safe. Hearts are rebellious. The moment they feel trapped, they will strain against their bindings. And it was so with the Mountain.”
—
6 likes
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