This year’s short stories were all, at least, pretty good, with only two below-average tales. The average quality seemed better than last year's, with only one clearly political story. The choice of the best one wasn’t very easy as there were two clear contenders. For last place, there were also two contenders. Both choices were pretty easy after some thought.
“Mr. Death”, by Alix E. Harrow
A reaper (someone who helps dying people at their last moments, calming them and eventually guiding them past the final river) gets a hard and demanding task. His next "client" is a two-year-old boy who will die from an undiagnosed heart problem in his sleep. There are personal reasons why this is especially hard. A well-written, excellent, and moving story—the first I read, and I am almost sure it will be my top choice.
“Proof by Induction”, by José Pablo Iriarte
The essence of a person can be captured at the moment of death as a "coda". That capture has the memories and personality of the person but can’t change or make any new memories. A mathematician, who is the son of a mathematician, continues his father's work on an important mathematical proof. As coda can’t create memories, the work isn’t easy and takes time. And the son seems to expect something more—something his father, who wasn’t very emotionally open when he was alive and was even less so (and not capable of changing) when dead, can’t give. But perhaps someone else can change. A good, moving, bittersweet story.
“Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather”, by Sarah Pinsker
A very popular ballad (which has been recorded by practically all artists at least once in different versions) is discussed on some sort of bulletin board in minute detail. The people having the discussion believe that there might be some sort of real events behind the story in the ballad. They make many detailed assumptions about the story. Some of these are plausible, some not. But at least one scholar, who has tried to find where the ballad takes place, has mysteriously disappeared… A story that is made up mostly from postings on a bulletin board. A good and interesting tale even with some horror vibes at the end.
“The Sin of America”, by Catherynne M. Valente
A woman sits at a diner, watches bad news on TV, and eats. She is eating away the sins of America—somehow. Nice writing, but nothing happens except her wallowing in the bad news and the injustice of it all. The story goes for mood and allegory but is very, very boring.
“Tangles”, by Seanan McGuire
The story is Magic the Gathering game fanfiction. A mage helps a dryad who has lost her tree in a wood filled with threats. They cooperate, use their magic, and eventually, the dryad is saved. There is no real background to the world, the characters, or the magic. The story is just a pretty but generic scene and doesn’t really work for someone with no knowledge of the game. I really wonder why this was nominated.
“Unknown Number”, by Blue Neustifter
A series of text messages. A trans woman gets messages from someone from an alternative universe who claims to be her. The two characters have made some very different choices in life. The person who is breaking the laws of physics hasn’t made the gender change and has been more or less unhappy. He wants to know if being "a she" has made life better. It has. The story is in an unusual and interesting format and is pretty good, but by necessity, it is just a glimpse of the greater tale.
My voting order will be:
1. “Mr. Death”, by Alix E. Harrow
2. “Where Oaken Hearts Do Gather”, by Sarah Pinsker
3. “Proof by Induction”, by José Pablo Iriarte
4. “Unknown Number”, by Blue Neustifter
5. “The Sin of America”, by Catherynne M. Valente
6. “Tangles”, by Seanan McGuire
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