Review: “A World Without” or “From a Brief History of the Sjöberg Portal” by Tomiko Breland

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Review of “A World Without” or “From a Brief History of the Sjöberg Portal” by Tomiko Breland (1000 words)

Flash Fiction Online, May 2018 : Purchase or Read Online

A lovely story spanning many years, with the narrator's thoughts interspersed with a book extract about the Sjöberg Portal.

It is deeply touching in the first person POV about how the narrator grows over time - emotionally too. The book excerpts show a stark difference between people of the world, some of whom are enamored by the portal and some who choose to stay far, far away.

Effectively, this unique format choice provides a very personal reaction to the Portal while also showing how humanity as a whole has been affected by it. A very difficult format to do well and this story is all the more elevated for it.

 

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