Conversation with Fraiser Armitage. “This is why I enjoy having conversations like this about the book—it’s hard to classify, difficult to sum up in a pithy pitch. The story is like a small weird thing I found washed up on the shore and I want everyone to come look at it and tell me what they think it is because I only have my own guesses.” – Rae Mariz
“Ceph came from the worldbuilding. From thinking about her position in her world—deep, deep in coral cities where all evidence in her immediate environment has reinforced an idea that she’s part of a superior race of beings. Her character was built from the assumptions she would have about life and how that distorts her conception of how she fits into the widerworld. Her scientific curiosity launches her up into that wider world, and
“There are so many evocative scenes in this one, but my favorite part had to be when Iliokai gets swallowed by a whale. It so deftly captures one of the major themes of the novella, which is the interconnectedness of one’s actions and presence. That sense of wider oceanic communion both at an interpersonal and macro level comes through so succinctly, I had metaphorically clutched my heart at how well
Reading this wonderful, heartwrenching book about deep-ocean worlds and the climate crisis in the middle of an intense typhoon put lots of things into perspective. I don’t think I’ve seen or will see anything like it, so if you like strange, beautiful stories, check this one out! Climate fiction written by people who are most affected carry a particular gravity. This book was written by a Pasifika author, and it’s
WEIRD FISHES by the incredible @raemariz (published by @StelliformPress) has been living in my head rent free for a while. As the protagonists’ world grows bigger and weirder, so will yours. (1/?) I’m not a fan of the idea that reading (and especially reading SFF) extends your empathy or understanding, because this sentiment often glosses over the fact that understanding others, human or other-than-human, is hard, continuous work. Sacrifice, even, sometimes. But… (2/?)
Excerpt from interview: “…And I think that might be what makes the story feel so unusual, so unlike what you might typically expect to read as hard science fiction. It’s based in marine biology and ecosystem science, and offers up a mind-bendy conception of time as whirlpools and theories of time-travel. Standard sci-fi elements. So I describe it as sci-fi, but maybe the integration of mermaid folklore and depiction of a not-necessarily
Excerpt from interview: “…There is a narrative theme about avoiding painful emotions, and not recognizing “the water” all around us. I’m proud of the readers who experienced a strong emotional reaction—at any point in the story—that they let themselves get deep enough into the story and character to feel something. I get that readers may initially be upset with me for making them feel a way—blaming me as the storyteller
I need everyone to read WEIRD FISHES by the wonderful @raemariz. This novella has everything: poetry, science, deep sea characters, earth-and-ocean wonder. Searing climate commentary with a much-needed dose of hope. I love this book with all my heart. It’s a vivid, deliciously weird portrait of undersea cultures, multilingualism and communication, and protecting our planet.
https://stone-soup.ghost.io/archive/imagining-the-real-world/ “We create the world we want to live in or maintain the world we’re told we live in. I’m not a fan of binaries, but I don’t think there’s a lot of space on that middle ground. An illusion of neutrality is part of the colonial narrative. Just like there are stories that reflect and engage with “real world” issues or ones that uphold status quo fictions.” –Rae Mariz
Introduction by publisher Selena Middleton Author reading Q&A with Maria Haskins “on the surface this is an undersea adventure but it’s also cheeky, it’s bewildering… sharp as glass in its critique of past and ongoing colonial aggression and its effects on the ocean and its creatures.” –Selena Middleton, Stelliform Press