[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, February 27, 2023

“A Short Biography of a Conscious Chair” by Renan Bernardo

“Tempus Fugit” by Ketty Steward (reprint, not reviewed)

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

Under its rubric of Samovar, the magazine offers a pair of translated stories, one of them a new work by a Brazilian writer.

As its title implies, “A Short Biography of a Conscious Chair” by Renan Bernardo, translated from Portuguese by the author, is narrated by a piece of furniture. It becomes self-aware at the time it is created by a skilled carpenter, just before she dies. It is purchased by a wealthy man in anticipation of a visit from an estranged adult granddaughter. The chair witnesses the tension within the family, and learns of the tragic event that caused it.

The author manages to make a seemingly whimsical premise seem believable in an emotionally powerful and completely serious story. In the best tradition of magic realism, the fantastic element of the plot is treated in the same matter-of-fact manner as the more mundane aspects. The human characters are fully developed, and the narrative voice of the conscious chair makes it seem just as real.

Victoria Silverwolf is working extra nights this week.