Review of 'The best science fiction & fantasy of the year' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
I had a hard time rating an anthology so good in parts, and so awful in parts. Ultimately, I highly recommend reading most of this book, and skipping a few stories. While there were a few awful stories, the vast majority were lovely, and the book is worth reading for the many many beautiful stories.
Must Read:
There were so many great stories in this book. The vast majority of the rest of the stories, I adored. That said, here's a few favorites. They are truly inventive, beautiful stories.
- The Future is Blue by Catherynne M. Valente
Everything I read by Valente is so inventive and creative. I love this exploration of coping in a world destroyed by climate change. It's a wildly interesting world she has created.
- Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
It's so rare to have a fantasy world or sci-fi world that envisions Jews as …
I had a hard time rating an anthology so good in parts, and so awful in parts. Ultimately, I highly recommend reading most of this book, and skipping a few stories. While there were a few awful stories, the vast majority were lovely, and the book is worth reading for the many many beautiful stories.
Must Read:
There were so many great stories in this book. The vast majority of the rest of the stories, I adored. That said, here's a few favorites. They are truly inventive, beautiful stories.
- The Future is Blue by Catherynne M. Valente
Everything I read by Valente is so inventive and creative. I love this exploration of coping in a world destroyed by climate change. It's a wildly interesting world she has created.
- Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
It's so rare to have a fantasy world or sci-fi world that envisions Jews as part of their fantastic or their future! A delight of a story
- Everyone from Themis Sends Letters Home by Genevieve Valentine
This subject matter should be boring by now, done to death (not going to say what, so as not to spoil it the twist). Yet someone, Valentine presents a new, emotional twist.
- Red Dirt Witch by N.K. Jemisin
I don't have words. This was such a beautifully written story. What it means to come of age, dealing with racism and a crappy world, the meaning of hope, and family.
Skip:
- You Make Pattaya by Rich Larson
A mediocre story which is transphobic and extremely objectifying of women.
- Those Shadows Laugh by Geoff Ryman
This story is trash. Terrible writing, sexual assault that several characters immediately write off as "not actually assault", abuse of the racist trope of sexy, exotic "generic tropical indigenous women", a white author writing people of color as "not quiet human". No redeeming qualities.
Maybe Skip:
-Mika Model by Paolo Bacigalupi
I think explorations of "is the AI a person" are really interesting. However, I'm tired of "is the female sex-bot a person". It's fairly well written, it's just a trope I'm bored of.
The world often treats human women like sex-bots, and so it always feels to me a bit like a story using this trope is passing judgement on the humanity of women. Why is the story of "is the female sex-bot a person" separate from "is the AI a person" necessary? Why is it a story only men write? As a trope, it always feels objectifying, and this instance of the trope was no better (or worse) than any other of its type.