Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand

We talk a lot in SF about worldbuilding, the creation of a unique setting for a book that is different from the world we live in. Of course, there’s always some connection to our world, for it would be impossible to understand a world that was completely new, but good worldbuilding is about changing enough for us to find a new way to examine our own thoughts and beliefs. This story by McIntyre does that splendidly and does it by showing you the world, never telling you. When writing teachers advise students to “show, don’t tell,” they should use this story as an example. Snake, the protagonist, is a healer, but of a different group than the family and sick child, and that means they struggle to understand even though they’ve asked for her help. Highly recommended.