Artifice & Access: A Disability in Fantasy Anthology

I don't read that many short story anthologies but I usually enjoy them when I do. This was such a stellar read! Normally I find myself rating them 4 or so but this time I couldn't rate it anything other than 5! I enjoyed almost every story. I loved the casual representation featured in them and see! It's easy! To include them!

I'll write specific thoughts for each of the stories and then add a ⚔️ by my favourites – I like doing that for short stories.

One Cream, Five Sugars by Harper Kinsley – This was a cute one! The cute meetings and there's a service dog. This one I could've definitely had more of (like with a lot of these short stories).

A Witch's Tale by Rascal Hartley – I'm always up for a good mentor story. I liked how the main character in this adapted – going from “Oh I can't do x” to “I can do x, just in y way”. And that's something you can either be taught by someone else or learn by yourself.

Use Your Words by Zira McFarlane – This one was cute (I'll say that about a lot of them haha). I liked the inclusion of sign language and how the two main characters worked well together.

⚔️ The Changeling of Brushby by Natalie Kelda. I loved the inclusion of autism and “oh everyone thinks I'm weird but the Fae... Like me”. I liked getting to know Tilde and just wanted the best for her – luckily she got exactly that.

To Make Her Eat by M. Stevenson – listen, I'm just out here eating up all the weird Fae stories (look, romantasy Fae is fun and all but normal weird Fae stories... Even better)

⚔️ Hope, Be It Never So Faint by Ashley N. Y. Sheesley – I'd first heard about this anthology from Ashley so I couldn't wait to get to it! I LOVED the idea of Marian in a wheelchair!

A Night for Mischief by Elior Hayley – This one was a fun ride with deception and twists. One thing shown multiple times in this anthology was aids – in this specific story it was hearing aids but they're called sound-catchers. And that shows that you can have hearing and other aids in fantasy!

Lessons in Botany by Casper E. Falls – I always love this story that it's based upon and seeing it like this is a cool change.

⚔️ Stroke of Midnight, Shoes of Glass by Adie Hart – I'm always up for a Cinderella retelling. I like how she bonded with the prince (as always) and had fun – that's what I enjoy the most about the retellings, seeing her have fun.

In Another World, I Twist The Knife by Rory G. – This was quite confusing to follow but I managed to eventually and I ended up enjoying it.

The Knife That Makes The Cut by Lynne Sargent – This was also confusing but interesting in the end. But what I like – because I'm sure about this – even if I don't really understand the story, there'll be others that really do.

Angharad Ferch Truniaw by Tam Ayers – While this wasn't one of my favourites I still really enjoyed it and the journey it took me on of family and the determination showed by the main character.

The Girl and the Gum-Riddle by Ella T. Holmes – This was so weird and I loved every moment i was reading it. I liked how it just ended and “hey, the girl might be okay but she'll also go through a lot of flares” like same.

City of the Sun by Kara Siert – This was sad at times but I liked the turn it took because it was focused on community and being with loved ones – through the hard times.