Strange Horizons/Samovar, October 27, 2025

“The Heart of the Forest” by Ágnes Gaura

“Elasticity” by Andrés González Galante

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

As part of its Samovar series of international stories, the magazine offers two newly translated tales of fantasy.

“The Heart of the Forest” by Ágnes Gaura, translated from Hungarian by Vivien Urban, is a dark fairy tale drawing some of its inspiration from “Little Red Riding Hood.” The narrator is a member of a family of seemingly immortal witches. She carries items to her grandmother’s home, located in a secret part of the forest. The grandmother suffers, in a supernatural way, from damage done to the woods by a fire. A man accompanies the narrator on her journey, unaware of what fate has in store for him.

Written in a lush, sensual, dream-like style, this moody story draws the reader into its mystical world. (Kudos to the translator for capturing this feeling in a new language.) The plot may not be as captivating as the narrative voice.

“Elasticity” by Andrés González Galante, translated from Spanish by Lucy Corrie-Tannen, takes place in a version of the modern city of Bogotá, Colombia, where gods dwell in homes on a hilltop. The narrator seeks the home of a particular deity. Flashbacks reveal the effect that appearances of the god, and the hallucinogenic fruit she supplies, had on the narrator’s acquaintances.

This story feels like a mixture of magic realism and pure surrealism. Many strange things happen, and there is a great deal of bizarre imagery. The narrator’s quest leads to an inconclusive ending. If the author is trying to say something about social class or religious faith, the point escapes me.

Victoria Silverwolf bought a Nissan Versa recently.