The Anatomy of Curiosity - Hardcover

Maggie Stiefvater; Tessa Gratton; Brenna Yovanoff

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1467723983 ISBN 13: 9781467723985

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books, 2015

Synopsis

The follow-up to the acclaimed title The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff.

In an unassuming corner of Brooklyn, a young woman learns to be ladylike, to love context, and to speak her mind from a very curious sort of tutor.

In a faraway land convulsed by war, a young soldier hears the desert's curious hum as he disarms bombs with the person he doesn't know how to love.

In a place so shriveled by drought that any drowning is a curiosity, a young writer tries again and again to tread water beneath the surface of a vast and unusual sea.

Three new stories--complete with commentary on the creative process--from three acclaimed young adult authors working at the height of their powers.

Curious?

About this title

About the Author

Brenna Yovanoff is the New York Times bestselling author of five young adult novels. She holds an MFA in Fiction from Colorado State University. She currently lives in Denver with her husband.

Reviews

Gr 9 Up—The three authors behind the dazzling collection The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories (Carolrhoda Lab, 2012) have assembled a new trio of vignettes; each author has penned one tale, including comments for future writers located in the margins, but with mixed results. Each short work sheds light on one aspect of writing: characterization, world-building, and the development of an idea. "Ladylike," Stiefvater's contribution and the weakest of the three, opens the volume. Aspiring writers will likely enjoy the literary advice more than the story. Stiefvater's quest is to thoroughly define protagonist Petra by one main trait. Unfortunately, this makes her one-dimensional and lowers readers' ability to empathize with her or to imagine adding their own little flourishes to the character. Gratton's "Desert Canticle," the instructive entry on world-building, presents a timely tale of the mage Aniv, a magically gifted transgender woman who is romantically paired with her male assistant, Rafel, in a bomb-defusing mission. The achingly desolate story examines identity, secrets, transformations, and hypocrisy in a postwar setting. Both the novella and the advice are equally memorable. Yovanoff's haunting tale, "Drowning Variations," thoroughly chronicles the growth of an idea. It is fascinating to see one drowning become the basis for many different stories and how the author refines and edits until completion. Yovanoff provides the largest amount of literary advice, placing it mostly within the chapter proper. VERDICT Purchase for aspiring authors seeking advice; otherwise, pass.—Cindy Wall, Southington Library & Museum, CT

Edition details

• Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1467723983
• ISBN 13: 9781467723985
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 286