"Noted short story author Foster offers a dozen enchanting and sometimes chilling tales alive with elegantly sketched characters and sensibilities drawn from Asian folklore...Readers who long for a break from European medieval fantasy will be charmed and entertained by Foster's tales."

—Publishers Weekly

"Whimsy and malice—yes—also mystery, a very female sensuality, and wit. An elegant and entertaining book."

—Ursula K. Le Guin

"The tales are beautifully written, elegant, passionate, funny and moving. The entire collection is a delightful, magical bridge across cultures. I hope many readers find their way to it."

—Patricia A. McKillip

"Eugie Foster bridges the gap between the traditional fairytale and historical fantasy. Throughout the collection she alternates between re-tellings of Chinese and Japanese legends and original stories with elements drawn from the same deep wells. There is a formality to the writing that suits the traditional strain, giving a timeless authority to all the stories without making them unapproachable. On the contrary, they are charming to read."

—Holly Phillips

"Lovers of fairy and folk tales who crave, as I do, stories from cultures not their own will delight in these deceptively simple tales. They are layered with tragedy and superstition, with spirituality and most importantly, with a fine sense of the marvelous."

—Erzebet YellowBoy