The Poison Eaters

Author: Holly Black
Series: ---
Publisher: Big Mouth House
Publication Date: February 23, 2011
How Received: Borrowed
Rate: 5


Summary: In this collection of short stories, all save two have been previously published in various similarly named high-profile fantasy anthologies: The Restless Dead (2007), The Faery Reel (2007), and The Eternal Kiss (2009). Here, they’re brought together to present a multifaceted view of one of YA-dom’s most prominent urban fantasists. Cults of immortality seekers clamor to get bitten by vampires in “The Coldest Girl in Coldtown,” and a teenager makes a chilling sacrifice to save a neighbor and the boy she thinks she loves. Ever mindful that forbidden romance is a natural waltzing partner with dark fantasy, Black slips a sly coming-out element into “In Vodka Veritas,” where a secret private-school sect turns prom night into a Dionysian frenzy. To close out the volume, Black performs a neat bit of tinkering with structure in the title story, as a king reveals to his son and would-be poisoner an ingenious and surreal plot to exact revenge through a trio of venomous-to-the-touch sisters.


My thoughts:
I love Holly Black's work, and I always have high expectations for her stories. The Poison Eaters didn't disappoint. Ranging from stories about a vampire epidemic to revisiting the characters from her beloved Modern Faerie Tale series, Black has created a beautiful compilation of writing that moves very smoothly. The novel is impossible to put down; I read it in one sitting. The characters were very realistic and easy to relate to- I felt as if I was the one having to deal with crazy paranormal creatures and circumstances. Full of adventure and drama, The Poison Eaters is a stunning read, and I highly recommend it.
5/5
~Moujnir