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A review by lordofthemoon
Cat Pictures Please and Other Stories by Naomi Kritzer
5.0
I got this book as part of the Feminist Futures story bundle and it caught my eye because I'd read the title story when it was nominated for a Hugo award a few years ago. I loved the story then, and was pleased that it went on to win the Hugo for short story that year and was happy to revisit it as part of this collection.
I'll be honest, I haven't enjoyed a collection of short stories as much as this in a long time. There's not a story here that didn't connect with me in some way, although some moreso than others. I'm not going to go through every story in detail, but here are some of the highlights. Ace of Spades deals with themes of changes in modes of warfare, how the reduction in risk that technology brings affects decisions, and second chances, all with a sympathetic protagonist dealing with being dealt a crappy hand by fate. Wind is a story about extremes, about two girls who give up something that provides balance in their lives in exchange for something that they yearn for and then have to live with the consequences. Cleanout deals with three daughters clearing out their mother's house, after she moves into a home and is a beautiful story of grief, loss and coping.
The Good Son had me in tears as a fey follows a human girl back to America and bewitches an old, childless couple, to think of him as their son, to provide camouflage while he chases the girl. Except he doesn't realise the implications that creating a family will have for him. This is another beautiful story of what family means and the extents we will go to for those we love. Bits, on the other hand, is a hilarious story about alien refugees and the humans who fall in love with them and then need help to have a, er, full relationship. Sex toys. It's a story about a firm that creates a line of sex toys to help alien/human couples have sex. And it's brilliant. The final story in the collection, So Much Cooking is told as a series of blog entries in a cookery blog, at the start of an influenza pandemic and how the author and her family cope with not being able to leave the house (and it's got some cracking recipes as well).
So having enjoyed this collection immensely, I very much look forward to reading more of Kritzer's work.
I'll be honest, I haven't enjoyed a collection of short stories as much as this in a long time. There's not a story here that didn't connect with me in some way, although some moreso than others. I'm not going to go through every story in detail, but here are some of the highlights. Ace of Spades deals with themes of changes in modes of warfare, how the reduction in risk that technology brings affects decisions, and second chances, all with a sympathetic protagonist dealing with being dealt a crappy hand by fate. Wind is a story about extremes, about two girls who give up something that provides balance in their lives in exchange for something that they yearn for and then have to live with the consequences. Cleanout deals with three daughters clearing out their mother's house, after she moves into a home and is a beautiful story of grief, loss and coping.
The Good Son had me in tears as a fey follows a human girl back to America and bewitches an old, childless couple, to think of him as their son, to provide camouflage while he chases the girl. Except he doesn't realise the implications that creating a family will have for him. This is another beautiful story of what family means and the extents we will go to for those we love. Bits, on the other hand, is a hilarious story about alien refugees and the humans who fall in love with them and then need help to have a, er, full relationship. Sex toys. It's a story about a firm that creates a line of sex toys to help alien/human couples have sex. And it's brilliant. The final story in the collection, So Much Cooking is told as a series of blog entries in a cookery blog, at the start of an influenza pandemic and how the author and her family cope with not being able to leave the house (and it's got some cracking recipes as well).
So having enjoyed this collection immensely, I very much look forward to reading more of Kritzer's work.