The stories in this collection have good atmosphere, with an unsettling, melancholy tone. They’re full of well-researched details which helps to immerse you in the world of the story. Most of the stories have supernatural elements, but not all. Many of the protagonists are lonely outsiders cut off from the rest of society.

Our characters often have a strong affinity to a certain animal: birds in “The Crow Palace” and “Egg”, bees in “The Nature of Bees”, sea creatures in “A Son of the Sea”, and snakes in “Pearls” and “Fabulous Beasts”. A lot of these stories show how disgusting it would be if humans behaved like other animals do.

The stories are at times horrifying, tragic, and romantic. Although often fantastic in nature, characters deal with real-world problems like guilt, mourning, having abusive or neglectful parents, or raising a special needs child. “Rag and Bone” has an anti-capitalist message.

Many of the stories in this collection have surprise twists. Even though I was expecting it, some of them still managed to surprise me. To nitpick, “The Anatomist’s Mnemonic” and “Fish Skins” both ended too abruptly for me, but this is a minor complaint.

All of the stories in this collection are good. My favorites include “The Show” about a fake psychic who gains the ability to see ghosts, “The Absent Shade” about a man without a shadow, “Small Town Stories” about a lonely woman who can see ghosts living in a judgmental small town, and of course, the title story, “Fabulous Beasts” which is the most intense story in the collection. Highly recommended.