The stories in this collection were originally published in Asimov's Magazine and Realms of Fantasy and so on, but it's hard to classify them as science fiction or fantasy even if they do feature magical foxes, world-destroying microbots, and yes, a river of bees. The author is far more interested in feelings than in science, even when her characters are technocrats like "The Man Who Bridged the Mist."
As with any collection of stories, I enjoyed some more than others. My favorites were "26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss" (happily the first story in the book), "Fox Magic," "The Cat Who Walked a Thousand Miles," and the title story. They all used fantastic elements to explore the same themes as realistic stories do: dealing with death, the nature of community, and what we do for love. They also have lovely, unforgettable images in them.
My least favorite stories were the most experimental ones, "Spar," "Ponies," and "Names for Water." Conveniently, these were also the shortest stories.
As with any collection of stories, I enjoyed some more than others. My favorites were "26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss" (happily the first story in the book), "Fox Magic," "The Cat Who Walked a Thousand Miles," and the title story. They all used fantastic elements to explore the same themes as realistic stories do: dealing with death, the nature of community, and what we do for love. They also have lovely, unforgettable images in them.
My least favorite stories were the most experimental ones, "Spar," "Ponies," and "Names for Water." Conveniently, these were also the shortest stories.
No comments:
Post a Comment