Mike’s Reviews > Monstrous Affections: An Anthology of Beastly Tales > Status Update
Mike
is on page 168 of 480
The Diabolist by Nathan Ballingrud: 4/5 The voice wasn't totally believable, but I loved the plot and characterization so much. Very well-executed.
This Whole Demoning Thing by Patrick Ness: 4/5 The plot was kind of flimsy, but Patrick Ness is just an awesome writer, man. This was lots of fun, and the characterization and allegories were great. What did we even do to deserve this good of a writer?
— Aug 20, 2016 08:33AM
This Whole Demoning Thing by Patrick Ness: 4/5 The plot was kind of flimsy, but Patrick Ness is just an awesome writer, man. This was lots of fun, and the characterization and allegories were great. What did we even do to deserve this good of a writer?
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Mike’s Previous Updates
Mike
is on page 437 of 480
A Small Wild Magic by Kathleen Jennings: 2/5 Bland story, weak artwork.
The New Boyfriend by Kelly Link: 1/5 (DNF) Terrible writing, unfocused story.
The Woods Hide in Plain Sight by Joshua Lewis: 2/5 (DNF) Awkward prose, horrible dialogue, story idea cliched.
— Sep 02, 2016 02:08PM
The New Boyfriend by Kelly Link: 1/5 (DNF) Terrible writing, unfocused story.
The Woods Hide in Plain Sight by Joshua Lewis: 2/5 (DNF) Awkward prose, horrible dialogue, story idea cliched.
Mike
is on page 358 of 480
Son of Abyss by Nik Houser: 5/5 Great worldbuliding, and an excellently executed story. It's odd, because on a conceptual level, this story doesn't particularly appeal to me, but the plotting and characterization are just so tight that I can't help but enjoy it. This is a mostly meh anthology, but this is a definite standout.
— Sep 01, 2016 05:17PM
Mike
is on page 328 of 480
Kitty Capulet and the Invention of Underwater Photography by Dylan Horrocks: 2/5 (DNF) I thought I would like this at first, because the protagonist is pretty well-developed. But the writing is pretty awkward, not as funny as it's trying to be. But the real problem came when I started to get to the meat of the story, and the insufferably preachy message that I sensed coming. I'll pass.
— Aug 28, 2016 07:40AM
Mike
is on page 274 of 480
Wings in the Morning by Sarah Rees Brennan: 2/5 (DNF) Decent worldbuilding, terrible writing.
Left Foot, Right by Nalo Hopkinson: 3/5 Maybe a little ham-fisted, but it's certainly original and weird enough to be interesting.
The Mercurials by G. Carl Purcell: 3/5 Confusing worldbuilding, very good writing.
— Aug 22, 2016 04:15PM
Left Foot, Right by Nalo Hopkinson: 3/5 Maybe a little ham-fisted, but it's certainly original and weird enough to be interesting.
The Mercurials by G. Carl Purcell: 3/5 Confusing worldbuilding, very good writing.
Mike
is on page 130 of 480
Quick Hill by M.T. Anderson: 4/5 I kind of feel like Anderson goes over my head a lot of the time, which is why I'm reluctant to praise this too highly. But I generally liked the ideas behind this story - it follows a familiar archetype, but I've never seen it done this way before. And the setting and characters were quite vivid.
— Aug 18, 2016 05:16PM
Mike
is on page 90 of 480
Ten Rules for Being an Intergalactic Smuggler (The Successful Kind) by Holly Black: 4/5 The writing isn't great, but I like the story and the characterization a lot. I'm kind of a sucker for this kind of 2nd person, and Black makes good use of it. And the story is pretty original and engaging. I don't always like Holly Black, but this is one of her better stories.
— Aug 16, 2016 12:47PM
Mike
is on page 60 of 480
Old Souls by Cassandra Clare: 2/5 She tried, at least, and the writing is actually not bad for a Clare short story. But the themes just don't work - they're established too suddenly, and they're kind of vague. I feel like this would've worked better as a full novel. This had a decent set-up, and even a decent protagonist, but the ending was so rushed and the themes so weak that this doesn't work.
— Aug 14, 2016 07:29AM
Mike
is on page 30 of 480
Moriabe's Children by Paolo Bacigalupi: 4/5 I wish we had been a little closer to Alanie as a character, but Bacigalupi's prose is excellent, and this is a great example of using narrative summary in a way that isn't totally boring. It has a nice fairytale feel, and the effect is very evocative. Overall, a good start, although this isn't the best I've read from Bacigalupi.
— Aug 13, 2016 09:04AM
