Antes de mais, tenho que elogiar o excelente trabalho gráfico e o empenho que decerto os membros desta equipa colocaram na produção da revista. A capa é lindíssima, e o interior da revista igualmente cuidado, embora um pouco denso na relação texto-imagem. Atenção, refiro-me à versão provisória, uma vez que ainda não descarreguei a definitiva, que pode ser diferente.
Tal como aconteceu com outros bloguers, foi-me pedido que lesse e opinasse sobre os contos incluídos neste número da revista ISF. Com pouco tempo disponível, consegui mesmo assim ler e organizar uma pequena opinião para os dois primeiros.
Estão em inglês. Posso fornecer uma versão portuguesa a quem a desejar.
Metal Can Lanterns is simple and somewhat poetic in its
discourse, a short yet moving tale of childhood secrets, lost tradition and timeless
hope. Set in an imprecise time in a post-war future (presumably somewhere in
China), the general feel of this short story is melancholy but hopeful. It’s
two nameless characters, a boy and girl, arise as a symbol for all boys and
girls and for the innocence and creativity of childhood, by crafting lanterns meant
to recover the old tradition of the Moon Festival. The spreading of the small
gesture as a secret among children suggests that the seeds of change are often
in the hands of the young, promising a future built upon the roots of the past.
These sweet two pages would make an excellent epilogue for a bittersweet dystopian
novel.
The word that comes to mind
after reading 59 Beads is hopelessness.
It’s a well paced and intense story of sisterly love that had me reading with
great interest. The world building, presenting a future riddled by steep social
differences, the plague (the rot), and by scientific and genetic advancements reminiscent
of dystopian films such as Blade Runner, seems very solid for such a short text
and is never forcibly thrust upon the reader: the clever writing is all ‘show’ and no
‘tell’. The main character, trapped between sisterly love, despair and fear, is
very well rounded and interesting. It would certainly be interesting t hear
more about her. The story also explores complex concepts such as (voluntary?)
slavery and the limits of humanity, the validity of rearranging the human body
through science, the importance of human energy and touch, without ever
becoming a rigid or cliché story. It is, above all a beautiful tale of love and
self-sacrifice. The end is not unpredictable, but its heart moving and left me
warm and… hopeless. A very good short story.
1 comentário:
Obrigado Carla;)
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