For fans of Deeplight a short story set in the same world, with the same attention to detail and epic world building as seen in the book.

It’s a short story from the world of the Myriad, the islands that Deeplight is set in. I absolutely loved Deeplight so it was really nice to go on this little mini adventure back in that world that focuses on another of the god-creatures

I've been a fan of Frances Hardinge for a really long time and I'm so happy this book did not disappoint! It's about Dolor, a god from the Deeplight world who has many legs. Although it's short, it's a very well-written, haunting story that will creep you out a bit. Also, loved the twist at the end!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Frances Hardinge’s Deeplight, so I was really excited to hear about this short story set in the Deeplight world. It’s always a treat whenever I get to dive into Hardinge’s writing – she really is one of my favourite authors.

This is a lovely little tale with an unexpected twist. I liked the moral at the end, which was reminiscent of fairy tales. I think it could stand alone, although I recommend reading Deeplight anyway! Despite being so short, I found it engrossing. It is creepy and enchanting, and I think anyone who likes Hardinge’s writing would enjoy it.

This was a lovely and haunting short story from the Deeplight world, and despite its short length managed to convey the writing style and deep, almost offhand commentary on society I always love from Frances Hardinge!

A great short story in true Hardinge style. Focussing on the God Dolor and how he got his many legs, this is a twisty and enchanting prequel from the Deeplight setting. Drawing the reader in from the opening and fantastically creepy throughout, I only wish it were longer!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Frances Hardinge and Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this.

Despite the extremely short length, I enjoyed Dolor's Legs more than Deeplight. This is a short story which expands on the universe Frances Hardinge created in her 2019 release, but this focused specifically on Dolor - a god which has many, many legs - and how it gets the legs for which it is known.
This reads like a children's fairy tale - it has a strong moral, a sting in the tale and is very absorbing - and it has everything which I expected from Deeplight and just didn't get.
If Frances Hardinge wrote a series of short stories focusing on each of the gods individually I would gobble them up, as there is so much potential here!

Beautifully written, poignant shorty story from the world of Deeplight. I hope there may be more from Frances Hardinge's starnge and enticing creations.

Dolor's Legs is a very, very short story that was briefly available via NetGalley. I'm not sure if it will appear anywhere else. It is set in the world of Frances Hardinge's most recent YA novel, Deeplight.

Deeplight was about a boy who scavenged the body parts (not quite as gruesome as it sounds!) of the tyrannical and murderous gods that ruled his world decades before. Dolor's Legs is a prequel, set while those gods are still alive. The heroine is a twelve-year-old girl who hero-worships a glamorous couple who live on a boat. Dolor is one of the gods, the size of a village, who collects legs (also not as gruesome as it sounds). If I tell you any more, I'll ruin the story for you.

Dolor's Legs is the perfect introduction to Deeplight, or as a prequel if you've already enjoyed it. For such a short story it's clever and creepy, with a surprising twist at the end. My only disappointment was that I wanted more!


Thank you to Frances Hardinge and Pan Macmillan for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and read voluntarily.

short, sweet, wonderful! It was really lovely to revisit the world of Deeplight :) Plus this had a nice moral about people's relationships not always being how they seem from the outside, and I think it was well delivered.

Having just finished the wonderful Deeplight, it was lovely to pick up this short story set in the same world. It’s not linked to the events in the main book, but rather a little tale from the past involving one of the hideous sea gods, Dolor the many-legged. And oh, the explanation for the name is not what you might think!

It’s a very brief story, and to be honest I wasn’t sure it was anything other than ‘nice’ to read – until the sort-of twist at the end where suddenly it was a beast of a whole different colour! Much like the main book, it has a lot to say about human psychology, it just manages it in a few sentences after a bit of almost misdirecting background.

You don’t need to have read Deeplight (but it’s great, so why wouldn’t you?!), this would stand alone albeit without any context, but I think it’s meant more as a lovely bonus for those who have read and enjoyed the larger tale.

Wondering now if there’ll be more short stories, or a sequel – either would be great, based on this! :)

Frances Hardinge's writing never fails to surprise and intrigue me. How wonderful to have her magic encapsulated in just 3 pages in this powerful and eerie short story.

Short and creepy, makes me want to read Deeplight even more than I already did. I always enjoy books that twist your understanding of what's going on and where the humans are sometimes the monsters.

What I love about Frances Hardinge's writing is that no matter how far away she takes you with the mythical touches in her books, she never fails to remind you that you've got plenty to be afraid of in your own life already.

This short story is about one of the gods in Hardinge's Deeplight universe, and should not fail to delight loyal readers and fans of her work.

A short story, entertaining and engrossing.
I loved the style of writing, the great MC and the well crafted plot.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Frances Hardinge's writing is just wonderful and drew me in from the very first sentence.

This is a short story for anyone who just wants a little bit more from the setting of Deeplight.

I loved this latest offering by Frances Hardinge, deep, dark and evocative. Such a pleasure to read. Dolor swiftly became a terrifying figure in the plot. I especially liked the hidden twist at the end of the story.

A short story with a twist in the tale, a couple who cruise up and down the coast of Malpease, he mends roofs and she fixes pots, she is a strong swimmer with terrific legs. When she goes missing, its assumed Dolor, who values strong swimmers for their legs has taken her. The man goes in pursuit of a god, becoming a madman, offering himself as a sacrifice. Hardinge's short story of the hidden depths of a relationship, where the romance of passion and obsession may not always be desirable. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.

A short story set in the Deeplight world, about the God, Dolor. I absolutely loved Deeplight, so I pounced on this short story as soon as I saw it available on Netgalley. It's certainly a very short story, but the author's wonderful writing still shines through in the few pages it took. There was a surprising twist at the end and whether you've already read Deeplight or not, I think this one can be enjoyed all on its own.

You can read my full review of Deeplight here.

I really loved the worldbuilding in Hardinge's latest novel and was mesmerised by all the details of the Gods and their backstories, so I was super excited to be offered the chance to read this exclusive NetGalley short story about one of the Godss, Dolor. 

There's not much I can actually say about this story. Dolor is not a heavily featured God in Deeplight, and so instead of building on the events and characters in the novel, this short story instead acts as an addition to add more context about the world, a different viewpoint of the lives people lead in the world of Gods. 

However, it must only be about 5 pages long. I was actually shocked when I turned the page on my kindle and my progress bar when up 15%. This is simply a short story about the God Dolor and the tale of how he gets so many of his legs that he's famous for. When I read 'short story' I expected a short story, but not this short, and unfortunately it was just too short to be able to get anything from the experience of reading it. I enjoyed the tale, and it did manage to squeeze in a little twist, but I don't see that the addition of this story actually adds anything to the world or the reading of Deeplight itself.

I did however really enjoy Deeplight and recommend you check that out - it's out in paperback now!

3.5 stars out of 5