Buried Deep (and Other Stories) by Naomi Novik
Buried Deep and Other Stories
by Naomi Novik
Fantasy | Anthology
448 Pages
Released September 2024
Rating: ★★★ 1/2
Goodreads
Content Warnings (to come)
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for the ARC. It was a joy to read!
I’ve been a huge fan of Naomi Novik since her Uprooted days (though, I’ve admittedly been dragging my feet on on the last book in the Scholomance series because I’m not ready for it to be over yet). When I learned she was coming out with a book of short stories, I knew I couldn’t wait to pick it up. I was even more ecstatic when I learned the publisher granted my request for an ARC.
This book is comprised of thirteen short stories. Some of these tales will be familiar to Novik fans, though you need not have read any of her previous books to enjoy these stories. There’s a little bit of everything that will appeal to many types of readers: from Sherlock Holmes to Pride and Prejudice re-imaginings to worlds completely new. Each story is preceded by a little forward from Novik giving a bit of a backstory to the inspiration for each story (though Novik herself requests those forwards be taken with a grain of salt).
So…how to rate an anthology? Since this is the first time I’m rating a series of short stories, my plan is to rate each of the stories individually and then average the scores at the end.
Aramintha, or, The Wreck of the Amphidrake- What a great way to kick off an anthology. I loved this one! It’s a sort of swashbuckling pirate story - empowering with a dash of magic. Really loved the main character and the interesting use of magic. 5/5
After Hours - This book takes place in the aftermath of the Scholomance series and is vaguely spoiler-y. I’m a huge fan of the series (though I haven’t finished the last book yet) and enjoyed the familiar setting. 5/5
Vici - This was a funny, wry take on the origins of dragon taming. Set in Roman Times, the main character was unlikeable in a good way (think Kuzco in The Emperor’s New Groove). 4/5
Buried Deep - A mythology retelling. I admit, after reading Circe a couple years ago, I was a bit mythologied-out but I enjoyed this fresh take on Ariadne’s story. Unfortunately it didn’t really draw me in like the other stories did. 3/5
Spinning Silver - If you’re familiar with Novik’s novel version, you’ll already know this is a reimagining of the tale of Rumpelstiltskin. This book is a shorter, alternate ending of Novik’s retelling (one that felt more true to the main character, in my opinion). 5/5
Commonplace - I struggled with this one. Not because it was poorly written but because I’m not at all familiar with Sherlock Holmes. I think if I’d been more familiar with the characters, I would have gotten more out of this story. 2/5
Seven - This story had such interesting world-building. I wish there was more of it because I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this world. The characters were less memorable but still enjoyable. I’d read a novel-length version of this. 4/5
Blessings - I really enjoyed how funny and charming this story was! It’s a fun and unusual take on drunk fairy godmothers bestowing gifts (perhaps accidentally) on a child and the aftermath. 5/5
Lord Dunsany’s Teapot - I admit, I skim read this one. It’s got a war-field setting which is not really my cup of tea (pun intended) and I didn’t feel very invested in the story or characters. Again, this is more due to my personal tastes than a reflection on Novik’s story-telling abilities. 1/5
Seven Years from Home - This one was really heavy. More sci-fi than fantasy, it covers hard topics like colonialism and politics in a sort of space opera setting. Reminded me a little of The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. 3.5/5
Dragons and Decorum - Hear me out: an abridged retelling of Pride and Prejudice…with dragons. Oh my goodness this was so much fun! 5/5
Castle Coeurlieu - I love fantasy stories that come with their own lore. This book reminded me, mildly, of a darker version of The Secret Garden. 4/5
The Long Way Round - I was excited to learn that this story is a rough-draft preview of Novik’s upcoming novel (tentatively entitled Folly). It was longer than the rest, following two characters in the trading business as they attempt to sail a dangerous and mostly unexplored path to the different continents of their world. My only complaint is that the ending feels incomplete - by that I mean it seems to stop mid-conversation. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to the full-length version.
Overall, I enjoyed most of the stories in this book! Novik’s prose is beautiful as always and I was impressed with her ability to write across various genres in a way that either paid tribute to the originals or built up entirely new worlds. A couple of the stories I had a hard time getting into but only because they either weren’t my preferred genre or I didn’t have the necessary background knowledge to fully enjoy them. That said, there were also several stories with fascinating world building and wonderful characters. This is a must read for any fantasy reader.