I really enjoyed reading these short stories, each one distinctive and captivating in its own way. They were haunting, often tinged with sadness, and left a lasting impression. The depth of emotion in each story was striking, and the atmosphere they created lingered after I’d finished. My favorite was The Sea Gives Up the Dead.

A quick reading selection of stories that combine fairy tales with heavy themes like death. Beautifully written and very dark, I'm still thinking about several of these short stories weeks later.

One of the ones that stuck with me the most is the story of the AI programmer who inadvertently gives her state of the art work project the voice and mannerisms of her dead girlfriend. As someone who really has qualms about the rise of artificial intelligence, this story was haunting as the scientist grapples with letting a spectre of her lost love go back out into the world.

The grieving five-star mother will also stick with me for a long time.

Olgin is a lyric storyteller for the ages.

I haven't read a book of short stories since high school. That was a looooong time ago. I believe the author, Molly Olguin, sparked something in me. She has composed quite the collection of unique short stories that were not quite what I expected. I received this as an advanced reader copy from (many thanks to) NetGalley, Molly Olguin and Red Hen Press. I have voluntarily provided this honest review.

The first story really grabbed my attention and kept me wanting more. It was a twist I was not expecting.. Then there was "the devil" and Lucia., an unlikely "friendship" that we can all relate to in some degree. While all of the stories hold the same underlying tone, they are all quite different and entertaining and I can understand why the author received the accolades she did. There was great character building in such a short amount of time and her descriptive writing made envisioning the environments that much easier. I look forward to the author's future projects!

I picked this up a) because of the stunning cover and b) because I saw it had been blurbed by the legendary Carmen Maria Machado, and I'm glad I did. For a debut author, Molly Olguin has written a beautifully rich and cohesive short story collection that handles all sorts of gruesome deaths and overwhelming grief with so much care. Like most short story collections, some of the stories were incredibly sharp and poignant, while others just kinda faded away once I turned the page. My favourites were: "The Sea Gives Up the Dead" and "Foam of the Waves".

Because the stories are quite short, it's difficult to comment on things like character development and pacing. I do feel that some of the characters lacked depth, and that some of the stories were slow to get through despite being so short, but what is lost in pace and character is made up for in prose and imagery, so I'm not necessarily complaining. I understand that it's rare to have it all when it comes to short fiction. Even though some of the hooks were a bit gimmicky, the magical realism elements were my favourite, and I really look forward to seeing what this author does next!

I am in a discord book club that reads one short story collection every two months, and I am going to suggest this as our July/August pick! If anything, I think there are so many important themes with open-ended questions brought up in this little book that would make for a fantastic discussion with friends.

This is a short story collection which delves into magic realism, fantasy, historical fiction, and realism. I noticed a couple of overarching topics throughout the stories, but the two that recurred the most were family dynamics and war. However, the stories also explore queerness, regret, and grief. Olguín presents complex family dynamics in which patriarchs are gone to war, work, dead, or are simply authoritative and overbearing. Most stories followed girls, young women, or mothers roughing out illness, money, and love. There was a lot of range in terms of plot and conflict like a story with a dangerous dragon on the loose, to an AI which eased a grieving sister, and the last story is a Little Mermaid retelling (Anderson’s not Disney’s).

I enjoyed most of the stories as a new-to-me author I can say that Olguín is a great storyteller. I found myself easily engaged with each plot, and the pacing is done well. I would pick up more from this author.

As much as I wanted to like this, none of the stories in the collection kept me engaged for very long, except for the first one. I just wasn't in the mood to read about sex robots and dragons devouring babies, I guess.

‘The Sea Gives Up the Dead’ is undeniably unique, with a dreamlike, almost unsettling quality to its storytelling. Each piece offers something different, from eerie encounters to introspective moments, yet there was something about the overall execution that didn’t quite resonate with me. While I can appreciate the creativity behind the stories, they often felt too odd or abstract for my personal taste.

Plot: ★★★☆☆
The stories themselves are certainly distinctive, offering a variety of intriguing premises. However, some felt more developed than others, and I often found myself wishing for a stronger sense of cohesion or resolution. There were moments of brilliance - glimpses of deep, atmospheric storytelling that truly drew me in - but just as quickly, the narratives would shift into something that left me feeling adrift. While I respect the unique nature of the collection, it ultimately wasn’t quite what I was hoping for.

Character: ★★★☆☆
The characters in this collection are undeniably compelling in their strangeness. Many of them feel enigmatic, existing somewhere between the surreal and the deeply human. While this ambiguity works in some cases, it also left me feeling disconnected. I often struggled to truly understand or empathise with them, which made it difficult to fully engage with their stories. That said, for readers who enjoy mysterious, almost otherworldly characters, there’s definitely something to appreciate here.

Setting: ★★☆☆☆
The settings in these stories didn’t quite land for me. While some had intriguing elements, they often felt underdeveloped, lacking the immersive depth that would have made them feel truly alive. I found myself craving more atmospheric descriptions - more detail to ground me in each new place. Instead, many locations felt like vague backdrops rather than fully realised spaces, which made it harder to connect with the world of each story.

Engagement: ★★★☆☆
There were moments when I was absolutely captivated, drawn in by the strange and haunting qualities of the storytelling. However, just as often, I found myself feeling detached, struggling to stay invested in narratives that felt too ambiguous or fragmented. Some stories kept my attention with their intrigue, while others left me feeling lost, unable to fully grasp what they were trying to convey.

Readability: ★★★★☆
The writing itself is beautifully crafted, with a lyrical and almost hypnotic quality. Olguin’s prose is undeniably strong, weaving together strange and evocative imagery that lingers in the mind. Even when I wasn’t fully engaged with the stories themselves, I could still appreciate the skill behind the words. For readers who enjoy rich, poetic writing, this collection has a lot to offer.

Enjoyment: ★★★☆☆
My enjoyment of this collection was mixed. While I could admire the artistry of the writing and the uniqueness of the stories, I found myself struggling to connect with them on a deeper level. Some moments felt truly magical, while others left me feeling like I was on the outside looking in. I think this collection will really shine for readers who love surreal, experimental storytelling, but for me, it was just a bit too strange and detached to fully love.

‘The Sea Gives Up the Dead’ is a fascinating and skillfully written collection, but it ultimately wasn’t quite my style. While I appreciated the creativity and uniqueness of the stories, I often found myself wishing for more depth in the settings and a stronger connection to the characters. That said, for readers who love the unusual, the abstract, and the dreamlike, this might be a perfect fit.

I selected this short story collection from new-to-me author author Molly Olguín simply based upon title and cover art. I was not disappointed; in fact, the stories became stronger and stronger as the collection progressed, until the final stories were simply home runs for me.

As the title should imply, there is a lot of death here, and loss and grief, so readers shouldn't come into this expecting a nice sea shanty and some crabby patties. Instead, there is a mix of genres - fantasy, historical, contemporary, magical realism - that incorporate the themes of water and death and loss. In no particular order, the ones that will stick with me for a long time are "Captain America's Missing Fingers," "The Sea Gives Up the Dead," and the final story, a reverse little mermaid story titled "Foam on the Waves." I also really enjoyed "Small Monuments," with its powerful opening line that made me sit up and reread it twice before I was sure I understood what was to come.

"The love of Maria’s life died and sent herself to an oven in Chicago where she was baked into a diamond.”

I also really, really enjoyed the story of the WWI Gold Star mother, who travels to France to locate the remains of her son Eddie, only to find something completely different and wonderful instead. It was beautifully done, I thought.

So, two thumbs up, and kudos to the author!

This collection was absolutely splendid and bizarre! It really knocked me out of a serious reading slump.

I am not usually a huge fan of the short story collection format, but this just works. The pacing of the stories is good, and the character exposition/development is honestly better than some full length books I've read recently.

The Princess Wants for Company and the book's namesake The Sea Gives Up the Dead stood out. Reminders of the interconnected nature of life and death, love and loathing, and the transformative nature of grief give the stories a universal feel. I very much enjoyed this read and have a feeling I'll be coming back to reread in the future.

Thanks to the publishers, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I requested this book because it seemed like something I would pick up at the library and I'm so so glad I did! I loved this collection of short stories. This was genuinely amazing. Very deep, introspective book that made you think. And none of the stories seemed dragged out/too long, which I feel like it hard to achieve in a collection.

I would reccommend this book to a friend.

Absolutely love this collection of short stories. They feel like fairy tales for adults. There’s an innocent whimsy about them that assures you everything is going to be okay but by the time you get to the moral of the story you are struck with fear and a warning of sorts.

The captain America story was a particular favourite in which we feel the lies people tell us distort our desires. But once we get what we want we yearn for the lies.

Each of these stories will stay with you for different reasons .highly recommend

The Sea Gives Up the Dead is a short story collection where all of the stories in some way deal with grief and death. Maybe half of the stories are paranormal or sci-fi as well. The writing of each story is absolutely beautiful and incredibly engaging. The stories were each the perfect length and did not linger for too long while also giving enough information and plot to really sink your teeth into. The three stories at the end were possibly my favorite, but I did not dislike any of the stories. I highly recommend this collection!

This was a very cohesive and consistent set of short stories. All of the stories, while perhaps not taking place in the same universe, share a thematic through line of death, grief, loss, and love. I found the exploration of non-death mourning particularly intriguing, first touched upon in the initial story "Seven Deaths." The characters, though our time with them was brief, I felt were fleshed out enough to understand and empathize with their plight. The stories that stood out to me were "My Husband and Me" (very reminiscent of that one Black Mirror episode "Be Right Back"), "The Sea Gives Up the Dead" and the final story "Foam of the Waves"; a great conclusion to the collection. Overall, Olguin's writing conveys a distinct sense of longing and melancholy that leaks of the page and settles in the readers heart.

Thanks to Red Hen Press, Molly Olguín, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own and freely given in exchange.

I think this book has a slightly belying description in that I expected. I wanted a little more hope in grief but the prose is well done if not to my preference. Olguín offers a variety of storytelling styles.

Personally, my enjoyed pieces were "My Husband and Me", "Small Monuments", and "The Sea Gives Up the Dead", and "Foam on the Waves". In fact, as a reader, I was expecting more like the latter, which is a Little Mermaid retelling. And I appreciate a dark Mermaid vision set in different time and element. All of them seemed to work somewhat as a cohesive vision. The titular story giving a very well done honest arc.

Other stories, such as "The Undertaker's Dogs", left a somewhat bitter taste in m.y mouth due to the subject matter. I actually skipped half of that story because it made truly upset. I also found "Esther and the Voice" to be too esoteric and wordy at times.

Please check all warnings before reading if certain topics aren't your cup of tea.

This was a lovely collection of short stories centered around water, death and family. A nice read before bedtime.

this was honestly leaning more towards a three star read because the writing style, especially in the first story, just didn't work for me. But, there were a couple stories in this collection that truly hit me in the feels and elevated the book as a whole to four stars.

Do check the warnings as there is a lot of death, and grief is present in all the stories.

this was a collection of very beautiful stories with musings on grief and death. i was absolutely entranced by some and others i found not as engaging. the queer elements were my favourite in each story, especially the story ‘some monuments’ which was my favourite. overall i enjoyed this and would definitely recommend it for short story lovers out there!

I enjoyed this diverse collection of the short stories that read as a mixture of folktale and contemporary fiction. I appreciate the rich culture that most of the characters embody and the vastly different stories that are told throughout the entire collection. Each story is linked to the overall theme of death, so a lot of them have a sorrowful undertone, but there are some surprisingly uplifting stories mixed in the collection.

My personal favorites are Seven Deaths, My Husband and I, Small Monuments, Esther and her VoiceI and the titular The Sea Gives Up the Dead. I like that Olguin shows how both love and death intertwine to form who we are as people and how we interact with one another–her stories were not afraid to show some of the ugliness behind our humanity which makes the characters within all the more relatable. This was a great read for anyone who is looking for a diverse collection of short stories about the intricacies of human interaction, love, and death.

A very well written variety of short stories. Some are darker than others but they are all moving and though provoking in some way. Although I only enjoyed a few of them, this is a very good collection and I will be getting it for my libraries upon publication. 3.75