Rating: 
Summary: Good, but ultimately , Depressing?
Review: I'm not sure what it was about these stories. I love Robin Mickinley stuff, and I've read practically everything she's ever written, and loved it! But these stories were obscure, and even though there was nothing that was very sad about each one they were just depressing. Each story left me feeling that there must have been something more to it. I was dissapointed.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but not up to standard
Review: I've read most of Robing McKinley's books and one of the things I've noticed is a feeling of the story coming to an end with most problems resolved but still leaving enough for the reader to puzzle out. Perhaps this short story format doesn't give her a chance to shine as she usually does. This collection is a great start on four seperate paths for storylines (the fifth being too strange and nebulous), but most leave you wondering so... what next. The first is possibly the most complete, the second ends as if in the middle of the story, the third, not quite as expressive as McKinley usually tends to be, the fourth, mystically strange, and the fifth, the title story of the book, takes place in modern day New York, does not mix well with the others and is utterly undescribable and unformed. McKinley would have done better had she removed the last story and made the other four, (more typical of her work) a little more 'finished'.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but vague
Review: If I could give this book three-and-a-half stars, I would, but I simply can't give it four. McKinley's Beauty is one of my favorite books, so I thought I would enjoy this one--heroines that sounded like Beauty, fantasy and magic. However, although I enjoy some of the stories in A Knot in the Grain, others simply puzzle me. My favorite is "The Healer," with "Buttercups" a close second, and I love to read those two over and over again. "The Stagman" is alright, but I don't really understand what transpires. I still don't know what a stagman is--McKinley's description was too vague. "Touk's House" is dull, and frankly I think McKinley could have described the romance between Erana and Touk in a less awkward, less simplistic way. But the worst is "A Knot in the Grain"--a great name for a story, but unfortunately I think the story was built around that title and never escaped. I have no clue as to what goes on in this story--absolutely none! I think McKinley could envision the attic in her mind, and tried to describe her thoughts to the reader, but it didn't work for me. I don't know what the story was about. The last paragraph is lovely, but not lovely enough to sustain the other pages. I do recommend this book, but not very highly. It's very uneven. Another thing I noticed was that the characters are shadowy and don't allow you to go into their heads and hear what they think, something I thought really detracted from the book. The characters still felt like strangers by the end of each story, especially in "The Stagman." If you read a McKinley book, let it be Beauty, which is more friendly and invites you right into Beauty's head to hear her thoughts.
Rating:
Summary: Somewhat disappointing
Review: McKinley's "The Blue Sword" is one of my favorite books, and I've read almost all her other works, some of which I liked, some of which didn't excite my interest. On a whim, I decided to give this one a try. The first four short stories in this collection are set in Damar, the same world as "The Hero and the Crown" and "The Blue Sword" -- Luthe even makes an appearance in a couple of the stories. However, they are for the most part nothing special. The best story in this collection is the title story, which is set in modern times. Even though it's well-written and has the quietly magical feeling that McKinley conveys so well, somehow it doesn't really quite capture the heart in the way her best work does. Overall, I'd give this book a so-so review. If you're a fan of Damar and McKinley, borrow it from the library and read it, but it's not worth purchasing.
Rating: 
Summary: A book I will cherish
Review: This book has rapidly become one of my favorite short story collections of all time. I rate a book by the way I feel when I finish reading it. If I am frustrated or disappointed, there is a good chance that I will trade it in with my next used book store visit. This book left me feeling warm and comfortable and satisfied. I had a small smile on my face and the afterglow of knowing that for just a few moments, I saw magic. I have gone back to it several times when in need of comfort or escape and it has drawn me in each and every time. Ms. McKinley seems to have a lovely little window through which she can glimpse a wild and magical place. I am only grateful that she also has the skill to show it to us as well. Buy it.
Rating:
Summary: A book I will cherish
Review: This book has rapidly become one of my favorite short story collections of all time. I rate a book by the way I feel when I finish reading it. If I am frustrated or disappointed, there is a good chance that I will trade it in with my next used book store visit. This book left me feeling warm and comfortable and satisfied. I had a small smile on my face and the afterglow of knowing that for just a few moments, I saw magic. I have gone back to it several times when in need of comfort or escape and it has drawn me in each and every time. Ms. McKinley seems to have a lovely little window through which she can glimpse a wild and magical place. I am only grateful that she also has the skill to show it to us as well. Buy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Little McKinley snacks
Review: This is a short story collection containing five stories: The Healer, The Stagman, Touk's House, Buttercups, and A Knot in the Grain. The first four stories are set in McKinley's Damar universe, the first three even feature Luthe. The last is a departure for her because it is set in modern times and doesn't have a very large fantasy element. The Healer, is the story of a girl named Lilly who has the power to heal but is also mute. She meets a mage who can hear her telepathically and they set off on a journey to restore Lilly's speech. This is a fairly strong story and a great pick to start the book with. The characters are fleshed out well and the love story was enjoyable. The Stagman, is about a princess named Ruen who is left, by her greedy uncle, as a sacrifice to a human/stag hybrid. Is the Stagman really as bad as people think he is? This is probably my favorite story in the collection. I liked all the characters and the plot was very interesting. It would have worked much better as a novel though. By the time the story was over there were still far to many unanswered questions. Touk's House, is the story of a girl named Erana who was raised by a witch. As she grows up, she befriends and eventually falls in love with the witch's troll son. This is a fairly decent story. The plot is really interesting but it would have been much better if the characters had been developed a bit more. Buttercups, is the story of a old farmer named Pos who marries a young girl named Coral. Pos loves his wife very much but has doubts about her affection for him because she spends too much time on buttercup hill. This is a cute story but it's, unfortunately, very boring. A Knot in the Grain, is about a teenage girl named Annabelle who is forced to move away and leave behind her entire life. She finds little comfort in her new house but one day she discovers a secret compartment in her new bedroom. It was a great idea to make this the last in the collection because the tone is very different from the others. It's not a love story and it's not even really a fantasy story. What makes this story special is how authentic Annabelle's character is. McKinley captures the emotion that goes along with moving to a new place very well. I'd recommend this book to people who are already fans of McKinley's work. You don't really need to be familiar with the Damar series to enjoy the stories but it certainly helps. I also feel that McKinley is better suited to longer stories. If you are looking to get into McKinley's work it'd be a good idea to start with Beauty or one of the Damar books.
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