In these stories, Jemisin sharply examines modern society, infusing magic into the mundane, and drawing deft parallels in the fantasy realms of her imagination. Dragons and hateful spirits haunt the flooded city of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In a parallel universe, a utopian society watches our world, trying to learn from our mistakes. A black mother in the Jim Crow south must figure out how to save her daughter from a fey offering impossible promises. And in the Hugo award-nominated short story “The City Born Great,” a young street kid fights to give birth to an old metropolis’s soul.
It has been quite a while since I’ve read an anthology, so when How Long ‘til Black Future Month arrived I was keen to give it a go. I’ve been trying to expand my reading horizons of late. I’ve never read anything by N K Jemisin, so a short story collection seemed like the ideal way to discover an author’s work for the first time.
A little about some of my favourite stories then, don’t worry I’ll not going into too much detail. No spoilers here, my friend.
The Ones Who Stay and Fight – Imagine a place where people care and are actually nice to one another as a matter of course. A place where it’s the norm to put other people’s feelings before your own. Now imagine they discovered us and learn about concepts like greed. A perfect utopia being corrupted by our own little slice of heaven.
The City Born Great – New York has the chance to become something wonderous, but only if the right person is willing to fight for it. I can understand why this story was nominated for a Hugo award. Whenever I come across the idea that a city is a living, breathing entity in its right, I always find myself entranced.
Red Dirt Witch – Emmaline is prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure her children have a future. If that means taking on the White Lady then so be it. Emmaline’s glimpses of the future perfectly frame the choices she makes. You get a real sense of exactly how far she is willing to go for her family.
L’Alchimista – A chef is set a near impossible challenge; craft the perfect meal. Is she prepared to trust her instincts and let the ingredients guide her in an act ultimate creation? I’ll admit I’m a foodie, so this Faustian feast was a real highlight for me.
Cloud Dragon Skies – Our world is broken, the skies the colour of blood. There is the chance we can set things back to the way they were before. The only question is, should we? I like the idea that if we change something so fundamentally, so it becomes something entirely new, do we have the right to change it back.
The Storyteller’s Replacement – It is only when you get what you want can you appreciate that it may not be what you wanted at all. This statement is especially true when it comes to dragons.
The Brides of Heaven – Sometimes the difference between awe inspiring wonder and horror is simply a matter of perspective. A provocative science fiction tale that explores everything from evolution to theology.
Cuisine des Memories – Hurrah! another story about food. This time we learn how food is intrinsically linked with our strongest memories. Imagine there was a restaurant you could visit where you could re-live your favourite meals.
On the Banks of the River Lex – The world has irrevocably changed. Humanity is gone and has been replaced by all manner of wondrous entities. On the streets of New York Death ponders the nature of existence and meets a very determined octopus.
Too Many Yesterdays, Not Enough Tomorrows – Pocket universes, quantum entanglement and the chance that making a meaningful connection will end it all. What would you do? Could you cope with the same day repeating over and over again.
Non-Zero Possibilities – New York becomes the luckiest place on Earth. What’s causing this sudden change, and should it be embraced or shunned. In just a handful pages the nature of faith and religion is deftly picked apart.
There you have it, just a little taste of half of the yarns you’ll find in N K Jemisin’s latest book. Yes, you read that right. There are twenty-two short tales in all, I’ve only mentioned half of them. You can discover the rest yourself. Rest assured they are all great. In four hundred pages, her work covers the full gamut of human experience.
I’ll admit to being a little in awe of Jemisin’s writing. Her stories are all so beautifully nuanced. The eclectic mix of characters and scenarios ensures any reader will find something the appeals, I loved it all. I’ve long held the belief that the very best writing does three things – it educates, entertains and informs. How Long ‘til Black Future Month manages this trickiest of tasks with ease.
Over the last couple of years I’ve realised just quite how ignorant I have been of many social issues. I’m trying hard to recognise where I make mistakes and call out others who do the same. It is only way to avoid making the same errors is to educate myself. Personally, I find reading fiction one of the best ways to do this. Great stories hold a mirror up to society. A great author highlights our failings and where we can be better. Everyone should be reading fiction like this. EVERYONE. It provides insight, challenges preconceived notions and promotes introspection. In How Long ‘til Black Future Month you’ll find everything from evolution to revolution and much more besides. Do yourself a favour, seek it out, read it and become wise.
This anthology has stories set on different worlds and different time periods. I thought I was going to have difficulty selecting just one soundtrack to pair with it but I was wrong. I’ve found the perfect match, something that captures the overall tone of the collection. I can heartily recommend listening to Everyone Has Gone to the Rapture by Jessica Curry while reading How Long ‘til Black Future Month.
How Long ‘til Black Future Month is published by Orbit and is available now. Highly recommended.
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