This story didn’t work for me, I’m afraid.
The speculative element takes long to appear, and when it does, I’m not sure if I wanted it to show up in the first place. The magic system is soft. Too soft. So soft that it breaks out of the magic system spectrum and falls into something else. And I don’t know what that is. Maybe something
sui generis.
The way she changed and nobody even commented didn’t convince me. It happened fast and nobody seemed to bother or find it strange. I believe that it was meant to be funny. It looked like the author was trying to write humor, but I found myself frowning too much and had no time for laughs.
I like the narrator though, especially how she reads dialogue. The way she reads male voices is funny. Funnier than the actual jokes.
This story reminded me of
In that place she grows a garden, by Del Sandeen, published in Uncanny Magazine 38. It’s pretty much the same, but
Tend to Me tackles on the dangers of being what others want you to be, of doing things only to praise others; while Sandeen’s story tackles more on racism.
Tend To Me is also more aimed towards women, and how women absolutely shouldn’t dedicate their lives just to praise men. But those who do can find comfort in each other. It’s a good theme, at least...
