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Bewildering Stories

Challenge 1061

Now You Do

  1. In Gary Inbinder’s Lil Diamond and Weasel in the Hole:

    1. Has Lil Diamond appeared in a previous chapter? Why does she want Max to try to defend Benny Levy?
    2. What does Max want to communicate to Al Lutkus? Does Max express concern for Lutkus after Weasel’s murder?
    3. What physical or other visual descriptions are usually attached to characters whom Max Niemand meets? Are the details memory aids or visualization cues?
  2. In Justin Carlos Alcalá’s The Rambler:

    1. Does Adam, the sole character in the story, attempt to take a real vacation from his onerous occupation by going to a forest cottage where he hallucinates an intruder? Or does he remain at work and hallucinate a vacation during which he hallucinates an intruder?
    2. What seems to be the intruder’s intent? And what tips him off that the intruder is himself?
  3. In Al Maler’s Memories on a Bird: Barry Zielinski and Mathieu/Cigarette Butt are opposites in revealing themselves to each other. And Mathieu makes a substantial profit on the painting that Barry purchases. But is Mathieu’s secrecy a fault? Does he actually do anything wrong?

  4. In Martin Westlake’s Room for Recovery:

    1. Raffaella’s operation is described as serious and difficult. Why might its cause be left unmentioned?
    2. Why is the title “Room for Recovery” more accurate than “Recovery Room”?
    3. How does Ciccio embody unconsciously ironic humour in his attitude toward the mysterious “visitor” and the discussions about it?
  5. In Karama Neal’s The Decline and Fall of Castle George:

    1. In the Third Quarter of Bewildering Stories, what poems on aging can be found that might be compared or paralleled with the first-hand account of Castle George? Do any speak of disintegration?
    2. If Castle George is viewed as symbolic of a person, what might the “Door of No Return” signify?
  6. In Brenda Mox’s What Cages Her: Why might “she” and “he” seem to deserve each other?

  7. In Shauna Checkley’s Cat Walk: Which is fairer to felines: fame or family?


Responses welcome!

date Copyright © September 23, 2024 by Bewildering Stories
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