Sign in with Facebook
Aleksandra's Reviews > Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales Of Women & Witchcraft
Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales Of Women & Witchcraft
by
by
Mathematically counted rating= 3,46 stars
She didn't realize that all her roaring, living, breathing anger could create so much light.
First of all, I’m appalled by the lack of content warnings here. Quite a few stories address triggering content. Self-pub is so better at this, but this is a story for another time. I am including CWs after each story, where it's necessary.
Secondly, I was tired of the "female vigilante against awful men" tune. Don't get me wrong, I love myself a good revenge story of terrible men, I love stories about women reclaiming their agency. What I didn't expect that apparently "Tales of Women and Witchcraft" revolves around reaction to terrible man. I wanted variety in themes. I kept comparing Toil & Trouble to All Out and A Thousand Beginnings and Endings anthologies I read earlier this year, they did get what it takes to make a varied, diverse, captivating anthology.
I did appreciate the diverse set of writers and the stories they have told in terms of sexuality and race. Unfortunately no non-binary/trans experiences or any non-US-centered experiences (fantastical setting nonwithstanding).
Total 15 stories: 5 stories are written by women of color (as far I know), 6 stories feature sapphic characters.
Despite the various disappointments, the anthology has started out strongly and thus I have mostly positive impression of it, even thought things went downhill somewhere in the middle.
My favorite stories in the anthology:
• Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer
• Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith
• Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore
Mini-reviews of each story:
Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia
4 stars
Beautifully written story about young bruja Luna Mendoza, her starsong, her Instagram account and her meeting a girls with freckles. Sapphic witch is a good way to start an anthology.
CW: mentioned death of a relative; hospitalization from alcohol and drug use
Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer
4 stars
Story about midwife apprentice in New England, mid 17th century. About birth, afterbirth, trial for witchery and the reality of not believing a woman’s word when she doesn't’t uphold the patriarchy.
The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe
4 stars
I dislike Soulmate AU in fanfiction but Tess Sharpe’s take on this trope is great. A big middle finger to fate itself and choosing the one you love. Also sapphic witches and fighting against the old way of doing things. I like this story a lot!
Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith
4 stars!
Wow! I’m impressed how the author created layered and captivating worldbuildung in a just a short form. I liked this story about witch of Lady Death and a bit of mystery solving. Well written and engaging. I wouldn't’t mind reading a novel big story in this world.
The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert
3 stars
I didn’t really care about the story. I liked that it has all black cast, featuring the main character sixteen year old Queenie. The witchy part is lowkey, it mostly reads as a contemporary. There is a scene which can be considered cheating, even though it was a “spur of a moment” deal.
CW: cheating
The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar
3 stars
It was alright but I didn’t care much about what was happening. I believe it's East-Asian inspired story.
The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley
3.5 stars
It had some cool ideas but the message was so simplistic and the narration was jumbled. The story was about teen girl in 1975, living in small town in the South (USA), she comes from the family rumored as witches. The girl is sapphic.
CW: abuse in the past
The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma
4 stars
Whimsical in writing, devastating and relevant in plot. I was taken a back by the seriousness of the story. It’s an evident shift in tone from previous stories.
CW: rape (incl. mention of rape of a child)
Divine Are The Stars by Zoraida Córdova
3.5 stars
Magical realism story set in Colorado. I liked the story well enough but I can’t say I cared all that much. It has feminists themes and whimsy.
Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff
3 stars
The story was trying to be woke and deep but it all felt very surface level. However I do appreciate angry ruthless girls and I like that the main character comes from family of immigrants from Soviet Union.
The Well Witch by Kate Hart
2.5 stars
Set in late 19th century in Texas, a woman is living alone in the middle of the desert until three men arrive. The story isn’t bad but like with previous ones I just didn’t care. I’ve read quite a few story about witches besting terrible men. So nothing’s new about this one.
CW: unlawful imprisonment
Beware of Girls With Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood
3 stars
Fairly interesting story about family of witches who is always fated to have just one girl survive in each generation. Until one girl tries to defy the rules, things do not go according to plan. I didn’t really care though.
Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore
4 stars
Beautiful lyrical story about a bruja and an acolyte of the church. It’s full of heart and sorrow and hope. McLemore’s magical realism stories never fail to hit me hard. I love them.
The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord
3.5 stars
Important story about significance of bond between sisters. However, I’m disappointed by the lack of trigger warning for any of this stories. This one in particular. The depiction of abusive relationship is graphic and disturbing. I appreciate the message of the story and slight witchy themes, I’m upset there weren’t any indication of triggering content going into it.
The story features a bi sister, a sapphic sister and a straight sister.
Also why one of the character is called Nova and Novy interchangeably? Is it a common knowledge? I was so confused before I got that it’s one person.
CW: abusive relationship in the past, recovery from abusive relationship, mention of gaslightening and manipulation.
Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May
3 stars
“Destroying a girl is one of the easiest things in the word. It’s such a simple for if denial, and it goes like this: bad things happen to those other girls. Other girls. Not this girl. Not me. I’m different.
You are only different until the day you’re not.”
Important story in recent media attention of constant sexual assault and abuse of power in different industries. However, while the story is poetically beautifully written, it doesn’t offer anything different from the previous stories. It’s the same story but with grimmer, darker dystopian-sequel Handmaid's Tale themes. I want to make it clear that the story could be easily a five star read, I wholeheartedly agree with the message and I appreciate how the author did it, but it’s the last story in the anthology and I’m judging it as part of anthology and I’m tired.
It has sapphic rep and f/f relationship between two captive women.
CW: assault, rape, persecution of innocent, death by fire
Do I recommend reading it? I honestly do not know. I am just relieved it is over.
She didn't realize that all her roaring, living, breathing anger could create so much light.
First of all, I’m appalled by the lack of content warnings here. Quite a few stories address triggering content. Self-pub is so better at this, but this is a story for another time. I am including CWs after each story, where it's necessary.
Secondly, I was tired of the "female vigilante against awful men" tune. Don't get me wrong, I love myself a good revenge story of terrible men, I love stories about women reclaiming their agency. What I didn't expect that apparently "Tales of Women and Witchcraft" revolves around reaction to terrible man. I wanted variety in themes. I kept comparing Toil & Trouble to All Out and A Thousand Beginnings and Endings anthologies I read earlier this year, they did get what it takes to make a varied, diverse, captivating anthology.
I did appreciate the diverse set of writers and the stories they have told in terms of sexuality and race. Unfortunately no non-binary/trans experiences or any non-US-centered experiences (fantastical setting nonwithstanding).
Total 15 stories: 5 stories are written by women of color (as far I know), 6 stories feature sapphic characters.
Despite the various disappointments, the anthology has started out strongly and thus I have mostly positive impression of it, even thought things went downhill somewhere in the middle.
My favorite stories in the anthology:
• Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer
• Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith
• Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore
Mini-reviews of each story:
Starsong by Tehlor Kay Mejia
4 stars
Beautifully written story about young bruja Luna Mendoza, her starsong, her Instagram account and her meeting a girls with freckles. Sapphic witch is a good way to start an anthology.
CW: mentioned death of a relative; hospitalization from alcohol and drug use
Afterbirth by Andrea Cremer
4 stars
Story about midwife apprentice in New England, mid 17th century. About birth, afterbirth, trial for witchery and the reality of not believing a woman’s word when she doesn't’t uphold the patriarchy.
The Heart in Her Hands by Tess Sharpe
4 stars
I dislike Soulmate AU in fanfiction but Tess Sharpe’s take on this trope is great. A big middle finger to fate itself and choosing the one you love. Also sapphic witches and fighting against the old way of doing things. I like this story a lot!
Death in the Sawtooths by Lindsay Smith
4 stars!
Wow! I’m impressed how the author created layered and captivating worldbuildung in a just a short form. I liked this story about witch of Lady Death and a bit of mystery solving. Well written and engaging. I wouldn't’t mind reading a novel big story in this world.
The Truth About Queenie by Brandy Colbert
3 stars
I didn’t really care about the story. I liked that it has all black cast, featuring the main character sixteen year old Queenie. The witchy part is lowkey, it mostly reads as a contemporary. There is a scene which can be considered cheating, even though it was a “spur of a moment” deal.
CW: cheating
The Moonapple Menagerie by Shveta Thakrar
3 stars
It was alright but I didn’t care much about what was happening. I believe it's East-Asian inspired story.
The Legend of Stone Mary by Robin Talley
3.5 stars
It had some cool ideas but the message was so simplistic and the narration was jumbled. The story was about teen girl in 1975, living in small town in the South (USA), she comes from the family rumored as witches. The girl is sapphic.
CW: abuse in the past
The One Who Stayed by Nova Ren Suma
4 stars
Whimsical in writing, devastating and relevant in plot. I was taken a back by the seriousness of the story. It’s an evident shift in tone from previous stories.
CW: rape (incl. mention of rape of a child)
Divine Are The Stars by Zoraida Córdova
3.5 stars
Magical realism story set in Colorado. I liked the story well enough but I can’t say I cared all that much. It has feminists themes and whimsy.
Daughters of Baba Yaga by Brenna Yovanoff
3 stars
The story was trying to be woke and deep but it all felt very surface level. However I do appreciate angry ruthless girls and I like that the main character comes from family of immigrants from Soviet Union.
The Well Witch by Kate Hart
2.5 stars
Set in late 19th century in Texas, a woman is living alone in the middle of the desert until three men arrive. The story isn’t bad but like with previous ones I just didn’t care. I’ve read quite a few story about witches besting terrible men. So nothing’s new about this one.
CW: unlawful imprisonment
Beware of Girls With Crooked Mouths by Jessica Spotswood
3 stars
Fairly interesting story about family of witches who is always fated to have just one girl survive in each generation. Until one girl tries to defy the rules, things do not go according to plan. I didn’t really care though.
Love Spell by Anna-Marie McLemore
4 stars
Beautiful lyrical story about a bruja and an acolyte of the church. It’s full of heart and sorrow and hope. McLemore’s magical realism stories never fail to hit me hard. I love them.
The Gherin Girls by Emery Lord
3.5 stars
Important story about significance of bond between sisters. However, I’m disappointed by the lack of trigger warning for any of this stories. This one in particular. The depiction of abusive relationship is graphic and disturbing. I appreciate the message of the story and slight witchy themes, I’m upset there weren’t any indication of triggering content going into it.
The story features a bi sister, a sapphic sister and a straight sister.
Also why one of the character is called Nova and Novy interchangeably? Is it a common knowledge? I was so confused before I got that it’s one person.
CW: abusive relationship in the past, recovery from abusive relationship, mention of gaslightening and manipulation.
Why They Watch Us Burn by Elizabeth May
3 stars
“Destroying a girl is one of the easiest things in the word. It’s such a simple for if denial, and it goes like this: bad things happen to those other girls. Other girls. Not this girl. Not me. I’m different.
You are only different until the day you’re not.”
Important story in recent media attention of constant sexual assault and abuse of power in different industries. However, while the story is poetically beautifully written, it doesn’t offer anything different from the previous stories. It’s the same story but with grimmer, darker dystopian-sequel Handmaid's Tale themes. I want to make it clear that the story could be easily a five star read, I wholeheartedly agree with the message and I appreciate how the author did it, but it’s the last story in the anthology and I’m judging it as part of anthology and I’m tired.
It has sapphic rep and f/f relationship between two captive women.
CW: assault, rape, persecution of innocent, death by fire
Do I recommend reading it? I honestly do not know. I am just relieved it is over.
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read
Toil & Trouble.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
November 8, 2017
– Shelved
November 8, 2017
– Shelved as:
to-read
November 8, 2017
– Shelved as:
2018-releases
October 6, 2018
–
Started Reading
October 6, 2018
–
9.0%
"Sapphic bruja is a good way to start an anthology 👌🏻
but pls stop saying poly when you mean polyam (polyamorous), poly belongs to Polynesian people."
page
36
but pls stop saying poly when you mean polyam (polyamorous), poly belongs to Polynesian people."
October 7, 2018
–
22.5%
"usually I dislike soulmate au but I like the Tess Sharpe’s take on it which is basically “screw fate” approach and I support"
page
90
October 13, 2018
–
75.75%
"I’ve read 11 stories, majority of them is 3-3.5 stars.
I don’t like how often the stories revolve around women fighting and winning against terrible men. Don’t get me wrong I’m a big fan of bringing vengeance on assholes but must all witchy stories revolve around it tho?"
page
303
I don’t like how often the stories revolve around women fighting and winning against terrible men. Don’t get me wrong I’m a big fan of bringing vengeance on assholes but must all witchy stories revolve around it tho?"
October 14, 2018
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-2 of 2 (2 new)
date
newest »
newest »
Bárbara wrote: "Great, informative and thorough review. Unfortunately, this sounds like something I can't be bothered to read so I'll have to pass. But you know me, I'm not exactly an anthology kind of girl ;)"
Thank you so much!!!
Yeah if you ever happen to be in an anthology mood that’s not the one to pick up anyways 😅
Unfortunately, this sounds like something I can't be bothered to read so I'll have to pass. But you know me, I'm not exactly an anthology kind of girl ;)