Book Review: Were Tales a Shapeshifter Anthology
Were Tales: A Shapeshifter Anthology
Edited by S.D. Vassallo and Steven M. Long
Do you like werewolves? What about weretigers? Maybe a werebear or two, or perhaps something a bit less…mammalian is your type?
Whatever you’re into, Were Tales: A Shapeshifter Anthology more than likely has something for you. More than that, this book is a beautiful celebration of the idea of the shapeshifter and what it means to us both personally and culturally. Each story brings something unique to the table, and not just in terms of the were-creatures they examine. From the flowing and metaphorical to the utterly brutal, the mix of poetry and prose in all different narrative styles keeps readers hooked from the very beginning.
I’ll admit that not every piece resonated with me personally, but I don’t think that’s detrimental to it as a whole (honestly, if everything in an anthology this size really speaks to one specific person, that’s probably a sign you need to diversify your collection). What I really loved about this anthology was the variety of creatures as well as writing styles. Even the couple of stories that have similar premises are told in distinctively interesting ways.
Some of these stories and poems are utterly haunting. Some of them made me grin like a shark and laugh out loud with an evil kind of glee in public. A few of them didn’t really hit the spot for me, but I have no doubt they’ll be highlights to other readers.
I tried to make a Top 3 list, and that was…impossible. So, with the caveat that this was still an extremely difficult choice, I’ll say that my five favorites are Clara Madrigano's "Wife to the Wild," S.H. Cooper's "More Afraid of You," Ruschelle Dillon's, "Skin In the Game," Christina Sng's "The Fragility of Birds," and Jonathan Maberry's "Trouble's Braids.”
Rating: B+
Review by Kayla Martin-Gant
Twitter: @poultryofperil
Instagram: @kmartingant
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.