Reviewed by: Marta -- Score: 8

Juno is not an author that I have read much of simply because her work is usually longer than I like to read. Imagine my joy at finding that a friend had written some shorter pieces on topics I enjoyed. And these are very *deep* pieces. I think that's what gets me so much. "I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes" not only develops a religion of Gondor and regional differences, but it gives us a hero who dares to go against the norm. That evoked a *squee* from me, but of a somber and academic sort (so much as a *squee* can be) -- she has taken many of my favourite ideas and built them into a fascinating story that hints at a whole world in a piece that didn't take a great effort to read. But thinking effort was another question. I found I couldn't get it out of my head for days. "About Legends or Whisperings of Ghosts" stands out similarly, but this time the question isn't rebelling against the religious norm, but about the trustworthiness of history. Both of these take a situation or premise that is far from common and turn it on its head, but never do so unconvincingly. That's not an easy feat, and I admire Juno for her success.