Unknown Number

by Blue Neustifter

2022 Hugo Finalist for Best Short Story

Originally posted as a thread of images on Twitter, Unknown Number is an epistolary science fiction story about unexpected connection, the fear of changing, and the risk of staying the same.

Unknown Number is "intimate and moving" (CBC Books) and "beautifully queer and deeply relatable" (The Mary Sue).

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Queer

Image thread

Published January 1, 2021

About the author

Blue Midnight Canis (she/her; formerly Blue Neustifter) is a white, queer trans woman and 2022 finalist for a Hugo Award in the "Best Short Story" category for her epistolary story "Unknown Number". In addition to writing speculative fiction, she is a statistician, published board game designer, and unapologetic dyke She lives in Ontario and is trying to help make the world a little better how she can.

Reviews

[Anurag Sahay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I didn't expect to end up here when I started on this trip reading all the 2022 Hugo short story nominations.

This is a short story told on twitter by "fake screenshots" of a text conversations. I have, in fact, read a lot of "fake texting" stories before and enjoyed them very much -- but usually, I read those are *sex* stories, and not in the sense of gender like this one. I can't say I ever expected to see a story written in this format as real (read: not-meant-for-wanking) fiction, and certainly didn't expect such a story to end up getting a Hugo nom.

Here's the pitch: it's about gender dysphoria, parallel universes, the decision to transition, and so forth. It reminds me heavily of the last story in the story collection "Exhalation" by Ted Chiang (specifically, "Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom") which discusses a similar technology, albeit from a completely different sociopolitical point of view.

Overall, here's what I have to say:
1. It's a great story, which uses its format well.
2. It's perhaps not the *best* story this format could create, but I'm hopeful that the attention this will get because it was nominated for the Hugo might lead to more real fiction in this format.
3. While what the story discusses primarily is, of course, gender, being trans, and the *decision* to have gender affirming surgery, I find it has something nontrivial to say about regret for any life decision. I enjoyed the perspective very much.

Here's the link to the story. I recommend reading it.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. So. A self-published/twitter thread with screen caps of a fictious text message exchange as a short story that gets nominated for a Hugo is remarkable. I had to check this out, I can’t really think of anything in recent memory that sounds similar. The closest I’ve read would have to be “Advanced Word Problems in Portal Math” by Aimee Picchi from last year or “STET” by Sarah Gailey a few years before that. Unfortunately for me, while the format interests me greatly, the story does not. I found parts, while short, to be repetitive. There are some powerful moments that, while in the format of text, did not land with me. However, this is a terrific concept that I think will make an impact in people’s lives. I can see this really landing with some readers and changing or helping to solidify their perceptions. I think it already has, in fact, which is why it was nominated. “Unknown Number” falls in a bit of an odd middle ground for me. If this was done in a traditional short story format, I think it would have been more profound to me, but I also think it wouldn’t have stood out in the way that it has this year to get a Hugo nom. While I wasn’t blown away, I will be recommending this to my friends for the unique experience alone and maybe, hopefully, it lands with some of them in the way I know it can.

[ReadBecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't use twitter, so if it weren't a hugo finalist I would have likely never known about this odd little story told via twitter thread of text message screenshots. I just kind of clicked the link out of curiosity to see what it was and then read the whole thing. It is fairly simple, but presents a great depiction of identity (specifically transness here) in direct association to wellbeing, and the challenge to self acceptance.

[Mikayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

this ran my heart through a paper shredder then put it back together again 😭❤️

thank you justin for sending this to me

[Ocean G · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise. It seemed like sliding doors meets the multiverse theory, all via text chats and dealing with gender transition (and, along those lines, making or not making life-altering decisions).

I feel like more could have been done with this, however. Someone mentioned that, since it's all in text message format, it had to be a short story. Then again, Train Man was over 400 pages long, and I came to the opposite conclusion there. The different format made it seem shorter than that.

How about hearing more about the other timelines he contacted? How about a follow-up message at some point? I realize these are probably tangential to the point of the story, but they'd still be quite interesting to explore.

[aes ❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i read this around 5 am tas naiyak lang ako haha :'>. i feel like it's medj unfair of me to rate this in comparison to other short stories because sobrang iba yung format niya. the plot is simple so i can’t say much about it and the writing is just about what you’d expect from it’s chat app format but i think it’s quite effective in delivering it’s point. overall, it’s an emotional story about finding comfort in getting to know yourself better and finding courage to allow yourself become the version of yourself you want to be.

[Alex Sarll]

Deservedly Hugo-nominated, if only for its format: it's told in screenshots of a transdimensional (and trans other things) text conversation. In other respects it was a little direct for my taste, but I can understand the love it's getting, and doubtless it's winding up the right people too, so good on it.

[Pau Lethani · Rating 3 out of 5]

3'5/5

Hugo Awards 2022 Nominee for Best Short Story.

It's a story told through a Twitter's thread so it's absolutely unique and original. And I really liked the concept behind the story. I just wanted a bit more maybe. Something else to it.

[Katarina Norrgård · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely short story in the form of text messages. Nominated for a Hugo for a good reason.

[Ellis Billington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Innovative format for a short story and it even made me a little emotional toward the end—very cool!