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A review by zoes_human
In Our Own Worlds #2: Four LGBTQ+ Tor.com Novellas by Lina Rather, Kai Ashante Wilson, Seanan McGuire, Katharine Duckett
3.0
An excellent collection of novellas. Seanan McGuire's Every Heart a Doorway and Lina Rather's Sisters of the Vast Black were exceptional, and Katharine Duckett's Miranda in Milan lagged not far behind. The story concepts of all three were intriguing and the characters nuanced. Very pleased with this anthology overall despite the last tale being one I DNFed.
INDIVIDUAL NOVELLA COMMENTS AND RATINGS
Miranda in Milan
Katharine Duckett
3 stars
This historical fantasy is a sequel to Shakespeare's The Tempest that centers the experience of Miranda. She has come "home" only to find that her past is not what she thinks. Despite a romantic subplot strong enough to qualify the story as a romance, the protagonist is so well-developed and the story spiraling around the affair so intriguing that I was well caught up regardless.
Every Heart a Doorway
Seanan McGuire
5 stars
What happens to children after they return from their trip through a portal into a magical land? Can life ever return to normal? Do they want it to? Nancy has been sent to a special boarding school by her parents who believe that she is delusional. But the school is not quite what it seems, and when a body turns up, everyone's life may be in peril. Clever and magical, this novella speaks to the longings within us all.
Sisters of the Vast Black
Lina Rather
4 stars
In a space-faring Catholic convent, the sisters dedicate their lives to providing aid and services to far-scattered colonies, but there are more secrets among these women than one might suppose. Soon the biological turmoil of their living ship and the fate of one group of settlers will bring everything out into the open. A compelling story full of complex characters deciding how to best live their truth.
The Sorcerer of the Wilds
Kalashante Wilson
1 stars
DNF 20%
Around 1/5 of the way through this, I simply couldn’t tell, or bring myself to care, where this story was going. The lengthy descriptions of GI life in a fantasy setting were of no interest to me at all.
INDIVIDUAL NOVELLA COMMENTS AND RATINGS
Miranda in Milan
Katharine Duckett
3 stars
This historical fantasy is a sequel to Shakespeare's The Tempest that centers the experience of Miranda. She has come "home" only to find that her past is not what she thinks. Despite a romantic subplot strong enough to qualify the story as a romance, the protagonist is so well-developed and the story spiraling around the affair so intriguing that I was well caught up regardless.
Every Heart a Doorway
Seanan McGuire
5 stars
What happens to children after they return from their trip through a portal into a magical land? Can life ever return to normal? Do they want it to? Nancy has been sent to a special boarding school by her parents who believe that she is delusional. But the school is not quite what it seems, and when a body turns up, everyone's life may be in peril. Clever and magical, this novella speaks to the longings within us all.
Sisters of the Vast Black
Lina Rather
4 stars
In a space-faring Catholic convent, the sisters dedicate their lives to providing aid and services to far-scattered colonies, but there are more secrets among these women than one might suppose. Soon the biological turmoil of their living ship and the fate of one group of settlers will bring everything out into the open. A compelling story full of complex characters deciding how to best live their truth.
The Sorcerer of the Wilds
Kalashante Wilson
1 stars
DNF 20%
Around 1/5 of the way through this, I simply couldn’t tell, or bring myself to care, where this story was going. The lengthy descriptions of GI life in a fantasy setting were of no interest to me at all.