Staff Review: Thorn

Title/Author: Thorn - Anna Burke

Genre(s): YA, Retellings, LGBTQ+

Is Anna Burke quickly joining the ranks of one of my favourite authors? I think so! After my enthusiastic enjoyment of her Robin Hood reimagining, Nottingham, I sought out more titles by this writer, and came across Thorn, an imaginative retelling of Beauty and the Beast. This story follows Rowan, a city girl forcibly relocated to a village with her family due to financial ruin, Rowan herself used as a bargaining chip in an arranged marriage with the son of the village’s most powerful family. The beast is instead The Huntress, a woman of legend whose beauty is as cold as the perpetual winter that surrounds her castle high in the mountains. When Rowan’s father crosses her, his daughter is taken in payment for the misdeed, and in the Huntress’ cold realm, Rowan finds something unexpected: her life’s purpose, and possibly more. This story has the feel of a wonderfully classic Scandinavian folktale while also being a wonderfully modern fantasy. A highlight of the 2021 reading year!

Reviewed by: Alex

Staff Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Title/Author: The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman

Genre(s): Fantasy, Modern Fairtales

Out of Neil Gaiman’s storied career, I often feel like Ocean at the End of the Lane often gets missed or glossed over in favour of bigger titles like Good Omens or American Gods, but I feel this one stands firmly on it’s own. It’s a fairytale in the classic sense, you’ve got a young boy finding himself in a situation that starts out benign that turns out to be more fantastical than he could possibly imagine, the struggle between light and dark, and a hint of danger. You also have the boy, now a middle-aged man, recounting his tale like some of the best stories do. This book also delves into celtic mythology, and functions as a remarkable look at how perceptions change over time.

Reviewed by: Alex

Staff Review: Norse Mythology

Title/Author: Norse Mythology – Neil Gaiman

Genre(s): Mythology, Folklore, Fiction

Gaiman journeys into the heart of the Nine Worlds to recount the loves, triumphs, tragedies and betrayals of the Norse gods.  Utilizing ancient sources and his own flair for storytelling, Gaiman brings the characters of the Norse myths to life for a modern audience.  I really loved Gaiman’s retelling as someone who knows the source stories intimately, and I think you will too.

Reviewed by: Ben

Staff Review: Children of Virtue & Vengeance

Title/Author: Children of Virtue & Vengeance (Legacy of Orisha #2) - Tomi Adeyemi

Genre(s): Young Adult, African-Inspired Fantasy

Steeped in West African Yoruba lore, the world of Orisha is rich and magnified by Adeyemi’s imagination. A must-read for adults & children!

Reviewed by: Ben

Staff Review: Gods of Jade and Shadow

Title/Author: Gods of Jade & Shadow - Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Genre(s): Fantasy, Magical Realism, Folktales

A girl who has been forgotten and pushed aside rebels against her status to seek adventure in this rich and enrapturing fairytale. Moreno-Garcia’s writing sparkles off the page to reveal a dazzling 1920’s Mexico steeped in magic and mythology, weaving stories of Mayan gods, sorcerers and the underworld into a quest for freedom and fulfillment of dreams. Casiopea will find herself face to face with the gods of Xibalba, with ghosts with glittering promises and with her own willpower. Is her path of love and loss already written in the stars that she gazes up at so fondly?

Reviewed by: Rosemary