★★☆☆☆ Not Recommended
(Slipstream) Pamela swallows a cactus, and grows spines all over, causing various problems at work and with her girlfriend. (2,690 words; Time: 08m)
"Seedlings," by Audrey R. Hollis [bio] (edited by Jane Crowley and Kate Dollarhyde), appeared in Strange Horizons issue 09/03/18, published on September 3, 2018.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2018.517 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: Pamela gets what it seemed she wanted all along: solitude. Why cover yourself with spikes if you want to be close to people?
I felt very sorry for poor Lydia. Pamela didn’t even tell her before doing this and had zero sympathy for her when she struggled to adapt to it.
Con: The biggest problem I have with the story is that Pamela’s transformation seems so self-destructive. I’m sure it’s meant to be a metaphor for people who adopt some new obsession that alienates them from everyone else, but it’s hard to root for a self-destructive protagonist.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 09/03/18)
Audrey R. Hollis Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Pro: Pamela gets what it seemed she wanted all along: solitude. Why cover yourself with spikes if you want to be close to people?
I felt very sorry for poor Lydia. Pamela didn’t even tell her before doing this and had zero sympathy for her when she struggled to adapt to it.
Con: The biggest problem I have with the story is that Pamela’s transformation seems so self-destructive. I’m sure it’s meant to be a metaphor for people who adopt some new obsession that alienates them from everyone else, but it’s hard to root for a self-destructive protagonist.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 09/03/18)
Audrey R. Hollis Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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