connie willis’s even the queen
I am so in love with “Even the Queen,” a story by Connie Willis that Asimov’s Science Fiction had the wisdom to put on their site, that I am now a Willis fan for life and will buy anything she puts out. This is my favorite part:
“I’ve always wondered if Lizzie Borden had PMS,” Viola said, “and that was why–”
No,” Mother said. “It was having to live before tampons and ibuprofen. An obvious case of justifiable homicide.”
[ via little ms. “sweet and innocent.” ]
Oh thank you thank you so much for posting about that story! It’s soo hilarious ^_^
Willis is great. If you haven’t read her novels, particularly “Doomsday Book” and “To Say Nothing of the Dog” (yes, it’s a Jerome K. Jerome pastiche, with time travel!), you must do so immediately. Her collection “Impossible Things” is also very good, if you prefer short fiction.
Oh yeah, neglected to mention: “Impossible Things” includes “Even the Queen.”
A lot of the stories in “Impossible Things” are a bit too Nora Ephron for me, but “Doomsday Book” is excellent (and depressing, as one might expect from a book about the Black Death).
Suggestions duly noted and added to my wishlist! Thanks Jerry and Steve.
(I could’ve sworn I added “To Say Nothing of the Dog” to it early last year. I may be going insane.)