Laughter at the Academy by Seanan McGuire 5 stars

I have been reading Seanan McGuire since her InCryptid books and have read most of the recent Toby Daye books. She is a great writer and Subterranean Press has been good enough to put together a collection of her short fiction that was scattered into the published world into one volume. It is a great collection; I laughed, I cried and I was frightened. She brought back some of the wonder of childhood with the reality of growing up. In some of the stories I think the seeds of the Wayward Children series were there.

Laughter at the Academy - really funny and scary at the same time;
Lost - that made me cry;
The Tolling of Pavlov's Bells - made me think twice about public transportation;
Driving Jenny Home - made me think of Sparrow Hill Road;

I really enjoyed this book and hope that another collection of her short stories will be put together.

Thank you Netgalley and Subterranean Press for this ARC.

Thank

I am continually amazed at the prodigious amount of writing that Seanan McGuire turns out - the woman must never sleep... She's one of the few authors whose short work I reliably like (in such rarefied company as Neil Gaiman and Connie Willis, no less), and since she's featured in so many anthologies, she's often one of the reasons I decide to go against my natural inclination and pick up a book of shorts. When I saw she had a collection of entirely her own short fiction, I was naturally intrigued. This collection doesn't disappoint - although it does prove my general position about short story collections - namely, that even if you love the author, you won't always love all the stories...

Generally speaking, this is a fantastic collection. There's a great mix of topics and genres covered, from steampunk to horror to supernatural to the just plain bizarre (something McGuire excels at). It felt like reading a number of different authors, but with her particular Seanan-ness touch to each one - if that makes any sense. She's so versatile, it's like she has 73 people living inside her head - which, given her proclivity for weird, maybe she does... Several of these felt decidedly Mira Grant (one person who clearly DOES live inside her head, since it's her most prolific pseudonym), while others felt completely Seanan McGuire, and since I really like both voices, that was cool for me.

A number of these appear to be from her earlier writing, which was cool, because I only happened to find one story that I'd already read before. Usually if an author compiles an anthology of their own shorts, it's to collect things that have already been published elsewhere and give their diehard fans a chance to own those myriad pieces in one book (or, I suppose, cynically - give the author a chance to double-dip on previously written work). While it's true that many (most) of these are previously published, I personally hadn't come across many of them, so for me this was a truly great find, even if I didn't engaged at the highest levels with all of the stories. A couple felt like precursors or parallels to some of her Mira Grant stand-alone works like Into the Drowning Deep (hard-core mermaids) and In the Shadow of Spindrift House (Lovecraftian Others), and that was interesting because it felt like a peek behind the curtain into where those worlds came from.

I'm not a huge fan of steampunk or alien/space sci-fi, so those tales were out of my wheelhouse - although still written with McGuire panache, they weren't as good to me simply because they're not topics I particularly enjoy reading. I do love when she writes supernatural and Just Plain Weird stuff, and those were the highlight of the collection for me.

My favorites bar none were the doll stories - what is it about dolls and the creepy factor?! Those two - one taking artificial intelligence into exactly the kind of scary place I imagine it going (We Are All Misfit Toys in the Aftermath of the Velveteen War) and the other playing fast-and-loose in an incredibly original way with the Pinocchio mythology (There is No Place for Sorrow in the Kingdom of the Cold) - were incredible: original, eerie, and delightfully descriptive in the darkest, best way. There were a couple of tales that riffed off of Peter Pan - one (Lost) was probably my favorite of the collection; the other (In Skeleton Leaves) was marvelously crafted but for some reason just didn't resonate with me the same way. There's a cool story-as-tweets that was dark and clever and creepy - and for me to admit that is a Big Deal since non-traditional narrative formats usually fall flat with me (case in point, From A to Z in the Book of Changes, a "tale" she tells through the alphabetic submissions of readers - which felt more like an attempt to be clever and inclusive than an actual story to me). She covers classic ghost tales (Driving Jenny Home) and urban legends (Uncle Sam) in her signature, take-no-prisoners style of wry wit and creepy atmospherics. And The Tolling of Pavlov's Bells was horrifyingly timely and downright terrifying for its eerie possibility.

All in all this was a fabulous collection that I devoured in two sittings (only because I couldn't read it as it got late or I'd NEVER have slept). McGuire is an incredibly talented storyteller - she blends original ideas with existing mythology, and the alchemical process by which she does so produces a result that is indeed golden...

Laughter at the Academy shows yet again Ms McGuire's strong ability with words -- she excels IMO at pulling one into the story. Unfortunately for me the stories leaned much more toward the horror side than I generally care for (second time this has happened - that an author whose novels I enjoy's book of short stories were much darker and not so much to my taste). So for this reason alone I have to give it a slightly lower star rating than it otherwise deserves -- for the fan that likes the slightly horrifying, dancing around the edge of horror, this will no doubt be the perfect book of short stories.

Seanan McGuire is one of my favorite authors. While I’ve only read a few of her works, what I have read I enjoyed so much that I consider her one of my auto-buy authors. Naturally, when I received an email saying that my request for a review copy of this book had been approved I squealed and leaped in headfirst.

I would like to begin by saying that we should all take a moment to be grateful that McGuire has chosen to be an author rather than, say, a mad scientist; I truly believe she is so brilliant and creative she could accomplish world domination if she really wanted to. Every story in this collection was unique, and I am envious of her imagination - even the ones I didn’t enjoy as much were still fresh and unexpected. Adding to the charm was the blurb by the author at the beginning of each story. They were delightful, and it was interesting to learn about the origins of each story.

I went into this collection 100% blind, being completely unfamiliar with all of the stories. I believe this made it all the better, and added to the reading experience. As such, I’ll try to touch on a few of my favorite stories, as well as ones I didn’t enjoy as much, without giving too much away.

Uncle Sam - I LOVED this one. It was the perfect length, and was such a fresh and unique take on the age old question of “why do girls always go to the bathroom together”? I love this one so much I shoved it in my husband’s face and said “READ THIS”. I would love if the true story of Uncle Sam and the founding fathers became a viral modern folktale.

Emeralds to Emeralds, Dust to Dust - this one wasn’t my favorite, and part of the reason is because I'm not a big fan of “The Wizard of Oz” and its corresponding universe. I appreciated the fresh take, but it’s not my cup of tea. This one also felt rather front-loaded: a lot of information and action in the first half that fizzled out by the end. It started out with a bang, but didn’t quite reach its full potential.

We Are All Misfit Toys in the Aftermath of the Velveteen War - if she ever wrote a full length novel based on this idea, I would buy it in a heartbeat. This walked the perfect line between horror and fantasy, tugging on my heartstrings while making me terrified of a not-too-distant future.

Each to Each - my absolute favorite story in the collection. “Into the Drowning Deep” was one of my favorite reads this year, and I’m a sucker for mermaids and the deep sea. This was so unique and atmospheric, I felt like I was deep beneath the sea in a submarine, longing for something more. I wish this one was longer and I could truly dive into its pages.

Bring About the Halloween Eternal!!! - a story written in the form of a kickstarter campaign. Lighthearted and funny, and actually made me laugh out loud a few times. I would throw $5 at this campaign.

In Skeleton Leaves - I didn’t enjoy this one all that much, mainly because it felt difficult to follow. Maybe that’s because I haven’t heard the story of Peter Pan in a while, but it left me confused and scratching my head by the end. A good idea, but not the greatest execution.

Threnody for Little Girl, With Tuna, at the End of the World - this one almost made me cry. Perhaps it was the evocative language, or perhaps because it was jarringly realistic, but if you had told me I would be tearing up on a Saturday night at a story about a fish dying I wouldn’t believe you. This was both heartbreaking and thought provoking.

#connollyhouse #weshouldntbehere - a short horror story told in the form of tweets. Maybe I loved the kickstarter story too much, but this one just didn’t do it for me. I thought the format would be fun, but instead I found myself slightly annoyed with the style.

Down, Deep Down, Below the Waves - what a way to finish with a bang! This was the longest story in the bunch, and the slow burn in the beginning made the dawning realization all the more satisfying. Atmospheric, creepy, and left me wanting more. I have a feeling I’ll be thinking about this story for the next few days.

All in all, I immensely enjoyed this short story collection. I was torn while reading it because I wanted to both devour and savor every story. If you’re a longtime fan of Seanan McGuire, or completely new to her work, there’s something in here for everyone.

Many thanks to Subterranean Press and Netgalley for my review copy!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC. I loved loved this! I have read a few things so far from Seanan McGuire & Mira Grant and I have yet to find something I don't completely adore! Her writing style is something to be admired and it sings to my soul. I will read every single thing she writes forever.

A couple of years ago I made a goal to read all of Seanan McGuire’s short stories. Boy does she write a LOT of stories. It’s difficult to keep up with her short fiction output as she publishes on her Patreon and in several anthologies every year. I did get to about 80% complete and every story is wonderful in its own way.

This collection is a great starting point for someone wanting to see what her short fiction is about. Seanan can definitely pack a punch in a small package and some of these stories will have you rolling on the floor in laughter or rocking in the fetal position out of fear. There are a couple gut punches that will leave you in tears. Almost any emotion you can think of will be felt reading this collection.

Seanan is a prolific master of the short story and Laughter at the Academy is I hope only the first of many collections to come.

Laughter at the Academy is my first introduction to Seanan McGuire and what an introduction! The book is a collection of single author short stories - the first for McGuire. Prefacing each story is a brief peak into origin of the tale and subsequently our author. We have mad scientists, gremlin scientists(!), Neverland, Oz, the destruction of the human race, and on and on. With genres ranging from space opera to crime procedural to steampunk and so much more. Each story is crafted with a deft expertise that kept me hooked. Oh, did I forget to mention cheerleading valkyries? Because there are cheerleading Valkyries! This book just keeps on giving.

McGuire cut her teeth in the world of fanfic and her love and reverence for the genres she explores, for the characters and the worlds that her characters inhibit is in full display.

With each story I found myself diving into characters that felt whole and lived in. Recognizable yet unique. And I have to say I was floored by how well developed these characters felt within the limitations of short story framework. Nothing - characters, settings, or plot - ever feels short changed or rushed. More often than not I found myself wanting to spend more time in these worlds and with these characters.

It's hard to pick a favorite story, it seemed with each I found myself saying "This is it! Nothing is going to top this one!" only to have the next swiftly rise to the top.

A few of my favorites...

Lost is an absolutely beautiful story about siblings, growing up, and letting go giving a twist to the world of Neverland. It's simple in its story telling but effective, guiding you through mystery, loss, sadness, and bittersweet happiness.

Uncle Sam dives into urban legend wrapped in the origins of united states and tied together with the age old question of "why do women go to the restroom in pairs". This story is one where I feel McGuire's skill with characters shine. This group of friends sitting around celebrating, their well tread and gentle ribbing and camaraderie has been lived by all of us. The ending, while admittedly slightly predictable, is eerie and well handled. Absolutely gave me chills.

Emeralds to Emeralds, Dust to Dust... Allow me to fan girl a bit. Within the first 3 paragraphs I was sold. By the end I wanted more, 12 books and a TV series, plskthx. I love this story and world with an intensity usually reserved for my cat. Dorothy 'Dot' Gale is a bad ass. She is the Wicked Witch of the West and a Princess of Oz. Set in, we'll Oz, but it's not the Oz of yesteryear. This Oz is gritty, segregated, and drug filled. I really, really, really, want to see this brought to life... Someone call Netflix!

Office Memos gives us Gremlin scientists, what can go wrong? Lots. And then lots more. Written in the style of inter office memos and private emails we follow the ever escalating mishaps of Eustacia ni’Aiodhan, Gremlin Scientist. From explosions to accidental building invisibility and accidental gender reversal this story is a delight!

Overall, this is a wonderful collection of short stories. One that I know I will go back to time and again. If you love fantasy, well crafted and strong female characters, unique twists to familiar and new worlds then you will adore Laughter at the Academy and Seanan McGuire!

This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and balance review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review. Seanan McGuire is among my top five favorite authors. If you have read her works you probably love her too. If you haven't this short story anthology "Laughter at the Academy" will be a great introduction. There is at least a little something for all readers in this collection. My count shows twenty one stories bundled here. This author has a very twisted mind and it makes for some great stories. (I am also a bit concerned she is planning to destroy the world since I've read these shorts!)

I didn't dislike any of the stories but there were a few I was just 'ok' about. That said, I want to highlight some of my favorites:
We are All Misfit Toys in the Aftermath of the Velveteen War- This story about a world where smart toys revolt is my absolute favorite. The plot, the world, are so developed and engrossing I'd love to see this story expanded. It has a ton of heart too.

Uncle Sam- super short story about why women go to the restroom together. This story was pretty creepy!

Lost- A story about a world where children disappeared one night and the aftermath of the event. Again fantastic world and very emotional. I want more.

The Lambs- Human like robots are walking the halls of high schools both to attract bullies from other human students and to record bullying behavior.

Office Memos- a laugh out loud series of office memos from a very unusual lab/office

Driving Jenny Home- Who doesn't love a ghost story? I loved the twist on this one.

There is No Place for Sorrow in the Kingdom of the Cold- holy cow! This story about a dollmaker is creepy and sad and hints at so much more. I can see a series of books coming from this world. This includes a great revenge aspect.

Threnody for Little Girl With Tuna at the End of the World- Beautiful and sad and ends on a creepy note. A true lament.

Connelly House is a very quick horror story told in a series of tweets from a ghost hunter.

"Down, Deep Down Below the Waves"- This is another story I feel needs to be expanded. It is a bit longer than the other stories so you connect more with the characters and get to know the narrator's motivations.

I will mention two others that I didn't love but I know others will:
Emeralds to Emeralds is an OZ re-imagined story where Dorothy is grown and grumpy and is asked by Ozma, her ex lover, to solve a murder. I didn't care for this particular version of Dorothy but the world is intriguing.

In Skeleton Leaves was more enjoyable to me. It is re-imagined version of Peter Pan. The kids are getting tired of being constantly at war with the pirates and their (newest) Pan has moved them to a much more violent world.

This one is certainly a must for your short story collection or your Seanan McGuire collection. I adored it!

I felt like I had an early Christmas gift when I found out this book on my shelf because even Seanan McGuire decides to write a grocery shopping list and release it, I buy it for not thinking a second. So you may see how I enjoy her visionary, creative, ultra-evil genius writing skills.

Thankfully this book did not disappoint me. Seanan McGuire is that kind of writers who may always satisfy you with her witty, well developed characters, her gory, vulgar, dark POV which perfectly fits with her story-telling.

I considered this book is greatest bedtime stories for my near future kids. I know this could be a little scary book to share with your own kids but we are coming from a generation raised by Grimm tales. So I think our kids will be okay to be raised by McGuire visionary.and her fantastic stories.

It was a slow read for me because I absorbed each story slowly and took my time to enjoy it and my eyes were about to fill in tears as I finished them.

Great journey, fantastic and smart creation gave me amazing and entertaining time!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press for sharing this wonderful ARC COPY with me in exchange myy honest review.

McGuire is one of the few authors who I think does short stories very, very well. She is able to build creepiness and horror adeptly enough that she does not need a lot of build up. I didn't love every story in this collection, but I really enjoyed almost all of them, which makes a successful short story collection in my opinion!

Our friend, Forrest Gump, once said that life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you'll get. Well, opening up an anthology/short story collection by an author you've never heard of, let alone read, is kind of the same thing. No idea what to expect. No idea which direction it goes in other than some vague reference to fantasy. Apparently, though, McGuire has published some two dozen books about seven different fantasy worlds and has wide ranging interests from zombie apocolypses to candyland as well as a twisted fascination with the life of dolls. Who knew?

There are a quite a number of stories in this collection and not all of them captured my interest (simply not my cup of tea). But, there were some really creative stories that are worth the price of admission.

“We Are All Misfit Toys in the Aftermath of the Velveteen War” is the story of what happens when the learning dolls go to war with the adults and take the children with them as hostages. As silly as it sounds, it is quite a trip.

“Down, Deep Down, Below the Waves” is the story of the future of the all-female submarine fleets where the women are modified to become more mermaid than human. It seriously could be the start of a whole series.

“The Lambs” is the story of robots set to function in public schools undercover to ferret out bullies, an idea unique in its implementation because these are not like secret terminator robots, but secret recording teddy bear like children who play back recordings at graduation time.

“Lady Antheia’s Guide to Horticultural Warfare” is the story of an invasion by plant people who want to rule the universe because they can.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In every anthology I've read, there have been at least two stories I did not care for.
This is not the case with Laughter at the Academy.

Military mermaids, lonely dolls, and vengeful geniuses are a few of the friends you'll meet on this wild trip of a book and it is definitely worth the ride!

Few purchase a collection unless they already enjoy the author. No surprise that I am a Seanan McGuire (who also writes under the name of Mira Grant) fan.
Ms. McGuire is one of the writers who looks equally comfortable in long form as in short. She writes a lot of each. IIRC she has at least 6 books out this year and did the same last year. There is no drop off in quality I have ever noticed. She just does not sleep.
Laughter at the Academy collects some of her short fiction. Ms. McGuire writes so much short fiction, published in so many different magazines and anthologies, that I find it impossible to keep up. I had only read two of the stories before. I am so glad to get this collection and read some wonderful stories I would always have missed. They being published in anthologies I often have never heard of, let alone purchased. I hope this is a success and that Subterranean does another collection with her soon.
If there is a stand out story in the collection I would choose "Threnody for Little Girl, With Tuna, at the End of the World" though my personal favorite is The Lamb.
This collection is published as a limited, signed, hardcover at $40.00. I have already ordered mine. It is worth the price. Order yours too.

Thank you Subterranean for letting me read this early.