Reactor, May 2024
“The Two Musics” by Michael Cisco
“Between Home and a House on Fire” by A. T. Greenblatt
“Other Kelly” by Genevieve Valentine
Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf
Three fantasies with dark moods appear in this issue.
“The Two Musics” by Michael Cisco begins with a description of multiple murders committed by a member of a hippie-like religious sect, followed by the killer’s suicide. A boy obsessed by these crimes grows up to continue the murderer’s legacy.
This overly simplified synopsis fails to capture the story’s speculative elements, which are subtle. It also does not capture its introspective style. The first section is told from the point of view of the boy, the second from that of an acquaintance of the boy when he is an adult, and the final segment from the viewpoint of a boy who witnesses his actions. The implication is that this pattern of violence will continue.
The theme appears to be the tension between hatred of violence and the need to resort to violence to protect and avenge others. Although the story does not, I believe, justify murder as a form of rough justice, the main character acts as if he believes this. In any case, this grim tale is likely to appeal to readers of crime fiction rather than those who prefer fantasy.
The protagonist of “Between Home and a House on Fire” by A. T. Greenblatt used to live in a fantasy world constantly facing disasters. After a serious injury, she returned to the mundane world. The story begins when she picks up a hitchhiker from the other world, who tries to convince her to return so she can rejoin the battle against destruction.
The reader learns very little about the fantasy world, except for the fact that it attracts those who are out of place in the mundane world and that its inhabitants wage an unending struggle against fires, floods, and other disasters. The story is really about the main character’s desire to remain in the ordinary world, while also wishing to help the hitchhiker.
The author uses the currently popular technique of second person narration. This adds little, if anything, to the story, and runs the risk of seeming pretentious. One might also wish for a little more description of the fantasy world, which comes across as vague.
In “Other Kelly” by Genevieve Valentine, a woman’s double appears wherever she goes. It (or she) never says anything, usually just staring at random things or performing repetitious acts, such as toasting the same piece of bread over and over until it is nothing but ashes. The woman expects to be replaced by the doppelgänger. The narrator, an acquaintance of the woman, relates seeing her own double in a painting, leading to an enigmatic ending.
This is a strange, inconclusive, quietly depressing story. The woman is a pathetic creature, unhappy with her job, her shabby apartment, her ill-fitting clothes, and her circle of so-called friends. None of the characters really like each other, although they constantly socialize together.
At first, this work reminded me of Harlan Ellison’s 1975 story “Shatterday,” in which a man is replaced by his morally superior double. However, the doppelgänger remains an inexplicable being, and it remains an open question if the woman will be replaced or not. The mysterious conclusion raises far more questions than it answers.
Victoria Silverwolf ate some Heaven in a Bowl (arborio rice with Parmigianino Reggiano and white truffle infused olive oil) last night.