A review by pangnaolin
So Long Been Dreaming: Postcolonial Science Fiction & Fantasy by

adventurous challenging hopeful informative reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

I don't tend to be a huge science fiction of fantasy fan, but I got this as a gift and took a chance with it-- especially excited for the postcolonial lens-- and I'm so glad I did. I'm not used to collections being so beautifully varied; some were more biting and quick and others slower and more thoughtful, some more traditional to their genres and some incredibly experimental.

I definitely had favorites, but I'm so glad that I got to experiment so many different kinds of writing and such diverse and interesting stories and characters. I think the story that affected [read: infuriated] me most was Lingua Franca, but to be honest, I tried to choose a favorite and couldn't-- with every piece having such different strengths and energies.

In general, I don't love short story collections with entirely separate/distinct stories, and sci-fi/fantasy aren't really my jam, but I still adored this and would really recommend it to anyone interested in finding their way into those genres-- especially if you're bored of the limits of old white men's imagination.