Artificial Things

Y'know, this is difficult to evaluate. The writing is wonderful: intelligent, graceful, evocative. The concepts are interesting, often intense & moving. But somehow they're not memorable. So minus a star for for that. I've no desire to reread, neither for more enjoyment nor for more of a chance to reach the subtleties. So minus 1/2 a star for that? And though it's not really fair of me, I wanted this to be speculative fiction, and some of the stories are more like horror, & some are more like ordinary general fiction, so I'm gonna take another 1/2 of for that. Sorry. :shrug:

Someday I'm going to reread Fowler's [b:The Sweetheart Season|3167945|The Sweetheart Season|Karen Joy show more Fowler|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1213670744s/3167945.jpg|923047], which turned me onto her. I must say I've not liked anything else by her since. :bemused: show less

Although most of these stories did not have the satisfying 'punchy' ending I like from short stories, they were extremely well concieved. I think a lot of the problem I had with the endings comes from the fact that I'd really like to read more about the people and situations introduced in each of these stories.
I like that almost all of her protagonists are women, which you don't find often in science fiction. There is much unexplored territory in the genre that comes from placing a woman at the head of a story that might even be similar to something one has read before involving a male lead character.
I do have to say that "The View from Venus" is the best short story I have ever read, EVER. I recommend every fan of sci-fi, short show more stories, or romance get a copy of this book, if only for that story. show less

This is one of the best science fiction short story collections I have read. Not all of the stories are specifically science fiction, and would probably appeal to readers of general fiction as well. Reminiscent of Ray Bradbury but with a feminine perspective. I am dissapointed that my local library doesn't carry many of her books anymore, making her work hard to track down. But if you can find a copy of Artificial Things it is well worth reading from cover to cover.