Flash Fiction Online #76, January 2020

“You Can Adapt to Anything” by John Wiswell

Reviewed by Michelle Ristuccia

John Wiswell‘s emotionally vivid SF love story, “You Can Adapt to Anything,” follows two highly compatible college students creating a portal to the multiverse and their counterpart selves. Poignant use of repetition brings the story full circle as Wiswell explores resonant themes of identity and attachment with the tender touch of everyday details, each stroke painting toward the inevitable conclusion.

In the dark fantasy “Grandmother’s Satchel, Full of Tongues” by Rebecca Birch, Glossa the witch narrates the increasingly dire return visits of a repeat customer attempting to pacify an abusive spouse. Birch’s measured build-up leads to a satisfying twist in a thoughtful story dealing with empowerment against human depravity.

Michelle Ristuccia enjoys slowing down time in the middle of the night to read and review speculative fiction, because sleeping offspring are the best inspiration and motivation. You can find out more about her other writing projects and geeky obsessions by visiting her blog and Facebook page.