This is the critique I did of Staunchy's second story. If the story gets on-line at some point, I'll add a link to it here.
Critique of "Eat Like Monkey" by Staunchy T. MonkeyWow. That's all I can say. Wow.
There have been a very few other pieces that came through the workshop that I thought were publishable as they stood, but this one surpasses them all. I don't have any doubt that this will take home both the Hugo and the Nebula.
I suggest that you send it to the New Yorker right now.
The use of Kamrupi Biriyani to stand for all that is good in life was inspired. The notion that there can be more than one instance of "all that is good in life" and that, through decisive action, one can chose the better life works both in the text and the subtext.
The prose just sings with the taut expression of decisive monkey action: Monkey snatch. Monkey yuck. Monkey out from under.
The relentless action draws the reader through from "Me monkey hunger" to the inevitable "Eat like Monkey" like the blade of a guillotine through a royal French neck.
Copyright © 2001 Philip Brewer