Reviews with content warning for Transphobia - Small Gods of Calamity

Reviews tagging 'Transphobia'

Small Gods of Calamity by Sam Kyung Yoo

9 reviews

yellowbinge's review

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dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Publishing date:

04.03.2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Interstellar Flight Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

The book as a meal: A fantastic blend of spices and comforting ingredients in a tasty soup

The book left me: Wanting more like this, and a continuation of the story please ...

Negatives:

Repeats descriptions a lot, often on the same page

Conversations flow a little strangely

Characters can seem very irrational with no proper reason for it

Not so much a mystery, more so a "oh no it broke, not we have to fix it"

Positives:

Characters have surprising amount of depth for such a short story

The plot moves naturally

Great dynamic between the characters

Features:

Lots of korean culture, myths, spiritualism, talismans, a tiny cameo with sign language, lots of queer representation, possensions, multiple POV's

Why did I choose this one?

I was craving a mystery again, but since I can't stand the usual "whodunnit" killer kind ... I opted for a more fantasy-esque book. This was an absolute success in those terms

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?

Pick-Up-Able. Very engaging story, got me hooked.

What was the vibe and mood?

It had a very heavy and serious kind of vibe to it. As if everything was hung on a thin thread ready to snap at any moment, but we gotta be safe before we attempt to climb it. It also reminded me of "Constantine" a lot, similar mood there.

The descriptions of people spirit energy also brought with it some "phantom smells" for me, so I could constantly "smell" whatever was happening on page. Very freaky, and very cool

Final ranking and star rating?

A tier, 4 stars. Very good book. I will be on the lookout for this author again. Vibed with the writing and the character work a lot. Will also be recommending this around in my circle, I think it might surprise a lot of people

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puddlejumper's review

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adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

It takes awhile for this novella to find its stride. The first few chapters are a bit awkwardly paced and there is a lot of information thrown at the reader. After chapter 3 it improves dramatically.

It follows a police detective in Seoul who can see ghosts and incorporates a mixture of Korean, Japanese and Chinese spiritualism and mythology. This part of the book I really enjoyed. It was explained well and felt integrated and fully flashed out.

The MC Han-gil is openly bi and identifies as asexual. You don't often see ace MCs, especially ones where their sexuality isn't the focus of the story.

A lot of great things were packed into this novella. If this was turned into a series I would definitely keep reading.

The story touches on transphobia in Korea and there are scenes of domestic violence against a trans person.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

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cobwebshelves's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

"He remembers thinking Shin Yoonhae looked like someone who was just quietly waiting to die. He guesses that hasn't really changed, even after all this time."

tw: transphobia, gore, body horror

Since my discovery that I do, in fact, enjoy ghost stories a couple years back, I haven't actually picked up that many. "Small gods of calamity" turned out to be a ghostly delight. Despite its relatively small page count, it's enthralling and had me invested in the story pretty quickly. The slice-of-life view of Kim Han-gil's life as a detective-slash-ghost-hunter had pretty solid worldbuilding, introducing a range of paranormal phenomena and spiritualists. I did not expect the POV to shift halfway through yet I loved the contrast between Han-gil and Yoonhae's voices and experiences.

The thing is, I was left wanting more - the small thing keeping it from being a five-star read for me. Give me two hundred more pages, give me a webtoon, a series (I saw a few reviews mentioning it felt like a k-drama structure but I'm not sure there's enough to fill 20 90-minute episodes), anything – I would love to stay in Han-gil's bubble for longer. The biggest let-down is that in such a fast-paced story, the secondary characters are left unexplored, feeling almost like an afterthought at the very end.

Nevertheless, this made for a wonderful buddy read with my best friend and I plan to keep an eye on what Sam Kyung Yoo has in store next as their debut novella left me impressed.

Thanks to Interstellar Flight Press and NetGalley for the arc.

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paracosim's review

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This novella is what The Dead Take the A Train wishes it could be. Both are about spiritualists and exorcisms, both have aspects of horror (though this one is much less gruesome), and both have queer protagonists who are down on their luck and mocked by their paranormal communities. Where The Dead failed, though, Small G-ds of Calamity succeeded.

The pacing was excellent. The author reveals pieces of information bit by bit, letting the reader slowly piece together what happened in the past to make the characters who they are in the present, and it was so masterfully done that I was surprised to learn this is a debut. The story itself was grim but had moments of humor to break up the angst, the descriptions were vivid, and the mention of Han-gil being bi and asexual? Flawless. Stunning. Very natural. The trans representation? Beautiful. Chef’s kiss. The worldbuilding was also done very nicely.

My only wish is that it was longer, and that we’d gotten a bit more of an explanation about the supernatural world itself. It left a lot up to interpretation in a way that had me wanting. Overall, though, I have very high hopes for anything this author comes out with next.

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crothe77's review

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adventurous fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Small Gods of Calamity by Sam Kyung Yoo is a contemporary fantasy mystery taking place in South Korea and featuring Korean, Japanese, and Chinese spiritualism. Han-gil is a detective and also a spiritualist who can see and communicate with the supernatural. When the same kind of creature that killed his mother is suspected to be responsible for another murder, Han-gil is ready to do what it takes to destroy it.

I really liked Han-gil and his dynamics with his partner on the force, his adopted sister, and the former host of the same creature that killed Han-gil. Each one felt very different and informed by a deep history and previous experiences. Han-gil is a very likable, stand-up guy despite how often he breaks the rules and he displays compassion for others while also having his hardline limits.

The references to spiritualism were very cool, especially Han-gil’s ability to hear different souls and sometimes taste and smell them. I love when multiple senses are included in the more fantastical elements and this was very well done.

Content warning for the depiction of transphobia and deadnaming (not by the MCs)

I would recommend this to fans of Korean fantasy, readers looking for a mystery with some supernatural elements, and long-time animanga fans looking to dip their toes back into the world of novels.

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phoricho's review

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I enjoyed this book. I really liked that it was set in Seoul and that the main character was bi, asexual and adopted.

The whole fantasy aspect was set within Asian folklore, which wasn't something that I'd ever read before but I found it very insightful.

The topics/themes of forgiveness and family were really strong and I loved how they were explored differently for each character.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, however, I found it to be slower paced and a little information heavy when explaining the lore.

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lachesisreads's review

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dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I didn't know much going into this other than that it was a novella about a detective hunting down a malevolent spirit, but once I started reading I simply couldn't stop.
Kim Han-Gil, Seoul's only spirit detective, goes to hunt down a soul-eating malevolent worm and soon finds himself forced to team up with his childhood arch-nemesis Shin Yoonhae, whom he has always held responsible for his mother's horrifying fate.

What is on the surface a quite dark and haunting urban occult story about spirit possessions peeled back its layers to reveal itself to be a tale about pain and broken souls, about trauma, and ultimately, about forgiveness and reconciliation.
Atmospheric, steeped in Korean folklore and dripping with emotions, Small Gods of Calamity put me through the wringer and left me feeling almost like I had just undergone a purifying experience - and while this is going to sound contradictory to everything I just said, it is also utterly charming.
I thoroughly enjoyed this little book and will definitely pick up whatever Sam Kyung Yoo writes next - dare I hope that there may be a squel? I would love to spend more time with these characters.

I want to thank NetGalley, Sam Kyung Yoo and Interstellar Flight Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here expressed are my own.

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starryeyedreads's review

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emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book has a lot of representation. I was pleasantly surprised at the setting, because most books like this one take place in New York.

I love how trauma and PTSD were portrayed throughout the story. Han-gil takes time to warm up to Yoonhae but he gets there. I would be lying if i said i wasnt shipping them them during most of the book. I really loved learning a bit about Korean and Japanese culture through the characters. I was also pleasantly surprised to see deaf representation, because that certainly isnt common in books (although it should be)

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zennyreads's review

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Small Gods of Calamity has an unique fantasy set in modern era - comprising of spiritual beings, humans and magical elements with a cast of Korean & Japanese characters.

I went into this novella thinking that it was a simple mystery novel about a police detective investigating the spirit responsible for many unfortunate deaths, including his own mother. But it was emotional, painful and nerve-wrecking to read. I absolutely adore the diverse representations that included a transgender character, a bisexual and ace MC and a disabled rep as well. The ending was beautifully executed, and a story about healing, forgiveness and found family. A hidden gem indeed!

Thank you to Interstellar Flight Press and Netgalley for the ARC, leaving my honest review and thoughts.

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