Author: A Portable Shelter
Genre: Short stories, fairy tales
Publisher: Association for Scottish Literary Studies
Publication Date: August 10, 2015
192 pages, hardcover
Check out the full synopsis on Goodreads.
NOTE: I was provided with an e-ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. THANK YOU SO MUCH, KIRSTY!
We all know how much I loved Kirsty’s The Gracekeepers, so when she asked if I’d like to receive a review copy of A Portable Shelter, I jumped all over that. I read this entire collection in ONE day and pre-ordered a physical copy immediately.
Two women, Liska and Ruth, are awaiting the birth of their first child. They’ve agreed to only ever tell each other, and their baby, the truth, but while one is at work or the other is sleeping, they tell Coorie a series of stories in an attempt to pass on all the lesson they’ve learned. Coorie hears stories of bears and circuses and werewolves, witches and dragons and stars. What unfolds is a beautiful collection of fairy tales and truths wrapped up in stories.
Kirsty’s writing is unbelievably beautiful. Her words paint these gorgeous, sweeping pictures of a sky full of stars, palaces made of beach debris, wolves running through the woods, big circus tents, and lovely cottages on a Scottish beach. “The morning was my aching eyes and the mist not yet burned off the trees” (105). Liska and Ruth’s stories are haunting. Kirsty’s got this wonderful gift for magical realism, weaving together Scottish mythology and fairy tales.
The bottom line: I really just wanted this review to be: OH MY GOODNESS I LOVE KIRSTY AND THIS COLLECTION AND HER WRITING AND YOU SHOULD ALL READ EVERYTHING SHE WRITES. It took a lot to not say that but just know that’s what I wanted to say. I am continuously amazed by how talented Kirsty is and I can’t wait to read what she writes next.
Rating: 9 – practically perfect
Caught Read Handed 
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Ohh, this one sounds all sorts of charming. So cool that Kirsty offered the book herself and that it was a winner, to boot!
I was so excited when she messaged me! Charming is a great word to describe it. 🙂
Great choice! I will put this book on my list. I want to ask you, what is your reading schedule? I want to read more but with work and school, it’s tough. Plus I catch on all of my blogs on the weekends too!
I try to read a little bit in the morning before work, then I work in a library, so if we are slow, I can read there as well. I also try to read at least a few chapters every night. I’m a pretty fast reader, so I can sometimes get through 2 or 3 books a week. 🙂
Oh wow! I wish I could read that fast. That’s great though.