Frail Little Embers is a collection of short stories from author Fija Callaghan about love, life, and healing after experiencing the very worst. There were many incredibly moving and difficult stories, but each one had sparks that eventually lit the way forward. These magical short stories are an inspiring collection, and I think you’ll find one that will leave a lasting impression.
At first glance, I was delighted to learn that each story in Frail Little Embers opens with an illustration. Unfortunately, due to the ARC format I received on my e-reader, I didn’t get to see the illustrations because they were fragmented across several “pages.” However, I did take a peek at the book’s online sample to get an idea, and I’m intrigued enough to seek a print copy or proper ebook to see how the illustrations and story complement one another.
The collection has a variety of different tales, but every single one of them centers around loss. There are characters that grieve for a child, parent, partner, or a life that could have been. There are other stories about relationships ending. Some characters are fearful of change and are afraid to lose the life they know. And of course, there is the loss of childhood innocence. Yet each story also shines with hope and the possibility for love or a reconnection with people, the world, or life itself. Many of the stories moved me and made me grieve for what was lost, and I appreciate Callaghan for always lighting the way for a brighter future in each tale.
There are 21 stories in this collection, and despite all being written by one author, each story feels so special and inhabits its own little slice of Callaghan’s world. Her voice can be found throughout, but she does a wonderful job altering her writing style to give each character a unique cadence and perspective. I can still feel the anger from the daughter in “An Ephemeral Quality” who is cleaning out her deceased mother’s alterations shop, the longing in “The Selkie and the Swan Maiden” of the two women who can never return to their past lives, and the frustration in “Songbird” from Wren who cannot communicate with her mother. The darkness in every story takes on a different shape, and each character reacts in their own way, too. Callaghan writes to leave the reader with different impressions of all these people transforming and finding hope in the hardest of days.
Some of my favorite stories from the collection include “Spinning Sugar, a magical and heartbreaking tale featuring a woman who sells magical dream candies but is grappling with the loss of her child and husband. Then there’s “Temperance in a Teapot” about a woman who introduces her husband to the family business, but realizes his heart isn’t in it. A man bargains with a genie in “Last Wish” to bring his daughter back to life. And by the end of the collection, Callaghan had me in tears thanks to “The Story Doctor” which features a woman who listens to her clients’ predicaments and then prescribes them books to read.
Frail Little Embers by Fija Callaghan is an inspiring and poignant reminder that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Drop in to the lives of 21 unique individuals who all demonstrate resilience and hope when faced with darkness.
Rating: Frail Little Embers – 7.5/10
-Brandee
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The thoughts on this story are my own.
