Reviews

The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu

ajyams's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Body horror, Racism, Xenophobia, War, Gun violence, Gore, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Grief

Moderate: Genocide, Animal death, Slavery, Bullying, Racial slurs, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Child death

Minor: Infidelity, Excrement, Sexual content, Alcohol, Cancer, and Suicide

Surveillance ("The Perfect Match"). Eye trauma/gore, violence against sex workers ("The Regular").

shanth's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

lisamchuk's review against another edition

4.0

I liked some more than others, but these stories are all, in their own way, so beautiful and interesting and sad at the same time.

ranforingus's review against another edition

5.0

This little story had me crying like a baby and smiling like and idiot at the same time.
It seems to be written to pull at your heartstrings especially hard and it works.

Thank you Ken Liu, for sharing this wonderful piece of art with us and for reminding us all that our mother is irreplacable, no matter what the circumstances of our lives are!

safiewafie's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Rape, Body horror, Child death, Racism, Sexual violence, Abortion, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Animal death, and War

Moderate: Trafficking and Suicide

mimimilaa's review against another edition

5.0

I want to preface this by saying that I do no necessarily think that EVERY story in this collection deserves 5 stars. However, there were so many powerful stories about relevant topics that make an impact that I couldn't give this less than 5 stars.

Full review to come! For now, I am having a hard time articulating how well-crafted these stories are.

svandorf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

4.0

thegreathailstorm's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

Not my style 

seriuzbiznus's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

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

4.0