Tribe by Alexandra Erin

Asmora

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"An Experiment Gone Horribly Right"

Tribe is an old work, in Internet terms. It dates back to 2007, when web fiction barely existed. It was an experiment and an exercise for Alexandra Erin, author of one of the pioneering works of modern web fiction, who was a fledgling writer at that time. It suffers from many of the hallmarks of a writer who is still honing her skills. It was never "finished."

Tribe is amazing. Its limited wordcount per chapter means that the reader is left with poignant, minimal images much of the time. The reader actively participates in the creation of meaning in the text. This device isn't simply used to make the work fancier or more "artsy," however. The entire story deals with the ways we create meaning in our real lives. Whenever we are confronted with a person or situation, we have an option: We can either rely on our received notions of that person, society, and the world, or we can accept that we know nothing about this phenomenon and embrace it with open, innocent eyes. When we make the latter choice, there's a chance that magic will happen.

Is this surprisingly deep, high-brow material for a work that was originally intended to be a simple writing exercise? Yes. Is it one of the most inspirational works I've ever read? Definitely yes.

Tribe tells the story of those who have fallen between the cracks of society and found out that they haven't failed; they've escaped.

Rating: 10 / 10