"What is a monster if not someone, some thing, caught between?”

GennaRose Nethercott has proven to be a master of dark fairytales. I loved Thistlefoot so I jumped on the chance to read her new collection of short stories.

These are all unique and horror filled twists on the fairytales we all know. The one that really stuck out to me and still lingers is Homebody but they were all good.

I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys dark fairytales.

Thank you Vintage Anchor for giving me an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A while back, I read, and loved, Gennarose Nethercott's Thistlefoot, about a brother and sister who inherit the chicken-footed house of Baba Yaga lore. It isn't often I've liked one book enough to immediately add the author's next work to my list, but that was the case with her new release, Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart, a collection of short stories.

From pre-teens navigating adolescence with obscure magic to a boy whose sister has drowned thirty-seven times to a trans-Atlantic love so strong that a ghost is accidentally born from the longing, the fourteen stories in this slim volume run the gamut. Nethercott's miniature worlds are strange, sometimes eerie things, and many are wrapped in a kind of haze like you just woke up and can't quite remember what's real and what was a dream. The familiar and the fantastic are knotted so tightly it's hard to tell where one stops and the other begins, but this doesn't feel like urban fantasy or your typical magical realism; somehow, these stories feel organic, like they were already growing in the odd cracks in everyday life and were simply scraped out for the purpose of this collection.

Story collections are fascinating tours of a writer's toolbox. In two stories, Nethercott uses encyclopedia entry-like forms to tell a story; in another, a calendar is repurposed as a narrative tool. Tenses and points of view are played with, skewed. Though many of the stories verge on the dark or twisty side of things, there really is a strong sense of playfulness throughout. It's like watching shadow children frolic, or sprites dance, things that are having fun but can also devour you whole. At turns, Nethercott's stories reminded me of one of my favorite story collections, Rafael Bob-Waksberg's Someone Who Will Love You In All Of Your Damaged Glory. I was reminded, too, of Brian Evenson's also-excellent Song For the Unraveling of the World. I think this collection, like those other two, will be one I return to time and time again.

In her acknowledgements, Nethercott writes that she wrote the stories in this collection while on tour for her first book, The Lumberjack's Dove. Over those eight months, she traveled the country, met loads of new people, crashed on couches, and slept in her car next to dive bars. I'd imagine the experience was thrilling yet displacing at the same time, and it does seem like a lot of the stories in Fifty Beasts do feel untethered. But they also feel thoughtful and open, arms open in an embrace that carries with it as many roses as thorns.

I love bizarre queer fiction!!! Nethercott beautifully weaves stories of grief, loss, obsession, love and self-love.

It’s not usual for me to love every single story in a collection, but this is the exception. Highly recommend this book to anyone who loves dark fairytales, house books, abstract metaphor-like stories, and queer stories.

Thoroughly enjoyed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage for the ARC!

"Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart" by GennaRose Nethercott is a mesmerizing collection that delves deep into the shadowy crevices of love, revealing its power to both heal and harm. Nethercott masterfully crafts a series of dark fairytales and fractured folklore that not only captivate with their eerie beauty but also probe the complexities of human desires and fears. This anthology is a testament to the author's ability to transform the grotesque and the fantastical into profound reflections on love's many forms and follies. Highly recommended for those who are drawn to the beautifully bizarre and the unsettlingly romantic.

I enjoyed a good handful of these stories but some of them were a little too odd for my tastes. However I know that there are going to be people out here who can read these and appreciate them much more because this is their specific genre they really enjoy. This was my introduction to Gennarose's writing and I have to say she has me hooked. I really loved her prose and thought her writing was beautiful. The stories that I liked, the symbolism was easy for me to see but others I personally just didn't get. Now the stories range from eerie and morose to just plain odd. I'll definitely be picking up her other works to get more acquainted with her style.

This short story collection, “Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart and Other Stories by GennaRose Nethercott is thoughtful and provocative, the beauty and darkness of the stories will wind their way around your heart and make you long for heartbreaking love. 

All of the stories within the collection explore love in various permutations. Most delve into the darker aspects of love although there is one, The Thread Boy, that beautifully explores the connections that we make in life and how we would be lost without them. In some of the stories, it explores the monstrous and the power of the female voice. Dear Henrietta has a chilling pace, dark yet intriguing. And the Bestiary is a story that is told within little snippets, a unique way to create a narrative. But in each story what compelled me to read more was the way love and relationships, both positive and toxic, were depicted and shared. It was a lush and fantastic ride. 

If you like short story collections, you might try this one. It has an unusual format in many of the tales. Plus if you don’t have time to read a full book, the short stories herein can be read one at a time and savored, like the jewels they are. Each is exquisitely crafted with complex characters and emotional stories. I loved every thoughtful and contemplative story within this collection and I think you will too.

I was very intrigued by the concept of this anthology.

This collection of short stories by GennaRose Nethercott has wonderfully macabre and varied tales that give you a surreal vision of the limits of fantasy in our everyday lives.

I think, in the end, I did enjoy reading this collection. There were certainly a few different stories that definitely flew over my head because of their surrealism, but for the most part there were really fantastic stories that had great social commentary. I believe that due to its nature as an anthology, it makes sense that I did not fully enjoy each and every one of the stories, and definitely won’t hold it against itself because it didnt fully wow me.

Some of the stories were amazing: I certainly recommend the eponymous “Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart” as well as “The Plums at the End of the World”. They have such spooky elements that are coordinated with amazing prose and themes.

This is for the horror reader that is looking for something a little bit more bizarre.

There was much I enjoyed with GennaRose’s first release, Thistlefoot. One standout factor which has carried over to this short story collection is the originality of the myth and magic.

I haven’t had the greatest luck with short story collections recently but this one surprised me. Hooked into me with the right amount of “weirdness,” creatively and intricately woven. The writing was lyrical and the stories border on literary fantasy I’d say. I was left thinking on them upon finishing and trying to unravel deeper meanings. GennaRose also knows how to write a lead, the first few sentences have a way to pull you in.

This did hurt a few of the stories though. A lot of this book is very surrealist that, deeper analysis and figuring out what was going on can be challenging. Some stories suffered from this vagueness and open ended nature for interpretation.

My favorite stories were “sundown at the Eternal Staircase” which really showcases the author’s world building capability- painting a clear setting in a shorter format and quickly engaging; “Drowning Lessons” which pulled relatable feelings of loneliness and wanting; the title story, “Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart,” set up with creative creatures as a bestiary with cute illustrations and a narrative within the narrative; “A Lily is a Lily” really pulling on those relating a relationship to a haunting and exploring how damaging idealization can be, and “Dear Henrietta,” which left me in for a twist!

Overall I would recommend this collection, especially if seeking something a bit more haunting and strange for the Fall!

This was both whimsical in a good way and whimsical in a bad way for me. Some of the stories I really loved, especially homebody (which was so amazing and groundbreaking and I am still thinking about it!!). But some of the stories were too disconnected and difficult to follow. I most disliked the fifty beasts sections because it felt the most disconnected. Overall, I think would be a good fit for readers who favor the whimsy and don’t need something concrete to have a good time.

Thank you to NetGalley and vintage anchor for an advanced reader copy of this book

4 stars-- What an absolutely abstract ride this short story collection is. This is a mixture of magical realism, twisted folklore, and folk myths that lean towards something horror-adjacent that I overall enjoyed.

Each story is unique in the sense I don't think I've read anything quite like them. Imagine a modern Grimm's fairytale compendium but they skew towards something contemporary. My favorite story of this was probably The Thread Boy, because it was vivid and yet the ending felt like it was a new fairytale. A close second was The Eternal Staircase due to the sarcastic and self-aware nature of the prose and narrator, as well as its sly humor. These are all really fractured fables if you will; Nethercott takes a deep dive into what dark fairytales are and why they capture our imagination! (Outside of the stories, I really loved the illustrations in the Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart story!)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an advanced readers copy. This did not affect my reviews in any way.

I love little fantasy short stories and these are so whimsical. Some I was not as engaged in and others I was just left wanting a bit more out of. But alas, that is the world of short stories!

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Thanks to NetGalley and Vintage Anchor for providing an eARC.
3.5 out of 5 stars.

I first read GennaRose Nethercott with her incredible novel about Baba Yaga, Thistlefoot. I enjoyed her writing and the story. Some of these stories were up to par with how I felt about Thistlefoot, while others confused me immensely.

To get the title story out of the way, it was more a list of fictional fauna used in bouquets for various anticipated results. I found the drawings cute and the stories that went along with the animals interesting.

Hands down my favorite story in this book was "The War of Fog" which was borderline genius and mesmerizing. I also enjoyed "Sundown at the Eternal Staircase" and "A Haunted Calendar," which I enjoyed immensely in its uniqueness.

Some of the stories that didn't quite make me scream with glee were "A Diviner's Abecedarian," which I found both creepy and juvenile, and "The Thread Boy."

Oh yeah, I also enjoyed "Drowning Lessons."

Overall, an incredible collection of haunting and unique tales.

A marvelous yet mystical fairytale approach was absolutely stunning to see. I really loved reading these and in the most abstract of ways, they made sense. Sometimes a book like this is so beautiful and refreshing, story after story.

Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart is an interesting and varied collection of short fiction by GennaRose Nethercott. Due out 6th Feb 2024 from Knopf Doubleday on their Vintage imprint, it's 272 pages and will be available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.

The stories are varied and across a range of subjects. The author has a very abstract style of writing and most of these selections are more vignettes than actual character or action driven stories with a discernable plot. They are weighted toward the fantastic and horror(ish) side, and there is a fairytale vibe to most of them.

There are 14 stories in all, and they vary in length. One of the best features of anthologies and collections is that they're often full of new-to-me authors for further reading. Another bonus is that short fiction is spare and technically challenging, so you get a better feel for an author's expertise with the form. Short fiction is less of a time commitment as well, so if one story is not working for you, there's another piece readily available in a few pages.

The author is undeniably talented and there are glimmers of the sublime in some of the word pictures. On the other hand, it's *not* particularly narrative. Fans used to a more stream-of-consciousness style of storytelling will find a lot to like here. Although it's not at all derivative, some of the more stunning passages recall Cat Rambo, Bruce Taylor (Mr. Magical Realism), or Ray Bradbury's more fanciful imagery.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

DNF. I just can't get into Nethercott's stories. I had the same problem with Thistlefoot. Her writing and the stories themselves are by no means bad, they just don't hold my interest.

This is was exactly the kind of strange I was looking for. Some of the stories felt a bit meandering and didn’t pack the punch they were hoping to pack. I absolutely loved A Diviner’s Abecedarian! Such a great story.

Reading this book felt like sitting in a room filled with dry flower bouquets, on a rainy day, staring out the window at a cemetery. This short story collection told powerful stories about the different kinds of loss: whether that be grief, breakups, or a loss of self.

I liked how this book was able to balance weird, eerie, and emotional. Some of this was very light and fun while other stories made me feel a deep empathetic sadness. A stunning addition to this book was the drawings that went with the bestiary story. This is a short story collection I will happily recommend.

An Eclectic Collection of Hits and Misses

GennaRose Nethercott's "Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart" is a collection of dark fairytales and fractured folklore exploring all the ways love can save us—or go monstrously wrong. While I found some stories far more enjoyable than others, there were a few that failed to capture my interest, leading me to skip them altogether.

The strength of Nethercott's work lies in her ability to craft narratives that evoke powerful emotions. Certain stories within the collection struck a chord, weaving poignant and memorable tales that lingered in my thoughts long after reading. The author's lyrical prose and imaginative storytelling were evident in these standout pieces, making them the true gems of the collection.

However, the collection is not without its pitfalls. As with any anthology, personal preferences play a significant role, and there were stories that didn't align with my taste, prompting me to skip them altogether. The eclectic nature of the compilation means that readers may find themselves more drawn to specific themes or styles while remaining indifferent to others.

Standout stories for me included: Sundown at the Eternal Staircase, The Tread Boy, Drowning Lessons, A Lily is a Lily, and The Plums at the End of the World.

Despite the varied reception of the stories, Nethercott's talent as a storyteller is undeniable. While not every story may resonate with every reader, the diversity of the collection ensures that there's something for everyone, making "Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart" a worthwhile read for those who appreciate a mix of literary styles and narrative approaches.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

(Actual 3.75⭐) I'm a lover for abstract stories, so while some may have found this book difficult or "pointless" to read, I did not. As with all short story collections, not every story featured here is a winner, but I definitely loved the writing for most of them— it was moody, atmospheric/gothic in style, and overall quite beautiful.

"It's true-you can't really be angry with someone without loving them first. Sort of the way that you can't cook a meal without heating the pan. You have to care to the point that the grease starts spitting up at you in pinpricks, and then, only then, can the anger start.”


Overall I felt like many of the short stories went over my head. The theme or overarching meaning of the story at times felt so buried within the imagery that I had a hard time seeing the bigger picture.

Of all the short stories I really enjoyed:
Sundown at the Eternal Staircase
The Thread Boy
Fox Jaw
Drowning Lessons

If you're a big lover of folktales, I can definitely see you being a big fan of this.

Thank you to Netgalley & Vintage for the ARC!