Special Double Review
by
Eric Kimminau & Christos Antonaros
Strange Horizons, October 12, 2015
“Let’s Tell Stories of the Deaths of Children” by Margaret Ronald
Reviewed by Eric Kimminau
Thank you Wikipedia. The Hebrew term Lilith or lilit is translated as “night creatures,” “night monster,” “night hag,” or “screech owl.” In Jewish folklore, Lilith was the first wife of Adam, made from the same earth as Adam and who left him when she refused to become subservient to him to become the seductress. Folk tales tell us that Lilith would steal and then eat children but that children would be protected from her if the names of Lilith or angels were written above their beds or inscribed on their amulets. I give this as background for those who may be less informed on biblical history. This story begins with “Lilly,” a talon-footed woman who hides through her daily life working in call centers and seems to be hiding from her past. She struggles with what is surely to come as she hears more and more stories of children being hurt, raped or murdered. She tells herself that the stories told about her were incorrect. She didn’t devour the children, she redistributed them. Taking them from places of evil and giving them a new life. She keeps telling herself that it has been decades, even centuries, since she had to remind parents to worry about their children. She sees the danger to children throughout the media, on television, in the news, in crime dramas and in books. The time arrives where she can stand it no more. She can’t save those fictional children. But she can save others. This is a foreboding of the evil to come. I loved this story that forced me to research Lilith and remind my memory of things I had forgotten. It also reminded me as a parent that we do strange things from our upbringing to protect our children and to ward off danger. “You said you liked my name. Write it over his crib, and I’ll know you know me. I’ll know you care enough to worry.” Yes, I care enough to worry.
Eric Kimminau is a BBS geek turned IT professional. A Dragon for his children.
Strange Horizons, October 12, 2015
“Let’s Tell Stories of the Deaths of Children” by Margaret Ronald
Reviewed by Christos Antonaros
“Let’s Tell Stories of the Deaths of Children” by Margaret Ronald, is a dark fiction short story of a mythos as ancient as religion.
Lilith is a figure that exists in almost every known mythology, from the Mesopotamian, Hebrew, Ancient Greek/Roman, several Asian civilizations and more. A demoness, a deceiver, and mistress of the devil, Lilith was always representing all the devious characteristics the superstitious male societies saw in her.
Margaret Ronald’s Lilit—or Lilly as her colleagues call her—is nothing like the typical Lilith. She has emotions and awareness for people’s suffering. She is half-bird, half-human and appears to be so old that she has forgotten her original name. Even though she is trying to stay away from her natural urge to steal children, her everyday routine will be disturbed after a series of unexpected events. She will question herself and will wonder if she has fallen into old bad habits, with no memory of her previous night’s activities. By reading, or watching visual media, she will come to the conclusion that children are so meaningless in today’s society that they are used as nothing but common suspense tools for story plots. This fact elevates her consciousness and makes her want to save these children. Nevertheless, saving them is a dead end road since they are nothing more than fictional characters.
“Let’s Tell Stories of the Deaths of Children” is a story evolving around three phrases: “It’s been decades since she stole any children. Centuries, maybe …”, “What reason to have a little match girl, if not to let her die on the last page?”, and “She can’t save any of those fictional children. But she can save others.”
The author is giving motive to a devious creature to demonstrate her opinion on the usage of children in fiction as well as the lowly place some in our society rank children. To achieve her point, she transforms Lilith, a demon, into a protector, suggesting that writers, and furthermore parents, should be more protective and caring towards their kids. Margaret Ronald made me remember all the novels and television shows about kids kidnapped, murdered or tortured I have seen. At the same time, she made me wonder if I was concerned for their fate, or if I was more interested in the life-changing effects of their disaster on the protagonist.
Margaret Ronald’s portrayal of Lilith is an unusual depiction of this historical demon. In this story she has a compassionate, softer side; this character twist was its most intriguing aspect.
Christos Antonaros is a dark fiction author with a love of European mythology.