Thank you very much to the author and publisher, and to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Constellation of Forgotten Things is a collection of loosely interconnected short stories written collaboratively by the author, Tiffany Chu, and her late son, Renley Nicolas Chu. The stories are set in the fictional world of Reveria and explore themes of love, loss, grief, and death—among others.

This is a beautiful collection of stories; the world of Reveria is evidently rich with lore and made even more precious by its boundless tales. Few of these tales are of any historical significance to this world, instead focusing on the mundane experiences of often forgotten individuals. In making this choice, the authors evoke a sense of sonder in the reader. It is precisely this mundaneness that makes each character feel deeply familiar to the reader, whether as a reflection of oneself or of someone they have known.

The stories explore various avenues of sorrow and grief, whether between lovers, siblings, or parents and their children. My personal favourites were Tiffany Chu’s ‘Beneath The Hawthorne Tree’ and ‘A Song of Rain’; Renley Nicolas Chu’s ‘Born, Bound, Blind’ and ‘Walls’; and their collaborative project, ‘Until the Sun Sets Again.’ These, to me, felt the most cohesive and well-structured. ‘Born, Bound, Blind’ is particularly poetic and brought to my mind thoughts of imaginary friends waiting to be called upon by adults who have long forgotten them. Each of these stories, and indeed many others, were deeply emotional and written with an air of poetic romanticism I didn’t realise I was searching for.

I have pondered my criticisms of this collection quite extensively. Many of these stories are limited by somewhat clunky syntax, occasional unnecessary repetition, and even underwriting at times. All of these are criticisms I am reluctant to make when I understand the nature of these stories. Many of these were written by a 17–18 year-old boy who perhaps could have developed a better grasp of the craft had he lived long enough to learn it. I myself attended my first writing workshop at the age of 18, and my syntax was horrific then (it still is, in some of my first drafts). The issue of underwriting is even more painful to address when many of these stories were already expanded upon by Tiffany Chu, and therefore risked losing traces of their original author’s vision and intent. In the end, I determined that I should evaluate the stories as they are, as it would be disingenuous to rate a work based on what it could have been rather than what it actually is.

I can only commend Tiffany Chu for undertaking the unquestionably daunting challenge of expanding on these stories and refining them. As an editor, I know how modifying someone else’s work can at times feel almost sacrilegious to their intent and voice—I cannot fathom how much more difficult it would be to do so when the author is not present to confirm or deny whether the edits align with their preferences. Nevertheless, Tiffany Chu’s author notes at the end of each story provide ample context, explaining her choices and clarifying which parts belonged to Renley and which were her additions. These were a very welcome presence, and they provided insight into both creative processes like a beautifully episodic memoir.

This collection is a beautiful ode to its original author’s world and storytelling. Renley Nicolas Chu’s voice is vivid and lyrical, shown in how he instils his own emotions and experiences into his characters with incredible finesse. Tiffany Chu’s edits and additions often make these stories more hopeful and breathe light into them. The result is a fruitful collaboration resembling a starlit night sky, as poignant in its darkness as it is beautiful in its twinkling.

I jumped on this book as soon as my request was accepted. And I absolutely did not expect any of it, but I was definitely not disappointed.
This book is an anthology of different works connected through the world of Reveria, and deal with grief, loss, love, sometimes betrayal, sometimes depression. It is not an easy book to read, but it was no less beautiful because of it.
I devoured this book in a few hours, and I started crying after just a few pages. Those stories are beautiful and raw and heartbreaking in an unusual way, considering the themes they deal with, and the prose almost looked like poetry sometimes. I was taken right away about the story of how this book came to be, which I will not develop here because the story has to be experienced from start to finish.
I was surprised to learn that one of the authors was so young when he wrote the texts, and that only minimal editing had been done. The amount of pain and trials one has to go through to write like this is unimaginable. Most of those stories are bittersweet and sad, and you won't see a happy ending. But I find that these do not matter as much as portraying more credible turns of events. There are love stories, and stories of abandonment, grief, loss. The idea of being forgotten also comes out a lot, and it makes the reader reflect on their purpose, at least that was my case.
I don't have enough words to express how much this book means to me and changed me, and I am grateful that I got to be part of it for a little while.

This was such a beautifully written story. From the very first chapter, I found myself drawn into its emotional depth and thoughtful storytelling. The writing has a lyrical quality that makes every scene feel meaningful.

The characters felt authentic, and I enjoyed watching them navigate both personal growth and the larger story unfolding around them. It's one of those books that quietly stays with you after you've finished reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy

This book was such a beautiful and unique take on both a memoir and a collection of fairy tales. Going into this I didn’t know what to expect, but it definitely exceeded my expectations. I only wish the world building was a little bit more fleshed out. This is perfect to read at a slow pace especially reading one story a day. I love some of the stories so much i wish they were a full length novel especially ‘Memory and Shadow’.

Many thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for the ARC.

First and foremost, readers should expect a different reading experience with this book because the narration wouldn’t land perfectly with how novels are usually presented. Think of it as reading children’s fairy tales with abstract concepts, the choice of words leaning towards concepts than a structured narration that goes from point A to point B chronologically. This book appeals more to the reader’s boundless imagination and catching the reader’s emotions which is different from what a typical novel’s structure. Nevertheless, this book is a collection of stories meant for adults which are wrapped in fantasy to add a unique touch in delivering the moral lessons of each story. Some of the story brings charm and gleaming hope, while others will keep the readers wanting for more because of the open-ended conclusion.

What I enjoyed with this book was the enchanting story-telling that at face value, only shows a straightforward narration, but if the reader decides to ponder on the weight of words and lessons underlying each story, they will be rewarded of profound reflections which are relevant to human experiences. I also loved the author’s note at every end of the story, because it makes the entire book more intimate and special.

Among the stories that appealed to me was the tale of two brothers. Also, the trails of broken dreams is very magical that I wanted it to have a sequel. How it presented in an abstract form the feelings of skepticism and how seeking refuge from workloads served as an escape route to numb one’s despair. And approaching the world with cautious hope rather than preemptive disappointment is what deeply resonated with me while reading that story.

Other interesting stories were coherently told which formed a tasteful tapestry of short stories that all have common underlying themes. Parting ways to live separate lives and discover one’s own journey, growing pains brought by regret of not keeping loved ones, loss of pure innocence and playfulness from childhood friendship brought by drifting priorities, loving someone whose mind is somewhere else, gradual separation between two lovers due to diverging ideologies and paths were among them. Dealing with the aftermath of loss due to self-harm, as well as stories delving on outgrowing relationships, abandoning the place we once called home, and learning to thread a future in the absence of the people we once loved could also be expected.

On the things I didn’t like, perhaps it was the difficulty of being immersed with the book due to the lyrical prose and poetic tone used by the authors. I find myself struggling at the first few stories, although I adapted eventually. This kind of prose might be too cheesy or fluffy for certain readers who prefer fast-paced and sharp prose, those that value the chronological accounts that engages them to discover more of the characters’ setting and mood rather than using abstract concepts.