Buried DeepReview posted February 3, 2025.
Del Rey, 2024. 428 pages.
Review written February 3, 2025, from a library book.
Starred Review
I don't read a lot of short story collections, because I have a hard time getting through them. It's so easy to stop after finishing a story. But once I started this one, I knew I wanted to read every single story.
There are thirteen stories, of various lengths, with at least one from the worlds of Temeraire, the Scholomance, and Spinning Silver - that story was actually the original version of the book - but a different negotiation on the part of the miller's daughter keeps it to story length.
My favorite was definitely the one in the world of Temeraire that retells Pride and Prejudice with Elizabeth Bennet the captain of a Longwing dragon. But this is not a proper occupation for a gentleman's daughter. I love the way Naomi Novik works key scenes from Pride and Prejudice into that situation. And I love how Captain Bennet has learned to wield authority!
The title story is about the Minotaur and his sister Ariadne. The final story is in the world of an upcoming novel, currently titled Folly. I can't wait!
Another favorite took place in the Scholomance after the events of the trilogy, so supposedly students are safer there - as long as their roommate doesn't try to kill them.
Many of the stories are simply from some other fantasy world out of the mind of Naomi Novik - and she's good at intriguing world-building. I loved the one about the woman who was a talented sculptor and who gets the commission to work with the magical clay - that tends to kill the sculptors who are permitted to work with it. (And there's way more to it than that, which she skillfully communicates while telling you a fascinating story.)
This might be a good introduction to Naomi Novik's magical writing, but it's also a great way to keep her devoted fans patient while waiting for the next novel. Whichever you fall under, if you like fantasy at all, read this book!