2022 Hugo Award: Best Novelette

[sophia_sol]

Let's move on to the novelettes! These are also, like the short stories, all available to read for free online.

1. Colors of the Immortal Palette - Caroline M Yoachim
Wow, this is really incredible. It isn't a story that I personally love, but I really respect and admire all the excellent things that it's doing so skillfullly.

2. That Story Isn't the Story - John Wiswell
I missed this story when it first came out, and....huh. It's real good at getting the reader into a mindset, at creating a mood and a feeling. I'm impressed.

3. Bots of the Lost Ark - Suzanne Palmer
I found it mildly interesting, but it didn't really move me.

4. Unseelie Brothers, Ltd - Fran Wilde
There are some very interesting elements, but I felt like the characters were all pretty flat, and I don't think I followed the thematic arc of what the story was trying to do.

5. O2 Arena - Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki
Again, some interesting elements, but doesn't come together well for me.

6. No Award

7. L'Esprit de L'Escalier - Catherynne M Valente
Ugh, retells the story of Orpheus and Eurydice as disaffected miserable modern young people in an unsuccessful marriage, and it's just not....not a version that I care to read about even a little bit.

Comments

[michelel72]

Valente seems really interesting online, but the few things of hers I've read have all been "miserable people being miserable", which is not a draw for me. (Turns out I haven't read any of these yet, but based on your notes, I think I'll just continue to skip her story, so thank you.)

[sophia_sol]

Yeah, I went through a period where I kept trying to read more of Valente's books because the hook always sounds interesting to me, but eventually I gave up. Exactly one of Valente's works has actually worked for me (Deathless), and even that one, I had complaints about it that are intrinsic to her style and approach. So many people seem to really love what she writes! But she just doesn't click for me.

[silverflight8]

Lol @ simply giving up on Valente. I'm not gonna try either, I don't need that in my life.

[sophia_sol]

I unfortunately did read the whole of the valente, but I should have given up a lot earlier into it!!