[On May 10, 2021 Strange Horizons officially expressed its political support for Palestinian solidarity. The views of Tangent Online reviewers are not necessarily those of Strange Horizons. Fiction critiqued at Tangent Online is, as much as is humanly possible, without prejudice and based solely on artistic merit.]

Strange Horizons, April 18, 2022

“We, the Enchanted Castle” by Mae Juniper Stokes

Reviewed by Seraph

I am personally just not a fan of what I have heard referred to as “slice of life” styled fiction. While that descriptor is usually used regarding manga and anime, my understanding of that genre is that it would be an accurate comparison to make here. If that appeals to you, this may be something you want to look into. The tale follows Dilan, who helped birth this combination of magic and technology called R-home. The story has multiple cautionary elements about surveillance in your home, manipulation of your life, and the dangers of those with a god complex and entirely too much control. No real location or timeframe is given, beyond that it takes place on a secluded island, and honestly in these types of stories the focus is much more on the personalities and the situations involved than on those details. So you don’t really notice or miss it. The tale is rather descriptive, with plenty of detail and insight into the characters, although the pacing of the story did feel a little slow because of it.