"The Tangleroot Palace: Stories" by Marjorie M. Liu (BR)

[Silvana]

Come and join Caillen and I to read Monstress' author Marjorie M. Liu's story collection The Tangleroot Palace: Stories starting from September 20, 2021.

Use spoiler tags and chapter markers when posting, please!

[Anna]

(I'm not really here, but I *really* want to read this, I've been waiting for it since I first heard about it. I'm not eye-reading at the moment, so I doubt I'll get to it soon, but I hope you like it so much it'll draw me in! ^_^

I know there's an audiobook, but it's not available for me :´( Recorded Books is great, but so many of their excellent books I'd pay money for aren't withing my reach. *starts planning a move to Canada*)

[Silvana]

Corinne wrote: "Contents in published date order:

-- Tangleroot Palace (novella 2009) previously pub in: Never After
-- After the Blood (novelette 2010) previously pub in: [book:Songs of Love and D..."

thanks for this info, Corinne, I've no idea she actually published these already.

[Midiain]

Anybody else starting this today? The only story I'm not so sure about is Where the Heart Lives. A few years ago, after absolutely loving her urban fantasy series, I read Tiger's Eye and it really wasn't for me. It felt extremely formulaic but maybe I just was not the right audience for paranormal romance novels.

[Midiain]

That was a quick read, mostly because I devoured it and wished for more. The writing, prose, and pacing are everything I hoped for from the abundantly talented author of Monstress. Several of them made me want a whole book about just those characters and worlds. Even under the spoiler tags I've tried not to actually spoil too much in case someone cares to read my opinion of each before reading the book.

Sympathy for the Bones: (view spoiler)[I think this was my favorite story. It's quite dark, almost on the edge between fantasy and horror where it could go either way if it was expanded into a book. Which I would love to read. If I had to guess at the setting I'd say Appalachia with the hills and "granny magic" or hoodoo. There are several villains but no "good" characters. Morally gray is even a stretch. Nevertheless, Clora is fascinating protagonist. (hide spoiler)]

The Briar and the Rose: (view spoiler)[This is a fairy tale retelling, as you might expect from the title. However, every trope and traditional element of the story have been, not so much turned upside down, as thrown out the window and re-conceived as something wholly new. While the story of Briar Rose is one of a fairly passive and victimized woman, this story is all about empowerment, courage, loyalty, love, and determination. (hide spoiler)]

The Light and the Fury: (view spoiler)[I'm not even sure how to characterize this one. It's steampunk alt-history where China's exploration and colonization preceded Columbus. A form of mystical power, not exactly magic, blended with mad-science has become central to a global war. The protagonist is a battle-scarred, older woman, with a past that I would love to read in much greater detail. I like coming of age stories and valiant, young heroes, but it's a pleasure to read about a seasoned veteran for a change. Especially, a rare female veteran. This story is bleak. BLEAK. But compelling in every detail. (hide spoiler)]

The Last Dignity of Man: (view spoiler)[This is the only story with a male protagonist. It's a story about superheroes without any superheroes. I know that doesn't make any sense now but it will after you read it. It asks what makes a hero or a villain, that old trope about good and evil, but told through the filter of a comic book obsession. Alexander is an enigma, a broken soul, trying to forge an identity out of superhero lore and modern/futuristic ethical dilemmas. He sparks my, probably self-destructive, desire to heal and "fix" men who are damaged and hurting. Is that tmi? lol (hide spoiler)]

Where the Heart Lives: (view spoiler)[This feels a little like a fairy tale too. It's about grief, fear, love, and found family. As Stitch says, "This is my family. I found it all on my own. It's little and broken, but still good." The main character begins with little to no agency and grows to find an inner strength. I can't say that I particularly liked her, but I did like the story and the way it was told. (hide spoiler)]

After the Blood: (view spoiler)[My second favorite story, by a very close margin, and the one I would most love to see expanded into a book. The author said that it's also in the Dirk & Steel world. I fully admit that I was completely wrong in my concerns about them being somewhat shallow romances. This one in particular could hardly be further from that assessment. It's the same world but at a different, and darker, time period. I'd consider it more horror than fantasy, although fantasy elements are present too. It's a post apocalyptic world where the Amish are among the strongest and perhaps most prevalent survivors and that's a very fresh and interesting concept. The protagonist is a strong woman without any of the cliched tropes of that overused term. The world-building is a great example of showing rather than telling. It's stark, and vivid, and awful, and brilliant. I adore these characters. (hide spoiler)]

Tangleroot Palace: (view spoiler)[This one is another fairy tale in its collection of tropes but, again, turns them upside down. There is a princess, an arranged marriage, an evil forest, and dark secrets from the past. However, this is a feminist story with a princess who defies expectations and takes her future into her own hands. She's bold, courageous, and doesn't wait around to be rescued. I thought it was kind of predictable, and was my least favorite story, but it still had a few original and meaningful twists. (hide spoiler)]

[Silvana]

Sorry folks, work has been crazy so I am running behind all my BRs. I'll start this as soon as I finish Night Theater ;p

[Silvana]

I finished two stories, Sympathy for the Bones was deliciously dark and The Brian and the Rose was one of my fave fairy tale retelling. Agree on your assessment, Caillen.

[Silvana]

The Light and the Fury got me confused, there were way too many things going on.

The Last Dignity of Man did not impress me either, I found the protagonist and his struggle and whatnots hella boring.

Where the Heart Lives, I liked it! It felt like a Gothic romance at first but it became something even darker. It is a fairy tale retelling that works. Like Caillen, I too like the story and the way it was told

I have two more to go. Looks like Tangleroot Palace is a novella? Quite a lot of pages.

[Silvana]

Finished.

After the Blood was very very interesting. I was confused a bit in the beginning but I think it wrapped up nicely. Unlike the last story, the Tangleroot Palace, I was kind of disappointed with the ending (view spoiler)[I groaned loudly when it was revealed that Mickel was the warlord. A tad bit too tropey for me. And the conclusion with the queen was kind of too quick for my taste. (hide spoiler)]

A strong three-star rating from me. I'd definitely want to read more of the author's work.

[Silvana]

I kept getting weird blank notifs from this thread...spammers?

[Anna]

Yep spammers 🤬