A review by achilleanshelves
The Shape of My Name by Nino Cipri

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 The Shape of My Name by Nino Cipri is an Adult Science-Fiction Short Story that centres familial relationships, relationship to ones-self and the power of knowledge of who you are. The story follows a family, the women of which inherit the ability/ knowledge to travel through time. This causes much confusion for a Trans Man in the family who uses the ability to travel through time to reconcile a sense of identity within his family, and himself. 

The way that Cipri describes each era in such a sensory way was my favourite part of this story. The language used and the structure employed made this such a delight to read. Additionally, the use of second person to address the character’s mother allowed the prose to feel almost accusatory toward the reader and really amplified the heightened emotions of the story. This all worked to great effect and made me enjoy the story all the more for it.

I’d recommend this Short Story for anyone looking for a quick yet highly impactful read that you’ll be thinking about for days afterward!
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