The Emerald Circus

A very powerful, heartwarming and heartbreaking story!

I like collections of short stories because when you are not in the mood or have the time to read a full length novel sometimes it’s nice to pick one of these up, blow through a quick story to pass the time and still feel like you achieved that satisfying ending. No lingering questions of what is going to happen, who did what, how is the author possibly going to make this all work, etc because you got all your answers in those few minutes you had to read – hence ‘short’ story.

Yolen kind of screwed me over with this one because I found her writing so intriguing and was absolutely captivated by her take on well-known fairytale and literary figures I couldn’t stop at just one or two I had to read through her whole collection including the poems and story notes at the end. If you know someone who likes fairytales, who is even a fan of Hans Christian Anderson, then you’re going to want to pick this up which luckily for you comes out before the Christmas holiday – there I just helped you mark an item off your list.

Yolen’s story notes with the poems at the end are worth it all by themselves to pick this up as you feel like you get to know her, as if she’s sitting with you by the fire one late wintry night spinning tales to enthrall and bemuse you. She is the epitome of what the title “storyteller” hopes to define.

I have never read anything by her before and more is the pity that I have missed out on years’ worth of being entertained by her talent. In the Irish culture from which my family comes the Storyteller, or SeanchaÍ, was held in high esteem. They kept the histories alive and were heavily relied on since they were the only way to keep them from getting lost. Yolen does a remarkable job of taking up the torch in spirit.

You get to relive stories and people from long ago in a whole new way such as Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz, Anderson’s Snow Queen, Alice in Wonderland, Edgar Allen Poe with his Raven, Robin Hood, legends from Arthur’s genre and nods to works from across time periods and cultures. Her work entertains certainly but it also leaves you feeling intellectually satisfied.

This is an absolutely delightful collection of short stories by the masterful Jane Yolen. When I saw this on Netgalley I knew I had to read it, and read it I did! I cannot resist re-tellings, I just can't. Jane Yolen's BRIAR ROSE is to blame for this affliction of mine.

The stories in this collection run the gamut from Alice in Wonderland to Edgar Allen Poe. There is a good variety here, with a short and brutal retelling of Beauty and the Beast being followed by Arthurian legend. I think my favorite has to be Lost Girls. What an unabashedly feminist take on Neverland! Telling Dorthy's story from the POV of her family is sheer brilliance. And she was a circus performer?! Be still my beating heart.

I can't say enough good things about this collection. Maybe I was in the right frame of mind. Maybe it's just what I needed when I needed it, but I devoured this book. I will definitely be doing a re-read and a more in-depth review to post online closer to the release date.

[Disclaimer: I was provided a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes.]

Jane Yolen has been a longtime favorite of mine. I guess you could say, a lifelong favorite of mine. I started reading her in middle school, I think (at least, that's the point at which I became aware of the authors of the books I enjoyed). Her Sister Light, Sister Dark trilogy, and the Jackaroo books are probably the ones I enjoyed the most. But in all my years of being a Yolenite, I've never actually read any of her short stories or poetry.

Jane Yolen has published over 300 books. And I have yet to find one that I don't enjoy. This collection of short stories, mostly published elsewhere before, were almost entirely "twists" on the traditional. The opening story about Hans Christian Andersen started the book off with a punch to the gut. I loved almost every story that followed. The one with the take on Red Riding Hood wasn't very interesting to me, and I wasn't sure exactly what to think of the one with all the frogs and witches (although I did enjoy it). I think my favorite of the bunch was the story about the island of women, where Guinevere gets her start. The story about the monk's confession did not immediately strike me as being about Merlin's birth because I'm not wholly versed in his mythology, but once that was explained (in the notes at the end - make sure you read those!), I liked it a whole heck of a lot more.

This was a quick read, as I find most short story collections to be. It is definitely one worth reading. I loved it! It's a little funny that this is being released this year, as I just re-read Sister Light, Sister Dark a few months ago. Up until then I hadn't read a Yolen book in years. It was sitting on the shelf in my bedroom staring at me, and so I picked it up and loved it all over again. Seeing this on the NetGalley roster brought back a flood of emotions. I was excited to read The Emerald Circus, and was not disappointed in the least.

Jane Yolen is no stranger to short fiction. As one of the preeminent authors in the field of science fiction and fantasy, she's written over 300 books, including short stories and poetry. She also writes fiction and non-fiction picture books for kids. She's also been called the Aesop of the twentieth century by the New York Times and the Hans Christian Andersen of America by Newsweek--massive praise that she very much lives up to.

Honestly, I don’t know when Jane Yolen finds time to sleep but I'm selfishly glad she's been able to produce wonderful stories filled with deft turns of phrases, palpable atmosphere, and interesting, flawed characters.

Her forthcoming short story collection, The Emerald Circus, published by Tachyon, is another rich entry into Yolen's catalogue. Holly Black, author of Tithe and The Spiderwick Chronicles, provides a glowing introduction. Many of the stories featured in this collection have been published previously, while others are brand new. This collection also features an appendix where Yolen talks about her inspiration for each story and includes an accompanying poem. The poems were my favorite part of the collection, not only because they're beautifully written, but also because they enhance the story with which they're paired. I almost wish every short story collection were constructed this way, but I also realize that not every prose writer is a poet. Yolen happens to be excellent at both. (Another SFF author who executes both forms equally well is Theodora Goss.)

The Emerald Circus has a story for everyone. Yolen selects old tales and makes them new and surprising and yet instantly recognizable. The collection features a slate of disenfranchised Wendys (from Peter Pan); Guinevere, Lancelot, and Merlin of the Arthurian legends; Alice and company from the Wonderland stories; Dorothy and the gang before the big twister. These stories are also rich in atmosphere inspired by Yolen's travels, particularly "A Knot of Toads," which is spooky and moody and makes me want to move to Scotland immediately.

Yolen is also not shy about writing about historical and literary figures such as Hans Christian Andersen, Edgar Allan Poe, Emily Dickinson, Queen Victoria, and Benjamin Disraeli, and her perspective on their lives feels fresh while still remaining respectful. My favorite story in the collection is "Sister Emily's Lightship," which won the Nebula a few years ago. In this story, Emily Dickinson struggles with a new poem, hosts afternoon tea, and takes a spacefaring jaunt with an alien before finally completing her poem. The plot is relatively straightforward, but Emily feels both delicate and strong, and like someone I'd very much like to befriend, which makes the story sing.

I also enjoyed Yolen's post-Arthurian tale, "The Quiet Monk." Those of us who love the grandeur and glory of the Arthurian legends often rue the bitter betrayals that bring the tales to a close. Although we know that Arthur lies sleeping, waiting for that fabled moment England might need him again, the legend feels incomplete without much-needed absolution. "The Quiet Monk" addresses the mortal failings of Guinevere, Arthur, and Lancelot, and allows at least one character to seek much-needed redemption. After reading about Yolen's planned Arthurian anthologies in the appendix, I really hope some publisher decides to pick them up.

For lovers of fairy tales, folklore, and a cracking good yarn, I highly recommend The Emerald Circus.

The table of contents for The Emerald Circus is as follows:

Andersen’s Witch
Lost Girls (Nebula Award Winner)
Tough Alice
Blown Away
A Knot of Toads
The Quiet Monk
The Bird (Original story)
Belle Bloody Merciless Dame
Jewel in the Toad Queen’s Crown
A Gift of Magicians
Rabbit Hole
Our Lady of the Greenwood
The Confession of Brother Blaise
Wonder Land
Evian Steel
Sister Emily’s Lightship (Nebula Award Winner)

Thank you to NetGalley and Tachyon for providing an advance reading copy for review.

At a Glance


Genre(s)/Categories:


Adult fantasy, short story collection, fairy tales


Plot:

In this short story collection, readers are swept away with familiar characters to re-imagined lands and tales. Wendy leads a labor strike in Neverland. Dorothy learns to tightrope walk. And Emily Dickinson travels the stars. This collection of 10 stories is mesmerizing at every page turn.

Pros:

I love fairy tales re-imagined and this collection is fantastic.
Every story is accompanied by an author's note and a poem
Jane Yolen has taken well-known characters and made the fresh and new
Each story stands alone while simultaneously weaving together similar themes

Cons:

I could have read 10 more stories!
I wish the author's story notes would have accompanied each story instead of being in the back of the book (it was difficult to flip back and forth on my Kindle)


Would I recommend this title:

Yes, yes, yes!


Full Review:


I am a big fan of Jane Yolen's children's books. So I was excited to be able to read some of her adult work as well. This book did not disappoint. My experience with short story collections is that they are usually a mixed bag--there are a few great stories mixed in with some not so great stories. That was not the case with The Emerald Circus. Almost every one of Jane's stories knocked it out of the park for me.

Just as each act in a circus can be enjoyed on its own but also serves to make the whole circus better, each story in The Emerald Circus is satisfying by itself while also enriching the whole. Jane is a master storyteller and I would highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys storytelling at it's finest.


*the link for the post will go live on November the 8th*

Review of The Emerald Circus by Jane Yolen

In the interests of full disclosure, I was sent an ARC of this book by the publisher for review purposes.

Jane Yolen always has an interesting twist to her stories. In this collection you will be surprised, shocked, intrigued, and awed both by new tales and by new perspectives on old, well-loved tales.
Each story evokes its own unique space and time, and opens the imagination a wee bit more.
Don’t skip the story notes and poems at the end of the book. The poems are well worth the time, and the insights into how each story came to be are a brief look into the mind of a writer.

I give it 5 stars.

I’m ashamed to have to admit that before requesting The Emerald Circus, to review, I didn’t know who Jane Yolen was. I don’t know why, but she never entered my circle of consciousness, despite being a veteran of SFF, having been publishing for over 50 years, having won countless awards, and being known as ‘the Hans Christian Andersen of America’. So I’m grateful to Tachyon for publishing this remarkable short story collection and introducing me to Yolen’s work.

The Emerald Circus is a collection of a number of Yolen’s stories both previously published (from 1985 onward) and new, almost all of which are based on legends and fairytales or on history itself, as well as an appendix of Yolen’s notes on the stories, plus an original poem for each.

The title stems from ‘Blown Away’, the fourth story in the collection, which takes the story of Dorothy and twists it in a thoroughly weird (and queer) direction. Despite this, Alice (as in Wonderland) is the star of this collection, featuring in three of the stories in this collection. Yolen connects the two with a poem in which Dorothy and Alice take tea together, both of them a little lost outside of their respective adventures.

Alongside Wonderland, the other vein running through this book is Arthurian legend (two stories of which happen to be recounted by old monks, funnily enough). My favourite story in the book is one of these: ‘Evian Steel’, set on Ynis Evelonia in the river Tamor, where only women live and where they forge the finest swords known to man. I don’t want to spoil anyone, so just read it, okay? I’d rec this book on the basis of this story alone.

The collection closes with the Nebula Award-winning ‘Sister Emily’s Lightship’—in which Emily Dickinson gets to visit space. This story is so full of quiet tenderness that when I read in the story notes that Jane Yolen knows quite possibly more than anyone else about Dickinson I wasn’t at all surprised. In a way this story feels like a gift from Yolen to a beloved author, a woman who suffered much but kept outpouring so much beauty and understanding from her heart.

While I found it unusual, the story notes at the end of the book really helped me connect with Jane Yolen as an author after reading the rest of the collection. As my introduction to her, I enjoyed reading background detail on the stories in her own voice. As for the poems, I felt their inclusion adds another layer of adaptation to these stories which are already themselves transformative of their original tales, which is fun. Plus, I never complain about additional material when I enjoyed the main as much as I did this.

The common theme in Yolen’s stories is their humanity. She treats every character in her stories with respect—there’s not one side character in one story that is a cardboard cut-out or a joke. Even in ‘The Jewel in the Toad Queen’s Crown’, abhorrent little Queen Victoria and her designs of empire are somehow relatable, even magical, without ducking the reality of her unpleasantness and cruelty. (The only conceivable exception for me would be Morgan in ‘Evian Steel’, but given what we know about her I’d say she’s just been made more disturbing.) By this, Yolen lays out the truth of the world through myth and story, maybe the ultimate theme to this fascinating collection: nothing is simple.

Jane Yolen is one of those authors that I grew up reading. I have fond memories of many books (Dragons blood my absolute favourite!) so was very eager to read this and boy, it doesn't disappoint! Tapping into the current (resurfaced) trend of alternative takes on popular tales, these short stories are a delight to read! Thank you for the opportunity to read this!

This is a collection of stories and poetry that has been published before. I enjoyed reading it as I have not read that much of her writing due to the fact that I usually find those books sold out. I like that there are re-imagining classic stories besides fairy tales. It's been fun to read these as they have her earlier writings to current writings. The familiar stories are told from a different slant. I highly recommend reading this collection.

The Emerald Circus is a collection of short stories by Jane Yolen. I would say the majority if not all of them are aimed at adults. All are previously published with the exception of The Bird - a short story about Edgar Allan Poe. The tales themselves are mostly retellings or riffs on famous stories or people. Three of the stories are based on Alice in Wonderland. Some examples of inspiration for other stories are Robin Hood, Peter Pan, Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz, Emily Dickinson, and Hans Christian Andersen.

All of the stories are well written. The book includes an introduction by Holly Black. And at the end, there are notes about the stories and poems related to each of the stories. I found even these end notes enjoyable to read. They tell a little about each story and its origins. The poems are an added bonus.

I enjoyed all of the stories, but I have a few favorites: Andersen's Witch, Blown Away, Our Lady of the Greenwood, Evian Steel, and Sister Emily's Lightship. Each I enjoyed for different reasons. All of them had excellent prose. And for example, I felt the characterization of Emily Dickinson in Sister Emily's Lightship to be right on target even though it is a fantastical tale.

I gave this collection 5 out of 5 stars for the quality of the writing. While each was a riff based on another tale or person, I can say that I haven't read anything quite like them. And I love retellings and have read quite a lot of them.

This book is perfect for people who enjoy Jane Yolen's writing and people who enjoy retellings.

The Emerald Circus was published November 14, 2017 from Tachyon.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

I received a free e-book copy of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jane Yolen's Emerald Circus is a collection of short stories, many of which were inspired by books for children, legends (the Arthurian myth) or lives of writers. There is, for example, a story about Hans Christian Andersen, another about Emily Dickinson, a re-telling of what happened to Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz series, three (3) stories inspired by Alice in Wonderland. (Seriously. Three Alice stories. Honestly, that is two too many and that is if I am being generous.)

It is a very readable collection; the stories are very well written and compelling, drawing the reader in. My major overall complaint is that I wish many of them were longer, as it often seemed that a particular idea had more to give - for example, in "Lost Girls", a story about a girl who goes to the Neverland and becomes one of the "Wendys". But even though I wouldn't mind it being longer, "Lost Girls" might have been my favourite and I am not surprised that it received a Nebula award. I was less fond of the other Nebula award winner, "Sister Emily's Lightship", which has Emily Dickinson meet an alien-- maybe I would have enjoyed it more had I not read Connie Willis's "A Soul Selects Her Own Society", which deals with a similar subject? Admittedly, it seems that the stories concerning real-life writers were the least interesting to me, with "The Bird" - about Edgar Alan Poe - being perhaps my least favourite.

To go back to the high points of the collection, in addition to "Lost Girls", I would mention "Jewel in the Toad Queen's Crown", an odd story about Disraeli and Queen Victoria, "A Knot of Toads", about a scholar discovering her father's work on magic, and "Our Lady of the Green Wood", a tale about newborn Robin of Locksley. All of them were captivating and highly enjoyable. "Blown Away", the aforementioned Dorothy story, was also interesting for diverting from source material / treating it in a much more mature way than some other stories contained here would.

Overall, I think this is a collection worth reading, if a little uneven. Still, I am happy I had a chance to read it and I think I would next like to try one of Yolen's novels.

All of these stories were new to me, even though Yolen herself isn't. It's a great collection, focusing almost entirely on twists on fairy tales, familiar works, and folk stories, usually through a bit of a feminist lens. I didn't dislike a single story in it, while a few of the stories I expect to linger in my mind for quite some time, particularly the twist on the Beauty and the Beast retelling (I reread the ending paragraph a few times, because it was just that shockingly wonderful and unexpected) and the Oz story that gives the collection its name. I also particularly enjoyed each of the author's notes that accompany the stories, as Yolen gives clever insight into how her process works and what inspires her, as well as giving context for the stories.

I'd suggest this book as an introduction to a VERY prolific fantasy author, for folks who like fairy tale retellings, for people looking for a set of nice short stories to read one at a time before bed, or for those who'd like a more empowered woman to take the lead in short stories they're reading.

Loved this retelling of classic fairytales with great ironic feminist twists! Women are recast as the agents of change in these tales, not the passive princesses of convention, immobilised by their long hair and crushed by their corsets.

I’ve been a fan of Jane Yolen since long before the current vogue for urban fantasy and fairy tale retelling. So I was excited to read this collection. All the stories have been previously anthologized, so I found I’d already read a few, but most of them were new to me and all of them were lovely. Highly recommended!
This review was based on an ARC ebook received by the publisher in return for an honest, unbiased review.

I’m not sure what I can say by way of introduction to Jane Yolen, recipient of SFWA’s Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award, as well as uncounted other awards, that has not already been said. My children grew up on Sleeping Ugly, Owl Moon, and Commander Toad in Space, and I came of age as a writer with Sister Light, Sister Dark, Briar Rose, and The Devil’s Arithmetic. This current collection, the latest of many, showcases Yolen’s brilliant capacity for taking characters and situations, even worlds, and turning them literarily on their heads. Whether it’s Emily Dickinson sailing away on a starship made of light or Wendy organizing a labor strike in Neverland, or the real story of Disraeli and Queen Victoria, Yolen twists the old tales in innovative, delightful ways. I look forward to many more of her stories, short and long.

**Thank you NetGalley for another winner!**

This is absolutely as much fun as the cover implies. Jane reimagines so many stories that we are familiar with. She takes sometimes real people, and adds something fantastic. How did Has Christian Anderson become such a beloved author of children's tales? She has one about Queen Victoria and even Edgar Allen Poe.

Then she has ones like The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, and even Peter Pan. The Peter Pan one was my favorite.

She takes these stories and carves out a little piece and makes it her own. Her use of language was so enjoyable. She clearly can weave a story. I will be looking for more from her when my own must-be-read list finally dwindles.

A fascinating collection of mismatched tales some fractured fairy tales some de-constructed literature and some spin-offs from well-known stories a truly delightful and eclectic mix. Jane Yolen has been one of my favorite writers of fantasy fiction for quite some time. Merlin , Alice, Dorothy, Peter Pan and Emily Dickinson all have some sort of special place in the collection. This is truly a wonderful treat to read through. I particularly love the very first story in the collection - I will cherish it.

This collection of fairy tale and other story retellings is imaginative and well written. I really like Jane Yolen's stories so this would be a great addition to any fantasy collection.

I have never read any of Yolen's work before picking up her collection of short stories, The Emerald Circus. The Emerald Circus is a short story collection that takes fairy tales and beloved stories and completely reinvents them. My favorite story in the collection is "Lost Girls" where a young girl becomes Peter Pan's newest "Wendy." She is forced to clean and take care of the Lost Boys along with the other Wendys and she can never go on adventures. So what does she do? She decides to go on strike with the other Wendys. I ended up thinking of the original story of Peter Pan in a whole new way. I would definitely recommend this collection to fans of fairy tales and fantasy novels.

I'm a sucker for fairy tales and old folklore stories so I was attracted to this book immediately. Thankfully it did not disappoint. I absolutely loved Jane Yolen's style and the re-tellings of the stories. It's charming, adventurous, and enjoyable for not only YA but older readers as well. It's the perfect book if you're looking for magical short stories that are able to take you to another land in less than 30 minutes.

I absolutely love short stories and the fact that Holly Black did the intro was enough for me. Each and every story was SO GOOD!!! Such new takes on fairy tales. A breath of fresh air for sure.

I love short stories, and I love the retelling of classic fairy tales. I'm a big fan of this book! It has an interesting premise that I enjoyed, especially having never read this author before.