Wonders of the Invisible World

Starred review from August 20, 2012
Endlessly astonishing and impressive fantasist McKillip (The Bards of Bone Plain) travels the shadowy twilight realm between worlds and returns with the raw stuff of dreams. An angel grapples with deceit and conspiracies while recording Cotton Mather's ravings in the title piece. "Out of the Woods" muses on how those searching for magic often miss it. "The Kelpie" examines love and the primal overlap between life and art. An adolescent encounters dangerous Faerie in the chilling and seductive "Hunter's Moon," and a water spirit falls victim to her prey in "Undine." Reshaping ancient archetypes to show us hidden aspects of ourselves and the world around us, these modern myths are timely and timeless, retaining the cosmic resonance of folklore while addressing the struggles embodied in achingly realized spirits, gods, and humans who endure tragic flaws and sudden epiphanies. With a tremendous range encompassing the terror of "Jack O'Lantern" and the poignant allegory of "The Old Woman and the Storm," McKillip charts the wild unknown in all its pathos and danger. Agent: Howard Morhaim, Howard Morhaim Literary Agency.

Starred review from October 15, 2012

A researcher goes back in time to visit Cotton Mather and finds the preacher's visions are not what he expected in the title story of McKillip's (The Bards of Bone Plain) latest collection of mesmerizing short fiction. From the deliciously macabre retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" to the elegant story of courtship and obsession depicted in "The Kelpie," the 16 stories collected here display the author's talent for creating tales both delicately beautiful and heartbreakingly cruel. The text of her Guest of Honor speech at WisCon 2004, included within, offers valuable insight into the mind of the writer. VERDICT Any collection of McKillip's short stories will be a valuable asset to any library and a joy to her many fans.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.