7.4 /10 1 Votes
Originally published 20 February 2013 | 3.7/5 Goodreads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Awards Hugo Award for Best Short Story Similar Hugo Award for Best Short Story winners, Other books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
"The Water That Falls on You from Nowhere" is an award-winning 2013 science fiction/magic realism short story by John Chu. "Water" was first published on Tor.com, after being purchased by editor Ann VanderMeer, and subsequently republished in Wilde Stories 2014. As well, Chu has read the story aloud for the StarShipSofa podcast.
Contents
Synopsis
Some weeks prior to the beginning of the story, an unexplained phenomenon begins worldwide: whenever a person lies, water falls on that person from nowhere. Consequently, Matt decides that the time is right to not only come out to his traditional Chinese family, but to introduce them to his partner.
Reception
"Water" won the 2014 Hugo Award for Best Short Story. The Guardian called it "deeply personal", while Lambda Literary said it was a "standout". Kirkus Reviews described it as "so beautiful it hurts;" however, the Los Angeles Review of Books described it as "(u)ndoubtedly sweet but also rather sappy."