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emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What an astounding collection of stories. Not a "skip" among them. They each convey so much history, emotion, and character, in relatively few pages.
Not really a spoiler, I think: one of the best parts about this collection is how Korean immigrants/Korean-Americans are fully centered in each narrative. We're never reading these people through the lens of white people. White people barely feature in the stories at all.
Not really a spoiler, I think: one of the best parts about this collection is how Korean immigrants/Korean-Americans are fully centered in each narrative. We're never reading these people through the lens of white people. White people barely feature in the stories at all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Infertility, Terminal illness, Excrement, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The one complaint that I generally have with short story collections is how I feel like I am left hanging in the middle of an intense story, and sometimes that makes the characters seem two dimensional or incomplete. Fortunately, Choi does not let you make that complaint with Skinship.
Skinship is a short story collection about the Korean-American experience. All the characters in the stories are so varied - different ages, classes, experiences, generations, relationships. The writing is deep and poignant, and each story feels complete in its own merit. There is so much range in what Choi writes, and the stories feel like they are special and commonplace at the same time.
Read this book. Even if you aren't a fan of short story collections, this just might change your opinion.
Skinship is a short story collection about the Korean-American experience. All the characters in the stories are so varied - different ages, classes, experiences, generations, relationships. The writing is deep and poignant, and each story feels complete in its own merit. There is so much range in what Choi writes, and the stories feel like they are special and commonplace at the same time.
Read this book. Even if you aren't a fan of short story collections, this just might change your opinion.
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
My only want was for something to tie the series of stories together. I think this is because I read it in audiobook form; I could see being able to separate/not anticipate interaction when sectioned differently for regular reading.
I loved the diversity of experiences of the characters, and that aside from a few details in certain ones, their locations seem somewhat universal — like they could be happening anywhere in the country.
I loved the diversity of experiences of the characters, and that aside from a few details in certain ones, their locations seem somewhat universal — like they could be happening anywhere in the country.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character