Overview

The Tangleroot Palace is a collection of six short stories and one novella, each set in a different dark fantasy world. Across the book we meet bodyguards sworn to dangerous sorceresses, young women trying to escape magical systems designed to trap them, and rulers whose power is built on violence and sacrifice. These stories stand alone, but together they form a clear picture of how magic, control, and survival shape people’s lives.

Writing & Voice

We found Marjorie Liu’s writing sharp, rich, and very visual. She builds entire worlds in just a few pages, using clear detail rather than long explanation. The tone shifts between mythic and brutal, but always stays focused on the emotional cost of power. Even in the shortest pieces, the writing feels deliberate and confident.

Characters

Each story centres women who are forced to adapt, fight back, or reshape their fate. Some wield weapons or magic, others rely on patience and resolve, but none are passive. Liu allows her characters to be angry, afraid, loving, and ruthless. Villains are rarely simple, and heroes often carry their own damage.

Themes

The collection explores power and transformation, especially in worlds that expect women to be silent or expendable. These stories question who benefits from old myths and who gets hurt by them. Magic is never free. Every spell, bargain, or victory leaves a mark.

What Worked

• Strong imagery: each world feels distinct and fully formed.
• Short story craft: every piece feels complete rather than rushed.
• Consistent focus: power, agency, and consequence run through the whole book.

Minor Quibbles

• Some stories end just as we want to stay longer in that world.
• The heightened, mythic tone may not suit readers who prefer grounded realism.

Final Thoughts

The Tangleroot Palace is dark, unsettling, and beautifully controlled. It is a collection about power taken and reclaimed, and about the cost of surviving worlds built to break you.

Rating: ★★★★½☆ (4.5 / 5)