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Eleni D. Vlachos's avatar

I can see why you mention Isabel Kim's writing is "fall out of the chair" inducing...wow! Loved Kim's voice (Voice with a cap V, as you describe in an earlier craft post), humor, playfulness, and depth.

Also the advice is so good, particularly on writing more stories. Love this: "Ideas are cheap, work on your execution. Also, you can recycle those ideas into different executions over time." It's oddly freeing to think of ideas as something not to hoard in one perfect story but to find new ways to express them in other works.

Thanks for sharing this story!

Aislinge Samuel's avatar

This is the kind of story that will sit with me for a long time, I will keep returning to the ideas and images replaying in my head. It’s hard right after reading to put my finger on it, but perhaps the juxtaposition but also similarities between the two stories only made the other stronger and clearer.

Luke Meier's avatar

Incredible story, and the best final line to a short story I've read in a while!

Quinn's avatar

Wow, wtf. This fucks so good. Hell yeah, I fell out of my seat (or in my case, rolled over on my bed). Gonna have to read that novel when it comes out.

J Lin's avatar

Wow! I want to read more. What was the story in Clarkesworld?

That was so compelling. The language was so deceptively simple. As a doctor, I often have to explain very complex, sometimes scary ideas, in terms layman find accessible. What a gut punch, and with no SAT words used. Like yes I could see a barely educated Meat interpreting the Bible that way. I'm going to be wrestling with this one for a while. Excellent

Mathew W Smith's avatar

This was a great story.

Ashley's avatar

I enjoyed this so much and then realized that I recognized the author's name. I've already pre-ordered her novel Sublimation! Great short story here. Gave me Gaiman vibes (in the best way).

Thomas Thonson's avatar

This is perfectly awful on pretty much every level. (trade marked). For the life of me I don't know why one would read this. Let's pretend there's a higher level of understanding for a minute, a perception where this seems profound. Caine and Abel, sci-fi nonsense, etc. Okay. Then where is the narrative power? Who could possible give a fuck about this story? There is not one human moment in this that could possible hold you interest. It is performative and empty.