Green Man (Hardcover)

"Grounded" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman returns us to the teen angst motif, rather tired by this point in the book; the protagonist and her mother fly to California to meet her mother's internet-boyfriend (yes, I know...). He has some magic tree-power, etc. Yawn. 1 out of 4.
"Overlooking," by Carol Emshwiller, is a complete mystery to me. At only 15 pages, and in the voice of (apparently?) a fairie-queen of sorts, it describes an encounter with a traveler, his desire to see something (which remains unclear), and then his murder (which she takes part in? Maybe?). It's a jumbled mess. Read a napkin instead. 1 out of 4.
"Fee, Fie, Foe, et Cetera," on the other hand, by Gregory Maguire, is a delightful little jaunt, tongue-in-cheek, about Jack and the Beanstalk's world. How this relates directly to the Green Man is again a mystery, but the description of Jack the Lesser and his ladybugs alone is worth the read. 3.5/4.
Emma Bull's "Joshua Tree" is probably the most effective of the "teenage girl" stories, as the author has the voice down to reality, and paints a compelling picture. The "tree" itself is little seen, but remains a focal point in the girl's history-and she, unlike Ms. Sherman, manages to convincingly speak in the voice of another generation.
"Ali Anugne O Chash (The Boy Who Was)" by Carolyn Dunn is so poorly written that I simply skipped it; apparently it involves Native American myths. 0/4.
"Remnants" by Kathe Koja is less a tale of the Green Man than it is one of modern insanity, told in disjointed form from the point of view of either an insane or mentally challenged individual who lives a "forest" created from garbage-plastic bottles and paper bags strung on rakes. It's disturbing in some of its imagery, particularly when it attempts to evoke beauty from such-it doesn't work, but it's an admirable effort. 2.5/4.
"The Pagodas of Ciboure," on the other hand, by M. Shayne Bell, is what makes the book worth buying, especially if you're a fan of Classical Music. You'll understand why once you've read it-the author takes a story of a rather famous composer and fills in some details, along with a bit of myth that isn't generally known outside of that part of the world. 4/4.
Finally, Jeffrey Ford's "The Green Word" reads rather like a pseudo-horror story in the vein of Stephen King's "Eyes of the Dragon." Set in an unidentified medieval land where traitors are executed and witches revenge themselves upon kings, it is a fairly brutal story, all told. Well-written, but without a major point. 2/4.
So...is the book worth buying? Yes-but only if you enjoy juvenile fiction. Check it out from a library or read the good stories "Fee, Fie, Foe...," "Charlie's Away," "Pagodas," "Somewhere in my Mind...," "Among the Leaves..." and "Joshua Tree." Skip the rest.