I was both amused and horrified by the actions of the barnyard animals in “The Wolves and the Dogs”. There were quite a few chapters, so it was inevitable that some short stories emerged as favorites.
While he is a magnetic character, in the sense that we’re consistently drawn to him, many stories independent of his character are just as fine of stories as others that depend on his antics. His adventures occasionally intersect with the tales of other minor characters, and opposing antagonists who seek revenge against him for his past wrong doings. However, after a particularly fierce encounter, the indulgent lifestyle of the Lacewing King gives way to a journey of self-discovery, sacrifice, and redemption in Book Two (“Far Away”). Split into two books, Book One (“Long Ago”) follows the early years of the Lacewing King and the characters impacted by his horrid selfishness. Charles Vess’s distinctive illustrations appear throughout the novel, enhancing the ancient, folklore-like feeling Harris evokes in each story.Ī common thread that interweaves these seemingly unrelated stories is the selfish ruler of the Silken folk: the Lacewing King, who is raised without consequences and empathy. Her strongest tales are those that remain within this cultural frame of reference, while those outside of it are weakened by exoticized descriptions of isolated religious desert societies.
From the cruel exploits of the selfish Lacewing King to the realpolitik of stubborn barnyard animals, she magicks a collection of dark fairy tales steeped in European tradition. Similar to her 2016 novel The Gospel of Loki, Harris imbues new meaning into various fairy tales without abandoning their sinister origins. Over the course of this dark, adult fantasy novel/collection (it’s truly a hybrid of the two), Harris offers us an astoundingly wide array of parables and tales that cover themes of power, love, empathy, self-sacrifice, and truth.
Harris’s Honeycomb drips with whimsy, mischief, and violent delight. According to the bees – the collective choir and inter-world travelers who tell us these tales – stories have the power to communicate across worlds. On its shore, a nameless flower’s pollen gives birth to the powerful Honeycomb Queen, and becomes the first story of the Nine Worlds. In “Nectar”, the origin story of Honeycomb, the Dream is a river that runs through the Nine Worlds, reflecting the hearts and desires of the Folk. Like most remarkable stories, Honeycomb begins with a dream.īut in this universe of sadistic kings, wounded creatures, and wise honeybees, even a dream is more elusive than one might think.
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