Difference between revisions of "M Is for Magic"

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{{Book
 
{{Book
−
  | Title            = M Is for Magic
+
  | Title            = M Is for Magic: Stories
 
  | Image            = M Is for Magic - Hardcover - USA - 2007 - HarperCollins - 1st Edition.jpg
 
  | Image            = M Is for Magic - Hardcover - USA - 2007 - HarperCollins - 1st Edition.jpg
 
  | ImageDescription = Hardcover - USA - 1st edition.
 
  | ImageDescription = Hardcover - USA - 1st edition.
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}}
 
}}
  
−
'''''M Is for Magic''''' is compilation of short stories written by [[Neil Gaiman]], published on 2007-06-06. Despite the book's theme implying it's for children, most of the subject matter is more appropriate for adults or teens. The Spanish title is much more accurate which translates to, "the cemetery without tombstones and other black stories." Nearly all of the stories in the book were previously published in Gaimen's other anthologies.
+
'''''M Is for Magic: Stories''''' is an anthology of short stories written by [[Neil Gaiman]], published on 2007-06-06. Despite the book's theme implying it's for children, most of the subject matter is more appropriate for teens and adults. The Spanish title is much more accurate which translates to, "the cemetery without tombstones and other black stories." Nearly all of the stories in the book were previously published in Gaimen's earlier anthologies.
  
 
==Personal==
 
==Personal==
 
{{BookStatus
 
{{BookStatus
 
  | Own      =  
 
  | Own      =  
−
  | Read    =  
+
  | Read    = Audiobook read by [[Neil Gaiman]].
−
  | Finished =  
+
  | Finished = 2024-04-16.
 
}}
 
}}
 +
 +
Wanting to read another Gaiman book, I started this one without even checking to see what it was about. I was a bit annoyed to learn with was just an anthology of short stories that had already been published in previous anthologies, however, half of the stories were new to me at least, so it wasn't a total loss.
  
 
==Stories==
 
==Stories==
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| "Troll Bridge" || A tale about a little boy who meets a hungry bridge troll that will spare his life if he promises to return to be eaten when he's older.
 
| "Troll Bridge" || A tale about a little boy who meets a hungry bridge troll that will spare his life if he promises to return to be eaten when he's older.
 
|-
 
|-
−
| "Don't Ask Jack" || A cursed jack-in-the-box drives a family mad. Mildly creepy, but too short to be interesting.
+
| "Don't Ask Jack" || A cursed jack-in-the-box drives a family mad. Mildly creepy, but too short.
 
|-
 
|-
−
| "How to Sell the Ponti Bridge" || A con artist tells the story of how he scammed a bunch of royals into buying a public bridge.
+
| "How to Sell the Ponti Bridge" || A con artist tells the story of how he scammed a bunch of aristocrats into buying a bridge. It was okay.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| "October in the Chair" || See my description in ''[[Fragile Things]]''.
 
| "October in the Chair" || See my description in ''[[Fragile Things]]''.
 
|-
 
|-
−
| "Chivalry" || An old woman finds the Holy Grail at a secondhand shop in the UK and buys it for her mantle. Then, Lancelot of Arthurian times comes seeking it.
+
| "Chivalry" || An old woman finds the Holy Grail at a secondhand shop in the UK and buys it for her mantle, but Lancelot of Arthurian times comes seeking it. Silly, but still heart-felt.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| "The Price" || A story about the stray cats that show up at the author's house, and how one in particular protects his family from evil. It was okay.
 
| "The Price" || A story about the stray cats that show up at the author's house, and how one in particular protects his family from evil. It was okay.
Line 44: Line 46:
 
| "Sunbird" || See my description in ''[[Fragile Things]]''.
 
| "Sunbird" || See my description in ''[[Fragile Things]]''.
 
|-
 
|-
−
| "The Witch's Headstone" || Preview section from ''[[The Graveyard Book]]''.
+
| "The Witch's Headstone" || Preview segment from ''[[The Graveyard Book]]''.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| "Instructions" || See my description in ''[[Fragile Things]]''.
 
| "Instructions" || See my description in ''[[Fragile Things]]''.
Line 50: Line 52:
  
 
==Review==
 
==Review==
−
{{BookRating|}}
+
{{BookRating|4}}
  
 
{{Spoilers}}
 
{{Spoilers}}
  
 
===Good===
 
===Good===
−
* The stories that were included were pretty good.
+
* All of the included stories were good, some were great.
  
 
===Bad===
 
===Bad===
Line 61: Line 63:
  
 
===Ugly===
 
===Ugly===
−
* Four of the stories in the book were just published less than a year earlier in ''[[Fragile Things]]'', and five others were published in compilations from years earlier. In fact, there are only two stories not previous published in a compilation, and one was a preview of an upcoming book, much of which doesn't make sense because it's in the middle of a story. This would be like buying a band's latest "Greatest Hits" album and discovering that nearly all of songs were published on their previous Greatest Hits albums. It was really quite disappointing.
+
* Nine of the eleven stories in this book were already printed in a previous anthologies, four were printed less than a year earlier in ''[[Fragile Things]]'', and one was just a preview of an upcoming book, much of which won't make sense to the reader because it's pulled from the middle of the book. This would be like buying a band's latest "Greatest Hits" album and discovering that nearly all of songs were published on the previous Greatest Hits albums you already own. It was really quite disappointing.
  
 
==Media==
 
==Media==
Line 74: Line 76:
 
  | Media                      = Books
 
  | Media                      = Books
 
  | StrongFemaleCharacterStatus = Pass
 
  | StrongFemaleCharacterStatus = Pass
−
  | StrongFemaleCharacterNotes  = Liza Hempstock is a fairly strong character.
+
  | StrongFemaleCharacterNotes  = Liza Hempstock is a fairly strong character in "The Witch's Headstone."
 
  | BechdelTestStatus          = Pass
 
  | BechdelTestStatus          = Pass
−
  | BechdelTestNotes            = There are some women who to each other briefly "October in the Chair."
+
  | BechdelTestNotes            = There are some women who chat with each other briefly "October in the Chair."
 
  | StrongPOCCharacterStatus    = Fail
 
  | StrongPOCCharacterStatus    = Fail
−
  | StrongPOCCharacterNotes    = There are black teens briefly mentioned in "How to Talk to Girls at Parties."
+
  | StrongPOCCharacterNotes    = Black teens are briefly mentioned in "How to Talk to Girls at Parties," but nobody is strong.
 
  | QueerCharacterStatus        = Fail
 
  | QueerCharacterStatus        = Fail
 
  | QueerCharacterNotes        = There are no queer characters.
 
  | QueerCharacterNotes        = There are no queer characters.
Line 84: Line 86:
  
 
==Quotes==
 
==Quotes==
 +
* It is good for children to find themselves facing the elements of a fairy tale - they are well-equipped to deal with these
 +
* I fell for her like a suicide from a bridge.
  
 
==Titles==
 
==Titles==

Latest revision as of 13:24, 22 April 2024

M Is for Magic: Stories

M Is for Magic - Hardcover - USA - 2007 - HarperCollins - 1st Edition.jpg

Hardcover - USA - 1st edition.
Author Neil Gaiman
Published 2007-06-06
Type Fiction, Anthology
Genre Fantasy
Themes Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Urban Fantasy
Age Group Adult

M Is for Magic: Stories is an anthology of short stories written by Neil Gaiman, published on 2007-06-06. Despite the book's theme implying it's for children, most of the subject matter is more appropriate for teens and adults. The Spanish title is much more accurate which translates to, "the cemetery without tombstones and other black stories." Nearly all of the stories in the book were previously published in Gaimen's earlier anthologies.

Personal

Own?No.
Read?Audiobook read by Neil Gaiman.
Finished2024-04-16.

Wanting to read another Gaiman book, I started this one without even checking to see what it was about. I was a bit annoyed to learn with was just an anthology of short stories that had already been published in previous anthologies, however, half of the stories were new to me at least, so it wasn't a total loss.

Stories

Title Notes
"The Case of the Four and Twenty Blackbirds" A hard boiled crime story set in the world of fairy tales. The juxtaposition of the two genres made me laugh out loud multiple times.
"Troll Bridge" A tale about a little boy who meets a hungry bridge troll that will spare his life if he promises to return to be eaten when he's older.
"Don't Ask Jack" A cursed jack-in-the-box drives a family mad. Mildly creepy, but too short.
"How to Sell the Ponti Bridge" A con artist tells the story of how he scammed a bunch of aristocrats into buying a bridge. It was okay.
"October in the Chair" See my description in Fragile Things.
"Chivalry" An old woman finds the Holy Grail at a secondhand shop in the UK and buys it for her mantle, but Lancelot of Arthurian times comes seeking it. Silly, but still heart-felt.
"The Price" A story about the stray cats that show up at the author's house, and how one in particular protects his family from evil. It was okay.
"How to Talk to Girls at Parties" See my description in Fragile Things.
"Sunbird" See my description in Fragile Things.
"The Witch's Headstone" Preview segment from The Graveyard Book.
"Instructions" See my description in Fragile Things.

Review

Overall:

Rating-4.svg

— This section contains spoilers! —

Good

  • All of the included stories were good, some were great.

Bad

  • Nothing.

Ugly

  • Nine of the eleven stories in this book were already printed in a previous anthologies, four were printed less than a year earlier in Fragile Things, and one was just a preview of an upcoming book, much of which won't make sense to the reader because it's pulled from the middle of the book. This would be like buying a band's latest "Greatest Hits" album and discovering that nearly all of songs were published on the previous Greatest Hits albums you already own. It was really quite disappointing.

Media

  • Hardcover - USA - 1st edition. Kind of dull.

  • Hardcover - USA - Limited edition. This cover doesn't fit the book's theme at all.

  • Hardcover - Spain. This is a much more fitting cover and title.

Representation

Strong female character?PassLiza Hempstock is a fairly strong character in "The Witch's Headstone."
Bechdel test?PassThere are some women who chat with each other briefly "October in the Chair."
Strong person of color character?FailBlack teens are briefly mentioned in "How to Talk to Girls at Parties," but nobody is strong.
Queer character?FailThere are no queer characters.

Quotes

  • It is good for children to find themselves facing the elements of a fairy tale - they are well-equipped to deal with these
  • I fell for her like a suicide from a bridge.

Titles

Language Native Transliteration Translation
English M Is for Magic
Spanish El cementerio sin lápidas y otras historias negras El cementerio sin lapidas y otras historias negras The cemetery without tombstones and other black stories

Links

Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-GoodReads.png 

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