[On May 10, 2021 Strange Horizons officially expressed its political support for Palestinian solidarity. The views of Tangent Online reviewers are not necessarily those of Strange Horizons. Fiction critiqued at Tangent Online is, as much as is humanly possible, without prejudice and based solely on artistic merit.]

Strange Horizons, December 18, 2023

“Speak No Evil” by Edidiong Uzoma Essien

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

In “Speak No Evil” by Nigerian writer Edidiong Uzoma Essien, a child witnesses a woman transform in a bizarre way. The frightening incident reveals something about the youngster’s father.

The story contains frequent references to Nigerian culture, which may cause some readers to look up unfamiliar words. The author creates a convincing portrait of childhood, which is more interesting than the work’s fantasy premise. The currently popular second person narrative technique may seem more trendy than appropriate.

Victoria Silverwolf bought a lot of cheesecake recently.