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marmarta's review
2.0
It's not my kind of prose. I think I get what the author is doing, but it does not speak to me. There is, perhaps, too much about the bond between mothers and children, and I can't really find myself in it.
ashliesydel's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
tomatocultivator's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
One doesn't need to go to another planet to be forced into a hostile, alien environment. Neither do they need monsters to fear. The world has plenty of those already.
Eugen Bacon's <i>Danged Black Thing</i> is a collection of stories about the trauma of colonialism, the pain of family, and the triumphant struggle to keep going. The seventeen stories range from full-on sci-fi dystopian futures to a family drama in which the most speculative element is the memory of a lost mother. Each follows characters either in a central/western African nation deeply affected by the twin wounds of capitalism and colonialism, or living in diaspora. Bacon's flowing, visceral language is at times ambiguous, with lines like, "Rain was a hungry widow," that hit hard. Her characters, mostly women and children, are put into deeply difficult places, but even the bleak moments are punctuated by a a drive to survive, and more importantly to make the situation a little better for the next generation.
The first story, "Simbiyu and the Nameless", might be my favorite - a dash of cosmic horror following around a young person trying to make a new life in Australia, perhaps to help, but always for a price. And the title story, a darkly-comedic satire of technology gone wrong, was a welcome surprise. This collection has already gotten plenty of praise, and I am glad to see it re-released for the US market. Nothing in here is easy, but it's all welcome...
I was provided an ARC by Apex Books in exchange for a review, and am very glad of it!
Eugen Bacon's <i>Danged Black Thing</i> is a collection of stories about the trauma of colonialism, the pain of family, and the triumphant struggle to keep going. The seventeen stories range from full-on sci-fi dystopian futures to a family drama in which the most speculative element is the memory of a lost mother. Each follows characters either in a central/western African nation deeply affected by the twin wounds of capitalism and colonialism, or living in diaspora. Bacon's flowing, visceral language is at times ambiguous, with lines like, "Rain was a hungry widow," that hit hard. Her characters, mostly women and children, are put into deeply difficult places, but even the bleak moments are punctuated by a a drive to survive, and more importantly to make the situation a little better for the next generation.
The first story, "Simbiyu and the Nameless", might be my favorite - a dash of cosmic horror following around a young person trying to make a new life in Australia, perhaps to help, but always for a price. And the title story, a darkly-comedic satire of technology gone wrong, was a welcome surprise. This collection has already gotten plenty of praise, and I am glad to see it re-released for the US market. Nothing in here is easy, but it's all welcome...
I was provided an ARC by Apex Books in exchange for a review, and am very glad of it!
maree_k's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This collection of speculative fiction short stories ranges from horror to humour. While not every story was to my taste there was plenty to enjoy. Highly recommended.
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