Story Unlikely, July 2025

“The Red Migration” by Dana Wall

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

The narrator of “The Red Migration” by Dana Wall is diagnosed with breast cancer. A large number of ladybugs appear in her house, arranging themselves in patterns that reflect the progress of her treatment.

This is a quiet, gentle story with the feeling of magic realism. The small miracle of the ladybugs is treated in the same manner as the realistic description of the disease process. The premise is inherently emotional, but the author avoids sentimentality.

Victoria Silverwolf has had a large number of ladybugs in her house.