4*

I love Naomi Novik, especially the way that she weaves fairy tales and folklore.

Buried Deep and Other Stories brought a collection of glimpses into the befores and afters of her established works, as well as new twists on stories we thought we knew.

She's a master of her craft and this was enjoyable even if you've not read all of her work.

NetGalley has provided an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

<i>Buried Deep</i> is a collection of short stories, including companion stories for some of Novik’s best-loved works - <i>Spinning Silver, Scholomance</i> and <i>Temeraire</i>. I enjoyed the fan-fiction of Captain Elizabeth Bennet riding a dragon against Napoleon, and Mr. Darcy offering the comforts of Pemberly to her appreciative wing. Or what if Miryem hadn’t married the Staryk king? Other stories include a resourceful young woman caught by pirates, a fresh look at the Minotaur’s tale, Irene Adler reacting to Sherlock Holmes death at Reichenbach Falls.

The problem with most short stories is that there isn’t enough space to devote to interesting world building or character development , so the author repeatedly relies on horror or tragedy to nudge an emotion out of the reader. By leveraging past works, Novik doesn’t need to rely on cheap tricks.

My favorite story was “Seven Years Gone”, a futuristic homage to Laurence of Arabia. The world building is interesting for such a short story. If you ask a local to do something they don’t want to do, they’ll offer to do it in an inconvenient way. You need a guide? I’ll come for you before you have a chance to pack (or shower or eat) The proper response is to acknowledge mutual annoyance and go, ready or not, otherwise they will leave and not come back.

I've always enjoyed Naomi Novik's books, and while I haven't read all of them, I've read a number of them. Buried Deep and Other Stories is a great short story collection. It introduces some new figures, as well as provides insight and little extras into worlds readers have already visited. This anthology contains a wide range of subjects and themes, and I think anyone who already reads Naomi Novik's books will find something that speaks to them.

It's funny, my three favorite stories from the collection were the final three, Dragons and Decorum, Castle Coeurlieu, and The Long Way Round. Not that I didn't like the others, but these were the standouts for me. It always takes a lot of skill for an author to craft a short story that is impactful with few words. These three were the ones that did that for me and left me wanting more. While the stories themselves were "wrapped up," I can see the next part of these characters stories just peeking around the bend. I believe from the internet rumors I've seen that The Long Way Round is the lead in to a new series that Novik is working on.

This anthology also introduced me to characters and stories that I had not realized that Novik had written. I'm mainly familiar with her Scholomance series, and now I need a long weekend off with zero interruptions in order to catch up on the books and story lines I've not read before. I forget how much like reading fantasy stories until I'm immersed in them. Novik did a great job of blending reality with fiction, and creating grounded worlds that while fantastical are also relatable. I really recommend this anthology, even if you haven't read Novik before.

Please be advised I received an Advance Readers Copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

So, I'm a fan of Naomi Novik's writing, and was ecstatic to get an email telling me I'd been approved for this collection of story stories. I also already had pre-ordered it the moment I realized it was coming out, which is to say I am not an unbiased reader. I am someone coming into this primed to love it.

It delivered.

ARAMINTA, OR THE WRECK OF THE AMPHIDRAKE:
I love a Regency story, and this one played with and inverted tropes of the genre in a way that felt new.

AFTER HOURS:
I am a huge Scholomance fan, so the very first thing I did was find the Scholomance story. It's as magical as one would hope for from this world, giving us a peek into the school after the events of the trilogy, but also letting us see a whole different kind of witch. I loved the way this short story married Novik's wonderful Slavic fantasies with the Scholomance universe. I loved the curse. I loved the fairy tale logic of not taking too much, and the moral center of the story, and the cathartic end was perfection. 10/10 will read again.

VICI:
The only books of Novik's I have not read are the Temeraire books, so I came to this story not knowing the world it was set in, which was a bit like reading a fic fandom blind. And, I have to say, it stands alone as a hilarious, delightful story that made me love her dragons.

BURIED DEEP
This is a haunting story, and I am going to be haunted by it for a long time. What a splendid, wholly emotionally believable look at the Minotaur's story.

SPINNING SILVER:
This story is interesting in the way a seedling is interesting when you are familiar with the fully grown tree.

COMMONPLACES:
Much as with her Temeraire story, for me this was much like reading fandom blind as I've never been interested in Sherlock Holmes in any of his many iterations. Is it an excellent story? Yes. But it was not my favorite of the collection.

SEVEN:
Truly wonderful. As I was reading this, I thought how I needed to bring it to the attention of a book club of mine. Novik is just such a master, and I felt the conflict between the practicality and the artistic drive divorced from the world in a visceral way.

BLESSINGS:
The setup with competing fairy blessings was wonderful, but I admit I wanted more and would have read a whole book about Magda with this as the prologue.

LORD DUNSANY'S TEAPOT:
War stories are never my favorite, but I think the heartache and homesickness in this one will resonate with fans of the genre.

DRAGONS AND DECORUM
A Pride and Prejudice Temeraire AU, I was charmed by this one, but I did feel it was perhaps a little too long, but that might be because I haven't read the Temeraire books (though, of course, I have read P&P multiple times, as one does.) I do think this will be a huge delight for Temeraire readers.

CASTLE CORLIEU:
One of my favorites in the collection, the merging of arcane imagery and medieval fantasy and fairy tales was so artfully done I tore through it like a child gorging myself on sweets.

THE LONG WAY ROUND
This story is cruel because now I want the book it's working towards.

Thanks to #netgalley for sharing this title with me in exchange for my honest review. This was a really fun collection of a wide variety of stories all by Naomi Novik. I have been a long time fan, and this collection was no disappointment. There was magic, dragons, wonderfully written female characters etc. The was one particular story that I wanted more of. I could have read a whole series about a sculptor that made beautiful musical statues that worked as guardians for the city. I also loved being able to take mini-vacations back into the world of Temeraire.

I am not a short story reader, so this took me a long time to get through. I either wanted more or less length to the various stories and found myself frustrated several weren't full books. Obviously, that is no fault of the author. If you like short story collections and are a fan of Novik, this will not disappoint.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Y'all, I love it when fantasy authors release short story collections - I wish it was more common. Plus I'm a Naomi Novik fan, so this was an obvious add to the TBR. I'm happy to report I really enjoyed it and, if you like her writing in general, you're going to like this too. There's a context blurb Novik provided for each story, and that was a neat extra.

Araminta, or, The Wreck of the Amphidrake - A fun, strong opener to the collection, with a surprisingly fleshed out pirate world. An interesting take on gender, even in a market saturated with the topic.

After Hours - Takes place in the Scholomance world AND I AM DESPERATE FOR MORE CONTENT. AH takes place after the main trilogy, and it was cool to see the changes. I also loved the inclusion of a Polish magic tradition. The thing I love most about Novik's writing - her ability to make you feel the magic - was very much on display here.

Vici - Ancient Roman dragons. Do I really need to say more?

Buried Deep - A beautifully written re-imagining of the Minotaur myth.

Spinning Silver - I'll let Novik's explanation for why she chose to include this short story (which the novel of the same name grew from) stand on its own. I skipped it, solely because I had just re-read the novel and didn't want the comparison to rob either version. I do plan to check this story out once the novel has slipped from my mind a bit.

Commonplaces - A Sherlock Holmes story, following Irene Adler. It was one of my least favorite, simply because of the strong competition, but was very charming.

Seven - Creative worldbuilding, if a bit vague. No heads in boxes.

Blessings - This one felt a bit generic, more "of the moment YA fantasy" than I typically associate with the author.

Lord Dunsany’s Teapot - Heartfelt AF. All the emotions.

Seven Years from Home - The first sci to I've read from NN, this also had an interesting structure. SYFH uses the "gone native" trope but in a pretty fresh way.

Dragons & Decorum - Literally Pride & Prejudice but with dragons. Probably the most I've ever related to a winged beast of the sky.

Castle Coeurlieu - The most "horror" of all the stories; also one of the ones that felt weak against the competition.

The Long Way Round - There are graphics included in this story that didn't come through in the ARC, so I can't adequately review it. Maybe I'll update when I pick up a physical copy.

First, thanks to the author and NetGalley for the advance copy of this novel!

This is an amazing collection of stories! Some were published in previous anthologies, but I'd never even heard of them, so for me, this was a lovely first read. The stories range all over the spectrum, from retellings to regency romances, revisiting the Scholomance and Tremeraire worlds, to a glimpse of something completely new that the author is working on (and I do hope we get to see more from that one).

I'd say overall, my favorite story from this book was titled "Seven Years from Home". If you're a fan of Novik's work, definitely check this one out!

As a big Naomi Novik fan, I was so excited to see that she was putting out a series of short stories. This collection includes voices other than Novik’s but have the same profound yet somewhat irreverent take on fantasy. My only qualm is that someone of the stories felt unfinished. I know that short stories are designed to leave you wanting more, but a couple of these stories left me somewhat unsatisfied. I believe that some of these stories are precursors of longer works - so I’ll be looking out for them!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

In this captivating read, the author masterfully weaves a narrative that is both engaging and thought-provoking. Through a blend of richly developed characters and a meticulously crafted plot, the book offers a unique exploration of its central themes, inviting readers to immerse themselves in the story's depth and complexity. The narrative is paced perfectly, balancing moments of intense action with thoughtful reflection, ensuring that readers are hooked from the first page to the last. The author's ability to evoke emotion and create a vivid, immersive world is truly remarkable, making this book a must-read for anyone looking for an exceptional literary experience.

Naomi Novik’s short stories are as varied as her imagination. Some such as “Dragons and Decorum” are set in a world reflected in her novels. Others stand alone. Each one is a well-crafted, fantastical journey for the reader.

A good collection for fans of Novik’s other work, as several stories are set in worlds she has created in various series. The standalone stories are also well-crafted.

Naomi Novik masters any genre and writing style and is a spectacular storyteller. Each short story in this anthology pulls you in and leaves you wishing for more even if there's a conclusion, if only to continue in the world Novik created. Loved the mix of fresh new stories and dipping back into stories Novik has already created.

I will eat up anything Naomi Novik puts out. She has such a way with words and characters that you sometimes forget you’re reading a novel. Every world she creates feels tangible, even in this short story format. I loved being able to revisit old worlds and I loved hearing twists on familiar stories. Some of the stories left me wanting more and that would be my only complaint despite not being one.
Whether you desire pirates, magic academies, dragons, pride and prejudice retellings, futuristic alien wars, or seafaring expeditions, this anthology has something for you.

★★★⅘

i absolutely adore naomi novik's writing. aside from this, i've only ever read the scholomance series from her, but these introductions into the worlds of spinning silver and temeraire have me fascinated. despite being short stories, most of them have brilliant characterization and masterfully woven plotlines.

commonplaces might be my favorite of them all, despite it being one of the quieter tales, because i, too, love irene adler in all her many incarnations, and she stole the show even being surrounded by the crazier and more magical fairy stories that this book holds. anything that gives me irenelock and johnlock within the same five pages is bound to immediately seize my attention. vici was hilarious and if temeraire is anything like it at all, i will positively inhale it. the long way around was equally witty, and somehow every character managed to shine, despite it being around forty pages long at most. i connected to tess, aston, and ferantis in a way that i rarely do with any novella character.

a major theme in many of the stories was a girl in historical times shedding her role of wife in order to be a person first, and of course i loved every instance in which this occured. araminta, especially, was beautifully written. i loved the retelling of sleeping beauty as well, particularly the idea of maleficent being a mentor to aurora.

other stories, i liked less. the return to the scholomance in after hours elicited mixed emotions in me. somewhat like driving by your old house, seeing a different car in the driveway, different curtains in the windows, and realizing someone else lives there now. not completely unpleasant, but i don't really do well with sequels that have different characters, and this has nothing to do with novik's writing. lord dunsany's teapot i read three times, and it still makes no sense to me whatsoever. reading it gives off the aura that something major occured just before the story began, and something will occur after it ended, but in the two second glimpse we get of this world, all we do is watch grass grow.

in short, i loved most of the stories in this—i will always love novik's prose and her worldbuilding. she remains one of the most creative and skilled fantasy authors i've read. thank you to netgally for the advanced copy.

This is a beautiful collections of stories written by Naomi Novik that have been published in other collections over the years. Of the 13 stories , one is the basis for her book Spinning Silver. the collection is an eclectic mix of stories which I found very enjoyable. The author is a gifted writer and I have enjoyed reading these additions to her portfolio. These would be enjoyed by fantasy readers.

I love these bite sized snippets of Novick’s writing. As a fan of her work it was especially enjoyable reading stories that were extensions of her previous work or the jumping off points to her novels. She has such an authentic way of writing it feels poetic but contemporary

Buried Deep is Naomi Novak’s collection of short stories, sourcing worlds from all of Novak’s previous works and including a few more besides. The tales included in this collection were phenomenal, but the introductions left something to be desired. There was less than a page’s introduction for each story, and none of them added much to the reading experience.

A delightful collection of short stories that will not only satisfy the curious reader who isn't familiar with Novik's work, but also give dedicated readers a sneak peak into a world that the author promises to explore further in upcoming novels. It was a lot of fun to revisit stories that have already been completed, and I was excited to see a retelling of the myth of the minotaur, so it felt like half this book was tailor made for me specifically.

This is a splendid collection from the brilliant Novik. There's (the) Minotaur, and a Spinning Silver alternate tale, and a bit from a new book that I can't wait to read, and some stories of the Scholomance, and other wonderful treats. It's SFFH at its very best, and I love that Novik creates tales out of Jewish folklore and tradition as well as tales from other cultures and groups. Pre-order this one now.

Naomi Novik's collection of short stories are enchanting in the way that she writes. Most were published previously in other anthologies, but this was my first time reading them. I found some of the stories hard to get into. But I know this book will find its audience!

Thanks to NetGalley and the Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Del Rey for this ARC.