Each of these stories is at least diverting, capturing something interesting or crystallising good observations, and a few are excellent, the first and last particularly. Several have splendid punchlines, tricking you into laughing at a joke you didn't know you were being told. It's certainly interesting to pick out recurring themes and motifs, especially given the stories were not written as a collection. However, I don't feel that the short story gives Mantel the room she needs to truly shine.

Is "liked" the right way to describe my reaction to this collection of macabre but well-written short stories? Nearly all of them have some kind of sordid aspect (even the vampires one, which I think was my fave) but it never feels gratuitous. I still prefer the Wolf Hall trilogy but would def reread these.

Uneven. Very well-written, but not all of the stories were standouts.