★★☆☆☆
(Alternate-History Horror) When her head turns into a beehive, the narrator loses her boyfriend, drops out of school, and moves home with her family. (5,717 words; Time: 19m)
"The Bee Thing," by Maggie Damken [bio] (edited by Vanessa Rose Phin), appeared in Strange Horizons issue 2020 Fund Drive, published on June 2, 2020.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2020.325 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: As horror stories go, having your head turn into a beehive is at least original.
For the most part, the story seems to be a metaphor for what it’s like to have your friends and loved ones shun you after a disfiguring accident.
Con: The message is all there is to this story. The character could be a burn victim and the story would be just the same but with no speculative element at all. The protagonist is such an unpleasant person that it’s hard to sustain any sympathy for her.
It’s annoying that the narrator has no name.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Maggie Damken Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Pro: As horror stories go, having your head turn into a beehive is at least original.
For the most part, the story seems to be a metaphor for what it’s like to have your friends and loved ones shun you after a disfiguring accident.
Con: The message is all there is to this story. The character could be a burn victim and the story would be just the same but with no speculative element at all. The protagonist is such an unpleasant person that it’s hard to sustain any sympathy for her.
It’s annoying that the narrator has no name.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Maggie Damken Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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