I think that they should have explored Curran's weird insistence about Kate being a glory-hound in the first book with this collection. It was somethiI think that they should have explored Curran's weird insistence about Kate being a glory-hound in the first book with this collection. It was something that really bothered her and it's essentially just a given fact/throwaway in the short stories until they built up more history together. ...more
Curran's POV definitely adds way more nuance to the relationship he and Kate have, but it doesn't have the depth of narrative like the main series booCurran's POV definitely adds way more nuance to the relationship he and Kate have, but it doesn't have the depth of narrative like the main series books do....more
Organic ships have long been an interest of mine in science-fiction. This was an amazing short story of one such being and her passengers. I especiallOrganic ships have long been an interest of mine in science-fiction. This was an amazing short story of one such being and her passengers. I especially love that Saga, our main character who is a maintenance worker for the ship, watches an old television show called Andromeda Station that is thematically similar to DS9. It ties everything together for me....more
‘I don’t know where your loyalty lies. Are you a friend of the nation?’
‘Who is the nation, if not you and me?’
‘Right now, in this conversation, it’s j
‘I don’t know where your loyalty lies. Are you a friend of the nation?’
‘Who is the nation, if not you and me?’
‘Right now, in this conversation, it’s just me.’
This was Day 17 of the short story advent calendar I have set up for myself this year. I have only ever read short stories by Danticat (Krik? Krak! still resonates with me deeply) and she continues to impress with this piece.
"What is the sadness you miss that makes you want to be tied up?" [...] "It feels safer when I'm tied up." "What feels safer?" [...] Slowly, he whispered,
"What is the sadness you miss that makes you want to be tied up?" [...] "It feels safer when I'm tied up." "What feels safer?" [...] Slowly, he whispered, "I feel like I'm being given permission to stay alive."
whew. this collection started out real weird, with the Head in the toilet made of shit stalking a nameless woman, and got a little more intense with each successive story....more
“I’m sorry,” I say. The phrase becomes a compulsion, a prayer, a warding talisman. I repeat it over and over, I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry. I apologi
“I’m sorry,” I say. The phrase becomes a compulsion, a prayer, a warding talisman. I repeat it over and over, I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry. I apologize for the shame we’ve been forced to bear, the shame of other people’s cruelty. Our creatures curl up together as my heart gets heavier and heavier.
This is heavy for a short story. It has a lot to say, explicitly and implicitly, about rape culture and trauma and maladaptive coping mechanisms for both....more
This was a fun read. Really enjoyed the catty, passive-aggressive (and then just straight up aggressive) email exchange in "The Wainscoting War" betweThis was a fun read. Really enjoyed the catty, passive-aggressive (and then just straight up aggressive) email exchange in "The Wainscoting War" between a newly moved in trophy wife and her older townhouse neighbor.
There are two stars of this collection, the first of which was "Dumpster Diving With the Stars". It features a genre-savvy writer who has only one cult classic novel to her name, published 15 years prior; she joins a reality tv show at a friend's behest. The finale event for the contestants ties in with a dead background character from "Wainscoting War" - I love when short story collections make it obvious that there's a cohesion to their world.
The second star of my heart was "Dead Doorman", which started off as a bit eerie in tone. You worry for the nameless narrator, a woman with the distant husband and the overbearing mother-in-law who didn't like anyone to get "too comfortable" in her house. But each neutral statement she makes about her life builds on one another until you realize that maybe she's the one you need to worry about. ˡᵒᵛᵉ ᵐᵉ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ˢᶜᵃʳʸ ˡᵃᵈᶦᵉˢ...more
I wasn’t supposed to see that. I don’t believe anyone was supposed to see that.
I follow McGuire on that blue hellsite, so I knew I would be getting soI wasn’t supposed to see that. I don’t believe anyone was supposed to see that.
I follow McGuire on that blue hellsite, so I knew I would be getting something pretty excellent. "Persephone" had an ending that left me wanting to see a very real and very bloody resolution - I do love women-getting-revenge stories. Self-indulgent wish-fulfillment, I think they call it....more
It's Women's History Month in the U.S. (and UK and Australia, apparently). Elizabeth Warren's recent exit from the primary race for the 2020 electionsIt's Women's History Month in the U.S. (and UK and Australia, apparently). Elizabeth Warren's recent exit from the primary race for the 2020 elections made this an appealing tribute to her campaign work. All of the stories contained within the loose collection are based on the quote adopted by many feminist movements: "nevertheless, she persisted" (spoken by good ol' Moscow Mitch when Warren justifiably objected to Sessions' appointment as U.S. Attorney General).
This one is short and powerful and lacks detail in a way that can contribute to some serious metaphorical comparisons to modern day life.
They fell together, she and the monster, gazing into one another’s ruined faces.
One less monster to take the city, one less woman to defend it.
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