SH Comments
Reged: Feb 16 2004
Posts: 1056
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This thread is for comments about Why I Am Not Gorilla Girl, by Daniel Starr, illustration by David Deen.
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Anonymous
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A superlative dramatic monologue. The commentary on superficial and self-centered American teenagers is trenchant, and effectively conveyed.
Moreover, it was a fun read, and I liked it.
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Anonymous
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I was at first concerned that the editors had gone overboard for intelligent animal stories. However, the play with the self-absorbed teenage girls is a brilliant twist. The way the story is told seems like finding a 13 year old girl's diary. I loved it.
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Karen Meisner
Fiction Editor
Reged: Oct 15 2003
Posts: 27
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Glad you liked it! And sheesh, have a little faith in the editors. It takes some damn good writing to sell us on an intelligent animal story.
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Anonymous
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A delightful story. Nkube and Ara's embrace at the end was a wonderful ending twist. Huzzah!
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Ken Comer
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Quote:
A delightful story. Nkube and Ara's embrace at the end was a wonderful ending twist. Huzzah!
Good story, but I agree with the earlier comment that the monologue was absolutely perfect. It was so thirteenish that, had I not had a little faith in the magazine (I'm new here, so the faith I had was both small and tentative--but it sufficed and has now been well-rewarded), I'd have dropped the whole thing as one of those "we published it because he did well for a kid" stories in paragraph one. I'm not tempted to try and copy the style because my narcissistic personality disorder requires me to speak at all times like an English professor on cocaine and steroids, but that doesn't diminish my admiration for a trick well turned. Great job!
On the other hand, I was pretty sure by the first mention of Ara as "partner" that the ending would have Nkube as homosexual, zoophile, or some kinko combo. I think I'd've liked it better if it were a tad more subtle.
Even a 2004 San Francisco teen would have picked up on that nuance, and my vision/version of the future has homosexuality as a much less controversial and much more open sort of thing. I mean, it's not my personal preference, but I can't help but think that the societies of the future will loosen up a lot on the subject.
Even so: good story, very well written. Thanks for a fun read.
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Jed Hartman
Fiction Editor
Reged: Oct 15 2003
Posts: 151
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This doesn't contradict your comment, but I thought it was worth mentioning in passing that I'm pretty sure Ara's gender is never specified. (I didn't notice that 'til my second or third time reading the story; I initially read Ara as female.)
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Allirog
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Great story - As someone who actually works with gorillas, I thought it was a fun read. Nice twist at the end and hope for a sequel - perhaps one of the girls can fall in love with a metagorilla of their own!
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