Strange Horizons, August 11, 2025

[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, August 11, 2025

Poorly Salted, Well-Loved” by Athar Fikry

Reviewed by Francine Taylor

Poorly Salted, Well-Loved” by Athar Fikry is beautifully rooted in a wealth of Middle Eastern culture, with a narrator who is both exotic (to an American reader) and very relatable. A college student struggling to remain financially independent of her family, she prepares a holiday meal for a crowd of relatives who were never formally invited, but still—family is family. Her inadequately stocked kitchen and shaky culinary skills make her anxious, and she dreads being thought cheap.

Midway through, the story steps out of realism into striking visual allegory. It felt like I had boarded the long, relaxing glide of It’s a Small World, only to be plunged without warning into the pitch-black, heart-pounding chaos of Pirates of the Caribbean.

At its heart, the story is about the cost of independence from family, and the sacrifices we make to remain part of it. It’s beautifully told, with a clever, tongue-in-cheek style so bold it takes a few eye-blinking moments to adjust to it.