(Modern Fantasy) Thomas travels from Berlin to St. Petersburg at the request of his old mentor. The man proves hard to find, but he must be connected with the bears walking the streets. (14,759 words; Time: 49m)
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ Not Recommended
"Freedom is Space for the Spirit," by Glen Hirshberg [bio] (edited by Ellen Datlow), published on April 6, 2016 by Tor.com.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: Anyone who studied Russian or who spent time in St. Petersburg will enjoy the setting. Thomas does find Vasily, he does solve the mystery of the bears, and then he goes home, so the story does have a plot, more or less.
Con: But it's a pointless tale. Thomas plays no role in it other than to observe. The students turned into bears and then they all killed themselves. That's it. It's not a story (where things have for a reason), it's a tale (where things just happen).
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 04/06/16)
Glen Hirshberg Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB
Con: But it's a pointless tale. Thomas plays no role in it other than to observe. The students turned into bears and then they all killed themselves. That's it. It's not a story (where things have for a reason), it's a tale (where things just happen).
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 04/06/16)
Glen Hirshberg Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB
The voiceless, starving bears are very evocative and obviously symbolic of Russia. However, not knowing enough, the meaning of the story is lost on me.
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