April Book Study: Short stories (Hugo nominees)

Hello, and welcome to the SF/F Book Study. We're trying something different this month and discussing three short stories, each of which receive a nomination for the Hugo Award in 2009 or 2011, and two received Nebula nominations as well.

All three are available online:

Non-Zero Probabilities by N. K. Jemisin via Clarkesworld.
(Audio version here.)

Bridesicle by W. McIntosh via Asimov's (PDF warning)
(Intro and audio version here.)

Exhalation by T. Chiang via Eclipse Two
(PDF and other stories found via this link.)

***Spoilers*** will be streaking naked through this thread (for all three stories!) unpredictably. You have been warned.

Here are the previous book studies:

2008:
Ender's Game (August)
Lies of Locke Lamora (September)
A Deepness in the Sky (October)
A Fire in the Deep (November)
Storm Front (December)

2009:
I Am Legend (January)
The Onion Girl (February)
Lord of Light (March)
Small Gods (April)
Beggars in Spain (May)
The Once and Future King (June)
Foundation (July)
The Graveyard Book (August)
Neuromancer (September)
The Last Wish (October)
The Knife of Never Letting Go (November)
One Hundred Years of Solitude (December)

2010:
Battle Royale (January)
Jhereg (February)
Cyberabad Days (March)
Tigana (April)
Next (May)
Perdido Street Station (June/July)
Boneshaker (August)
His Majesty's Dragon (September)
Never Let Me Go (October)
The Child Thief (November)
Solaris (December)

2011:
Lirael (January)
Blindsight(February)
Lavinia (March)

Thank you to Broken Fingers for starting the book study!

I read Exhalation. I liked some aspects of the style, but found it a bit uninteresting as well. The lack of strong conflict initially soon had me tuning out and skimming unfortunately. Not sure how I feel about the end, not having read the entire middle.

I see where the concept and style helped it get a nomination, but I think (imho) something shorter and 'edgier' would have been stronger.

Non Zero Probabilities was pretty interesting. It felt like a quick glimpse into a lost world. I liked the character's voice.

My favorite was Bridesicle. The voice and character were great, along with the pacing. I think the end was a hair disjointed--like the details were thrown together a bit too quickly--but it was good overall. The opening really drew you in too, and though it's technically a 'waking from sleep' opening, the little oddities really make you want to read on.

Okay, my one last attempt at getting this discussion going

For Bridesicle, I meant to post earlier some additional thoughts. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if it was put together a little too nicely for the MC. I wonder if her sexual orientation was written genuinely or was more a convenient plot device. While I was reading it I liked it and thought it was reasonably genuine, but as I look back I lean toward plot device.