Desdemona and the Deep

4.5 stars. Final review, first posted on Fantasy Literature (along with my co-reviewer and GR friend Kelly's enthusiastic review): This lushly-told novella, a Locus award nominee, is set in an alternative, fantastical version of our world, with strong 1920s vibes to it. There are hidden portals to di......more

Tor-Dot-Com just coming right for my soul with ALL THEIR NOVELLAS, IT'S FINE, I'M FINE. Desdemona is an atmospheric, slightly unsettling, misty, summer afternoon, but bound in a book. It's frenetic and achy, fierce and full of heart, sharp and delicate. It's fae, but done correctly--all sharp edged......more

Here are five reasons why you need this treasure trove of a book in your life: 1. The Prose The prose, guys. The prose. If you want to see blushing described as "double roses of reverence and rapacious cupidity," then you're in for a treat because that's the whole book. Rich, charismatic, whimsical, a......more

Review originally published at Fantasy Literature. Desdemona and the Deep (2019) is C.S.E. Cooney’s third novella in the DARK BREAKERS series, but is a self-contained story that can stand alone. A finalist for the Locus Award for Best Novella, Desdemona and the Deep is a dreamy, sensual trip through......more

Very personal and rather original, but I didn't like it much. A point particularly disturbed me: the relation of the heroine with her best friend, whom she's supposed to love and care for, but in fact use and even abuse regularly. The narrative choice to name her "he", even though she clearly identi......more