The Shape of My Name is one of the best short stories I've ever read. Nino Cipri captures the nostalgia and familial trauma hauntingly. The way they render crisp images of the past and future is so evocative. And how they utilize time travel to engage with this story's themes is just brilliant.

This story is perfect in its simplicity. Cipri presents time travel in such a matter-of-fact way. They gracefully brush aside questions of paradoxes and the like that often trip me up in these types of stories. In doing so the heart of the story is allowed to shine.

The slow unravelling of its mystery and the careful construction of both the protagonist's relationship with their mother and their own trans identity was so deftly constructed. I don't know how to describe it other than reading this story feels like breathing.

I absolutely adore everything about The Shape of My Name. If you have a spare 20 minutes please read it. You can find it for free on Tor's website