Review of Each to Each by Seanan McGuire. Each to Each is a science fiction short story The review has spoilers so please don’t read it if you don’t want to know anything.
My review of Each to Each by Seanan McGuire
I highly recommend the Each to Each. It is one of McGuire’s better short stories. It is well written with great worldbuilding and is really crunchy.
My review from 2014 of Each to Each by Seanan McGuire
Title: Each to Each (free online)
Author: Seanan McGuire
Genre: Short story, science fiction,
Themes: Gen engineering, mermaid, deep sea
This is the part of my 100 Short Stories in 2014 challenge. Part of Lightspeed Magazine: Women Destroy Science Fiction.
If you do not want to know anything about the story, just know that is good and very enjoyable. I felt like I had read a full novel after reading the short story. Come back and read the review once you are done Each to Each your self.
You know how really good science fiction takes you through the logical steps that took our world from what we know to the world in the story, one logical step at the time. That is just what Each To Each does. By the time I understood that the Navy have all female gen-modded crews of mermaids on their submarines it made perfect sense within the confines of the story. It was not just plausible, but it seemed like the most natural development that could have happened. That is just what I want in the world building of my science fiction!
The story is so deep and filled with concepts that I came away with the feeling that I had read a full novel. The storytelling left me with vivid images from the story, without ever being dragged down by description. It felt like watching a really good movie, while being inside the head of the pov character.
I love that this is both a story about the main character’s longing for the deep sea, her doubt at the gen-designers motives, the gender issues surrounding the all female crews, the struggle between the land bound brass and the mermaid’s realities. A simple picture like the mermaid’s flippers stuffed into standard-issue boots.
I highly recommend the story. I think it is the best Seanan McGuire story I have read this year, and as you know by now I read a lot of those. Well written. Great world building. Really crunchy.
The stats: Each to Each
Published: June 1st 2014 Lightspeed Magazine: Women Destroy Science Fiction, issue 49
Length: 23 pages
Read: June 1st 2014
Author: female, white, USA
The protagonists: female, adult, submarine navy personal
This review was originally posted: June 1, 2014. Updated and edited June 30, 2023
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