This is my extended review of “Cry Sanctuary” by Anna
Catalano, which appeared in Luna Station Quarterly (December 2018, issue 036).
Whenever you bring up the topic of domestic violence or
science fiction fantasy, you run the risk of alienating people. They roll their
eyes, cringe inwardly and move on. Well, stay where you are, because this short
story by author Anna Catalano has both and it’s a worthwhile journey. You’ll
read it all at once and then days and weeks later you will want to read it
again.
“Cry Sanctuary” has a disclaimer at the beginning for
violence, and it’s about the deep bond that survivors of abuse can have, but it
segues beautifully into the exploration of what reality could be like if defense
mechanisms became super powers. Catalano smoothly weaves this allegory
throughout “Cry Sanctuary” with a precision that avoids being trite or
heavy-handed.
Catalano doesn’t spoon-feed you.
Within a few paragraphs you will notice that Catalano has a
unique rhythm in this piece. At first I found it jarring but it nonetheless
compelled me to keep reading. The more I read, the more I enjoyed how Catalano’s
choice of rhythm played an integral part in telling this unusual tale.
It’s tempting to say that this writer is showing us the
structure under her work too much, but you could compare it to Steam Punk:
where the mechanism is showing, it’s polished up so you can appreciate it’s
beauty as well as its function.
This short may not change your whole life, but it conveys
what short stories traditionally should: an experience that lands you in a
shifted perspective, a moment to ponder.
Between style and content, “Cry Sanctuary” delivers and I’ll
definitely be on the lookout for Catalano’s work in the future.
