★★★☆☆ Average
(Modern Fantasy Horror) Grace is mourning the death of her wife when she notices an extra cat in the house. A funny-looking one with a forked tongue and too many joints. (756 words; Time: 02m)
"The Right Number of Cats," by Jenn Reese [bio] (edited by C.C. Finlay), appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction issue 01-02|19, published on December 27, 2018 by Spilogale Inc.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2019.037 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: It’s a very sad story, apparently starting right after Alma’s wake. They were clearly a couple for a very long time, and Grace is at a loss as to how life will go on.
Fourth cat is destructive and painful, and it definitely seems to be the cat from Hell. I suspect it symbolizes mourning, if not actual depression. In the end, Grace’s acceptance of it seems macabre, but perhaps there’s a hint of light in that accepting the suffering may mean healing can start.
Con: Just in purely human terms, her reaction to finding an evil, catlike creature in her house is way too mild to believe. One would scream and try to kill it, not be just a little annoyed.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Jenn Reese Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
Pro: It’s a very sad story, apparently starting right after Alma’s wake. They were clearly a couple for a very long time, and Grace is at a loss as to how life will go on.
Fourth cat is destructive and painful, and it definitely seems to be the cat from Hell. I suspect it symbolizes mourning, if not actual depression. In the end, Grace’s acceptance of it seems macabre, but perhaps there’s a hint of light in that accepting the suffering may mean healing can start.
Con: Just in purely human terms, her reaction to finding an evil, catlike creature in her house is way too mild to believe. One would scream and try to kill it, not be just a little annoyed.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Jenn Reese Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
It's impressive how much is conveyed about Grace and Alma in such a concise story.
ReplyDeleteYes. Without even a flashback.
DeleteAuthor website:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.jennreese.com/