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aoutrance 's review for:

Anything Resembling Love by S. Qiouyi Lu
4.5
dark emotional sad fast-paced
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is heavy for a short story. It has a lot to say, explicitly and implicitly, about rape culture and trauma and maladaptive coping mechanisms for both.

“I’m sorry,” I say. The phrase becomes a compulsion, a prayer, a warding talisman. I repeat it over and over, I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry. I apologize for the shame we’ve been forced to bear, the shame of other people’s cruelty. Our creatures curl up together as my heart gets heavier and heavier.