Strange Horizons, March 15, 2021
Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf
“According to Leibniz (maybe this isn’t what he meant); or, Rasharelle Little: Goddess of Postal Worker NBs” by Isana Skeete takes place in a world, otherwise similar to our own, in which emotions take on physical form. In the case of the protagonist, this is a headless chicken that represents her anxiety. Learning to live with the bizarre creature allows her to work up the courage to ask a coworker out on a date.
The above synopsis makes the story sound much more straightforward than it is. The author makes use of multiple narrative tricks, such as random capitalization and irregular line spacing, to create a work that resembles a prose poem. The overall mood is one of frenzied comedy. Some readers may be able to overlook the story’s eccentric style and appreciate its madcap wit. Others may find it confusing and gimmicky.
Victoria Silverwolf thinks this may be the story with the longest title she has ever reviewed.