This is an odd assortment of stories, some better than others. I liked the one about the lace and the linguist. I skipped the book excerpt (I'd already read the book, and hate book excerpts - if I want to read the book, I want the whole book) There is a Snow Queen trilogy of stories 2 out of 3 that I liked. I might read the other anthologies in the series in hopes that some of the stories are good.