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shanaqui's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.0
There are three stories in this collection. The first, by N.K. Jemisin, is the best, though the least overtly bisexual. In a fairly heterosexual society, divided into clans, men from clans that are in feud challenge each other to dance together, and eventually either a winner is declared or becomes obvious. Elan and Ansheara dance together and find that they want each other, and Ansheara finds a way to continue their relationship (to some extent) despite the feud: another contest, this time sex (with each other), to prove which would make the better husband...
The second story features a world where people don't become sexual until they have met either a succubus or an incubus. The narrator hasn't, and doesn't understand that world; it's a bit akin to how asexuals experience our highly sexualised world, though I think the writer likely did that by accident. Anyway, the narrator meets both a succubus and an incubus, finding he wants both -- and in this world that doesn't just mean you're bisexual.
The third story is kinda fetishistic and gross about trans/intersex people, to be honest. It's a "what-if", what if hormones and plastics in the water create humans who can be either male or female, when they choose. (Goals!) The main character is clearly a chaser, and just reeks of a gross vibe. The sex is kinda perfunctory and just like... an expected ending to the rescue story, rather than feeling organic and real. Also, who cares about the protagonist? I want more info about Cam\ille, and how they experience the world, how they want to. The story uses "she" and just imagines them switching sex during sex, without thinking about the complexities of how they might identify. I'm curious about the world, but deeply wary of the author's motives.
The second story features a world where people don't become sexual until they have met either a succubus or an incubus. The narrator hasn't, and doesn't understand that world; it's a bit akin to how asexuals experience our highly sexualised world, though I think the writer likely did that by accident. Anyway, the narrator meets both a succubus and an incubus, finding he wants both -- and in this world that doesn't just mean you're bisexual.
The third story is kinda fetishistic and gross about trans/intersex people, to be honest. It's a "what-if", what if hormones and plastics in the water create humans who can be either male or female, when they choose. (Goals!) The main character is clearly a chaser, and just reeks of a gross vibe. The sex is kinda perfunctory and just like... an expected ending to the rescue story, rather than feeling organic and real. Also, who cares about the protagonist? I want more info about Cam\ille, and how they experience the world, how they want to. The story uses "she" and just imagines them switching sex during sex, without thinking about the complexities of how they might identify. I'm curious about the world, but deeply wary of the author's motives.
angelbabe_cj's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Transphobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Biphobia, Homophobia, and Medical content
Minor: Forced institutionalization
Three stories, all have sexual content: story one has some body shaming; story two has homophobia, biphobia and slight body shaming; story three has medical content, intersexphobia, and shades of forced institutionalisation. Although transphobia is listed it is actually more accurate to say intersexphobia, or indeed a phobia of a new gender mutation likened to intersex.pussreboots's review against another edition
4.0
Like Twin Stars is a collection of three science fiction short stories that center on bisexual characters and the interplay between sexuality and society.
The first story, "The Dancers' War" by N. K. Jemisin is set in a matriarchal tribal society. Before men can be married they must prove their worth to potential brides by a public show of prowess. The young man who must prove himself today is going against an outsider, a member of an enemy tribe.
To prove themselves, they must dance just as male birds often dance to win a mate. The moves they perform have names based around the forest in which they live. The dance is intense and demanding. It's also invigorating, creating a sexual tension between the two would be grooms.
While there are probably private moments between couples in Jemisin's society, displays of sexuality can also be public, and certainly are for the course of this story. The sexual act is described in the same terms and moves as the dance and the goal is the same: winning the right to marry well. But there are other reasons too which are explained at the end of the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed "The Dancers' War" and I am looking forward to completing the second and third stories in the collection. When I have finished reviewing the other two, I will post my final thoughts on the book as a whole.
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The first story, "The Dancers' War" by N. K. Jemisin is set in a matriarchal tribal society. Before men can be married they must prove their worth to potential brides by a public show of prowess. The young man who must prove himself today is going against an outsider, a member of an enemy tribe.
To prove themselves, they must dance just as male birds often dance to win a mate. The moves they perform have names based around the forest in which they live. The dance is intense and demanding. It's also invigorating, creating a sexual tension between the two would be grooms.
While there are probably private moments between couples in Jemisin's society, displays of sexuality can also be public, and certainly are for the course of this story. The sexual act is described in the same terms and moves as the dance and the goal is the same: winning the right to marry well. But there are other reasons too which are explained at the end of the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed "The Dancers' War" and I am looking forward to completing the second and third stories in the collection. When I have finished reviewing the other two, I will post my final thoughts on the book as a whole.
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