The Poison Eaters

February 1, 2010
This first short story collection from a favorite writer of dark YA fantasy features 10 previously published tales and two original stories. “The Coldest Girl in Coldtown” tells the story of Matilda, who has been bitten by a vampire and knows that the only way to remain human is to stay “drunk. Stupid drunk. Whatever drunk she could get,” and avoid consuming blood for 88 days. The masterful “The Coat of Stars” concerns Rafael, a gay costume designer who, having lost the boy of his dreams to the faeries, discovers a way to regain him. And the brief but chilling “Going Ironside” concerns an elf girl who has come to our world to get pregnant (“We thought it would be easy.... Find a boy. Roll around in the grass. Dash back. What a prank!”), but has succumbed to heroin addiction. Black (the Good Neighbors series) proves equally adept at urban fantasy and more traditional fairy tales, and her stories often feature the edgy sexuality and angst that have become her trademarks. Ages 14–up.

February 1, 2010
Gr 9 Up-This collection of 12 short stories is sure to satisfy readers who crave something magical. Black's got all the supernatural bases covered: vampires, fairies, an elf, a unicorn, wolves, the devil, and a spell-wielding high school Latin club. Included is a tale of a boy tempted to eat a flower that he's read can turn him into a werewolf, as well as a story set in a world where vampirism is like an infectious disease and a girl resists the urge for blood by numbing her desire with alcohol. All but two of the stories have appeared elsewhere, including in Deborah Noyes's "The Restless Dead" (Candlewick) and David Levithan and Daniel Ehrenhaft's "21 Proms" (Scholastic, both 2007). Although they are often centered on bleak, dark characters, the pieces inspire hope, are touching and delightful, and even turn the most ghoulish characters into feeling beings. Some sexual situations and mature settings make this a collection for older teens."Shawna Sherman, Hayward Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2010
With its wide range of subject matter and style, this collection of supernatural stories shows off Black's fertile imagination. Palpable details and shifts in tone carry readers between times and places while the diverse protagonists create some unexpected perspectives. Two stories here are new, but most appeared in previous collections, which may account for the entertainingly eclectic mix.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)