Name: The Mammoth Book of SF Stories by Women
ISBN: 9780762454709

Alex Dally MacFarlane

The Mammoth Book of SF Stories by Women

Maggie Gordon

I am quite shocked that this book has received so few ratings so far. It's a fantastic collection of modern sci-fi done by authors who are not showcased nearly enough: women, many of them racialised. 

Like all anthologies, I did not enjoy every single story. However, the compilation as a whole was quite satisfying, and the stories that stood out were simply amazing. Many of these stories engage with sci-fi from the perspective of colonised people, and the messages and themes that come out of these stories are exceptionally powerful. If you've ever struggled with understanding why certain people feel systemically marginalised or want to see your own experiences and thoughts reflected in fiction, these stories really get to the heart of colonisation and oppression. 

The collection is on the literary side, and I found myself going slowly through the submissions to properly enjoy the beautiful language and often complex narratives. This book contains some truly experimental and innovative work, and I feel enriched by the experience of having finished these challenging pieces. 

A short selection of my favourite stories were:

1. Nnedi Okorafor - Spider the Artist: Environmental racism, music, and how humanity can easily destroy itself through callous decisions. 

2. Zen Cho - The Four Generations of Chang E: Experiencing diaspora on the moon.

3. Rochita Loenen-Ruiz - Dancing in the Shadow of the Once: A gut-punching story of the terrible bargains made between colonised and coloniser.

The Mammoth Book of SF Stories by Women

Reviews