Alexandra's Reviews > Wakulla Springs

... But is it sf?

Not really, no. There are a couple of Maybe Moments, but they are fleeting.

However, it is a fabulous novella. Seriously fabulous. The different voices are wonderfully distinct, clearly telling one multi-generational story but clearly individual. Wakulla Springs in particular is so evocative it ached. The incidental details felt right, although I'm sure as heck no expert on the period or place. And I'm not sure how to phrase this without it coming out wrong, so please forgive me: but there's something about dealing with momentous issues - the racism in particular - with such a light touch that really worked here. By no means do I want to suggest that the racism can or should be skimmed over, and by no means do the authors only touch on it lightly. The racism isn't dwelt on in great detail because it is shown to be exactly what it was: inherent in the society of the period (1940s and 50s America, especially), and deeply affecting everything that the main characters do. There's no need for Duncan and Klages to spell it out, because it's right there. In every interaction between black and white, in every thought the black characters have about how to act and how to speak and how to be. If someone can tell me how to phrase this better, please do, because that doesn't seem like a very satisfying explanation!

At any rate, did I mention it's awesome?