[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, October 24, 2022

“Warm Beds” by Mónica Bustos

“The Fire Star Passes the Meridian” by Chang Yu-Ko

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

As part of the magazine’s “Samovar” series, this issue offers two newly translated stories. Both works also appear in their original languages.

In “Warm Beds” by Mónica Bustos, translated from Spanish by Analía Villagra, three people share the same room, each one occupying it for one-third of a day, and never encountering the others. When they finally meet, tragedy follows.

This brief tale has the feeling of magic realism. The speculative content is subtle, consisting mostly of the characters’ imaginings of each other, and the way their fates seem predestined. The author’s cool, clinical writing reminds me of Jose Luis Borges, which is all to the good. Combined with the fact that the characters are only known as Miss A, Mr. B, and Miss C, however, some readers may find the narrative style too distant to be fully engaging.

“The Fire Star Passes the Meridian” by Chang Yu-Ko, translated from Chinese by Lauren Harper, concerns a medical student who encounters a ghost dog. The story is related as an anecdote told by the narrator, who heard it second-hand. Despite a great deal of local color, the very simple plot is likely to leave the reader less than satisfied.

Victoria Silverwolf took seven cats to the veterinarian today for routine annual vaccines.