POLESTARS 5
A series of single author collections by outstanding writers. The Polestar, or North Star, is defined as the brightest star in Ursa Minor; since every author chosen for this series is a star in their own right, Polestars provides the ideal banner under which to unite such exceptional works.
Debut collection from a French author who has been making a name for herself with regular contributions to Interzone and elsewhere (Clarkesworld, ParSec, etc). Providing a fresh perspective on the world, humanity, and its potential (both good and bad), Cécile’s fiction reflects her love of the natural world and concern for its future. Elephants in Bloom contains her finest previously published stories, as selected by the author, alongside eight brand new tales that appear here for the first time.
Shortlisted for a British Fantasy Award.
Contents Introduction All We Ever Look For The Fishery A Kingdom of Seagrass and Silk A Stray Cat in the Mountain of The Dead Que la Grenade Est Touchante When You Meet the Wild Hunt The Hangman’s Legacy Ice Cream from Pluto Soaring, the World on Their Shoulders Schrödinger’s Children A Diary from the End of the World The Third Time I Saw a Fox Kings of Snow The Owl Woman The Goddess’s Spear Nine Lives, One to Spare Wind, River, Angel Song Elephants in Bloom About the Author
Each story is followed by a note from the author, providing further insight and context.
“Writers who came to mind as I was reading these stories include Nina Allan, Holly Phillips, and Carol Emshwiller: good company.” – Locus
“A delight of speculative fiction, embracing notions of climate change and probing possible futures. Ranging from the almost ethereal to the downright horrific, Cristofari’s stories are entirely captivating.” – Aurealis
“The regular use of nature in stories adds depth and reality that is really effective and often thought-provoking. I am hugely impressed by this collection and strongly recommend it to short fiction fans.” – Runalong the Shelves
“Elephants in Bloom contains delightful and thought-provoking speculative short stories that range from ethereal to whimsical, tinged with a slight melancholy regarding the future of climate change and authoritarian politics… Cristofari's work echoes and also stands out among some of the strongest speculative writers I've read, including Catherynne Valente, Rachel Swirsky, and N.K. Jemisin.” – LibraryThing review
“This was a beautifully written story with just a perfect ending.” – SFRevue of “The Third Time I Saw a Fox”
“This was a quiet character-centric story with a strange appeal that belied any attempt to analyze it.” – Tangent of “The Third Time I Saw a Fox”
“The piece is beautifully rendered, careful and kind, and yearning for a world more full of compassion than the one the characters encounter. A great read!” – Goodreads reviewer of “Que la Grenade est Touchante”
“A bittersweet tale, beautifully told.” – SFRevue of “Wind, River, Angel Song”
Elephants in Bloom is available as a paperback, a limited edition hardback signed by the author, and as an eBook |