A diverse collection of 26 contemporary short stories reflecting various aspects of friendship and tension in the relationships of women of all ages with families, friends, lovers and acquaintances, with short biographical notes on the contributors.

Casgliad amrywiol o 26 stori fer gyfoes yn adlewyrchu gwahanol agweddau ar gyfeillgarwch a thensiwn ym mherthynas gwragedd o bob oed a'u teuluoedd, ffrindiau, cariadon a chydnabod, gyda nodiadau bywgraffyddol byr ar y cyfranwyr.

One of the most interesting things about reading of a good short story is that it can change as you read or re-read it. In the process the reader can obtain new insights into the characters and situations portrayed. This is certainly true of the twenty-six contributions to Honno’s latest short story anthology.

The theme here is ‘the other woman’, but we encounter her in many guises and not only as the interloper in the marital relationship. What struck me most was the sheer diversity of the stories, not only in subjects but also in style. Sue Morgan’s ‘Ice’ is set in the humdrum world of toddlers’ groups and focuses on the conflict which arises between two young mothers; Sue Anderson has set her surreal story in an Enchanted Forest; Gee Williams’s other woman is none other than Emily Bronte, while Christine Hirst’s exploration of marital infidelity is a good example of eavesdroppers seldom hearing good of themselves.

I enjoyed all of these, but there are two stories which I particularly enjoyed. These were Ann Oosthuizen‘s title story, in which an English émigré is haunted by the spirit of her husband’s first wife, and ‘The Woman Upstairs’ by Janet Thomas which is set in wartime Amsterdam. Other authors included whose names are inextricably linked to Honno are Elin ap Hywel, Patricia Duncker, Christine Harrison, Jenny Sullivan and Nia Williams.

Why not give Mirror, Mirror to a friend for Christmas? They won’t be disappointed.

Dewi Roberts

It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgement should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council.

Gellir defnyddio’r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatad Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru.