Mermaids and Other Mysteries of the Deep - Review

Title:  Mermaids and Other Mysteries of the Deep

Edited by: Paula Guran

Synopsis:  "The sea is full of mysteries and rivers shelter the unknown.  Dating back to ancient Assyria, folkloric tales of mermaids, sirens, rulsalki, nymphs, selkies, and other seafolk are found in many cultures, including those of Europe, Africa, the Near East and Asia.  Dangerous or benevolent, seductive or sinister -- modern masters of fantasy continue to create new legends of these creatures that enchant and entertain us more than ever.  Gathered here are some of the finest of these stories.  Immerse yourself in this wonderful -- and sometimes wicked -- watery world!"

Review:  I'm not really a fan of short stories.  I generally enjoy a longer, more in depth story.  Which is why I usually stick to novels.  However this collection is about mermaids, and that fascinates me; and it has stories by a lot of well known (and many of my favorite) authors.  Here's a list of the stories contained in Mermaids and Other Mysteries of the Deep:

Elizabeth Bear - "Swell"

Samuel R. Delany - "Driftglass"

Neil Gaiman - "The Sea Changes"

Delia Sherman - "Miss Carstairs and the Merman"

Margo Lanagan - "Sea-Hearts"

Christopher Barzak - "The Drowned Mermaid"

Genevieve Valentine - "Abyssus Abyssum Invocat"

Seanan McGuire - "Each to Each"

Sarah Monette - "Somewhere Beneath Those Waves Was Her Home"

Peter S. Beagle - "Salt Wine"

Caitlin R. Kiernan - "The Mermaid of the Concrete Ocean"

Amanda Downum - "Flotsam"

Cat Rambo - "The Mermaids Singing Each to Each"

Chris Howard - "The Mermaid Game"

Gene Wolfe - "The Nebraskan and the Nereid"

Angela Slatter - "A Good Husband"

A. C. Wise - "Letters to a Body on the Cusp of Drowning"

Jane Yolen - "The Corridors of the Sea"

Lisa L. Hannett - "Forever, Miss Tapekwa County"

Catherynne M. Valente - "Urchins, While Swimming"

Tanith Lee - "Margritte's Secret Agent"

     My favorites were: "Swell", "Miss Carstairs and the Merman"; "Each to Each"; "Salt Wine"; and "Forever, Miss Tapekwa County".  However, there weren't any of the stories that I disliked.  The writing is all very well done, and all of the stories are unique.  I recommend Mermaids and Other Mysteries of the Deep for  fans of mermaids, fantasy, science fiction and other speculative fiction; even if you normally shy away from short stories, like me. 

Publisher:  Prime Books

If you like this book you may want to read:

Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant

Human For a Day edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Jennifer Brozek

Steampunk edited by Ann & Jeff Vandermeer