A Handful of Pearls & Other Stories
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- $2.99
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
A Handful of Pearls & Other Stories collects nine stories by award-winning author Claire O'Dell, ranging from fantasy to SF to the unclassified. These tales include gender-bending aliens, escaped slaves in an alternate Haiti, a pre-teen arthropod and his dog, and a woman who might, nor might not, be Medusa.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This anthology reprints nine fantasy, SF, and horror stories originally published from 2001 to 2008, including tales geared towards the gay/lesbian and erotica markets. Bernobich's best work centers on luminous hope emanating from wrenching despair: in "Chrysalide," a poor artist who takes something from each subject paints an extraordinary woman who may save her; in "Remembrance," a couple exchanges letters by recording sensation, only emphasizing the grief when one dies; and in "Jump to Zion," a slave is devastated when her master sells away her daughter, prompting her to take action. Standouts include "Poison," with gender-switching downtrodden aliens, and the title story, featuring a horrifyingly unsympathetic protagonist, both stories with extraordinary, evocative settings. Bernobich's lush prose focuses on scent, touch, and word building, and despite a few flat endings and loose narrative threads, it's clear she's a writer to watch. (Jun.)
