Comments on: PodCastle 58: Nine-Fingered Maria

By: Abbie

Abbie — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:10:39 +0000

Good story, very sad. Maria reminds me of a Luna Lovegood, who is one of my favorite HP characters.

I know it’s nitpicking, but the idea that paramedics would not have epi or would not be able to administer it is absurd. It’s part of the ACLS algorithm. I know the story is set in a magical universe, but I can’t see how this change benefits anything.

By: Julian

Julian — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:35:55 +0000

This is my favorite episode of podcastle in a long while. I loved the modern fantasy setting and the characters were children without being the naive little kids adults so often project onto young people.

I too would’ve liked to know a bit more about what the spy family was spying on and why, but I think they were an archetype in the vein of the sandman comics…they are spies because they are “the” spies…

By: Tangaroa

Tangaroa — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:24:38 +0000

There is a “blood is thicker than water” element in the story as well. As much as the main character wanted to be away from his family, in the end he chooses family over friends. Even though there is regret over the loss of the friendship, he finds new rewards in strengthening the relationship with his family.

By: Librarian X

Librarian X — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:41:44 +0000

“Someone said”? No credit for the great Lou Reed?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_and_Loss

By: Bruce Nielson

Bruce Nielson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:00:12 +0000

I loved the story. I even loved the ending. It left me wondering. Was it worth it? It seems to me that it was, though it was taken without permission, leaving it morally gray.

By: scatterbrain

scatterbrain — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 20:36:46 +0000

Not a bad story, but then again, there was not a lot of substance bar the posing of the question: Would you destroy someone’s gift to help someone else?

By: Natasha

Natasha — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:03:25 +0000

I loved this story - of the (admittedly few) several dozen stories I’ve heard so far, this is one of my favourites. It had a strong fantasy element present through the whole story, but not overwhelming the characters, who I thought were interesting and complex. I liked the different family dynamics shown. The moment with Maria and the grandmother was really touching, I stopped what I was doing to smile. Ok, to wipe away a small tear, but I was smiling while I did it.

I thought the ending was a nice twist on the “wishes bear a price to pay” theme. His wish, as much as it was for the benefit of others, was paid at the cost of another too. He also gained, and also paid. What a tragic economy.

I agree with the other commenter in wishing that the ending could have been a bit, I don’t know, MORE in some way, but I was satisfied. A different kind of fantasy story could have had him join Maria’s family so that he lived happily-ever-after, but what of his mother and grandparents? The story did crash down into the every day world, but since the fantastic element of the story was related to the loss of the magic of childhood, I think that the end was appropriate.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:57:25 +0000

This story started out with a lot of potential. I liked the contrasting elements in it. I enjoyed the family of spies, even though we never found out why they were spying. They reminded me of the Spellman series by Lisa Lutz. And then there’s the witch next door who got magical powers from finger amputation, and the ill mother.

I thought all of these elements put together would come to an interesting conclusion, but…the sad thing is, they did not. It just petered out. Kevin asks Maria to help his mother, she can’t, friendship and story end, that’s it. I felt cheated, and it felt like all of that potential in a fantasy story ended in deadly dull reality.