Scan barcode
A review by ninetalevixen
Some of the Best from Tor.com, 2019 edition by
3.0
"Deriving Life" by Elizabeth Bear
★★★✯☆
Poignant, thoughtful themes; however, there were too many rhetorical questions and I had trouble connecting with the characters.
"For He Can Creep" by Siobhan Carroll
★★★☆☆
Fun idea, but the execution was more ... absurdist (?) than I would've preferred.
"Beyond the El" by John Chu
★★★★☆
Wonderful Taiwanese rep, vivid imagery, lovely magical realism. My only critique is that the ending felt like it was rushed for the sole purpose of narrative closure.
"Zeitgeber" by Greg Egan
★★★✯☆
Another interesting premise, but the science bordered on overload; the hazy transitions also contributed to my confusion. The ending felt abrupt.
"One/Zero" by Kathleen Ann Goonan
★★☆☆☆
Really not a fan of Mai as a character, and her arc has uncomfortable white-savior parallels/themes; would've enjoyed this much more if it was just Vida's and Azul's story, though that part felt less developed (pun not intended).
"Skinner Box" by Carole Johnstone
★★✯☆☆
I didn't feel like the Black Mirror mindfuckery was executed very well; more science than story, so the characters and motives fell flat.
"The Song" by Erinn L. Kemper
★★☆☆☆
Nothing? really? happens? Despite my love of marine life, I just ... nope.
"Articulated Restraint" by Mary Robinette Kowal
★☆☆☆☆
Too much jargon and play-by-play descriptions, which buried any thematic or moral development. Also, it seems the MC is cast in a (white?) savior role which I'm uncomfortable with.
"Painless" by Rich Larson
★★✯☆☆
Cool premise and the plot is easy to follow, though too gruesome for my liking.
"Seonag and the Seawolves" by M. Evan MacGriogair
★☆☆☆☆
I found the writing style distractingly lush; the characters seemed like lifeless puppets for the plot, and the themes were too watered down (pun intended) especially at the end.
"Any Way the Wind Blows" by Seanan McGuire
★★★★✯
As always with McGuire, fantastic worldbuilding and vivid characters. Bonus points for naming the MC Isabelle!
"Blue Morphos in the Garden" by Lis Mitchell
★★★★☆
Lovely premise, with its nuances explored enough to give depth to the story without smothering it in its infancy. An empathetic picture of grief and loss.
"His Footsteps, Through Darkness and Light" by Mimi Mondal
★★★★☆
Vivid worldbuilding and classic tropes done well; the ending is just a bit too convenient/perfect.
"Old Media" by Annalee Newitz
★★☆☆☆
Blatant aphobia comes out of seemingly nowhere and is never addressed; the Ouran HSHC references really didn't do anything for me despite having nostalgia on their side.
"More Real Than Him" by Silvia Park
★☆☆☆☆
The raging misogyny is uncomfortable and hypocritical, as are all the relationships being portrayed. Could've been an interesting story, but I just couldn't get into it.
"The Hundredth House Had No Walls" by Laurie Penny
★★★✯☆
Love the ideas, confused by the themes, not totally sold on the characters.
"The Touches" by Brenda Peynado
★★★✯☆
Cool premise, but the plot is kinda meh.
"Knowledgeable Creatures" by Christopher Rowe
★★☆☆☆
Simultaneously overly-theatrical and overly-quirky; too much jumping between worldbuilding and plot. Could've been engaging, but I was disappointed.
"Blood is Another Word for Hunger" by Rivers Solomon
★★☆☆☆
Interesting but really gruesome (as you might expect from the title). Thematically I'm not sure what I'm supposed to take away.
"The Last Voyage of Skidbladnir" by Karin Tidbeck
★★☆☆☆
Hits most of the right notes and goes through most of the right motions, it just seems like there's something missing.
"Circus Girl, The Hunter, and Mirror Boy" by JY Yang
★★★★✯
Ooooh, I really like this. Would read a full-length novel of it, though it works really well in its current form.
"Water: A History" by KJ Kabza
★★★☆☆
A decent enough read, but not particularly compelling.
"As the Last I May Know" by SL Huang
★★★✯☆
This premise is an idea I've seen floating around the Internet, and I think the execution (morbid pun absolutely not intended) does it justice. Though the ending is a bit abrupt, lacking closure of any kind.
"The Time Invariance of Snow" by E. Lily Yu
★☆☆☆☆
I know the fairy tale, and I understand basic physics and theology. Yet I couldn't make any sense of this story or its themes.
★★★✯☆
Poignant, thoughtful themes; however, there were too many rhetorical questions and I had trouble connecting with the characters.
"For He Can Creep" by Siobhan Carroll
★★★☆☆
Fun idea, but the execution was more ... absurdist (?) than I would've preferred.
"Beyond the El" by John Chu
★★★★☆
Wonderful Taiwanese rep, vivid imagery, lovely magical realism. My only critique is that the ending felt like it was rushed for the sole purpose of narrative closure.
"Zeitgeber" by Greg Egan
★★★✯☆
Another interesting premise, but the science bordered on overload; the hazy transitions also contributed to my confusion. The ending felt abrupt.
"One/Zero" by Kathleen Ann Goonan
★★☆☆☆
Really not a fan of Mai as a character, and her arc has uncomfortable white-savior parallels/themes; would've enjoyed this much more if it was just Vida's and Azul's story, though that part felt less developed (pun not intended).
"Skinner Box" by Carole Johnstone
★★✯☆☆
I didn't feel like the Black Mirror mindfuckery was executed very well; more science than story, so the characters and motives fell flat.
"The Song" by Erinn L. Kemper
★★☆☆☆
Nothing? really? happens? Despite my love of marine life, I just ... nope.
"Articulated Restraint" by Mary Robinette Kowal
★☆☆☆☆
Too much jargon and play-by-play descriptions, which buried any thematic or moral development. Also, it seems the MC is cast in a (white?) savior role which I'm uncomfortable with.
"Painless" by Rich Larson
★★✯☆☆
Cool premise and the plot is easy to follow, though too gruesome for my liking.
"Seonag and the Seawolves" by M. Evan MacGriogair
★☆☆☆☆
I found the writing style distractingly lush; the characters seemed like lifeless puppets for the plot, and the themes were too watered down (pun intended) especially at the end.
"Any Way the Wind Blows" by Seanan McGuire
★★★★✯
As always with McGuire, fantastic worldbuilding and vivid characters. Bonus points for naming the MC Isabelle!
"Blue Morphos in the Garden" by Lis Mitchell
★★★★☆
Lovely premise, with its nuances explored enough to give depth to the story without smothering it in its infancy. An empathetic picture of grief and loss.
"His Footsteps, Through Darkness and Light" by Mimi Mondal
★★★★☆
Vivid worldbuilding and classic tropes done well; the ending is just a bit too convenient/perfect.
"Old Media" by Annalee Newitz
★★☆☆☆
Blatant aphobia comes out of seemingly nowhere and is never addressed; the Ouran HSHC references really didn't do anything for me despite having nostalgia on their side.
"More Real Than Him" by Silvia Park
★☆☆☆☆
The raging misogyny is uncomfortable and hypocritical, as are all the relationships being portrayed. Could've been an interesting story, but I just couldn't get into it.
"The Hundredth House Had No Walls" by Laurie Penny
★★★✯☆
Love the ideas, confused by the themes, not totally sold on the characters.
"The Touches" by Brenda Peynado
★★★✯☆
Cool premise, but the plot is kinda meh.
"Knowledgeable Creatures" by Christopher Rowe
★★☆☆☆
Simultaneously overly-theatrical and overly-quirky; too much jumping between worldbuilding and plot. Could've been engaging, but I was disappointed.
"Blood is Another Word for Hunger" by Rivers Solomon
★★☆☆☆
Interesting but really gruesome (as you might expect from the title). Thematically I'm not sure what I'm supposed to take away.
"The Last Voyage of Skidbladnir" by Karin Tidbeck
★★☆☆☆
Hits most of the right notes and goes through most of the right motions, it just seems like there's something missing.
"Circus Girl, The Hunter, and Mirror Boy" by JY Yang
★★★★✯
Ooooh, I really like this. Would read a full-length novel of it, though it works really well in its current form.
"Water: A History" by KJ Kabza
★★★☆☆
A decent enough read, but not particularly compelling.
"As the Last I May Know" by SL Huang
★★★✯☆
This premise is an idea I've seen floating around the Internet, and I think the execution (morbid pun absolutely not intended) does it justice. Though the ending is a bit abrupt, lacking closure of any kind.
"The Time Invariance of Snow" by E. Lily Yu
★☆☆☆☆
I know the fairy tale, and I understand basic physics and theology. Yet I couldn't make any sense of this story or its themes.