★★★☆☆ Average
(SF Epic) In which we learn the impact on a family of a daughter’s decision to turn herself into an animal. (5,731 words; Time: 19m)
"Bonobo," by Robert Reed [bio] (edited by Neil Clarke), appeared in Clarkesworld issue 153, published on June 1, 2019.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2019.334 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: Spanning decades (not counting the final chapter) It’s an interesting exploration of what it means to be human. In its own way, it’s an optimistic vision of the future.
On a more concrete level, it tells us how each member of the family reacted to the news that Tidy was going to “leave the species,” and, in the process, tells us how human society developed over the next century or two, with a glimpse hundreds of thousands of years ahead.
Con: The characters are all nasty, selfish, and/or pathetic people and not much fun to read about.
It was a future I had trouble believing in.
The story sets us up to expect something interesting about the Bonobo people, but then it never shows it to us.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Robert Reed Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Pro: Spanning decades (not counting the final chapter) It’s an interesting exploration of what it means to be human. In its own way, it’s an optimistic vision of the future.
On a more concrete level, it tells us how each member of the family reacted to the news that Tidy was going to “leave the species,” and, in the process, tells us how human society developed over the next century or two, with a glimpse hundreds of thousands of years ahead.
Con: The characters are all nasty, selfish, and/or pathetic people and not much fun to read about.
It was a future I had trouble believing in.
The story sets us up to expect something interesting about the Bonobo people, but then it never shows it to us.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Robert Reed Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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