Twice Cursed: An Anthology

by Neil Gaiman, Marie O'Regan (Editor), Paul Kane (Editor), Joe Hill, Sarah Pinborough

Overview

From the fun of the fair to the depths of hell, experience sixteen more curses in this sequel to the bestselling Cursed: An Anthology. A blend of traditional and reimagined curses from fairy-tales to Snow White, from some of the best names in fantasy.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

Take a trip to a terrifying carnival and uncover the secrets within, solve a mysterious puzzle box and await your reward, join a travelling circus and witness the strangest ventriloquist act you’ve ever seen.

In this follow-up to the bestselling Cursed: An Anthology, you’ll unearth curses old and new. From a very different take on Snow White, to a new interpretation of The Red Shoes, the best in fantasy spin straw into gold, and invite you into the labyrinth.

Just don’t forget to leave your trail of breadcrumbs…

Featuring stories from:
Joanne Harris
Neil Gaiman
Joe Hill
Sarah Pinborough
Angela Slatter
M. R. Carey
Christina Henry
A. C. Wise
Laura Purcell
Katherine Arden
Adam L. G. Nevill
Mark Chadbourn
Helen Grant
Kelley Armstrong
A. K. Benedict
L. L. McKinney

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781803361215
Publisher:	Titan
Publication date:	04/18/2023
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	110,263
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Marie O’Regan is a British Fantasy Award-nominated writer and editor of horror and dark fantasy fiction.

Paul Kane is an SFF and horror author and journalist, and co-edited the horror anothology Hellbound Hearts.

Hometown:

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Date of Birth:

November 10, 1960

Place of Birth:

Portchester, England

Education:

Attended Ardingly College Junior School, 1970-74, and Whitgift School, 1974-77

Website:

http://www.neilgaiman.com

Editorial Reviews

02/27/2023

Dark magic runs rampant through this star-studded sequel to O’Regan and Kane’s Cursed anthology. “The Bell” by Joanne Harris makes a fitting opener, warning readers to be careful of acting without knowing what the consequences will be. Some of these 16 tales are direct spins on familiar stories—among them “Snow, Glass, Apples,” Neil Gaman’s take on “Snow White”—while others are entirely new: one of the more surprising is “A Curse Is a Curse” by Helen Grant, which reveals a shocking truth about the Wall that encloses the heroine’s village. Another standout, “Shoes as Red as Blood” by A.C. Wise, examines the brutal fates that often befall women and girls in fairy tales. The members of the support group in M.R. Carey’s “Mr Thirteen” suffer from physical curses, while the characters of Joe Hill’s “Dark Carousel” are haunted by a cycle of violence. A handful of stories take a lighter approach: the circus provides refuge for the cursed in Angela Slatter’s “The Tissot Family Circus,” while the heroine of “St. Diabolo’s Traveling Music Hall” by A.K. Benedict uses curses to aid abused women. The anthology ends on a strong note with L.L. McKinney’s incredibly unsettling “The Music Box.” Fans of eerie fairy tales and dark fantasy won’t want to miss this. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"This anthology should more than satisfy established genre fans and general readers alike." - Booklist


"Fans of eerie fairy tales and dark fantasy won’t want to miss this." –Publishers Weekly


"Some of the stories merely sidle up to the line between dark fantasy and horror, and some stake their oozing, bleeding hearts with it, but all bring a shiver of fear, dread, or understanding." –Library Journal


PRAISE FOR CURSED: AN ANTHOLOGY


A magical, mythical, mystical collection that should appeal to fans of dark fables and traditional folk horror. - Den of Geek


This anthology should satisfy most fantasy readers and is well worth a look. - Booklist 


These stories are by turns eerie, grotesque, and delightful... Readers won’t have to be Brothers Grimm fans to appreciate this dark mélange. - Publishers Weekly Review


The editors have assembled a fantastic collection here, one that offers an array of talent and is packed with stories that are all worthy of a return visit... Certainly lives up to and surpasses expectations. - Starburst Magazine Revew


Puts new spins on old favorite stories and tropes, as well as offers a few completely new takes on the concept. - Book Riot


Skin-crawling, tooth-grinding scary and sensuous... an excellent collection whose unforgettable, spooky images invoke the magic of daily life. - Foreword Magazine Review


A strongly put together compilation, with very solid qualities... Really does achieve exactly what it set out to do. - The Bookbag Review


Every story selected for inclusion here is of incredibly high quality, delicious and moreish, provoking in the reader a compulsion to keep turning the pages until the book is complete. A compulsion strong enough to be a curse? Perhaps. You’ll need to buy a copy and find out for yourself. - A Set the Tape Review


Enchanting, spellbinding, gruesome and funny but seldom dull we give Cursed a 666/666. - Horror Hot House


A masterpiece in its editorial storytelling. - Her Campus


I enjoyed the twists and darkness in the stories and I will happily reread a few of them in the future. - A Novel Purpose Review


A really interesting mix of fairy tale, horror, and urban fantasy... A really well put together collection! - A Cat, A Book, and a Cup of Tea


A wonderful collection of stories. - Lucy’s Novel Purpose


A solid collection... The overall vibe of this book is really dark & creepy, and in addition to the stories by authors I love, it was a great introduction to some new-to-me authors! - Grimdark Dad Review


The book is packed with great tales, and some amazing authors. Whatever style that you enjoy, or writers that you like, is sure to be met here. The book has something for everyone, and continues the tradition of Titan producing some of the best anthology books around. - Trans-scribe Review


No matter what your reading preference there will be something here for you... Each author really did fulfil the brief though and I very much enjoyed how diverse the ideas were, be it taken from existing mythology or through an entirely fresh approach. - Paperbacks & Pinot Review


I really enjoyed this story collection... This anthology is defiantly for fans of fairy tales. It reaches out like a voice in the woods tempting your childhood self to step off the path and roam in the darkness for a little while. - Istoria Lit Review


I enjoyed reading this book so much! It was so interesting... I would definitely recommend this book. It was such a quick read with you able to read a tale here and there. - Pythia Reads Review


Beautiful, twisted, and refreshing takes on classic stories (with a few brand new fairytales thrown in the mix, too). - Howling Libraries blog tour review


A great collection. - SciFi Movie Page review


Like watching a amazing story teller tell a story...so much to love about this anthology. - The Misadventures of a Reader blog tour review


A great collection of work from some great authors... has something for everyone. - Where There’s Ink There’s Paper Review


What impressed me was the depth and range of stories... There’s something to delight every fantasy / fairytale / horror fan. - The Book Lover’s Boudoir Review


Definitely worth checking out if you enjoy the darker side of fairy tales and the curses within. - Fantastic Books & Where to Find Them Review


An incredible collection. A must have for any fantasy fan. - An Average Life Review


This book is packed with great tales, and some amazing authors. Whatever style that you enjoy, or writers that you like, you will find something to read in this book. - Reader’s Enjoy Author’s Dreams Review


I really enjoyed reading Cursed it was perfect as I like fantasy with a dark twist...  I would definitely recommend Cursed and I am sure there is something in their for everyone. - Odd Socks and Lollipops Review


Perfect for the current state of the world. You’ll get sucked into these wonderful stories and want so much more! - mall3tg1rl blog tour review


CURSED is a masterfully edited book from a list of highly talented authors that delivers on its promise of evil curses, dark fairy tale retellings, and twists that are sure to give you goosebumps. - The Writerly Way blog tour review


The cadence of the book is spot on... O’Regan and Kane have a fantastic knack for knowing how to put stories in the right order. - Novel Lives blog tour review


[These] stories read quickly, but pack a real punch, landing in that sweet spot of short fiction that is often strived for but can be hard to land. - Looking Glass Reads blog tour review


A worthy addition to the twisted fairy tales genre. - The Frumious Consortium blog tour review


A fine collection of tales by some of the best names in fantasy... A high level of quality and some really interesting spins on the theme. - Runalong the Shelves Review


I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to fans of dark fairytales. - The Paperback Piano Review

From the Publisher

03/01/2023

This is a great collection for readers who want to dip their fantasy toes into stories filled with as much dread as wonder. It is a follow-up to Cursed, filled with 16 stories that explore what happens after curses have been flung. Memorable pieces include Neil Gaiman's "Snow, Glass, Apples," telling the Snow White fairy tale from the perspective of the wicked witch, with a reminder that history is written by the victors. "Dark Carousel" by Joe Hill takes youthful hijinks and a haunted merry-go-round and spins them into a curse that follows a man around the world, while "The Tissot Family Circus" by Angela Slatter takes the idea of a haunted circus and transforms it into a story about being saved rather than damned. A wanderer discovers that some sleeping dogs should definitely be left to lie in Joanna Harris's "The Bell." VERDICT Some of the stories merely sidle up to the line between dark fantasy and horror, and some stake their oozing, bleeding hearts with it, but all bring a shiver of fear, dread, or understanding.—Marlene Harris

Library Journal