Book Review: 'As Good As New' by Charlie Jane Anders

Another good short story from Tor.com, and from author Charlie Jane Anders.

Marisol, a prize winning playwright and the only survivor of a global apocalypse, discovers a bottle amongst the devastation when she finally ventures out of the panic room that has kept her safe. When she uncorks the bottle, a genie, or wish facilitator as he prefers to be known, appears in a plume of glittery mist to grant her three wishes.

But the genie isn't your typical Aladdin style wish facilitator, he used to be a theatre critic from the 1950s called Richard, until he "tried to bamboozle the wrong individual and got stuck in a bottle".

The dialogue between the wanna-be playwright and theatre critic is fun and interesting, full of dry wit and a love letter to the theatre, as Marisol ponders what to do with the wishes she's been granted.

'As Good As New' is a short but entertaining, fun and different take on the genie in a bottle, as well as post apocalypse tropes. A recommended read and available to read for free on the Tor.com website.

****/5