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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REVIEW: “LuvHome™” by Resa Nelson

Review of Resa Nelson, “LuvHomeTM”, Clarkesworld Issue 218, November (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

A beautiful story. Just lovely. One of those stories that really go straight to the heart. Where I just want to sit with it for a while, re-read it, savor it.

This story follows Dyna and her LuvHomeTM – it’s supposed to love her. And it does – but not in the way Dyna wants. She wants to stay in bed all day. Her home, which is programmed to love her (she signed the contract when she bought the house!), doesn’t want her to stay in bed all day. And that’s where it all begins.

This is a sweet, poignant story. I want to read more about Dyna and this world! I will be exploring more of this writer’s work for sure.

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REVIEW: “The Children of Flame” by Fiona Moore

Review of Fiona Moore, “The Children of Flame”, Clarkesworld Issue 217, October (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

Set in a post apocalyptic society where modern infrastructure has mostly collapsed, including the concept of billionaires. People are cooperative and have started rebuilding some parts of society, one of them being Morag, our main protagonist. People are part of different groups with different lifestyles, but most are in agreement about being strongly against capitalism.

A lot of elements in this story illustrate so many things that are wrong with the world today – and how much resilience humans have, and always will have. A lovely look at what may happen if capitalism does continue unbridled to the point of implosion.

It’s a great story on its own merit, and works well as a standalone. Happily, it is part of a larger universe, which I hoped it would be when I read the previous story set there. You can read them (four so far) in any order, they’re all at Clarkesworld!

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REVIEW: “A Space O/pera” by Abby Nicole Yee

Review of Abby Nicole Yee, “A Space O/pera”, Clarkesworld Issue 217, October (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

This one starts off strong, with an open letter to a young heiress on her lavish wedding, set in the near future amidst severe climate change. There’s a lot packed into this short story, and the stakes are raised pretty quick too. It’s also quite thoughtfully laid out, with the epistolary type blog posts providing a different perspective and broader context to this space tale. Packed with futuristic tech and sci-fi action, there’s not a single dull moment!

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REVIEW: “The Weight of Your Own Ashes” by Carlie St. George

Review of Carlie St. George, “The Weight of Your Own Ashes”, Clarkesworld Issue 212, May (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

A deeply layered story of identity, and what a sense of self could mean. The protagonist is multi-bodied, with a single soul. What this effectively means in terms of perception, acceptance, and gender identity to themselves, and to other single-bodied organisms, like humans, is the journey of this story.

There are also moments of beauty, like a passage about symphonies, that also show how all those experiences shape Yonder, the protagonist. A great story with many lovely elements.

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REVIEW: “The Blinding Light of Resurrection” by Rajeev Prasad

Review of Rajeev Prasad, “The Blinding Light of Resurrection”, Clarkesworld Issue 212, May (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

Kept me hooked! An emotionally resonant story where I was genuinely invested in the characters and what happened to them. When someone is driven by obsession, rationality goes out the window, and that’s always a recipe for disaster.

This novelette provides a really, really good perspective on obsession and the cost of following through on it. Deftly written in a way that you can understand the protagonist’s motivations while also understanding how they’ve gone off track.

Again, I cannot overstate the emotional resonance in this one. Lovely writing.

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REVIEW: “The Texture of Memory, of Light” by Samara Auman

Review of Samara Auman, “The Texture of Memory, of Light”, Clarkesworld Issue 212, May (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

Much like the previous story in this issue, this is a poignant one that deals with memories of a late mother. There’s a great emphasis on working through conflicting feelings, while being caught up in tightly constructed and intricately layered human systems.

The protagonist has much to work through, coming out on the other side with greater understanding and healing. The character development was fantastic, and I loved seeing all the changes – and the decisions that grew from there.

Great background and secondary characters, too. I especially liked the world building and would definitely read more stories set here.

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REVIEW: “The Brotherhood of Montague St. Video” by Thomas Ha

Review of Thomas Ha, “The Brotherhood of Montague St. Video”, Clarkesworld Issue 212, May (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

Set in a not too distant dystopian future, this story follows an unnamed protagonist who finds a dead book. A real one, with no pixelated layer on the pages, no swiping to increase the brightness. Just paper.

That’s rare in this world, and the book itself is so different from the kinds of books generally available. Present day books have their endings sanitized, plot lines changed, and audience acceptance maximized by following tropes and guidelines. That’s why this one stands out, attracts attention.

I always love to see stories of people finding their inner strength and purpose. Plus, the character arc and world building in this story is a treat. Definitely recommend.

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REVIEW: “In Which Caruth is Correct” by Carolyn Zhao

Review of Carolyn Zhao, “In Which Caruth is Correct”, Clarkesworld Issue 212, May (2024): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.

This story brings us to a world where time loops exist, taking you back to moments of singularity. These moments are often moments of regret, the regret of making the wrong choices. Many step in and don’t return, with the strength of belief that maybe a different decision would make life better.

Our protagonist has many of these time loops show up, and works through it with the help of meds and tempo-therapy. The vivid descriptions just add to the joy of this story, which is already an enjoyable experience because of its concept and world building.

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