A collection of short stories (Yay!) from one of the best urban fantasy authors out there? Wonderful!!

I don't read a lot of magazines anymore so I rely on collections and anthologies to get my fix of short fiction. And since I have such a backlog of ARCs, I generally only read books of short stories when I get them as ARCs now. So getting a copy of Seanan McGuire's latest (and only second?!) collection of short works is truly memorable.

There is not a bad story in this bunch. One wouldn't expect there to be, given that McGuire selected the collection, choosing "some of my best stories, and some of my favorite stories, and a few of my weirdest thrown in for good measure. It is the scope of me, and it’ll be a few years before we can do this again."

Not only is there not a weak story here, I can't say that there was anything that stood out above the others - it truly is a marvelous, even collection.

Of course most readers of Seanan McGuire know that she can write in a variety of genres (her writing as Mira Grant is phenomenal) but with these stories we see McGuire spread her literary wings even more. I was particularly fond of the story "Pedestal" in which a superhero, Alice, tries to go about doing an ordinary thing (shopping) when she's accosted. She doesn't want to use her powers but the rude man might be leaving her no choice. I would love to read more in this world. Really.

One of the best things about a collection like this - a collection by an author whose work you really like - is reading the author's notes about the story; how it was written, when it was written, why it was written, etc. McGuire's notes add to the enjoyment of this collection.

This collection contains the following:

Introduction
"Coafield’s Catalog of Available Apocalypse Events"
"Now Rest, My Dear"
"Mother, Mother, Will You Play With Me?"
"In the Land of Rainbows and Ash"
"Heart of Straw"
"The Levee Was Dry"
"Fresh as the New-Fallen Snow"
"Good Night, Sleep Tight"
"Rise Up, Rise Up, You Children of The Moon"
"Phantoms of the Midway"
"File and Forget"
"Under the Sea of Stars"
"Vegetables and Vaccines"
"Come Marching In"
"Foundational Education"
"Ratting"
"Love in the Last Days of a Doomed World"
"What Everyone Knows"
"Belief"
"So Sharp, So Bright, So Final"
"Sweet as Sugar Candy"
"On the Side"
"Pedestal"
"The Proper Thing"
Looking for a good book? Seanan McGuire's collection of short stories, The Proper Thing and Other Stories, is an outstanding mix of fiction. McGuire fans will definitely want to read this, but this will be enjoyed by any fans of short stories and fantasy readers.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.

Seanan McGuire is an endless font of amazing stories and characters, and this is another wonderful collection. If you have read Seanan's work before then you probably have a pretty good idea of what you're in for. If you haven't, then you're in for a treat--and if you like this then there's more then enough in her back catalogue to keep you busy.

I do love me some Seanan McGuire. And her short stories almost never disappoint. The raw emotions found in just a few pages of a story is an amazing feat. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for some quick reads that pack quite a wallop.

The Proper Thing and Other Stories by Seanan McGuire. This is not your typical book by McGuire and yet it has the same qualities of vision and thoughtfulness we as readers have come to expect. One of the very first stories in the book brought me to tears, and then later the stories got a little too preachy, so what I am trying to say is my feelings ran the gamut of expression which I think McGuire was trying to achieve.

Coatfield's Catalog of Available Apocalypse Events - 3
A different apocalypse for every letter of the alphabet.

Now Rest, My Dear - 4
A young girl spends her summers at the library.

Mother, Mother Will You Play with Me? - 4
A child plays games to learn about the world.

In the Land of Rainbows and Ash - 4
Wayward children, but not.

Heart of Straw - 3
Kids go trick or treating.

The Levee was Dry - 3
Nobody can hear any new recorded music after they turn 35.

Fresh as the New-Fallen Snow - 3
A new babysitter tells her charges a story.

Good Night, Sleep Tight - 3
Don't mess with the library's budget.

Rise Up, Rise Up, You Children of the Moon - DNF
People eliminate darkness. I did not like the writing on this one.

File and Forget - 1
Soda wars.

Under the Sea of Stars - 3.5
An expedition below a river.

Vegetables and Vaccines - 2.5
Pandemic story with minimal dialogue.

Come Marching In - 3
A glimpse into an America with a mental health registry.

Foundational Education - 1
Seanan McGuire is jealous of people who went to college and weren't poor.

Ratting - 2.5
Pandemic America segregated into rich and poor.

Love in the Last Days of a Doomed World - 2.5
It's the end of the world.

What Everyone Knows - 3
An idiot decides to raise a kaiju.

Belief - 1.5
An 11-year-old girls is uncomfortably obsessed with the post office.

So Sharp, So Bright, So Final - 3.5
Rabies pandemic.

Sweet as Sugar Candy - 4
A woman makes marshmallows.

On the Side - 3
A dystopian America where only foods deemed "white American" are allowed.

Pedestal - 4
A superhero just wants to buy some ice cream.

The Proper Thing - 3
A magic cheese shop gets robbed.


Some of these stories really made me question if I even like Seanan McGuire. Some of them have what I find to be a very awkward writing style, especially for dialogue. People do not talk how she writes them talking. Some of these stories were pretty good, but most were mediocre or less for me and I don't find this collection worth it. If you are a huge fan of the author, you'll probably love it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for an advance copy.

I've been reading Seanan McGuire since the first October Day novel. Because this is a compendium of McGuire's entire career, the stories feel a little disjointed. I appreciated her forwards to each story. I had honestly forgotten that McGuire is such an excellent horror writer. In recent years I've mostly been reading October Day and Wayward Children books. Her horror stories read like fables, and the endings still came as a surprise.

The Proper Thing and Other Stories by Seanan McGuire
adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

An advance copy was provided by NetGalley and Subterranean Press. . All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the second short fiction collection by Seanan McGuire put out by Subterranean Press. Most of the stories contained within were written between 2017 and 2022. About two thirds were only previously available via the author’s Patreon while the remaining stories were originally published in a variety of anthologies.

My overall impression of these stories was very good, but mostly very dark as well.

Standout stories, for me, included In the Land of Rainbows and Ash, Now Rest, My Dear, File and Forget, Come Marching In, Belief, and the titular The Proper Thing. Good Night Sleep Tight was especially creepy. But really I didn’t feel like there was a bad one in the collection (I say as a hardcore Seanan McGuire fan). Many of them seem extremely possible in our current sociopolitical environment.

I enjoyed this collection of stories. The author is one of my favorites, mainly because of their unique ability to make the mundane magical.

I can happily say its amazing. Each story has a small forward with a snippet of background. I would like to thank NetGalley and Subterranean Press for the arc. All opinions given are of my own volition.
This collection just released on 4/30 and is 100% worth picking up. So far a few of my favorite stories have been Coafield's Catalog of Available Apocalypse, Now Rest my Dear, and Heart of Straw. Coafield's Catalog of Available Apocalypse is just what it sounds like. Its an Alphabetical Catalog, with notes of delectably wry whit. Now Rest My Dear is one of the stories that takes place in a library. Its magical and unusually soothing for one of her stories. Heart of Straw explores the possibilities of Halloween. Its a portal fantasy but not connected the Wayward Children Series. I adore Halloween and this story scratched a brain itch I didn't know I had until now.
I am generally not a short story person but I have really enjoyed picking up a story in between tasks and taking a small brain break to a new world/reality. The snippets of background given before each story is a treat and adds nuance to the stories. The stories are unique and range from fantasy to light horror. There are content warnings before each story for those that need them and it is an incredibly nice touch. The Proper Think and Other Stories is a perfect book to pick up for anyone wanting to sample Seanan McGuire's work or who needs a break from the mundane.

For those craving an exhilarating literary escape, "The Proper Thing and Other Stories" by Seanan McGuire is a must-read. McGuire's collection offers a captivating journey through a diverse array of tales, from the edge of apocalypse to the dawn of creation. With themes ranging from superhero insecurities to the transformative power of love, McGuire skillfully blends the fantastical with the familiar. Each story is a literary gem, promising an enchanting and thought-provoking experience for readers. So, if you're ready for an adventure unlike any other, dive into "The Proper Thing and Other Stories" and prepare to be spellbound.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

The Proper Things and Other Stories is an absolutely amazing collection of must read stories that both enrich other works by Seanan and beautifully stands on its own.

This is a fascinating collection of weirdly interesting, wonderful, creepy, and sometimes sad stories about a variety of topics. I absolutely love Seanan’s writing, world building and creativity. I loved these stories and it is truly a great collection. It truly is a wonderful way to explore this author and visit her worlds.

The topics in these stories encompass a lot of the issues and fears that have cropped up in an ever changing world fraught with political uncertainty. There's anger, there's hope, there's revenge, there's joy. All the things I love about this author who never reads to explore the hard topics in a way that always leaves redemption n the pages. I find it poetically brilliant so few authors can craft in this manner so fully and completely.

This collection truly shines because although vastly different each story stands on its own merits and can be enjoyed for the story it brings to the table. Sone are dark others joyful and yo me all satisfied me. I do believe I mentioned I am a truly devoted fan so this is well if it where a kitchen it’s a Chef’s Kiss 💋!

If you are someone who loves Seanan McGuire's writing, or likes stories with depth, pick up this collection. It us to be treasured at least for sure by me!!

The Proper Thing and Other Stories is a great collection that showcases the author’s work very well. Nothing in this collection was bad, and even the ones that I felt less about, I could appreciate what was being done. The art was also a great touch at the beginning of each story.

Personal favorites were:
The Proper Thing
Now Rest, My Dear
In the Land of Rainbows and Ash
Belief

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a hefty tome of weird, wonderful, creepy, and sometimes sad stories about a variety of topics (there's more than a few pandemic-centric stories here, too). I feel like story collections can be hit-or-miss, but I love Seanan McGuire's writing and creativity and, for the most part, I loved a lot of the stories in this collection. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised at just how many of them I enjoyed. The topics in these stories encompass a lot of the issues and fears that have cropped up specifically in a post-Trump world. There's anger, there's hope, there's revenge, there's joy.

I think the one thing I would've liked is for there to be a bit more shuffling around of certain stories so that two pandemic stories or library stories weren't quite so close back-to-back. It just became a bit easier to compare the two when they occurred so closely after one another (and while I realize that there's only so much space, this is quite a chunky short story collection and I think there's a bit more room to move things around). I think it'd be better to make them stand on their own merits.

Other than that, if you're someone who feels frustrated by the political landscape, loves Seanan McGuire's writing, or likes stories with a bit of bite, pick up this collection.

This book is hard for me to review. Like with any anthology, there were stories that I absolutely loved and others that just weren't my cup of tea. I will say, though, that even the ones that I didn't like kept me engaged. McGuire has a real talent for pulling the reader into a story, fully enveloping them in it, and making the real world disappear. I really liked that McGuire had an intro before each story. It was nice to get some insight into them. My favorite stories are listed below.

Coafield’s Catalog of Available Apocalypse Events - This was a bit of a “choose your own apocalypse." It was a fun, yet slightly terrifying, way to start the anthology.

Now Rest, My Dear - This was an emotional and whimsical love letter to libraries.

In the Land of Rainbows and Ash - I really enjoyed this one. While it isn’t a 'Wayward Children' story, it very much felt like one.

Heart of Straw - An ordinary Halloween night of trick-or-treating turns out to be anything but ordinary.

Good Night, Sleep Tight - This was another story about the library, only this time, with more bugs. Yikes!

Rise Up, Rise Up, You Children of the Moon - I thought this was one of the best stories in the anthology. It's set in a dystopian world where night and darkness are forbidden. There’s no place for the monsters in the shadows, but the monsters fight back. I loved the connection to Snow White.

Under the Sea of Stars - This story is about the horrors found in the Bolton Strid. I loved the historical setting of this one.

What Everyone Knows - This was an emotional story about Kaiju. I loved it.

So Sharp, So Bright, So Final - A rabies outbreak causes a zombie-like apocalypse. Terrifying because it's not out of the realm of possibility.

Pedestal - This was a superhero story that delved into the cost of celebrity. I really enjoyed this one. I thought her superpower was really interesting and would love to read more set in this world.

The Proper Thing - This was the longest story in the anthology and the best. It’s McGuire at her finest. I'll just say one thing: magic cheese.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest reivew!

This is a massive collection! This is my first time reading this author's works, but I can understand why she is so well loved. Her writing is rich and beautiful and leaves readers with much to ponder while still being satisified with what they have read.

I think it’s going to appeal more to people who like the Mira Grant side of the author’s works than the Seanan McGuire side. It goes to a lot of fairly dark places. Excellent stories of course, it’s Seanan McGuire, but if you’re not in a good place for going dark places today maybe save it for another day…. Or just embrace the darkness. I’m glad I got to read the ARC.

I'm a huge fan of Seanan McGuire, so I knew going into this that I'd enjoy it. Like every anthology, some stories didn't work for me, but a majority of them were great. This took me a while to get through, and it was a little hard to get into in the beginning, but overall I enjoyed my time with this!

Big thank you to Subterranean Press and Netgalley for this ARC!

So, Seanan McGuire is quickly becoming my most read author. She's still a few books under Stephen King (who I've been reading for more than 35 years) and I legit don't even know how much of her stuff I haven't read yet but it feels like a lot. Which is great bc it feels like I will p much always have something new from her to read. Everything she writes may not be an instant favourite, but I can always appreciate what she was going for.

Which is pretty much exactly how I felt about [***The Proper Thing and Other Stories***](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-65f8qukrjx/images/stencil/640w/products/7590/17739/McGuire_The_Proper_Thing_and_Other_Stories_cover__77713.1702997548.jpg?c=1). There WERE some new favourites, and I DIDN'T love everything, but I at least liked and appreciated where each story was coming from. My lowest rating (one story) was 3½ stars. I gave seven stories 5 stars (this is actually a lie, my notes for one of them simply say "infinity stars sob sob sob"). I tend to hand out 5s for short stories more easily than I do for novels bc short stories are harder to get right, I think. Those seven 5s equal a whole year's worth of 5s for me for novel-length work.

All of the stories in this collection were written in 2016 or later, so there's a lot of heavyness, sadness, and anger here. This may be why I so thoroughly enjoyed this whole book. I just was telling a friend the other night "honestly, if I let go of the simmering ball of rage at my core, I'd probably drop dead bc spite is all that is holding me together." Many of the stories in this collection speak to the rage I use to keep me going, and I appreciate that.

**My Favourites**

* "Rest Now, My Dear" - the "infinity stars" story mentioned above. I will always love a love letter to libraries and this one hit me right in the space I occupied as a child.

* "Heart of Straw" - my notes for this one just say "yes yes yes yes yes."

* "The Levee Was Dry" - I read this one while waiting for my kids to finish their activity at the library and could not keep myself from sobbing in public. I hated the *idea* of this story, but it was executed to perfection. Then I read it out loud to my 13y/o the next day bc I needed someone to share in my misery.

* "Under the Sea of Stars" - uh, my notes for this one simply say "goddamn." When I was telling my kids about it, the 13y/o said "why is it always cannibalism with you?" BECAUSE IT JUST IS, OKAY?

* "Love in the Last Days of a Doomed World" - I desperately need to know what happened next/before. Like, as soon as possible.

* "Belief" - my notes say "gonna have to write a letter about this one," and I am. Another story aimed directly at the heart of who I was when I was small.

* "Sweet as Sugar Candy" - another where I'm dying for more in this world.

**Some Further Notes**

* "Coafield's Catalog of Available Apocalypse Events" (4½) - "legit ELL OH ELL"

* "Good Night, Sleep Tight" (4½) - "you do not fuck with the ~~Violent Femmes~~ fuckin library, man."

* "File and Forget" (4½) - "yes, moar bureaucratic bullshit and corporate espionage, pls."

* "Come Marching In" (4¾) - "Probably liked this so much more bc of having read 'The Sound of Children Screaming' [for the Hugo Readalong](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/1ccpg65/2024_hugo_readalong_how_to_raise_a_kraken_in_your/) earlier this week, which started from a similar place but didn't stick the landing like this did."

* "Foundational Education" (4½) - "yesssss, more SASSwitches, please and thank you"


As you can see, I genuinely loved this collection overall (which is *very* rare for me with collections and anthologies), so big thanks to Subterranean Press for the ARC. The limited edition illustrated hardback (ah, shit, I forgot to talk about Carla McNeil's outstanding illustrations) [will be out on April 30th](https://subterraneanpress.com/mcguire-tptaos/).




TL; DR: 105 (total score of all stories) divided by 24 (number of stories) equals 4.375, rounding up to 4½

Thanks to Netgalley and Subterranean Press for the early copy of this anthology. Below is my honest review.

More from Seanan McGuire? Absolutely yes. Many of these shorties were published through her Patreon, so I've read them before, but definitely had to pick this one up.

My favorite was either the one with the magical cheeses (the Proper Thing) or the one with the creatures of the dark going against the creatures of the light (Rise Up, Rise Up, You Children of the Moon). Phantoms of the Midway was a favorite too. I'd love more from these worlds!

If you like wild and weird and wonderful short stories and novellas, this anthology should scratch your itch.

Highly recommended.