Diabolical Plots #124, June 2025

“Irina, Unafraid” by Anna Clark

“Paths, Littlings, and Holy Things” by Somto Ihezue

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

“Irina, Unafraid” by Anna Clark features a woman who has suffered from severe anxiety for many years. A neural implant that suppresses fear allows her to undertake tasks that would otherwise be impossible, from simply leaving her house to engaging in extreme sports on other planets in the solar system. Whenever she completes such a task, she deactivates the implant and performs it again without the aid of the device.

Early in the story, the reader learns that the woman will not survive her final, most dangerous feat. This lessens the suspense. The narrative style is that of a nonfiction article, which has a distancing effect.

The most striking aspect of this relatively brief piece is the description of the protagonist’s last performance. The theme of overcoming one’s fears is a worthy one, but is not conveyed as powerfully as it might have been.

“Paths, Littlings, and Holy Things” by Somto Ihezue takes place in a society where the birth of twins is seen as evil, resulting in the killing of the newborns. The main character has already lost two sets of twins this way. When another pair is born, she takes desperate action to save them from the same fate. A supernatural ritual performed with her husband requires a great sacrifice on their part to save the children.

This is a story with strong emotional appeal from its tense opening to its painful conclusion. The setting is described in vivid, realistic detail, so that the story’s fantasy content seems very real. The author offers a compelling portrait of characters rebelling against oppressive traditions.

Victoria Silverwolf got a lot of peaches today.