[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, June 3, 2024

“Why We Eat Each Other” by Yoon Chung

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

As a schoolgirl, the narrator of “Why We Eat Each Other” by Yoon Chung eats a spider during a game of Truth or Dare. She grows up with the ability to detect what she calls the souls of other people as vibrations. She also enjoys eating insects. When her transformation leads to tragedy, she runs away from college and is taken in by a woman with similar characteristics, although she detects souls as colors. Much of the story deals with their relationship as the narrator’s past threatens to catch up with her.

This is partly a horror story (particularly for arachnophobes) and partly an allegory for growing up and exploring one’s identity. A potentially distasteful premise is handled in a mature manner. At nearly nine thousand words, this novelette may be overlong for a simple plot that leads to a predictable conclusion.

Victoria Silverwolf likes spiders.