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2014 Hugo nominees: best short story
Hooray, each of these entries is readable online! And a good thing, too, as there isn't a bad choice in the bunch.
The Water That Falls on You From Nowhere, John Chu
There's very little speculative fiction in this story – just the titular water that rains on people when they lie – but I didn't mind, because the central narrative was so adorable. It involves a gay couple, one of whom hasn't come out to his traditional Chinese family yet, and while its final twist didn't come as much of a surprise to me, I still felt for Matt, caught between his devotion to his fiancé and his devotion to his parents. The water that drenches liars exists as a threat, forcing people to either come completely clean or be very careful parsing their words, and causing poor Matt more than a little angst as he negotiates a family Christmas after introducing his fiancé as his "friend." And no matter that I expected the plot twist – its reveal still made me squeal with joy.
The Ink Readers of Doi Saket, Thomas Olde Heuvelt
I wasn't sure where this one was going at first, as it took its time introducing its characters, the inhabitants of a northern Thai village celebrating the Loi Krathong festival, in which people launch wishes in baskets floating along water. Transfixed by the journey of the floating baskets, a young, contemplative boy seeks to find out what happens to the wishes, inadvertantly setting off a not-entirely-fortunate chain of events that ultimately grants many of the wishes, albeit not necessarily in the way each person expected. This is essentially a folk tale, and includes some quite lovely turns of phrase, but I wished it had been just a little bit tighter than it was.
Selkie Stories Are for Losers, Sofia Samatar
This is half late teenage-angst story, half-selkie story, and the title is surprisingly apt, considering the unnamed narrator's opinion of herself. It's also a story that's both literally and metaphorically about women trapped outside their proper homes, even if some of them aren't completely sure yet where that home may be; they just know it isn't here, working restaurant shifts with a creepy uncle, and coming home to parents lost in their own problems. It felt less elegantly written than the other entries, but that's due to the strength and directness of the narrator's voice, not due to the author's lack of skill.
If You Were A Dinosaur, My Love; Rachel Swirsky
THIS STORY. In under a thousand words, it shifts from fanciful daydreaming, to wistful but heartwarming, to an utter gut-punch. I can say nothing bad about this story other than that I will never be able to experience that tonal shift for the first time again. It's magnificent work.
The Verdict
My top choice is obvious. The rest of the rankings were really hard, though, as each story in this category was well worth reading, and it's genuinely hard to choose my favorites. But still:
1. If You Were A Dinosaur, My Love
2. The Water That Falls on You From Nowhere
3. Selkie Stories Are for Losers
4. The Ink Readers of Doi Saket
The Water That Falls on You From Nowhere, John Chu
There's very little speculative fiction in this story – just the titular water that rains on people when they lie – but I didn't mind, because the central narrative was so adorable. It involves a gay couple, one of whom hasn't come out to his traditional Chinese family yet, and while its final twist didn't come as much of a surprise to me, I still felt for Matt, caught between his devotion to his fiancé and his devotion to his parents. The water that drenches liars exists as a threat, forcing people to either come completely clean or be very careful parsing their words, and causing poor Matt more than a little angst as he negotiates a family Christmas after introducing his fiancé as his "friend." And no matter that I expected the plot twist – its reveal still made me squeal with joy.
The Ink Readers of Doi Saket, Thomas Olde Heuvelt
I wasn't sure where this one was going at first, as it took its time introducing its characters, the inhabitants of a northern Thai village celebrating the Loi Krathong festival, in which people launch wishes in baskets floating along water. Transfixed by the journey of the floating baskets, a young, contemplative boy seeks to find out what happens to the wishes, inadvertantly setting off a not-entirely-fortunate chain of events that ultimately grants many of the wishes, albeit not necessarily in the way each person expected. This is essentially a folk tale, and includes some quite lovely turns of phrase, but I wished it had been just a little bit tighter than it was.
Selkie Stories Are for Losers, Sofia Samatar
This is half late teenage-angst story, half-selkie story, and the title is surprisingly apt, considering the unnamed narrator's opinion of herself. It's also a story that's both literally and metaphorically about women trapped outside their proper homes, even if some of them aren't completely sure yet where that home may be; they just know it isn't here, working restaurant shifts with a creepy uncle, and coming home to parents lost in their own problems. It felt less elegantly written than the other entries, but that's due to the strength and directness of the narrator's voice, not due to the author's lack of skill.
If You Were A Dinosaur, My Love; Rachel Swirsky
THIS STORY. In under a thousand words, it shifts from fanciful daydreaming, to wistful but heartwarming, to an utter gut-punch. I can say nothing bad about this story other than that I will never be able to experience that tonal shift for the first time again. It's magnificent work.
The Verdict
My top choice is obvious. The rest of the rankings were really hard, though, as each story in this category was well worth reading, and it's genuinely hard to choose my favorites. But still:
1. If You Were A Dinosaur, My Love
2. The Water That Falls on You From Nowhere
3. Selkie Stories Are for Losers
4. The Ink Readers of Doi Saket