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.

I was completely charmed by this new collection of stories, some old and some new themselves, from an author whose work I've loved ever since it was fanfiction on LiveJournal. There were a few stories I've read before (and enjoyed returning to for a reread), but several I haven't. I loved getting another glimpse into the Scholomance, and I was especially enchanted by the final story, part of a new world Novik is working on and one which feels especially pertinent to my interests (hello seafaring stories). A strong collection all in all, and a delight to read!

Thank you to Del Rey for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

Ugh, I hate to say this. I thought I was a Naomi Novik fan, but this collection of short stories made me reconsider that. I loved the Scholomance series, but *what if* I just really loved El? What if it's that I loved this specific world that Novik created rather than her writing itself?

I was so excited to pick this up, and I just kept putting it back down again. The only story I read through in once sitting was, of course, the one that took place in the world of the Scholomance. And now I'm just feeling so guilty.

Maybe I need to come back to this collection in the future; maybe I just wasn't in the right place for it.

Novik collates a lot of her short stories into this anthology of short stories. They're all of different length and the standout ones for me were her retelling of Pride and Prejudice with dragons, an alternate ending to Spinning Silver, and a sweet story about forgiveness set in the Scholomance.

Personally, I am not a big fan or short stories as they feel like a lot of investment for only a little return.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

I am not one for reading a compilation of short stories as I am a reader who prefers to immerse myself in the worlds and characters through multiple books in a series, short stories just don’t give this experience.

So, read this review with this in mind and I’ll do my best to review without my personal preferences getting in the way…

When I saw Naomi Novik had released a series of short stories I wasn’t sure what to expect. I absolutely loved The Scholomance Trilogy, I really enjoyed Spinning Silver and Uprooted but couldn’t get into the Temeraire Series. I’ve come to realise that I really enjoy the way that Novik writes but the theme of the story plays a big part in whether I can get into the story.

These stories were the same, there were some that were absolutely amazing and I didn’t even realise I was reading a short story, After Hours (scholomance side story) and Spinning Silver (a short version of the main book) were two I loved a lot, but it was easy to jump into with the background knowledge of the books that they matched with. I also really enjoyed Blessings which was quirky and funny.

I decided on a healthy four stars for this book, I still would always choose a series or longer book over this compilation but as a series of short stories it was definitely a great reading experience.