Original Prose Fiction

“Kizimbani” by Eugen Bacon and Clare E. Rhoden

I know a lot of folks dislike epistolary works as a whole, but I do like them. I even thought about doing my graduate thesis on modern epistolary fiction. I’m especially a fan of epistolary madness stories. Here, I think the first letter is a bit of an info-dump and the content and tone really don’t line up well. The early letters feel a bit ham handed. The rate at which Luna’s despair sets in is beyond what my suspension of disbelief tolerates, too. I just could not buy in on this story, and by the end I was confused and frustrated. Maybe I’m missing something, so please tell me if that’s the case and I’ll gladly give it another chance.

“And Someone Has To Do It” by Koji A Dae

With Thanksgiving around the corner and a two-year-old of my own, this story really struck at something deep down. It nudges at the guilt and pain that coexist in mothers around the holidays. I’ll have this story at the edges of my thoughts all this holiday season. The protagonist’s goals, hopes, efforts, and choices really resonate and are grounded in a very particular reality that not every reader will inherently “get”–but boy howdy, those who will “get” it will feel a little bit too seen.

“A Tapestry of Dreams” by Victor Forna

A solid story about what it’s like to be a burden on your loved ones, and about worrying for them and still needing them. It’s lovely and sad, but I don’t have much else to say about it.

“What Good Daughters Do” by Tia Tashiro

I’m not yet at a point where I am caring for my own aging parents–both of my parents are caring for theirs, though. This story amplifies the general stress and frustration of those difficult situations, taking the dementia-addled parent and cranking the dial to full flesh-eating zombie. What I really like about this story is the practicality of the narrator, doing what needs to be done because “that’s what good daughters do” when their parent needs them. No matter what needs doing.

“The Price of Moss” by Akis Linardos

I liked this story. It’s a reflection on burden, like the previous story, but it adds in the shared burden of caring for the planet and the burden of responsibility for the fate of mankind. The question, ultimately, is whether the human experience is more or less important than those responsibilities. From a philosophical perspective, Linardos is tapping into a major contention in the face of climate change right now: are we collectively willing to suffer, are we willing to take a diminished experience for ourselves, if it gives the human race a little longer? You may feel that you would make a different choice than the protagonist (I think I would), but literature is about trying on others’ ideas and thoughts and feelings.

“The Eight Things You’ll Never Be Now That You’re Slowly Turning Into a Giant Spider Creature” by Alex Sobel

I like the structure here. It works really well to create a staccato narrative. The underlying idea is absurd and unexplained, but it’s so short that it’s easy to buy in for the moment and just be present with the characters as they cope with change.

“A Very Short History of the Discovery and Origin of Homo Sapiens Microplasitcus in Three Parts” by Joshua Ginsberg

This was a little on the nose for me. The story is certainly tackling some important modern problems, but it just doesn’t work for me as a narrative.

Reprinted Prose Fiction

“Remembered Salt” by E. Catherine Tobler

If walls could talk, this is the story they would tell. You don’t have to imagine what Baba Yaga’s house might have to say about the witch, what that house might remember, and how it might feel about what happened inside its walls. You don’t have to imagine that because Tobler tells you. An excellent piece.

“Halogen Sky” by Wendy N. Wagner

I’m not often grossed out by writing, but the opening of this one was too accurate. Blech. As disgusting as the start of the story is, the prose throughout is just as vivid, even in the dialogue. The plot is a little slow-moving, with some moments that could have been trimmed out for a tighter reading experience; however, it’s also a highly uncanny story, the kind that wants to take its time. The story itself is playing with a trope, and it does some interesting things with it, but it also feels forced at times, and the ending feels rushed.