This story has been widely lauded and won the Nebula for best short story. It's probably a lock to win the Hugo as well, making it one of those rare double winners
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I thought this was a function of the length and POV?>
Sure, but my argument would be that the story is the wrong length and/or POV to work for me.
And I didn't get the feeling that they were talking about his Mom being from a catalogue, but simply about his Dad marrying a Chinese woman who couldn't speak a word of English?
No, I didn't think they were either, but Mark knew about that the mom was a mail-order bride so there had to be talk about it, and this seems an unlikely convenient plot point to spark Jack's eventual estrangement - the dad wanted Jack to fit in, so why do people know this? (I am assuming it's not a random insult since it is true.)
I think basically I filled in the holes left by the narration (which, like the main character, is very self-centred, though I don't view it as an irredeemable flaw) with more charitable interpretation than yours?
My two cents. I'm well aware I'm very biased on this one...
I do this all the time with stories I like.
I know I'm in the minority in not caring for this story. I feel like a bit of a jackass for not seeing what you see. But I will be reading the story again and thinking on it.
Sure, but my argument would be that the story is the wrong length and/or POV to work for me.
And I didn't get the feeling that they were talking about his Mom being from a catalogue, but simply about his Dad marrying a Chinese woman who couldn't speak a word of English?
No, I didn't think they were either, but Mark knew about that the mom was a mail-order bride so there had to be talk about it, and this seems an unlikely convenient plot point to spark Jack's eventual estrangement - the dad wanted Jack to fit in, so why do people know this? (I am assuming it's not a random insult since it is true.)
I think basically I filled in the holes left by the narration (which, like the main character, is very self-centred, though I don't view it as an irredeemable flaw) with more charitable interpretation than yours?
My two cents. I'm well aware I'm very biased on this one...
I do this all the time with stories I like.
I know I'm in the minority in not caring for this story. I feel like a bit of a jackass for not seeing what you see. But I will be reading the story again and thinking on it.
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