Anthologies are always a mixed bag of surprises, and it's hard for me to rate them as a whole book because there are always gems and duds in each one. However, this one has a pretty intestering premise - I love spotting trope subversion and seeing what comes out of it. Even if not all stories were full five stars, each of them was interesting in their own right, and that makes for an interesting read on its own. I definitely recommend this one if you're not usually a short story fan like myself.

Mixed bag of short stories. I love short stories, and can even tolerate blah ones, as they are short. They are perfect for the commuter, or just a quick read in the bath or at bedtime. Anytime time is short is time for a quick tale! There are a lot of them in this book, so I am sure everyone is going to find something to their liking!

This book is about challenging what we think of cliches. It is a book of short stories, essays and poetry. It entertained and educated me. Though I must admit, that at first I had trouble getting into reading it. I kept at it as I knew many of the authors. I recommend this book for those who want something different to read.

3.5/4 stars; I liked quite a few of these short stories, none of them made me roll my eyes, and to be fair, the essays at the end of the book were also quite interesting.

My favourites:

* “Single, Singularity”: While it doesn’t really invert the trope it’s based on, I’m a sucker for AI stories, and this one was both thrilling, and chilling in its ending.

* “Seeking Truth”: The ‘blind psychic’ trope, subverted in that here, the blind person is extremely skilled at reading other people, no need for special powers for that.

* “Can You Tell Me How to Get to Paprika Place?”: A mix of Sesame Stree-like TV shows and jaded ex-super soldiers trying to go home. Very nostalgic, perhaps a wee bit long, but a good read nonetheless.

* “Chosen”: A comic twist on ‘the Chosen’, with jabs at tropes like the gun-toting weapons maniac, the Buffy-like teenager fighting demons, and pedantic occultist scholar. This one was really fun.

* “The White Dragon”: A different take on the ‘yellow peril’, in a 1920s San Francisco (also, I liked revisiting that city in such a light, now that I’ve finally been able to actually travel there).

* “Her Curse, How Gently It Comes Undone”: The Witch and the Damsel In Distress, poised against each other, each with their wiles and strengths, and with the story playing on the trope of men rescuing the Damsel... only they’re not the right people to do the job.

* “Burning Bright”: I really liked the main character here, just the right mix of slightly hinged and yet fairly grounded at the same time.

* “Santa CIS (Episode 1: No Saint)”: This story plays well on both the Santa Claus/Christmas and ‘old soldier goes back to war’ tropes.

* “The First Blood of Poppy Dupree”: At first I thought this would be about werewolves, and it turned out it was something else, which I liked.

* “Until There is Only Hunger”: A strong story, with a definite end-of-the-world feeling, dwindling hope mixed with growing despair, and characters trying to find whatever comfort they can, although this rings more and more hollow. Bonus point for characters not being typical cis/hetero/white.

* “Drafty as a Chain Mail Bikini”: I suspected where this one was going, but I liked it, and it made me laugh.

* “The Tangled Web”: Love at first sight and romance woes... but not among humans, which lent a different dimension to this story.

The essays: definitely read those. They deal with the Hero’s Journey, its limitations, the Heroine’s Journey, its limitations as well, and push further, when it comes to trans and gay/lesbian heroes, which is really needed. Because let’s be honest: it’s already difficult to find a good story where a woman is not reduced to accomplishment = family/motherhood/taking care of others, but it’s even worse when you’re non-binary.

Storytelling tropes are recognizable themes that show up in stories. Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling, edited by Monica Valentinelli and Jaym Gates, upends these tropes, turning them upside down. The first section is the stories themselves, then the second section is essays about storytelling and its impact, as well as a list of the tropes used. It was interesting to see folklore and movie arcs treated with the same literary focus in the essays, though it was an abrupt switch from the fantastical stories in section one.
Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling
February 2017; Apex Book Company; 9781937009441
ebook, print (366 pages); fantasy, anthology

Some of the stories really grabbed me. I was very much impressed by the villanelle that opened section one, as they're difficult to construct but look effortless.

"Single, Singularity" tells of the attempt to observe how machines developed awareness enough to be intelligent, which doesn't go according to plan.

In "Seeking Truth," the blind woman questioning the serial killer is presumed to be psychic but isn't.

"Thwock" is extremely short and chilling.

"Can You Tell Me How to Get to Paprika Place" tells of cyborgs created out of beloved children's television characters that are trying to find their way home. It has moments of morbid humor, as you realize what some of the companies refer to, but is incredibly heart wrenching at the same time.

"The White Dragon" parlays the fear of Chinese people and magic in old San Francisco into a compelling drama.

"Santa CIS (Episode 1: No Saint)" involves the search for missing children by figures from folklore, and as the title implies, reads like the pilot episode of a TV show.

If you're a fan of folklore, fairy tales or heroic tropes, this is a great collection for you.

A beautiful anthology of storytelling tropes turned upside down. This was truly a pleasure to read.

LOVED THIS! It kept me guessing the entire time and was a nice break from recycled tropes.

Posted Jan 21, 2017

This book was a bit of fresh air to read. A lot of books have become a bit predictable lately, and while not the authors fault as it seems the only the cliche-ish of books seem to get popular (at least to me). I really did enjoy this, but I am really happy that it was short stories as opposed to one long story. I like that I was not able to predict what was going to happen. I was also eager to check out every new story to see where the author would take it.

Of course you know that when you have a anthology filled with stories not all of them could be great and I did not like every single one of them. I wont list them here but I will list a couple of my favorite stories

On Loving Bad Boys: A Villainelle by: Valya Dudycz LipescuSingle, Singularity by: John Hornor JacobsChosen by: Anton Strout
Santa CIS (Episode 1: No Saint) by: Alethea Kontis
The First Blood of Poppy Dupree by: Deliah S. Dawson

While there were much more I like, these were the stories I wish the author would expand upon. I would love full books on this especially the Santa CIS. The stories I did like far out-weighed the stories I didn't like. I recommend this book for anyone who is tired of the everyday fairy tale and needs something new

I received a galley copy for review from NetGalley.

I DNF this one. I couldn't get pulled into the stories, I tried to read several of them and I just couldn't get into this. I couldn't feel any draw to the stories.

An impressive sci-fi collection. I find myself wanting to recommend each short story after I read it to others. How the various tropes were treated made for intriguing discussion with friends and just musings. Overall an excellent collection.

Upside Down: Inverted Tropes in Storytelling by Monica L. Valentenelli and Jaym Gates was received direct from the publisher. Anthologies are always hit or miss nowadays, or maybe that's just the ones I read. This one, where each author chose a tired trope or cliche to turn upside down is no different. Some held me entranced and some I didn't know what trope was being inverted. In case you were wondering a trope is a "use of figurative language." Some of the stories were brilliant, while others seemed forced/contrived, like the author didn't like their trope. Anyway, if you or someone you know likes this topic, or really enjoys odd short stories and essays, give this one a read.

3 Stars

Upside Down provided an anthology of surprising, norm-defying short stories and a collection of thought-provoking essays that challenged and explored common and not-so-common literary tropes. From a tale about a computer system gone rogue to an essay exploring the Heroine Journey by looking at Labyrinth, this work is interesting, concise, and serves its stated purpose of encouraging the reader to address familiar tropes well.

The stories are all creative and unique, quick reads that delve into the fantastical, science-fiction, and psychological. Because of the nature of the project and process of the anthology, some of the stories do feel more contrived and slightly forced, like a response to a creative writing prompt that hasn't been completely pulled off or thought through. The essays in section two are also thought-provoking and fascinating. Most provide insightful and much-needed commentary on topics like feminism and transphobia in the arts, although a couple seem not quite as in-depth and less evidence-based. The sectioning of the work (particularly the division between section one and two) was a little clunky in that the style of my reading experience was immediately switched, but the rationale behind the split also seems logical.

Overall, an anthology of interesting short stories and insightful essays that fabulously addresses the book's purpose of challenging and starting dialogue concerning troubling literary tropes as well as their role in the greater arts world.

Thanks to the publisher for a digital copy!