Strange Horizons, July 18, 2016

“Her Sacred Spirit Soars” by S. Qiouyi Lu

Reviewed by Alex Hurst

The celestial birds known as kimkim are halves that make a whole, and in this tale of mystic science, they are the key to regeneration of the brain. Told in a compelling first and second person, S. Qiouyi Lu weaves a tragic romance that contemplates the depths of loss, even when they are not, technically, our own.

While the descriptions in the beginning of “Her Sacred Spirit Soars” are jarring, Lu guides the reader through the curious maze of Meisun’s narrative deftly. The battle of identity the two main characters face, in all of its forms, was interesting enough to carry the story on its own, which in the end benefits this science fiction tale that is more a character study than plot-heavy story.