[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, November 1, 2021

“What Floats in a Flotsam Rover” by Osahon Ize-Iyamu

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

The narrator of “What Floats in a Flotsam River” by Osahon Ize-Iyamu is one of several humanoid beings who suddenly appear by a river in southern Nigeria in the early Twentieth Century. Each one is named for a personality trait; Kind, Hasty, and so forth. (The narrator may be intended to be Angry, judging by actions, but this is not explicitly stated.) The one known as Coveted drinks from the polluted river, and eventually dies. The others work together to clean the water, but it is suggested that the renewal of the river will only be temporary. By the end, the beings find themselves drifting apart.

On one level, this story can be seen as an indictment of imperialism, urbanization, and environmental degradation. However, the narrator is much more concerned with the failure of the beings to remain together as a family.

I hope that this synopsis and analysis is not too far off the mark, because the story, although intriguing, is often obscure. This tale certainly gives the reader much to ponder, even if its themes remain opaque.

Victoria Silverwolf has never been to Nigeria.