REVIEW: “Informed Consent Logs from the Soul Swap Clinic” by Sarah Pauling

Review of Sarah Pauling, “Informed Consent Logs from the Soul Swap Clinic”, Clarkesworld Issue 185, February (2022): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

With an interesting concept of swapping your souls into other bodies, I was hooked from the beginning.

It was fun getting into the mindset of the technician, and the two swappers, RED and BLUE. While it was a good look into how people prioritize certain qualities and attributes, I ultimately felt it was an unjust and unfair conclusion, and I felt it could have been executed in a way that didn’t lead to one person getting misled into a disappointing existence.

Essentially, I liked the concept and prose, but not the unsatisfying conclusion that disregards the wishes of another human being on purpose, with no empathy shown towards their vision or goal.

** At the risk of a spoiler, I can only hope I misunderstood what happens to RED.

myra naikLeave a comment

REVIEW: “You’re Not the Only One” by Octavia Cade

Review of Octavia Cade, “You’re Not the Only One”, Clarkesworld Issue 185, February (2022): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

A very emotionally resonant story, and one that deserves to be read slowly and savored.

Set in the nebulous future, the story revolves around an astronaut and his friend, both dealing with their own disappointments. What I loved about this story was their sympathy for each other, and how they provided each other with space and dignity to handle grief in their own way.

I liked how the author portrayed in the children in this story as people capable of feelings, empathy, and curiosity. I genuinely believe that children are capable of a lot, and sometimes as adults we forget what it was like to be a child with questions and the burning desire for knowledge and understanding. I have rarely seen this level of respect for emotion and dignity in writing. For this alone, I want to read more of Cade’s work.

More than anything else, however, what I loved was how community-minded all the characters in the story were. For me, it was a dazzling display of humanity, and it felt both sad and natural that it would take a massive catastrophic event on a global scale for people to develop compassion towards each other. The people in this story truly understood that we’re all in this together. In this life, on this planet, in the decisions we take.

myra naik1 Comment

REVIEW: “When the Forest Comes to You” by E. M. Linden

Review of E. M. Linden, “When the Forest Comes to You,” Flash Fiction Online (July 2023): 12-15 — Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

This is more a series of vignettes than a story, snapshots of Keith’s life from when he was 5 to when his son was 5, all tied together by an underlying layer of sadness, culminating in an ending that feels like an ultimate betrayal.

Sara L. UckelmanLeave a comment