Even the Queen

"Even the Queen" is a science fiction short story by Connie Willis, exploring the long-term cultural effects of scientific control of menstruation. It was originally published in 1992 in Asimov's Science Fiction, and appears in Willis' short-story collection Impossible Things (1994) and The Best of Connie Willis (2013), as well as in the audio-book Even the Queen and Other Short Stories (1996).

Synopsis

Three generations of women discuss the decision of one of their daughters to join the "Cyclists", a group of traditionalist women who have chosen to menstruate even though scientific breakthroughs (in particular, a substance called "ammenerol") have made this unnecessary. The title refers to the fact that "even the Queen" of England menstruated.

Reception

"Even the Queen" won the 1993 Hugo Award for Best Short Story.[1] It also won the 1993 Nebula Award for Best Short Story.[2]

The Village Voice considers it "light-hearted" and "a comedy of identity politics and mother-daughter relations",[3] while Billboard, reviewing the audiobook, describes it as a "sly jab at both feminists and anti-feminists."[4]

References

  1. ↑ 1993 Hugo Awards, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved May 17, 2017
  2. ↑ "sfadb: Nebula Awards 1993". www.sfadb.com. Retrieved 2017-11-17.
  3. ↑ Connie Willis Invades Wartime Britain, by Julie Phillips, at the Village Voice; published October 10, 2010; retrieved May 17, 2017
  4. ↑ AUDIO BOOKS, edited by Trudi Miller Rosenblum, in Billboard (via Google Books); published December 12, 1996; retrieved May 17, 2017
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