Harry Turtledove's The Big Switch is an action-packed alternate history anthology that explores a fascinating concept: what if historical events had taken different turns? This collection of short stories and novellas presents a variety of scenarios, each offering a unique "what if" scenario and its potential consequences. From alternate outcomes of famous battles to different paths for key historical figures, the book delves into a range of pivotal moments in history.
I love dystopian books. There’s something about them that never fail to pique my interest. Whether it be the cruel antagonists projecting their control over the world or brave protagonists fighting to change the status quo, I’m always interested in a good dystopian story. And yet, I was still skeptical going into Anthem. Maybe it was because of the length of the book (52 pages), or maybe it was because of how old the book was (published in 1938).
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories is the latest addition to The Folk of the Air trilogy by Holly Black. This novella provides more insight into how and why Cardan wears his cruel facade. This novella is a series of interconnected stories that tell the tale of Cardan’s life, past, present, and future. My favorite parts of this book were the retellings of events that happened in The Folk of the Air trilogy told from Cardan’s perspective. Additionally, I loved the illustrations.
The Lost Sisters is a novella in Holly Black’s The Folk of the Air trilogy. Set after The Cruel Prince, this novella is a kind of letter from Taryn to Jude quasi-apologizing for and explaining how Taryn fell for Locke. While I assume Black wrote this novella to garner some understanding for Taryn’s actions, Taryn’s attempts at justification only made me like her less.
The first novella in Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series, Destroy Me takes place after Shatter Me and is told from Warner’s perspective. It follows Warner as he recovers from his bullet-wound and searches for Juliette, all while the Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, his father, is visiting.
