Bloody Fabulous

September 17, 2012
Sedia (Moscow but Dreaming) turns the spotlight on fashion in this ensemble of 14 stories. Six pieces are reprints, anchored by Holly Black’s “Coat of Stars,” a lovely take on the timeless story of winning back a lover from the faeries. Highlights include Genevieve Valentine’s “Bespoke,” the poignant tale of a seamstress who can only live vicariously through her time-traveling customers, and Kelly Link’s “The Faery Handbag,” featuring a lost accessory that contains far more than lipstick. Eight original stories by both established and up-and-coming authors enhance the collection: Maria V. Snyder’s striking “Capturing Images” celebrates out-of-the-box thinking when a photographer needs to take an impossible picture, John Chu’s intriguing “Incomplete Proofs” gives a new twist to the mathematical science of tailoring, and a banshee rediscovers her heritage in Sandra McDonald’s romantic “Dress Code.” While some stories may not click with all readers, the uniformly strong writing makes this tasty sampler a fine foray into the fashionable side of speculative fiction.