The Tomato Thief
"The Tomato Thief" is a 2016 fantasy novelette by Ursula Vernon. It was first published in Apex Magazine and has been reprinted in the collection Jackalope Wives and Other Stories.
Synopsis
[edit]When Grandma Harken (protagonist of "Jackalope Wives") stays up late to catch whoever is stealing fresh tomatoes from her garden, she finds herself drawn into a complex magical plot involving shapechangers, space warps, and gods.
Reception
[edit]"The Tomato Thief" won the 2017 Hugo Award for Best Novelette (for works of 7,500 to 17,500 words).[1] Tor.com called it "excellent", noting that the story is a rare example of "older women as the protagonists of their own stories", and comparing Grandma Harken to Granny Weatherwax.[2] Tangent Online considered it to be "hard to put back down".[3]
References
[edit]- ^ 2017 Hugo Awards, at TheHugoAwards.org; retrieved August 14, 2017
- ^ Sleeps with Monsters: Stolen Tomatoes and Undead Deer, by Liz Bourke, at Tor.com; published July 25, 2017; retrieved August 14, 2017
- ^ Apex Magazine #80, January 2016, reviewed by Kevin Hallett, at Tangent Online; published January 31, 2016; retrieved August 14, 2017