(Near Future Fantasy Dystopia) In a 2042 Ireland beset by ecoological catastrophe, the narrator meets a fairy at a protest. (6,716 words; Time: 22m)
Rating: ★★★☆☆, Average
"The House of Half Mirrors," by Thoraiya Dyer, appeared in Clarkesworld issue 120, published on September 01, 2016
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: The narrator misses her mother, misses the better world she remembers, and wants to atone for her role is destroying it. Through helping the fairy and finding the well, she does so, as symbolized by the hazelnut trees returning to life.
The fairy isn't really trying to go home--he's there to help the 99 who are stranded. Thanks to the narrator's help, he's able to do just that.
Con: We never engage with the narrator emotionally for some reason, although with her longing for her dead mother, it's surprising that the story isn't more poignant. A separate problem is that the government is a cardboard villain.
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The fairy isn't really trying to go home--he's there to help the 99 who are stranded. Thanks to the narrator's help, he's able to do just that.
Con: We never engage with the narrator emotionally for some reason, although with her longing for her dead mother, it's surprising that the story isn't more poignant. A separate problem is that the government is a cardboard villain.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites
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