[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, July 5, 2021
Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf
The narrator of “Haja Hoje” by Anna Martino has the power to temporarily bring back the dead by concentrating on an object associated with the person. After multiple attempts to revive a deceased lover, concentrating on an object associated with the dead woman’s career leads to a change in the narrator.
Written in a clear, calm style, the story’s fantasy premise comes to seem as real as the narrator’s relationship with the dead lover. One interesting aspect of this work is the way in which it makes use of a major event in modern Brazilian history, creating an effective metaphor through the use of an important artifact. The author also manages to add the theme of social class differences to this tale without becoming heavyhanded.
Victoria Silverwolf saw two adult turkeys and a young one near her house today.