Review: Bead Lizards by Emily O. Gravett

-

Review of Bead Lizards by Emily O. Gravett (1000 words)

SmokeLong Quarterly, Issue 79, March 2023 : Donate or Read Online

I must admit this story is neither science fiction nor fantasy, but I loved it so much I wanted to share it.

An absolutely lovely story - plot and prose both impeccable. It was something that really resonated with me, the feeling of getting older and on the way to jaded, while some part of me still loves and enjoys the little things, still had childlike delight about small joys. I love that part of me and I want to hold on to it as long as possible.

The author takes that feeling, turns it into better fiction than I could possibly write, and leaves me with a smile and some more hope.

One of the best short stories I’ve read in a while.

Support us on Ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks   

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Kali_Na by Indrapramit Das

-
Review of Kali_Na by Indrapramit Das (7558 words) The Year's Best Science Fiction, Volume 1, Edited by Jonathan Strahan, Purchase Anthology A cyberpunk style story set in India, Kali_Na focuses on our protagonist, a lower caste girl named Durga, and an AI Goddess simply named Devi. Devi is the Hindi word for Goddess - she is simply that. Not one of the many Goddesses from Hindu culture with a rich and varied life and stories, and this is an important distinction. No, she is just generic Goddess 2.0, to whom devotees may ascribe any quality they choose, one who will bless everyone with their own particular type of request, instead of having to ask specific Goddesses for specific things. A product of capitalism, she was supposed to be every Goddess in one. But maybe they forgot to code out the qualities of Kali Maa. And then we see a shift. The sheer power and scale of this story was reminiscent of the scale and scope of Hindu sagas and tales. A truly fantastic story and
Read more

Review: Nine Lives by P.A. Cornell

-
Review of Nine Lives by P.A. Cornell (799 words) If There's Anyone Left, Issue 2, January 2022 : Purchase or Read Online A very endearing bit of flash fiction. We hear that cats have nine lives, but this particular cat very literally has nine lives, and he keeps coming back as a cute little kitten every time. And his very lucky human gets to experience his cat's affection over the course of many lifetimes. Beautiful. Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    
Read more

Review: A Fall Backward Through the Hourglass by P.A. Cornell

-
Review of A Fall Backward Through the Hourglass by P.A. Cornell (1082 words) Cossmass Infinities, Issue 8, April 2022 : Purchase or Read Online A heartfelt fantasy by the author who also wrote Nine Lives . I enjoyed that story and loved this even more. If I had to use just one word, it would be poignant. The protagonist starts aging backwards after the birth of her daughter, born on her thirtieth birthday. As she keeps getting younger, she and her daughter go through different phases where their relationship changes as their relative ages change. It is often difficult for both of them, but there's no lack of love and affection, even through the hard times. As she keeps getting younger, some observations just slice through you, especially if you're a parent or have been a caregiver to a young child. The story was tight, with strong prose and emotional resonance. Loved it! Support us on Ko-fi -  https://ko-fi.com/ohjustbooks    
Read more