The fantastic and magical realities humans create and their often terrifying consequences are examined in this unflinching collection of work from a noted science fiction writer. A determined mother attempts to break the fairy tale spell that confines her daughters, a female wolf learns that loving a man can be quite dangerous, and a manipulative politician harvests zombies in these stories that are beautiful and brutal, but maintain a modicum of hope for the future.
The Fate of Mice
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Spanning the past 20 years of Palwick's career, the eight previously published and three new stories in this outstanding collection (after her 2005 novel The Necessary Beggar) display the author's versatility. The fine title story about an IQ-enhanced mouse named Rodney recalls "Flowers for Algernon." "Gestella" centers on a woman werewolf whose accelerated aging complicates her doomed marriage to a self-obsessed professor. In "Jo's Hair," Palwick imagines remarkable alternate fates for Louisa May Alcott's little woman, Jo March, and her chopped and sold chestnut braid. The quintessential fairy tale "Stormdusk" depicts a child worried about her mother, a trapped snow maiden; the wise, whimsical concluding gem, "GI Jesus," addresses friendship and sacred smalltown "miracles." Palwick's genre-bending short fiction defies categorization and blends humor with pathos. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Palwick's literary output until now has been limited to two critically acclaimed novels, the most recent of them the ghost story The Necessary Beggar (2005). This, her first story collection is a welcome addition to her oeuvre and a fitting introduction to her wide-ranging talent and vision. In the title story, an homage to Daniel Keyes' classic story "Flowers for Algernon,"^B an IQ-enhanced lab mouse awakens to the knowledge of his own impending demise. "Gestella" recounts the unsettling fate of a female werewolf who ages more rapidly than her increasingly less-interested human lover. In one of the volume's standouts, "GI Jesus," a small-town woman finds hope in the face of Jesus imprinted on an X-ray of her abdomen. All 11 pieces explore conundrums of human existence, from the perennial pursuit of utopia to the many faces of mortality. Embracing elements of both horror and speculative fiction, Palwick's unique and commanding fiction never fails to trigger an emotional response as it captures the imagination. Carl Hays
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Poignant,
By Seth_Saoirse (Jacksonville,FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Fate of Mice (Paperback)
The first two stories in this collection, made me feel as though I had been pushed under by a large wave and no matter how much I'd want to breath, I could not. Perhaps a bit overblown, but the stories in this collection are nothing short of remarkable outstanding. From the titular The Fate of Mice and the poignant and heartbreaking Ginstella. Each story is a stand-out and examples of what fine short story writing truly is. I wonder why I had never heard of Susan Palwick before but I will certainly be looking to purchase more of her work in the future.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
wow.,
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This review is from: The Fate of Mice (Paperback)
I don't read a lot of fiction but this book was recommended to me by someone on the subway.
Best book I've read in a long time. I love a well written, compelling story. This book delivers. The stories are kinda sci-fi ish but grounded. It's about the characters and the author creates some compelling ones. I had never heard of the author but she deserves praise. It's a book of great stories that are short enough to keep your attention and compelling enough to keep you turning pages.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Many twists and turns of plot to provide vivid reading.,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Fate of Mice (Paperback)
Susan Palwick has over twenty years of outstanding short stories to her name and THE FATE OF MICE gathers the best under one cover, including three original new pieces. These are stories of angst and adversity: from a businessman who is resurrected to play at politics to a dreaming mouse. Any collection strong in short stories will find THE FATE OF MICE uses many twists and turns of plot to provide vivid reading.
Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch
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