This accomplished debut offers a luxurious reading experience. The common theme is that of separation, of "reconciling opposites", yet each tale is strikingly different: all are equally memorable. Affecting, graceful, recalling the dispassionate precision of Elizabeth Bowen, this is a timeless collection

A terrific debut... If Robson is dropping an immaculate collection on us we should simply be grateful, for his style is witty and confident, while his robust and engaging tales are mapped out with perspicacity, exuberance and deftly summoned delicacy of feeling... dip into it for a refreshing draught of how punchy and intoxicating a well-crafted tale can be

Each of these stories is as substantial as a novel boiled down to a bouillon cube, rich in details

Sharp and funny...edged with melancholy...an interesting and accomplished debut

Delights in the quirky...truly magical and creepy settings

Dazzling and moving

Ten hugely entertaining short stories - including the hilarious titular tale of 15 lupine adolescents - from hot young US writer Russell

Russell proves herself the heir to Angela Carter in this simply dazzling collection of short stories. With macabre humour, dark fantasy and a haunting tone this is unforgettable stuff - even just titles such as 'Lady Yeti And The Palace Of Artificial Snows' are staggering.

These 10 inventive stories, set mostly in the Florida Everglades, mix satire and sophisticated whimsy

Karen Russell has produced an engaging debut. Her ability to integrate mythology and the supernatural with the very contemporary...is reminiscent of Angela Carter, but unlike Carter's many imitators, Russell never descends into whimsy... In St Lucy's, humans, ghosts and animals are utterly real; and Russell sells the genuine article, a seemingly effortless writer

These are stories that will sneak into the back of your brain and lurk there long after you are finished reading.

Poignant and wonderful story...concentrates, without effort, all Malouf's themes...it needs to be read