"Bridesicle" is a 2009

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

short story by

Will McIntosh Will McIntosh (William D. McIntosh, born 31 January 1962 in New York City) is a science fiction and young adult author, a Hugo-Award-winner, and a winner or finalist for many other awards. Along with ten novels, including Defenders, Love Minus ...

, exploring the conjunction of

suspended animation Suspended animation is the temporary (short- or long-term) slowing or stopping of biological function so that physiological capabilities are preserved. It may be either hypometabolic or ametabolic in nature. It may be induced by either endogen ...

and

forced marriage Forced marriage is a marriage in which one or more of the parties is married without their consent or against their will. A marriage can also become a forced marriage even if both parties enter with full consent if one or both are later force ...

. It was originally published in ''

Asimov's Science Fiction ''Asimov's Science Fiction'' is an American science fiction magazine which publishes science fiction and fantasy named after science fiction author Isaac Asimov. It is currently published by Penny Publications. From January 2017, the publication ...

''.

Synopsis

Eighty years after her death in a car accident, Mira awakens in a 'dating center'. The patrons of the dating center are lonely men seeking wives, and dead women in

cryogenic storage Cryonics (from el, κρύος ''kryos'' meaning 'cold') is the Cryopreservation, low-temperature freezing (usually at ) and storage of human remains, with the speculative hope that resurrection may be possible in the future. Cryonics is regard ...

. A male patron can revive a female patron's head and interview her — and, if he doesn't like her, press a button to immediately return her to storage. As various suitors reject her, and the years go by, Mira's only chance to avoid being frozen forever is to convince a total stranger that she loves him enough that he should pay for her full revival. However, Mira is a

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

, and does not want to marry a man.

Critical reception

"Bridesicle" won both the 2010

Hugo Award for Best Short Story The Hugo Award for Best Short Story is one of the Hugo Awards given each year for science fiction or fantasy stories published or translated into English during the previous calendar year. The short story award is available for works of fiction of ...

and the 2010

Asimov's ''Asimov's Science Fiction'' is an American science fiction magazine which publishes science fiction and fantasy named after science fiction author Isaac Asimov. It is currently published by Penny Publications. From January 2017, the publication ...

Reader Poll, along with being a finalist for that year's

Nebula Award The Nebula Awards annually recognize the best works of science fiction or fantasy published in the United States. The awards are organized and awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), a nonprofit association of profe ...

History

McIntosh had originally tried writing the story from the vantage point of a man who would regularly visit the dating center but be unable to afford a full revival; however,

Mary Robinette Kowal Mary Robinette Kowal (; born February 8, 1969) is an American author and puppeteer. Originally a puppeteer by primary trade after receiving a bachelor's degree in art education, she became art director for science fiction magazines and by 2010 was ...

suggested that the story would work better from the perspective of a woman trapped within the center.

Expansion

In 2013,

Orbit Books Orbit Books is an international publisher that specialises in science fiction and fantasy books. It is a division of Lagardère Publishing. History It was founded in 1974 as part of the Macdonald Futura publishing company. In 1992, its parent ...

published ''Love Minus Eighty'', McIntosh's novel-length expansion of "Bridesicle".Science fiction roundup – reviews
at

the Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

, by Eric Brown; published July 20, 2013; retrieved August 27, 2013

References

External links

* 2009 short stories Fiction about suspended animation LGBT speculative fiction LGBT short stories Hugo Award for Best Short Story winning works Science fiction short stories 2000s LGBT literature Lesbian fiction 2009 LGBT-related literary works {{LGBT-fiction-stub