Meanwhile, Elsewhere

by Cat Fitzpatrick

[lovelybookshelf]

This is one of those I-loved-it-so-much-where-do-I-even-start!?! kind of reviews.

First off, it took me almost 4 months to read this anthology of short stories because I did not want the book to end. I savored each and every story. I love speculation fiction, I'm super picky about sci-fi, and I don't have much success with fantasy. But I cannot think of a single story in this book that didn't delight. All of them were fantastic and fierce.

Calvin Gimpelevich's "Rent, Don't Sell" (about body switching and its impact on one's identity) was a speculative fiction lover's dream. "Imago" by Tristan Alice Nieto is about coming back from the dead (for a little while, and as an undead) and the parallels to transitioning were surprisingly poignant:

"I get a message from a friend. They're sorry that they haven't called yet, but they're still in shock. They don't know if they're going to be able to see me like this. They're really, really sorry.
Everyone's so fucking sorry."

"Delicate Bodies" by Bridget Liang was one of my favorites. Think zombie apocalypse with a twist. The protagonist, Beryl, is Chinese-Canadian, from a Buddhist family, a trans woman, vegetarian, and... a zombie. It's dark and twisted and horrifyingly WTF but holy moly, somehow SO funny! Lots of social commentary packed into this one. This story is decidedly feminist, intersectional, and downright brilliant.

These stories are incredibly diverse in perspective, imagination, and style. Best of all, I ended up with a slew of new-to-me writers to keep an eye on! Don't miss out on this one.