As others have noted, not all of these stories are from the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. The dedication hints strongly at this: "For the people who urged me to try writing short: Jane Yolen and the denizens of Fidonet WRITING echo."The reader is faced with a question not often faced in anthologies of short stories: is it best to flip to the back first and get the author's description of the origins of the stories, or just to read through and read the "Notes from The Author" afterwards?Wrede has made it clear what her own preference is. That's why she put the explanations in an Afterword. Others might make a different choice. I can't give advice. I've read the whole book before, but I don't remember all the details of the notes.I'll give synopses of the stories as I go...well, sort of. I've already reread most of the stories since yesterday. But the recent impressions are clear in my memory now, so I'll just write them up today, and get to the last story and the notes later.(1) Rikiki And The Wizard: All the blue chipmunk god wants is nuts. The Wizard demands things Rikiki can't understand. The wizard's main problems are greed, ambition, and a lack of concern for how others feel. But I doubt that the result would change these things much.(2) The Princess, The Cat, And The Unicorn: The cat's involvement seems almost superfluous--at first. Really, it turns out, the unicorn is the fifth wheel.(3) Roses by Moonlight: I don't know. I just doubt that all possibilities in somebody's life can be included in one garden, no matter how large. Adrian's choice not to choose is probably wise. You'd need a lot more chance to think before you COULD sort it all out--and to consider whether there are other possibilities that AREN'T in the garden.(4) The Sixty-Two Curses of Caliph Arenschadd: I think the Caliph needs to reconsider his whole attitude toward life. Flying off the handle at every little thing is bad enough for people who DON'T have great powers. But if you INSIST on doing such things, at least do your homework. I like the daughter's friend Tumpkin, by the way.(5) Earthwitch: The world of this story is poorly realized, but the fate of the invaders is still horrifying--and it's meant to be so, of course. But there's one point I still cavil at: why does nobody seem to try negotiation? It's not a question of fighting or not fighting--it's a question of believing that there are no alternatives to BOTH.(6) The Sword-Seller: Is not actually the focus of the story. This is a Witch World Story, and this is one case where I'd recommend flipping to the back almost immediately after reading the story to find out why Wrede decided to write a Witch World story, though it wasn't exactly an unusual undertaking at the time.(7) The Lorelei: You learn new things in the darnedest places. I never knew the Germans dynamited the Lorelei's rocks. Doesn't seem cricket, somehow. Anyway, the American students on a school trip come into the Lorelei's range. The protagonist learns about how to deal with her insecurities in the process.(8) Stronger than Time: Love, in case you were wondering. The true protagonist of this story is an elderly widower whose woodcutting skills are tested on a 'bramble' hedge around an enchanted castle. The woodcutter is somewhat sardonic, though still a romantic at heart. He's the one who points out that nobles often don't think of the impact of their behavior on the ordinary residents, for example. Contains some interesting theories of how long suspended animation lasts, and what happens after it begins to fail.(9) Cruel Sisters: A retelling of a folk song with several variants. The horror of the process of making the magic harp is somewhat understressed in traditional versions--and the middle sister is not found in most versions, either. It's interesting to see the sibling rivalry be represented as lifelong, and to consider whether death DOES end all feuds. One point: I'm not sure what Wrede is describing using the term 'brambles'. There are plants with very dangerous thorns (some even poisoned). But they're not often found outside the tropics, I'd have thought.(10) Utensile Strength: How do you find the proper wielder of the Frying Pan of Doom? Well, a cookoff, naturally.(11) (Following on the above): Quick After-Battle Triple-Chocolate Cake: I haven't tried this. It's not a flourless cake, but from the description it seems like one of those 'decadence' cakes: not fluffy but more of a brownie-like texture. I prefer the fluffy cakes, myself. Also, I've never used blackstrap molasses as an ingredient, so I don't know how it affects the flavor.(12) Notes from the Author: Which explains, among other things, how Wrede came to write a Witch World story.
Rikki and the Wizard (4/5) - A greedy wizard calls Rikki, a blue chipmunk god who loves nuts, and adorableness ensues.The Princess, the Cat, and the Unicorn (3/5) - A typical fairytale setting populated by characters with quirky, atypical personalities.Roses by Midnight (3/5) - Adrian sees glimpses of her possible futures. I liked the ending.The Sixty-two Curses of Caliph Arenschadd (3/5) - A wizard has a list of curses for those who offend him, but does not think through the consequences of someone getting too far down the list.Earthwitch (3/5) - Evan Rydingsword entreats the Earthwitch to save his people, and discovers they share a past.The Sword-Seller (3/5) - Auridan is given a sword, which unbeknownst to him, comes with strings.The Lorelei (3/5) - The Lorelei preys on high school students on a school trip.Stronger Than Time (3/5) - A Prince is a little late in saving the sleeping Princess in the enchanted Keep.Cruel Sisters (4/5) - A re-imagining of the events in the folk song "The Twa Sisters" or "The Cruel Sister". This one was my favorite of the set.Utensile Strength (3/5) - A wizard accidentally enchants a frying pan to be the ultimate weapon, and Cimorene and Mendanbar (The Enchanted Forest) need to find its intended owner.Quick After-Bake Triple Chocolate Cake (3/5) - A cute chocolate cake recipe. (I didn't try it.)This is a pretty light-hearted, cute, and amusing collection with a fairytale skew. I'm pretty sure I read it before since most of the stories were very familiar.
What do You think about Book Of Enchantments (2005)?
I do not usually read short stories. They turn me off, for some reason. I have no idea why, because when I do pick up an anthology or collection, I am usually happy with the results.Such was the case with Patricia C. Wrede's Book of Enchantments. This book was on my Library's withdrawn and for sale pile and its title and author led me to bring it home for myself. I read and enjoyed Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, co-written by Wrede and Caroline Stevermer.In this collection for Jan Yolen books, there are ten stories (and a cake recipe!) blending folklore, fairytale, and fantasy to create a most appealing melange to charm and delight. Wrede turns the fantasy and fairytale tropes on their heads for many of the stories, including "The Princess, the Cat, and the Unicorn" and "Utensile Strength." She re-imagines fairy and folk tales in "The Lorelei" and "Stronger Than Time." One of my favorite folk songs is fleshed out and given life in "Cruel Sisters." And her "Roses by Moonlight," her take on the Prodigal Son story, is haunting and fascinating. Her stories can be light and amusing, such as "Rikiki and the Wizard" and "The Sixty-two Curses of Caliph Arenschadd," or somber and serious, like "Earthwitch" and "The Sword-Seller."The poignancy of missing a deadline, considering the various paths of one's life, and the rivalry between sisters really grabbed me hard and made me not just like, but love several of the stories. After reading this book, I wondered why my Library withdrew it. I feel that, like me, others just don't give short stories a chance often. And for that, they truly miss out.I especially enjoyed the "Notes from the Author" at the very end, in which Wrede does not sidestep the question of "Where do you get your ideas?" as many authors do. Instead, she talks about each story's origins, showing that a writer's work, though often fantastical, springs from the muse of real life.
—Brandi
As a general rule of thumb, I don't like wizards and I dislike books that are simply a collection of short stories. I do love Patricia C. Wrede though and especially The Enchanted Forest Chronicles so when I found this book at our library, I couldn't resist.And I'm glad I didn't!Wrede is a delightful writer with funny characters and delightful plots you can't help liking. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the collection of short stories and the variations I found in them.Ten stories, each one with a slightly different theme/take, but all involving magic. Some of the endings are happy, others are depressing. I enjoyed that they all don't always end on a "happily-ever-after" note. Some are takes on familiar fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty, others are completely new, even with a modern setting. The very last story even has characters from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles! (<3 Cimorene and Mendanbar and Daystar!!!!)Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It was a charming breeze through some good, humorous but reflective writing with great plots and several morals the chew over. A perfect four stars.
—Amy
This is a series of short stories written all over the place and at lots of different times but all by Ms. Wrede. I have loved her fantasy books and so gave this a try and I was not disappointed. She is a very good author and does an amazing job of giving a sense of place and characters in few words. I liked most of the stories but I am not sure if they should be considered children's or ya. The first and last are the lightest and most like (and the unicorn one) what you might expect from her, especially since some of the fantasy characters are similar. However, some of the stories feel written for an older audience so read it before you assume an age on it... I am not even sure. 'Earth Witch' is a little abstract but so are many fairytales and most others are dark like this one too. I think I would be fine with my children reading it but I am not sure all parents would. Read it yourself, you will not be disappointed.
—Christina (Boupie)
