(Present-Day SF) Ulna works for "The Department," investigating a murder. Her lover, Marrow, believes The Department committed the murder itself. (3,792 words)
Rating: 3,
Unremarkable
"Sweet Marrow," by Vajra Chandrasekera, appeared in the 4 July 2016 issue of Strange Horizons.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: There's a nice bit of tension at the end, in the "Betrayal" chapter, when Ulna considers ratting out Marrow and Sesamum, before we realize that she's betraying the Department (and Hamat)--not her lover.
It's a little bit of a surprise to realize that the repressive country is not a future United States but rather some unnamed modern nation.
Con: Owing to the format, there's almost no dialogue, and we end up with very little feel for what sort of people these characters are. Ulna isn't really much of a protagonist, since the one who makes things happen here is Marrow.
It's a little bit of a surprise to realize that the repressive country is not a future United States but rather some unnamed modern nation.
Con: Owing to the format, there's almost no dialogue, and we end up with very little feel for what sort of people these characters are. Ulna isn't really much of a protagonist, since the one who makes things happen here is Marrow.
No comments (may contain spoilers):
Post a Comment (comment policy)