REVIEW: “Bend Like the Palm” by David D. Levine

Review of David D. Levine, “Bend Like the Palm”, Clarkesworld Issue 234, March (2026): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

This story is about a lot of things, and many of those are quite timely.

The worldbuilding was great. I find that a lot of times when the worldbuilding is good and you can tell the writer has spent quite some time on it, the plot suffers for it. As a reader, it makes me appreciate the world, but not the plot progression or the storyline. This story does not have these issues.

A thoughtful story with many good elements – a human story in a sci-fi setting, as good sci-fi stories tend to be.

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REVIEW: “Crabs Don’t Scream” by H.H. Pak

Review of H.H. Pak, “Crabs Don’t Scream”, Clarkesworld Issue 229, October (2025): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

Exceedingly well written; this novelette was an experience. One worth having.
The vast complexity of everything it covers, the perspectives, choices, feelings, being different in some sort of way. Love. All kinds of love. Simply love. Oh yeah, and science fiction.  

Everything about this piece is simply beautiful. The kind of stories that remind me why reading is such a rewarding hobby.

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REVIEW: “Wire Mother” by Isabel J. Kim

Review of Isabel J. Kim, “Wire Mother”, Clarkesworld Issue 229, October (2025): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

Dystopian stories set in an indeterminate future are, quite truly, my jam. A great story about perspectives and how societal expectations shape what’s “normal” and what isn’t. I also liked the connection to neurodiverse experiences – there’s nothing wrong about being different. The context for this connection was exceedingly lovely, and makes it one of those stories that become an immediate must-share.

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REVIEW: “Missing Helen” by Tia Tashiro

Review of Tia Tashiro, “Missing Helen”, Clarkesworld Issue 226, July (2025): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

If you had a clone, would you wonder about them? If you were a clone, would you want to know more about your origin? 

Both sides of the story seem interesting, and I’m happy this story gave us all that and more. 

A tightly woven tale of these two people, so similar and so different. The prose added a lot to the story; this is something I always appreciate about Clarkesworld stories. They’ve got a beautiful way with words.

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REVIEW: “Through These Moments, Darkly” by Samantha Murray

Review of Samantha Murray, “Through These Moments, Darkly”, Clarkesworld Issue 223, April (2025): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

Reading this story on a cold spring day hits different. The “you” point of view for narration was a choice, and I’m happy to say it made sense for the story. Lovely words throughout – the prose was just as awesome as the plot. An evocative piece of writing.

This story is a hopeful delight.

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REVIEW: “Those Uncaring Waves” by Yukimi Ogawa

Review of Yukimi Ogawa, “Those Uncaring Waves”, Clarkesworld Issue 222, March (2025): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

A hauntingly beautiful novella. So well written, richly layered, and very detailed. This was an absolute treat to read.

A story with an intricately created world usually has that as the highlight of the story. Here, it was the background for another beautiful story. I cannot overstate how lovely this story is – the plot, the emotion, the scale, the world building, the structure – everything so so good.

This novella is a must-read. I can’t even try to put it in a genre or explain “key points”. Read for yourself and see; thank me later!

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REVIEW: “Luminous Glass, Vibrant Seeds” by D.A. Xiaolin Spires

Review of D.A. Xiaolin Spires, “Luminous Glass, Vibrant Seeds”, Clarkesworld Issue 218, November (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

Yet another beautiful story of hope! Clarkesworld is really spoiling us readers lately, each and every story making me feel a certain type of way. This one is a beautiful combination of food, agriculture, and glassblowing, amongst other things.

Set sometime in the future, where people have gotten more in touch with their roots and nature. Decentralization and independence is the focus for many humans here, allusions to a past occurrence that created a sort of dystopia. But humans are resilient. And humans have also always appreciated beauty, right from cave drawing times. Beauty in the craggiest mountain and smallest seed. Oh, and a little green-thumbed robot feels the same way, too. Just lovely.

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REVIEW: “Mirror Stages” by Claire Jia-Wen

Review of Claire Jia-Wen, “Mirror Stages”, Clarkesworld Issue 218, November (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

A haunting story about the intersection of tech and the female body, with a focus on an immersive VR mukbang experience. If that sounds intense, then you’re right – so is the story.

I absolutely loved the depth and feeling and detail in this story. I couldn’t put it down at any point – it draws you in immediately. Something I have to say I’ve noticed about many Clarkesworld stories is the attention to world-building. This one was fantastic – I want to read a novella or even a full length novel set in this world. There are hints of greater background and setting throughout, so I hope this means it’s a world the author continues to write in.

A fascinating tale of tech, greed, how the male gaze can affect so much, and self-preservation, amongst many more themes. A sharp reminder that there are real people on the other side of your screen. People with feelings and hopes and dreams. Real people.

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