Diabolical Plots #63, May 2020

“Everything Important in One Cardboard Box” by Jason Kimble

“Synner and the Rise of the Rebel Queen” by Phoebe Wagner

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf
A pair of short fantasy tales appear in the latest issue of this monthly online publication.

The main character in “Everything Important in One Cardboard Box” by Jason Kimble lives with an abusive lover. While packing books, he discovers a box that will hold a limitless number of objects. As his relationship with his lover worsens, the box serves an unexpected purpose.

The premise of a box in which one can store anything serves as an unusual and evocative metaphor for letting go of the past. The story ends in a melodramatic way that makes the reader lose all sympathy for the protagonist.

“Synner and the Rise of the Rebel Queen” by Phoebe Wagner takes place in a fantasy world where wealthy nobles live high above poor commoners. Gangs of young rebels ride magic flying skateboards in raids on the rich. The king’s daughter joins the gangs, allowing her look-like half-sister to take her place.

The combination of a traditional fantasy setting and skateboarding culture makes for unique reading. There is not much to the plot other than the intriguing premise, however, and the story ends just when a revolution is about to begin.

Victoria Silverwolf has been binge watching The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends lately.