A review by gengelcox
Light of Other Days by Bob Shaw

adventurous challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

This is a lovely story that both introduces a great SF concept and then goes directly to the heart of showing what it could mean to people. While not as surprising today, the emotional arc of the story for the protagonist begins in a very negative space: a couple is unhappy in general and with each other because of an unwanted pregnancy. But that simply sets up the end, however, where their unhappiness is contrasted to the unhappiness of the slow glass seller. The story is simple, but that’s also part of its power. It doesn’t need to be adorned. Anything more would take away from its gut punch.