Anthology Review // A Thousand Beginnings and Endings

Title: A Thousand Beginnings and Endings

Editors: Ellen Oh & Elsie Chapman

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Published: June 26th 2018
Pages: 336

"Star-crossed lovers, meddling immortals, feigned identities, battles of wits, and dire warnings. These are the stuff of fairy tale, myth, and folklore that have drawn us in for centuries.

Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate.

Compiled by We Need Diverse Books’s Ellen Oh and Elsie Chapman, the authors included in this exquisite collection are: Renee Ahdieh, Sona Charaipotra, Preeti Chhibber, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette de Bodard, Melissa de la Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Rahul Kanakia, Lori M. Lee, E. C. Myers, Cindy Pon, Aisha Saeed, Shveta Thakrar, and Alyssa Wong.

A mountain loses her heart. Two sisters transform into birds to escape captivity. A young man learns the true meaning of sacrifice. A young woman takes up her mother’s mantle and leads the dead to their final resting place. From fantasy to science fiction to contemporary, from romance to tales of revenge, these stories will beguile readers from start to finish. For fans of Neil Gaiman’s Unnatural Creatures and Ameriie’s New York Times–bestselling Because You Love to Hate Me."

For some odd reason, anthologies have never allured me. However, when I heard of A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, I was prickled by curiosity and I had to plunge into this world of fifteen tales inspired by Asian mythology and lore. Even though some of the short-stories were a luttle underwhelming, I ended up loving most of these beautifully written stories which gave life to old folk tales.

FORBIDDEN FRUIT by Roshani Chokshi

The anthology opens with a Filipino tale about a goddess that falls in love with a human. After reading The Star-Touched Queen, I fell in love with Roshani Chokshi's writing. However, even though her alluring words crafted a beautiful tale, sadly, I did not love this story as much as I was expecting to.

OLIVIA'S TABLE by Alyssa Wong

Inspired by the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival, Alyssa Wong writes about a girl, Olivia, whose mother passed away and now she has taken as her duty to prepare delicious food and feed it to the ghosts. I loved this story about grief and depression that perfectly wove together two worlds separated by a thin veil. The interactions between Olivia and the ghosts were so sad and yet hopeful.

STEEL SKIN by Lori M. Lee

A sci-fi retelling of the Hwong tale The Woman and the Tiger, "Steel Skin" features androids and a broken family. The narrator's father has bee acting mysteriously since her mother passed away, leaving home for weeks without telling his whereabouts. Along with her friend, the narrator decides to uncover the secrets her father has been hiding and to find the truth about the androids that were recalled for being intelligent.

STILL STAR-CROSSED by Sona Charaipotra

This was one of the stories I found underwhelming. I loved the darkness of this Punjabi folk-tale reimagining. However, the main character was followed around by this strange guy - from a nightclub to her family's store - and I actually found him creepy.

THE COUNTING OF VERMILLION BEADS by Aliette De Bodard

Even though I was confused at the beginning of the tale, I quite enjoyed "The Counting of Vermillion Beads", a tale inspired by the Vietnamese story of Tam and Cám. Originally about a girl that envies her sister's beauty, Aliette De Bodard's spin weaves an empowering story of sisterly love that knows to bounds.

THE LAND OF THE MORNING CALM by E.C. Meyers

This is a heartbreaking story about loss, gwisin and gaming. I don't actually read many game-centred novels and I wasn't aware that videogames were such a big part of Korean culture, but I loved how video-gaming was portrayed by E.C. Meyers (a video-game can be more than just a game; it can be a gateway to another world or way to stay in touch with something or someone) and how she mixed it with Korean mythology. Sunny's tale is so moving - how she copes and deals with her mother's death is very emotional.

THE SMILE by Aisha Saeed

I quite adored how this South Asian tale was rewritten with a feminist point-of-view. If before the prince's courtesan was a passive woman this time she's given a choice - HER choice. She doesn't have to bend to the prince's will and has the right to choose her own path. Moreover, "The Smile" is a story about love - about how love should be a choice.

GIRLS WHO TWIRL AND OTHER DANGERS by Peeti Chhibber

Unfortunately, this one didn't work very well for me. It's okay, but I didn't feel in love with this Gurajati inspired short-story. I enjoyed how Peeti Chhibber created a parallel between Hindu myths and a contemporary celebration of Navarati (a celebration of the battle of Durga and Mahishasura). But, sadly, I didn't connect with the writting and the story seemed young-ish compared to all the other ones in the anthology.

NOTHING INTO ALL by Renée Ahdieh

Who doesn't love goblins? Or any trickster magical creature? A retelling of the Korean folktale Goblin Treasure, "Nothing Into All" follows two brothers in a whimsical tale of magic, greed and how one's actions can lead to dangerous paths when the dark side overcomes light.

SPEAR CARRY by Rahul Kanakia

From all the short-stories, "Spear Carry" was the most underwhelming- In a matter of fact, it was my least favourite short-story. This is about what means to be a hero and that should raise through-provoking questions, but the plot goes on and on about it, becoming repetitive and emotionless.

CODE OF HONOR by Meliss de la Cruz

I haven't read the author's Blue Blood series, so it might be the reason why I didn't enjoy "Code of Honor" much. Loved that the main character being a Filipino aswang (I was not acquired with these vampire witches), but the slaughtering of baby animals was too gruesome - I believe this scene is the reason this story is one of mine least favourites.

BULLET, BUTTERFLY by Elsie Chapman

Heartbreaking. Beautiful. Elsie Chapman's reimagining of the Chinese tale of the "Butterfly Lovers" shattered my heart in pieces. Set in war time, the "Bullet, Butterfly" follows Lin, a boy who disguises himself as a girl, and Zhu. They fall in love, but their love is tainted by duty, war and death. The retelling of these two star-crossed lovers was one of the highlights for me. Perhaps THE highlight of the anthology because it's beautifully written and the ending left me an emotional wreck.

DAUGHTER OF THE SUN by Shveta Thakrar

It's said that the best is saved for last and it actually happened in this anthology. Inspired by two stories from The Mahabharata, "Savitri and Satyavan" and "Ganga and Shantanu", Shveta Thakrar wove these two tales to create the story of a girl born with the light of the sun who finds companionship in a boy who bears the moonlight. With a feminist touch, this magical tale features a girl that follows her heart, even if it means to fight against an apsara.

THE CRIMSON CLOAK by Cindy Pon

Another favourite of mine. I quite loved this retelling of The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. While the Weaver Girl was silent in the original, Cindy Pon gives her a voice - a voice that would often speak with the reader - and tells the story in her perspective. The girl who wears a crimson cloak becomes an agent in this beautiful and heartbreaking love story. After all, she saw him first.

EYES LIKE CANDLELIGHT by Julie Kawaga

"Eyes Like Candlelight" is such a heart-wrenching gem. I've always been found of Japanese lore - when it comes to magical beings, the kitsune hold a special place in my heart. But what made me love this tale it's how well-written it's. Julie Kawaga spun the tale of a human and kitsune in love perfectly. And the ending? So hauntingly-beautiful that left my heart aching - especially for Yuki.