The story “Aethra” (“Aethra”) by Michalis Manolios was published for the first time in 2001. It won the Aeon Award. It was translated from the Greek by Thalia Bisticas.
An art critic is murdered in a villa that belongs to Aethra, a famous artist who uses biotechnology to create clones of herself with physical variants and very elementary minds. Commissioner Costas goes to the villa to ask Aethra some questions but focusing is a big problem because of the artist’s extraordinary beauty, very exposed by her and her clones, but also from the sense of perversion that some of the creations give him.
In “Aethra”, Michalis Manolios takes us to a future in which biotechnology is advanced enough to allow its use to create what are considered art forms. Aethra is an artist who uses herself as a base to create clones that are highly appreciated but her creations raise questions about the ethical limits.
The clones are supposed to have only very basic minds, below the level of sentience, physical representations of Aethra. However, some of them are used as furniture and in some cases the artist’s aesthetic ideas make Costas uncomfortable when the Commissioner comes to her villa to investigate the death of an art critic.
Answering Costas’ questions, Aethra has no problem admitting that her clones can also be used for sexual purposes. The artist is very open from this point of view, so much that her alibi is her participation in an orgy. This only adds to the cop’s discomfort as he must try to hold back his excitement seeing Aethra’s beauty, put on display in front of him, but on the other hand is disturbed by he sees as perversions existing in some of the clones.
Aethra show herself off in many different ways through her clones. Her images are often distorted in variations that can be even grotesque and surreal. One wonders what kind of people are interested in buying her extreme creations.
The clones images that can be strong end up overshadowing what, after all, is supposed to be a detective story. Commissioner Costas has to investigate a murder and to understand what happened he must prevent his senses from being overwhelmed by all the stimuli they’re subjected to in Aethra’s villa.
When Costas figures out how the murder took place, he has to decide how to act. Don’t expect a procedural drama because the way Costas discovers the culprit is irrelevant to the story. In the end, the detective element serves to give the Commissioner the responsibility about what to do, or not do.
“Aethra” will disturb you for its use sometimes extreme of the clones even if the tone of the narrative is lightened by the way Costas’ discomfort is described. It’s a great story that gives you food for though, concerning both the issue of cloning and the protagonists choices. I recommend reading it, also taking advantage of the fact that it’s available in an ebook on Amazon USA
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