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ocean_the_reader's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
To get my overall rating I rated each story, added the ratings up and divided it by the number of stories.
There was a mix of stories that I loved and stories I didn't. So many intriguing concepts. There was a nice mix of themes/messages.
There was a mix of stories that I loved and stories I didn't. So many intriguing concepts. There was a nice mix of themes/messages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Transphobia
starrysteph's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It's difficult to rate anthologies because the stories tend to differ largely in quality, but this was a really strong collection. Young, queer-centered voices with a sci fi theme, all set in the future.
There was a huge amount of representation of identities and experiences across these 17 stories. I made a (probably incomplete) list here:
There was a huge amount of representation of identities and experiences across these 17 stories. I made a (probably incomplete) list here:
Rep:
- Achillean MCs
- Sapphic MCs
- Trans MCs
- Nonbinary MCs
- Main characters identifying as: gay, lesbian, bi, aromantic
- Supporting characters identifying as: pan, demi
- Indigenous MC
- Black MCs
- Indian MCs
- Iranian MC
- Colombian MC
I wish there was disability representation.
We get a range of plots – some were deeply emotional, some were witty & fun, and some were so sweet & hopeful. The writing quality is overall very high.
Some stories were pretty bleak (centered around climate struggle and apocalypses // and futures in which transphobia and homophobia feel just as extreme as our current reality). There is certainly joy as well, but please don't expect an entire collection of queer triumph.
My personal favorites were: Doublers, The Rift, Translating for the Machine, Present: Tense, Nick and Bodhi, Concerto, and H O M E.
CW: queerphobia, outing, misgendering, death, domestic abuse, murder, racism, bullying, climate disaster, medical content, classism, gun violence, dysphoria, military themes, grief, stalking, religious bigotry, mental illness, cancer
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Classism, Confinement, Child abuse, Death, Racism, Terminal illness, Bullying, Cancer, Colonisation, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Transphobia, Violence, Homophobia, Murder, Sexism, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Hate crime, Physical abuse, Outing, Lesbophobia, Religious bigotry, Mental illness, and Gun violence
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