From the cover:
"This anthology explores disability in fictional tales told from the viewpoint of disabled characters, written by disabled creators. With stories in various genres about first loves, friendship, war, travel, and more, Unbroken will offer today's teen readers a glimpse into the lives of disabled people in the past, present, and future.
The contributing authors are awardwinners, bestsellers, and newcomers including Kody Keplinger, Kristine Wyllys, Francisco X. Stork, William Alexander, Corinne Duyvis, Marieke Nijkamp, Dhonielle Clayton, Heidi Heilig, Katherine Locke, Karuna Riazi, Kayla Whaley, Keah Brown, and Fox Benwell. Each author identifies as disabled along a physical, mental, or neurodiverse axis―and their characters reflect this diversity."
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This anthology is amazing! So many different voices, writing styles, and characters in one book did my little book nerd heart good. It's hard to do justice to a review of an anthology with one umbrella review, so I'm going to do my best to review each short story below. Overall, though...wonderful.
The Long Road by Heidi Heilig
Lihua is a young woman from Xi'an who once had a garden, an engagement, and a life. Now, seeking treatment for an illness referred to as her "bad fate," she finds herself riding through the desert with her parents, hoping to survive the dunes of the Takla Makan, the Place of No Return, and find a cure in Persia. The depth to the characters and the world they live in that Heidi developed in such a short story is a lovely way to start off this anthology. I loved the young woman Lihua meets at their stop along the road and the conversation the two share, highlighting their similar fates and vastly different outlooks on life. 5 stars.
Britt and the Bike God by Kody Keplinger
Britt, like her dad, has loved cycling since she was a child. After she started to lose her sight, her dad started a cycling club and found a tandem racing bike so Britt could still enjoy riding. Another member of the club always rides with her as captain, and she worries that those who are assigned to captain for her, especially her crush Andre, see her as a burden. When she learns that night before a big ride that Andre will be captaining for her, this worry will kick into overdrive, feeding every insecurity Britt has tried to suppress since losing her sight. This story was sweet and light, and I loved it. 5 stars.
The Leap and the Fall by Kayla Whaley
Eloise and her best friend, Gemma, go exploring and find an abandoned carnival in the middle of the woods. Something about the place unsettles Eloise, but she follows Gemma through the dilapidated grounds...is it just the lingering air of disuse and decay setting Eloise on edge? Or is there more to the fairgrounds than meets the eye? This one might have been my favorite. 5 stars, hands down.
Per Aspera ad Astra by Katherine Locke
Lizzie is a genius coder and landed an internship with Dr. Shaw, an electromagnetic physicist assigned to develop a defense system for their planet. Lizzie helps develop a powerful shield to keep Lo safe, but her debilitating anxiety becomes too much, ultimately forcing her into a leave of absence. When Lo is attacked and her shield overpowered, will Lizzie be able to battle her anxiety and do what she can to help protect her planet and her family? As a person with anxiety, this one really hit home for me, and I felt for Lizzie and her struggle with knowing that everyone around her thought she was exaggerating or lying about the things she was experiencing. 5 stars.
Found Objects by William Alexander
A drama student with a powerful gift inadvertently leaves too much of their latest character on the stage, and a ghostly King Richard III lingers after the performance concludes. This one was interesting, but through no fault of its own was not my cup of tea. 4 stars.
A drama student with a powerful gift inadvertently leaves too much of their latest character on the stage, and a ghostly King Richard III lingers after the performance concludes. This one was interesting, but through no fault of its own was not my cup of tea. 4 stars.
Plus One by Karuna Riazi
Hafsah has the chance to go on a pilgrimage, but will her plus one, dubbed "It," weigh her down and prevent her from forming a deeper connection with her beliefs? I wasn't into this one at first, but I liked it more the further I read, and by the end I really enjoyed it. 4 stars.
Hafsah has the chance to go on a pilgrimage, but will her plus one, dubbed "It," weigh her down and prevent her from forming a deeper connection with her beliefs? I wasn't into this one at first, but I liked it more the further I read, and by the end I really enjoyed it. 4 stars.
The Day the Dragon Came by Marieke Nijkamp
Alix is a bonded servant to a wealthy member of the weaver district who dreams of escaping her bond and her city. Delfin is an apprentice thrilled to be a part of the construction of the city's newest tower. After the two meet, will waiting be enough? Or will Alix still do anything she can to escape her servitude and explore more of the world? This one...it's Marieke Nijkamp, guys, it was amazing, of course. 5 stars.
Captain, My Captain by Francisco X. Stork
Alberto is a teenage undocumented immigrant in the United States, living with his sister, her boyfriend, and their baby. Alberto works as a painter for his sister's boyfriend, making half what the other painters on their crew do and sending most of what he earns back to his family in Mexico. This won't be the case much longer, though, if Captain America has anything to say about it. Cap started talking to Alberto, two months ago, whispering to him that he deserved a better life and explaining to him how to get it...will Alberto listen, abandoning his sister and her baby to life with abusive Wayne? This story really tugged at my heart, and I felt Alberto's powerlessness and uncertainty. 5 stars.
Alberto is a teenage undocumented immigrant in the United States, living with his sister, her boyfriend, and their baby. Alberto works as a painter for his sister's boyfriend, making half what the other painters on their crew do and sending most of what he earns back to his family in Mexico. This won't be the case much longer, though, if Captain America has anything to say about it. Cap started talking to Alberto, two months ago, whispering to him that he deserved a better life and explaining to him how to get it...will Alberto listen, abandoning his sister and her baby to life with abusive Wayne? This story really tugged at my heart, and I felt Alberto's powerlessness and uncertainty. 5 stars.
Dear Nora James, You Know Nothing About Love by Dhonielle Clayton
Nora does not date. Ever. But she does write a regular column in the school newspaper called "Madame Amour," dispensing relationship advice to her fellow students. When her best friend convinces her to go on a double date with Marcus, a guy who has been crushing on her for a long time, she realizes that romantic comedies and novels aren't enough to teach her everything about relationships. Listen, guys...Dhonielle Clayton is basically a goddess. This short story was wonderful. 5 stars, duh.
A Play in Many Parts by Fox Benwell
E, pronouns they/them, doesn't want much. They just want a chance to act in one more play. Faustus. Alright, maybe they want a little more than that...they want to put together the perfect interpretation of the play, giving it everything they have and making their final performance count. Will the final production be everything E dreams of? This one was really lovely, and I enjoyed the format, a mix of narrative and script. 5 stars.
Ballad of Weary Daughters by Kristine Wyllys
River had the perfect family, until her preacher father left out of nowhere to start a new life with his mistress. Her mother started working extra hours to make ends meet, and River has to step in to care for her siblings. Lucy, her best friend, helps. The stress of trying to hold everything together will always be there, but so will Lucy. This one was simple and sweet, and I enjoyed it. 4 stars.
Mother Nature's Youngest Daughter by Keah Brown
It's imperative that Mother Nature's children keep the secret of their powers or nothing will ever be the same. Millie, tormented by a group of popular girls at school, isn't sure she can resist finding a way to get even with the mean girls. But what will her mother say if she uses her powers over weather to get revenge? Honestly, this one was probably the one I enjoyed least. It was fine, but a little simple and just...kind of lacking when taken with the rest of the stories included in the anthology. 3 stars.
A Curse, A Kindness by Corinne Duyvis
Sienna was cursed years ago into a life as a sort of genie...if someone shows her kindness, she must repay it by granting the person three wishes. When Mia returns her chapstick and is granted the wishes, she offers to find a way to help free Sienna. Sienna, after years of seeing even the best people turn greedy in the face of such limitless options, doesn't believe freedom is possible. Will the two be able to come up with a plan to free Sienna from her curse? Loved. This. One. 5 stars.
Sienna was cursed years ago into a life as a sort of genie...if someone shows her kindness, she must repay it by granting the person three wishes. When Mia returns her chapstick and is granted the wishes, she offers to find a way to help free Sienna. Sienna, after years of seeing even the best people turn greedy in the face of such limitless options, doesn't believe freedom is possible. Will the two be able to come up with a plan to free Sienna from her curse? Loved. This. One. 5 stars.
