Review of Aggie Novak, “Little Bird,” Flash Fiction Online 134 (November 2024): 22-25 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
Hunger drives Adnela to thievery, and in doing so she encounters a spirit. In the course of this tight, quiet little story, Adnela and Živinica move from enemies to friends, not in any sort of trope-y way, but in the real, believable way of women who are outcast and scorned banding together to support each other.
Review of Gregory Marlow, “An Acre a Year,” Flash Fiction Online 134 (November 2024): 18-20 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
This almost could have been a tale out of Grimm; it had all the classic fairy tale elements — a sad and desperate young woman, a magical resolution, a fae-bargain gone wrong — but with an added layer of modernity that deepened and enriched it all. What a pleasant way to spend a Saturday afternoon, reading this story.
Review of Angus McIntyre, “The Inside of the Outside,” Flash Fiction Online 134 (November 2024): 14-17 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
This curious little story took a turn towards horror that I was not expecting. I like a good effective use of a twist!
(First published in Factor Four Magazine October 2022).
Review of Emmie Christie, “Hazards of Being Related to the Chosen One,” Flash Fiction Online 134 (November 2024): 11-13 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
This was as surprisingly cheerful (as well was emotionally wrenching) story given its title, and it fit the “rural” theme of the issue perfectly: narrowly-focused without being small-minded.
Review of Vijayalaxmi Samal, “To Curse With Needle and Thread,” Flash Fiction Online 134 (November 2024): 8-10 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
The stories in this issue of FFO are all bundled together under the header of “rural fantasy”, but don’t be deceived: These are not quiet pastoral stories. Samal’s story opens the issue, and in the very first lines it is visceral, it is angry, it is full of power. It is sharp and blunt when it comes to criticizing colonialism, and the forced conversion that comes with it. A strong and powerful opener!
Review of Christine Lucas, “Final Harvest,” Flash Fiction Online 133 (October 2024): 35-37 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
Content note: death of a parent.
This was a strangely delicate indictment of the ways in which parenting can go wrong, with a good dose of world-building in the background that really helped support and carry the story. I really enjoyed this.
Review of Damián Neri, “To Serve the Emperor,” Flash Fiction Online 133 (October 2024): 31-34 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
Content note: Child harm, flesh eating.
Neri’s story is the sort that rests on the border of gross horror and psychological horror which sits very uncomfortably with me — I like the latter but not so much the former, but here it is the former that makes it the latter. It was entirely compelling and even if I wasn’t entirely happy reading it, I couldn’t look away.
Review of Meg Elison, “The Tub,” Flash Fiction Online 133 (October 2024): 27-29 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
This was a tremendously powerful story, a kick in the gut, an honest glimpse at the consequences of motherhood — the sort of story you get to the end of and go “oooof!”
Review of Andrew K Hoe, “Vinegar-Gurgle,” Flash Fiction Online 133 (October 2024): 23-26 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
Content note: Torture, racism.
Now this was horror: A gruesome glimpse into depravity. I struggled to find anything in any of the characters to approve of or sympathize with. The author’s note at the end of story was therefore quite important for me, to understand its purpose and inclusion in the issue: “The story
‘Vinegar-Gurgle’ was written as a way of dealing with two real-life Asian hate incidents.”
Review of Erin MacNair, “The Trade,” Flash Fiction Online 133 (October 2024): 19-22 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
Content note: Death of pets, references to infertility, natural disaster.
I found this story more sad than horrific; but there was an eerie quality threading through it that meant I was never quite sure what was going on, just enough for the story to warrant its speculative label.
(First printed in Orca, Winter 2022.)
SFF Reviews