Escape Artists
Escape Pod => Episode Comments => Topic started by: eytanz on March 20, 2017, 12:50:13 AM
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EP567: Baro Porrajmos, or Love in the Vardo (http://escapepod.org/2017/03/16/ep567-baro-porrajmos-or-love-in-the-vardo-artemis-rising-3/)
AUTHOR: Eileen Gunnell Lee (https://twitter.com/eileenglee)
NARRATOR: Marguerite Croft (https://twitter.com/MargueriteCroft)
HOST: Divya Breed (http://www.eff-words.com/)
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The day we left the Static was the best day of our lives. The Static had been squalid—a cold concrete building with perpetually wet floors sloping toward the drains. There had been too many of us in there, even without the men.
We celebrated the day we left the Static. We ate the rest of our rations, so certain were we that after that day we would forage in the countryside, or trade for what we couldn’t glean ourselves.
Freedom! Opre Roma, and all that.
(http://escapepod.org/wp-images/podcast-mini4.gif) Listen to this week’s Escape Pod! (http://traffic.libsyn.com/escapepod/EP567_Baro_Porrajmos.mp3)
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I loved this story!
The world of the story felt very real, and certain details really stuck with me. The fact that the vardos were supposedly secondhand, for example. The romani people were so mistreated that even in a fantasy of the best-case scenario, the government still skimped on the vardos, getting them cheaper and second-hand.
I'm also really glad to see another first time author published in Artemis rising! 2 out of 3 is really impressive.
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This one had a delayed reaction for me, the true horror didn't hit me until later. Still not sure what was up with the children. Loved it all the same.
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I almost didn't listen to this story, because I assumed the title referred to the historical, 20th century Holocaust. The story is disturbing as much for what it omits as for what it tells about this kinder, gentler, campaign of extermination. How long have they been in their Matrix-style suspended animation/virtual reality at the Static? How many of the characters are real, and how many exist only in virtual reality? Are the children real? How did Peter get into the Romani women's "world"?
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I thought this matrix-remix was interesting. I felt like there could have been some more to it, but I do believe it was moderately thought provoking. Men in one simulation, women in another...and it did speak more over-achingly to the idea of oppressing a race or creed of people.
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This story was horrible, in exactly the way I think the author intended (In other words, good job Ms Lee). I had a bit of a struggle keeping up with parts of the story, partially due to unfamiliar words. I think this would be less of an issue in written form, but it is more difficult to backtrack and figure out in audio. I didn't really understand why the men and women had to be separated. Any theories? The dichotomy of thoughts that must have led to the implementation of the simulations is staggering, but not unbelievable.
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I didn't like this story at the beginning, but then more and more layers unfolded. I Like this story mechanic.
Still, I think it had too much focus on culture, heritage etc
Narration was OK
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Still, I think it had too much focus on culture, heritage etc
I liked this story precisely because of the culture, heritage part. Gave it a very interesting layer.
That said, I am unsatisfied with the ending of the story. The matrix aspect was fine, but what I don't think was well explained was why Shuri and Eddie do nothing about their knowledge and continue to hide the truth from the others. That was just very alien to me and I feel required a bit more explanation. Also, the last sentence was completely incomprehensible to me.