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A review by thepretentiouspoet
Common Bonds: An Aromantic Speculative Anthology by C.T. Callahan, B.R. Sanders, RoAnna Sylver, Claudie Arseneault
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This anthology was everything that I wanted it to be.
Full of warmth, laughter, intensity and love, this collection of 19 short stories and poems explores every type of valuable relationship that doesn't hinge on romantic attraction and shows the impacts that they can have on someone. From sibling dynamics, arch-rivals, and queerplatonic lovers, to parental bonds, mentor-mentee dynamics, pack bonding, best friends, and everything else in between, this truly filled every facet of love and affection with so much care. While not every story explicitly used the word "aromantic", the decentering of romance from every one of these pieces gave them the ability to explore human connections with so much more compassion and complexity.
There were a few stories in here that I don't feel I understood and so couldn't appreciate fully, but that was only three out of nineteen, and even then I often appreciated the quality of the writing and story craft. Every other piece brought something beautiful to the realm of aromantic stories. Some of them brought me to the verge of tears; others made me laugh out loud. Two of them (Would You Like Charms With That?, and Half A Heart) made me sit in contemplative silence after reading because they had touched me in such a deep place that I couldn't immediately collect my thoughts about them.
In particular, I appreciated Moon Sisters, Shift, and A Full Deck for the ways in which they took well-known supernatural story elements (werewolves in the first two and demon-hunting in the latter) and made aromantic and asexual identities a core part of the tropes. It really felt that the identities of the characters were a necessary part of the story, and I really admired how the writers had been able to tie the representation into the plot in that way.
My personal favourites (if I can cull from a batch of superlative work) were Moon Sisters, Cinder, Not Quite True Love, Would You Like Charms With That?, A Full Deck, Half A Heart, Discography, and Seams of Iron.
I cannot recommend this collection enough to anyone on the aromantic and/or asexual spectrums, or simply those who want more stories that focus on love that isn't romantic. There is something for everyone in this collection, and especially if you have an inclination towards fantasy and sci-fi stories - which I personally don't, and even then, I was so drawn into the stories that it didn't matter. I love this anthology. It will be a comfort read for me for years to come.
Full of warmth, laughter, intensity and love, this collection of 19 short stories and poems explores every type of valuable relationship that doesn't hinge on romantic attraction and shows the impacts that they can have on someone. From sibling dynamics, arch-rivals, and queerplatonic lovers, to parental bonds, mentor-mentee dynamics, pack bonding, best friends, and everything else in between, this truly filled every facet of love and affection with so much care. While not every story explicitly used the word "aromantic", the decentering of romance from every one of these pieces gave them the ability to explore human connections with so much more compassion and complexity.
There were a few stories in here that I don't feel I understood and so couldn't appreciate fully, but that was only three out of nineteen, and even then I often appreciated the quality of the writing and story craft. Every other piece brought something beautiful to the realm of aromantic stories. Some of them brought me to the verge of tears; others made me laugh out loud. Two of them (Would You Like Charms With That?, and Half A Heart) made me sit in contemplative silence after reading because they had touched me in such a deep place that I couldn't immediately collect my thoughts about them.
In particular, I appreciated Moon Sisters, Shift, and A Full Deck for the ways in which they took well-known supernatural story elements (werewolves in the first two and demon-hunting in the latter) and made aromantic and asexual identities a core part of the tropes. It really felt that the identities of the characters were a necessary part of the story, and I really admired how the writers had been able to tie the representation into the plot in that way.
My personal favourites (if I can cull from a batch of superlative work) were Moon Sisters, Cinder, Not Quite True Love, Would You Like Charms With That?, A Full Deck, Half A Heart, Discography, and Seams of Iron.
I cannot recommend this collection enough to anyone on the aromantic and/or asexual spectrums, or simply those who want more stories that focus on love that isn't romantic. There is something for everyone in this collection, and especially if you have an inclination towards fantasy and sci-fi stories - which I personally don't, and even then, I was so drawn into the stories that it didn't matter. I love this anthology. It will be a comfort read for me for years to come.