Synopsis: Ghosts in this magical reality are able to follow their families. When Niovi immigrated grom Greece to another country, the border security catched her trying to smuggle her mother’s ghost across the border which isn’t allowed.
Integrating into the new culture is double hard for her without her mother’s support and barely speeking the language. Especially, because she often doesn’t remember recipes for cooking which she needed when hiring at a Greek restaurant.
Many others have tethered ghosts, but they behave differently in the new country. She can barely stomach being confronted with the cook’s lovely relationship to his grandmother’s ghost every day at the restaurant.
Review: This short story has been nominated for this year’s Nebula Award season (check out the list with references to online available stories and my reviews).
It is a highly melancholical story narrated calmly and not trying to play with the reader’s heartstrings. The metaphor of difficulties with immigration and adapting to a new environment is easily identified and barely hidden. But the author did a fine job relating to cooking, family, and faith. After all, it’s not easy to top Greek food with all the Mediterranean flavoring, right?
I nearly can’t wait to get on a vacation trip to Crete again!
I just wondered what Niovi’s motivation for immigration was at all. The story dragged a little bit and missed a punch at the end.
I liked the story, but maybe I overvalued it because of my memories of Greece.
Meta: isfdb. Available online at Uncanny. Nominated for the Nebula Award. Also, check out the author’s interview at Uncanny.
Reißwolf 