In the introduction to Beka Gremikova’s The Edge of a Knife and other Stories, the author states the stories presented within this collection are more on the darker side. They also reflect the triumph one has after walking on the edge of a knife. With this in mind, I gave each story a “sharpness” rating. This is different from “edgy” or “dark.” Knives hurt, so the rating is based on the question “does the story leave a slicing impression, or did it slide off like a butter knife?” I also rated it on my preference for the story. Keep in mind that I may have really enjoyed an offering, but it also must be “cutting,” the promise of the anthology.
All speculative genres are represented across the nine stories. Some are lengthy, shorter novellas than short stories. I enjoyed all the stories, on a scale from 1 – 10, all stories received a 6 or higher on the “enjoyment” scale. Six received an 8 or better. That’s an unusually strong set.
But there’s also the sharpness to consider!
My top four starts with the title story, “The Edge of a Knife.” This story explores a sea creature’s world with rules that expand upon what you may know. A retelling of a famous fairy tale, it takes a much darker turn than the original (and the original isn’t all sunshine and flowers either). The story exemplifies one of the purest forms of love—namely, sacrifice—and just how far a family will go to allow a loved one to heal and flourish.
The next highest is “Once Upon a Pumpkin,” the final tale of the collection. For this one, the darkness is not as sharp as the other three, but the story is so cleverly conceived that it makes the pages fly. I refuse to give the plot away except to say it starts with a couple waiting to catch two pumpkin thieves. From there, Gremikova flushes out three characters, their motivations, and their struggles. Meanwhile, the reader delights in seeing familiar tropes in new ways. This is a real gem.
“Golden Child” is the next story. Again, a familiar tale is cast into a unique setting and leads to an ending that classic tragedies would love. What happens when a ruler who can make gold through his touch meets an enemy whose touch turns to silver? The story is grippingly crafted and ends like a knife to the gut. Fitting for this anthology.
My favorite story is “Every Bone in the Body.” A retelling of a famous play, it follows that play’s plot closely. Yet, using science fiction and examining motives of how people think today twists it to give it a fresh take. The moral of this story proves we, as a society, haven’t come very far. This story is like watching a tragedy unfold and you, the reader, have nothing you can do to stop it. A treasure and highlight of the collection.
Again, I enjoyed the other five, but chose four for this review. You may find shapeshifting foxes (and a character as clever as one) or haunted spaceships more to your liking. I’m sure, though, you will enjoy all tales included within, and I look forward to another collection by this author.