(Horror) Frankton, NZ gets a shipment of twenty "lichen splice" wives--free, courtesy of the government. But these aren't like the last batch of wives. (5,531 words; Time: 18m)
Rating: ★★★☆☆, Average
"Union," by Tamsyn Muir, appeared in Clarkesworld issue 111, published on December 03, 2015
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: The problems with the "wives" creep up on you gradually. Even the fact that they know to kill Simeon is creepy--they understand more than people think they do. And, of course, the whole culture where people can buy poppy or rose wives and apparently breed children with them is creepy too.
The story reaches a natural end where everyone accepts the wives, now that Simeon is gone. Just thinking about what sort of children they'll produce adds one final chill.
Con: The whole setup beggars belief. Are people actually having sex with these things? Are they slaves? Are they really the ultimate GMO plants? We end up with lots of questions and no answers.
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The story reaches a natural end where everyone accepts the wives, now that Simeon is gone. Just thinking about what sort of children they'll produce adds one final chill.
Con: The whole setup beggars belief. Are people actually having sex with these things? Are they slaves? Are they really the ultimate GMO plants? We end up with lots of questions and no answers.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites
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