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midici's review
4.0
This is not the story of how he killed me, thank fuck.
The first sentence is definitely the draw. Those stories can be interesting, I guess, but it's exhausting always playing the victim in those sorts of stories. This is not that sort of story. Thank fuck.
*Find the story here:
http://uncannymagazine.com/article/talons-can-crush-galaxies/
The first sentence is definitely the draw. Those stories can be interesting, I guess, but it's exhausting always playing the victim in those sorts of stories. This is not that sort of story. Thank fuck.
*Find the story here:
http://uncannymagazine.com/article/talons-can-crush-galaxies/
chirson's review
4.0
Reading it was like drinking something spicy and very high in alcohol content. Something that makes you go "WOO-HOO" after you've drunk it.
A great use of first person. I think there have been a couple of stories written in a similar vein to this one (reacting to the preponderance of victimised women as source of stories), some of them quite recently, but it didn't feel repetitive or surplus at all. It felt joyous and ANGRY, and that can be its own brand of fun.
A great use of first person. I think there have been a couple of stories written in a similar vein to this one (reacting to the preponderance of victimised women as source of stories), some of them quite recently, but it didn't feel repetitive or surplus at all. It felt joyous and ANGRY, and that can be its own brand of fun.
nikkijazzie's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
titusfortner's review
3.0
One of the 2017 Hugo nominations for short story.
Three pages of dense prose and anger and heavy subject matter. No pulled punches and no subtlety, it paints a vivid picture, but isn't something I know how to relate to.
Three pages of dense prose and anger and heavy subject matter. No pulled punches and no subtlety, it paints a vivid picture, but isn't something I know how to relate to.
erichart's review
5.0
Two Hugo-nominated stories in an issue that focuses on gender representation in the SF/Fantasy genre, with some very insightful articles on the subject.
ladynigelia's review
4.0
Like all collections there's some things that I connect with and some things I don't. There's more for me to like than there are things I just didn't get.
I also listened to the podcasts. For my purposes there was too much news and chit chat surrounding the meat (readings of the stories/poems), but I very much enjoyed the readers. I struggle with non-traditional poems (ones that don't have an obvious meter and rhyming pattern), and having "Rose Child" by Theodora Goss read to me by Amal El–Mohtar was much more enjoyable than trying to understand it on my phone's screen that ended up putting the line breaks in weird places.
Nearly all of the Fiction section pieces were exactly what I love out of sci-fi and fantasy short form. A majority feature women narrators/view points. Many challenge socially constructed roles. There were a plethora of moments where I could feel my subconscious assumptions being made conscious for contemplation and revision.
In the Essays section I was really struck by the personal stories in "They Love Me Not: How Fictional Villains Saved My Life" by Alyssa Wong and "We Have Always Been Here, Motherfucker" by Monica Valentinelli. They really helped clarify some of the reasons I feel uncomfortable in some situations - why I don't feel like I'm automatically a member of the fandom/community/story narrator's intended audience. It was wonderful to know I'm not alone in these feelings.
Overall, I'm so glad this magazine exists and this project is continuing and getting the recognition (Hugo Awards) they deserve. I read the whole issue to cover all my bases for the book club discussions. I wouldn't normally have read all the essays or bothered with the poems, but I'm glad I did.
I also listened to the podcasts. For my purposes there was too much news and chit chat surrounding the meat (readings of the stories/poems), but I very much enjoyed the readers. I struggle with non-traditional poems (ones that don't have an obvious meter and rhyming pattern), and having "Rose Child" by Theodora Goss read to me by Amal El–Mohtar was much more enjoyable than trying to understand it on my phone's screen that ended up putting the line breaks in weird places.
Nearly all of the Fiction section pieces were exactly what I love out of sci-fi and fantasy short form. A majority feature women narrators/view points. Many challenge socially constructed roles. There were a plethora of moments where I could feel my subconscious assumptions being made conscious for contemplation and revision.
In the Essays section I was really struck by the personal stories in "They Love Me Not: How Fictional Villains Saved My Life" by Alyssa Wong and "We Have Always Been Here, Motherfucker" by Monica Valentinelli. They really helped clarify some of the reasons I feel uncomfortable in some situations - why I don't feel like I'm automatically a member of the fandom/community/story narrator's intended audience. It was wonderful to know I'm not alone in these feelings.
Overall, I'm so glad this magazine exists and this project is continuing and getting the recognition (Hugo Awards) they deserve. I read the whole issue to cover all my bases for the book club discussions. I wouldn't normally have read all the essays or bothered with the poems, but I'm glad I did.
mollyfischfriedman's review
5.0
I would like to shout from the mountaintops how amazing this short story is. Amal El-Mohtar takes fairytale tropes and flips them and turns them inside out and adds a special brand of magic and makes them feminist and queer and so so beautiful.
simply_sam's review
4.0
Their talons can crush 3 page short stories as well.
This was definitely a compelling way to tell this story. Well done. I'm impressed.
This was definitely a compelling way to tell this story. Well done. I'm impressed.
lonecayt's review
2.0
Meh. There was nothing about this story that was interesting enough for me to care.
bookaneer's review
4.0
Wait, what? Only 3 pages? But the Force is strong with this one, I tell ya. Even better than half the novels I read this year.
Not sure I understand the whole thing but maybe that's the point. Was she a...harpy? Strong start with even stronger ending. Might even be a good urban fantasy series. Hell hath no fury like a (blank) murdered.
Not sure I understand the whole thing but maybe that's the point. Was she a...harpy? Strong start with even stronger ending. Might even be a good urban fantasy series. Hell hath no fury like a (blank) murdered.