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zoes_human's review
4.0
Beyond the El by John Chu
4 stars
A man grieves for his mother by trying to recreate her cooking, only to find that he must cope with a toxic sibling in order to move forward. The emotional honesty of the story perfectly balances the magical element.
Deriving Life by Elizabeth Bear
5 stars
"Childhood is a miserable state of affairs, and I wouldn’t wish it on anybody I loved."
When a parent rejects you, finds you so unlovable that they terrorize and hurt you, it leaves you with a great sense of being flawed, being unlovable. Receiving love of any kind as an adult can be addictive, but if that love is healthy, it can have a profound effect on how you see yourself.
This story looks at that. It also looks at loss and grieving. I recommend this to anyone in particular who had an abusive or toxic parent. I think you might see a bit of yourself within it.
His Footsteps, Through Darkness and Light by Mimi Mondal
5 stars
A wonderful take on the traditional djinn story, both beautiful and compassionate.
Circus Girl, The Hunter, and Mirror Boy by J.Y. Yang
5 stars
This paranormal short takes a common myth and twists it into something altogether unique. Dark, gritty, and beautiful.
Articulated Restraint by Mary Robinette Kowal
4 stars
A short that focuses on the determination it takes to push through pain, especially when it's self-inflicted. The descriptions of the injury, while not graphic, were well-executed enough for me to wince and hiss several times. Part of the Lady Astronaut universe, but stands on its own just fine.
Old Media by Annalee Newitz
2 stars
This one fell flat for me. It was set in an interesting universe, and I felt it had a lot of potential. However, it felt incomplete, as if it never quite took you anywhere. It reads more like a novel excerpt than an actual short story.
4 stars
A man grieves for his mother by trying to recreate her cooking, only to find that he must cope with a toxic sibling in order to move forward. The emotional honesty of the story perfectly balances the magical element.
Deriving Life by Elizabeth Bear
5 stars
"Childhood is a miserable state of affairs, and I wouldn’t wish it on anybody I loved."
When a parent rejects you, finds you so unlovable that they terrorize and hurt you, it leaves you with a great sense of being flawed, being unlovable. Receiving love of any kind as an adult can be addictive, but if that love is healthy, it can have a profound effect on how you see yourself.
This story looks at that. It also looks at loss and grieving. I recommend this to anyone in particular who had an abusive or toxic parent. I think you might see a bit of yourself within it.
His Footsteps, Through Darkness and Light by Mimi Mondal
5 stars
A wonderful take on the traditional djinn story, both beautiful and compassionate.
Circus Girl, The Hunter, and Mirror Boy by J.Y. Yang
5 stars
This paranormal short takes a common myth and twists it into something altogether unique. Dark, gritty, and beautiful.
Articulated Restraint by Mary Robinette Kowal
4 stars
A short that focuses on the determination it takes to push through pain, especially when it's self-inflicted. The descriptions of the injury, while not graphic, were well-executed enough for me to wince and hiss several times. Part of the Lady Astronaut universe, but stands on its own just fine.
Old Media by Annalee Newitz
2 stars
This one fell flat for me. It was set in an interesting universe, and I felt it had a lot of potential. However, it felt incomplete, as if it never quite took you anywhere. It reads more like a novel excerpt than an actual short story.
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