Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Michael Doesn't Hate His Mother, by Marie Vibbert

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(SF) Michael and Julie, kids with no parents, are cared for by a mechanical "mother." Trouble is, the machine is having problems, and no one will believe them. (3,825 words; Time: 12m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

"," by (edited by John Joseph Adams), appeared in issue 70, published on .

Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)

Pro: Michael's predicament feels very real, as do his attempts to cope with it. More important, he really cares for his little sister, although, being perhaps 12, he's often thoughtless. We really feel his pain when he comes home and Julie has been hurt or maybe even killed.

Con: The idea that anyone thought this crazy machine could care for children is hard to swallow. Or that no one ever comes by to check on them. They've even got Michael performing maintenance on the thing!

Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 70)
Marie Vibbert Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB

1 comment (may contain spoilers):

  1. This one is really disturbing since the machine is obviously a metaphor for an abusive parent. The fact that Michael recognizes that she's just broken, can't help it, and therefore doesn't hate her makes it even more heartbreaking.

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