Thank you to Random House Books for the ARC; this is my honest review.

I came into this as someone who hadn't yet read Naomi Novik's work: I will be rectifying that clear oversight on my part! This introduction shows me that she's a fantastic storyteller, capable of drawing readers in within just a few pages.

After Hours is possibly my favorite story in the book -- and yes, now I *have* to read the Scholomance trilogy, but there was something to like in each of them. Drunk fairies! Dragons! Mysterious teapots!

I've read Uprooted by this author and enjoyed the first third of the book and then the remainder of the book lost me. I figured this short story collection would be a great way to connect to this author's work even more. Unfortunately this collection just wasn't for me. Many of the stories had interesting premises and I think readers who are familiar with Novik's style and enjoy her writing will sink into these stories. While Novik is an author with stunning prose, I just have trouble connecting to her writing so ultimately this series was not for me. Araminta was my least favorite story in the collection but I did enjoy Buried Deep the most.

I was really excited about this book but after actually reading it, I came to the conclusion that maybe I don't like this author's writing as much as I thought I did. Omitting the Spinning Silver and Scholomance short stories, only one other story stood out to me. While many of the stories have great premises, a lot of the writing felt "pretentious". It could have been the character or the times, but it really turned me off from them.

I usually prefer novels over short stories but this may be my favorite short story collection in a very long time. There wasn’t a single one I started said meh to and skipped over. I even enjoyed seeing the short story that spinning silver expanded from. I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys fantasy. And the science fiction story in there too…

Buried Deep and Other Stories is a collection of thirteen short stories by Naomi Novik. I have a love/hate relationship with these types of collections as some short stories feel complete while I feel there are elements missing from others. In this collection, each story was written at a different time and belong to different universes.

Araminta (The Wreck of the Amphidrake) is a pirate story from 2008. It has some elements that remind me of Pirates of the Caribbean, only with a focus on Elizabeth. The main character of Araminta was interesting, and I enjoyed following her journey from being sent away for causing trouble to interacting with pirates.

After Hours is set in the Scolomance universe, which means that the reader should have a general foundation from that trilogy. I think if you read this story blind, it wouldn’t make as much sense, so while it is great for those that already read it, this story won’t connect with everyone. The characters in this story are different, but that core foundation, I believe is needed. While I had that foundation and can have a full understanding, I did not agree with including this story for those readers that haven’t experienced the trilogy.

Vici is set in the universe from the Temeraire series and was written in 2010. The setting is the Roman Empire and features pirates. It follows a Roman named Mark Antony after he hatches a dragon’s egg. Since I have no connection with the Temeraire series, I wish I had a little more foundation, but it still had its enjoyable moments.

Buried Deep is a short story written in 2019 that retells the story of the Labyrinth, Ariadne, and the Minotaur. Since I’ve read a full-length Ariadne retelling, this short story had a lot to live up to and I don’t think it quite got there. This story was well-written, but the abrupt ending needed a little more work, for me.

Spinning Silver is a short story version of the full-length novel, which was completed earlier than the full-length. The foundation of the story is the same as the full-length where it is a loose retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, although the endings are varied. Since this short story and the full-length both feature similar features, this one can be read easily without the foundation of the full-length.

Commonplaces is a short story about Irene Adler from Sherlock Holmes and written in 2009. There is enough information for the reader to understand everything without a background in the source material, but there was not enough detail for me to connect with it.

Seven is set in the city of the same name hat follows art and an expert sculptor. It was cute and sweet with the sculptor and her patron.

Blessings is twist on Sleeping Beauty without being a retelling that goes over dynamics of fairy blessings. As this one was very short, there wasn’t enough time to connect with any of the characters or story. I think some additional detail is needed, even as a short story, to make this one more memorable.

Lord Dunsany’s Teapot is follows two soldiers during the second world war that revolves around a magical teapot. This one was difficult to follow the connection between the characters, setting, plot, and title as there just wasn’t enough time to get it all done. I think this one had potential, but it needed a lot more work to feel complete.

Seven Years from Home is colonialism story involving distant worlds. The language in this one is more formal compared to other stories. There is also a lot of background for the reader to absorb and a lot that still felt missing.

Dragons and Decorum is a Temeraire universe story that is a reimagining of Pride and Prejudice. It takes Elizabeth Bennet and has her as a captain of the Aerial Corps with dragons, but the rest of the general story seemed to follow the pattern of the original.

Castle Coeurlieu was an interesting horror story that follows Isabeau who marries the Compte de Coeurlieu in a time of war and plagues. The castle is the atmospheric setting of the story, and the suspense portion is the standout compared to the rest of the story.

The last story is The Long Way Round is set to become a full-length novel, so this one was a great intro to the universe. It features a brother and sister who set sail to find a new continent. There was a lot to enjoy about this story as there was world-building, romance, sibling dynamics, and adventure. I can see this turning into a great series; however, this tiny fraction needed a little more to be complete on its own. Since the new story will feature part of this short story without expanding on the existing, this is going to be interesting to see how the future story will turn out.

There are a lot of stories in this collection, so there is guaranteed to be something for every reader. Some stories are based on other novels while others are original. The original novels had some hits and misses and while the other stories were good, I feel you do need the originals to understand them better. I don’t quite get the decisions to include some of the stories, but I do like the collection. Overall, some of these stories were great while others were a miss for me, so I went with a middle-ground rating as an average for all the stories combined.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Del Rey, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Being a massive fan of Naomi Novik and a collector of her books, I was thrilled to receive an ARC of "Buried Deep and Other Stories" from NetGalley!

“Buried Deep and Other Stories” by Naomi Novik is a compelling collection of thirteen short stories that catapult the reader across her past anthologies. The stories include several well-known characters and stories outside of her own series as well. Novik also provides an inside look into her story building before each story, which is an absolute joy to read.

“Spinning Silver” has always been a favorite book of mine, and I loved the short stories added to this collection, as well as those included in the Scholomance Trilogy. The book also includes a Greek mythology and classic retelling with fairies, dragons, and magic sprinkled about. Each story is a masterfully crafted gem, showcasing Novik's exceptional talent for weaving intricate plots and developing rich, nuanced characters within the constraints of short fiction.

One thing I have always loved about Novik's storytelling is how it can be both haunting and beautiful. These short stories are no different. Her prose is evocative and immersive, painting vivid images and evoking genuine emotional responses. From the eerie and otherworldly to the poignant and introspective, each story offers a unique and unforgettable journey, drawing readers into diverse worlds and experiences that seamlessly intertwine fantasy and reality. The teaser story, “The Long Way Round”, into her new project has me very excited for its release!

The stories within this collection are diverse and thought-provoking, exploring themes ranging from love and loss to magic and mysticism. Novik's ability to weave these elements together in a way that feels organic and genuine is truly remarkable. Each story is a testament to her talent for creating unique worlds that resonate with readers.

What sets "Buried Deep and Other Stories" apart is its ability to transport readers to different realms and time periods all in one book, showcasing Novik's versatility as a storyteller. The balance between enchanting prose and poignant storytelling makes this collection a must-read for fans of fantasy and speculative fiction.

Overall, "Buried Deep and Other Stories" is a captivating and immersive collection that showcases Naomi Novik's exceptional skill as a writer. I’m looking forward to adding this hard copy to my existing Novik collection and reading her next project, “Folly.”

Thank you to #NetGalley, #NaomiNovik, and #DelRay for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. #BuriedDeepandOtherStories

This is my first read by Naomi Novik. This collection of short stories definitely has a fairy tale vibe to it. But best part of this book - the writing is beautiful. I don't know that I have ever read a story (and I am an avid reader) that was more beautifully written. If this is similar style to her other books like Uprooted, I can definitely understand where all of the hype came from about this writer. Reading it was a true treat. I can't wait to read her other stories. Enjoyed the book but had a bit of trouble following some of the stories, the deeper into the book I got. For this reason, giving 4 out of 5 stars.

Once again, I’m delighted by Naomi Novik. She is an author that, in my humble opinion, can do no wrong.

Buried Deep and Other Stories is a collection of short stories she has previously published in other anthologies. It's nice to have them all under one roof. I think it showcases her strengths as a writer and storyteller. Giving us complete stories in a short number of pages. Some elaborated on previous works she's published, and some were standalones or prompts she participated in.

It was wonderful to read the original Spinning Silver and to compare how Novik evolved it into the beloved novel it is! Are you a fan of the Scholomance Trilogy? There's a story in there for you (although don't read it unless you've completed the trilogy, it's a bit of a spoiler). Heck, if you're a fan of her series that includes dragons in the Napoleonic War, AND love Pride and Prejudice, well I won't go on, but I hope it piques your interest.

Anthologies that include various authors are normally hard to rate because of drastic differences in writing. No such difficulty here. I loved some stories more than others, however this is a solid companion book to add to your collection, and I feel like I will go back to it often when I need a pick-me-up.

I really enjoyed the Scholomance series by Naomi Novik and was very excited to get an ARC of this book! I will say that I enjoyed the one connected to the Scholomance because it just had the same magical quality to it like the series. I didn't dislike the other stories, but I do think I would have enjoyed them even more if I had read the other books by the author. I think I'll probably come back to re-read them once I read her other books! Overall a solid read. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC!

I normally have a hard time giving reviews of anthologies since there’s always a couple stories I don’t enjoy, but I didn’t have that problem with this one. I thoroughly enjoyed all the stories in this collection and found myself wanting to learn more about all the worlds.

I think for the right audience this could be a great book. It collects stories from some of Novik’s passed characters and setting and also sprinkles in some new characters and setting. It’s not bad. I just don’t feel I was the right audience for this. If you have loved Naomi’s passed books and series then definitely give this one a try.

I have read several of Naomi Novik books, so I was excited to get the short story compilation. Some of the short stories have been previously published but I hadn’t read any of them, so it wasn’t an issue for me. I really enjoyed the short stories and if you are a fan of her story telling you will enjoy them as well. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House publishing for the Advanced Reader Copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I have to say I did not read this all the way through. I really wanted to read the Scholomance story and did not care for many of the others--I have only read the Scholomance books. This book would be a tough sell unless the reader was a Novik super fan and had read all of her previous works, or was really into collections of short stories. Since I am neither, I did not personally enjoy this one.

This was an interesting mix of stories that I was mainly interested in for its tie-in to the Temeraire series. The couple of stories in that world though were quite disconnected from the series, so they really do stand on their own well. Huge fans of Naomi Novik should find a lot here to love!

This is a short story collection, which are generally not my favorite but I, like so many others, keep wanting to see beloved worlds and characters again, so I read them. I enjoyed this one since it fulfilled that desire, but I would warn heavily against reading the Schoolmancer story if you have any interest in reading the series and have not finished, as it is a great big spoiler. The other series are more indirectly related, taking place in the same world but not the same characters. I am now very interested in whatever the next book will be as the short story world for that was fascinating, and I would love to hear more about those characters or even just the world. The short story for Spinning Silver wasn’t that interesting as I have read the book, and the set-up is entirely the same but much more superficial and the ending is different. The title story, Buried Deep, was very well done. There are some stories I have already forgotten, but overall, a fun read.

This was a solid collection of stories from the great Naomi Novik.

“Seven” and “The Long Way Round” were two of my favorites. “The Long Way Round” is set in the same world as Novik’s next book Folly. My interest is definitely piqued.

Along with those, there are several stories from Novik’s established worlds — the Temeraire, Spinning Silver, and the Scholomance — but also some Sherlock Holmes and Pride and Prejudice, which were fun surprises.

(P.S. Save “After Hours” until after you’ve finished the Scholomance series.)

Thanks to Del Rey for providing an advanced digital copy for me to review!

Buried Deep and Other stories is an eclectic collection of thirteen short fantasy stories with a variety of themes. This anthology covers everything from pirates to fairies and Minotaurs offering a nice range of tales for all readers. The cover art is fantastic and really captured my attention. I really enjoyed the authors series, The Scholomance, and so it’s no surprise that I really enjoyed the included short “After Hours”. Another favorite from this collection was “Spinning Silver”. That being said, as with most short story collections I don’t typically enjoy every story. Although new to me, most of these were previously published in other works. I enjoyed reading the authors intros to each tale and getting a glimpse into her mindset when writing it. Overall this was a lovely collection with something to offer for every type of fantasy reader…a must read for 2024!

Unsurprisingly, a short story anthology is uneven. The highest of highs and some I yawned through, Worth reading as a Novik fan but maybe don't read all of them at once because you'll critique it too harshly. I am intrigued by the upcoming series, though.

Buried Deep and Other Stories is a collection of stories from the multiple worlds created by Novik. As you move from one story to the next, you are provided with a new and fresh tantalizing story of the author’s making.

I knew going into this collection it would be set in Novik’s multiple worlds, but what I did not account for is the heavy reliance on knowing Novik’s worlds. I’m sure with the synopsis I should expect this to be the case, but, being an avid fantasy reader, I was not expecting the lack of world building or pretense. These stories are beautifully created and the prose is beautiful but I’m struggling to understand what’s truly going on in each of these stories. At 26% I’ve decided to place this book on a soft DNF list until I have more of Novik’s backlist completed.

I've loved many of Naomi Novik's novels, but I don't think I'd ever read a short story she'd written--all of these stories were new to me. Sometimes I find short stories by writers who are primarily novelists frustrating and unfinished, but these are wonderful, complete worlds (even the stories that are adding to established universes, like the Scholomance and Temeraire stories+). They warn you about the dangers and prices of wishes as well as the unexpected gifts that come along with them. My favorite story is "Seven," about giant guardian statues made out of haunted, poisonous clay, set in a city that felt as resonant as something out of Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities. I recommend this to anyone who needs a little magic resonating through their lives.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my free earc in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are all my own.