You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
First short story book that really kept my attention and felt invested in, though it was probably because I am a Korean immigrant in the US and they were about being Korean immigrant in the US.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Dementia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, War
This is a collection of eight short stories and if all of them were turned into their own full-length novels, I would read every single one without a doubt.
Each story is about a Korean immigrant family in America, but we are given a wide range of voices and distinctive characters. What I especially loved is that none of the stories are told through the lens of an outsider’s perspective. By that I mean it’s not Korean immigrants clambering to find their place in white America. It’s about Koreans who happen to live in America, but are dealing with personal issues such as familial duty, self identity, dissatisfaction with life, and financial struggles. It was extremely relatable and real, with a running tone of melancholy and longing. For some of the stories, there was just a little something missing in the emotional component—the author writes in a very subtle, understated manner that sometimes leans toward detached. But overall, a wonderful collection
Each story is about a Korean immigrant family in America, but we are given a wide range of voices and distinctive characters. What I especially loved is that none of the stories are told through the lens of an outsider’s perspective. By that I mean it’s not Korean immigrants clambering to find their place in white America. It’s about Koreans who happen to live in America, but are dealing with personal issues such as familial duty, self identity, dissatisfaction with life, and financial struggles. It was extremely relatable and real, with a running tone of melancholy and longing. For some of the stories, there was just a little something missing in the emotional component—the author writes in a very subtle, understated manner that sometimes leans toward detached. But overall, a wonderful collection
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
While I'm not Korean, there were so many stories in "Skinship" that felt achingly familiar, and representative of the Asian American experience as a whole. There's nothing terribly novel or farfetched covered in these short stories, but Choi takes on the perspective and thoughts of a new character in each, and manages to pull out such a unique range of experiences and emotions. It's difficult to pick favorites, but I can still recall: "The Church of Abundant Life", where a Korean immigrant couple are reunited with their long lost friends and memories after many years; in "Skinship", a mother must come to terms with the consequences of her actions in the past; in "The Art of Losing", a young Korean American girl sees what the cost of becoming "American" truly is.
Choi's prose carries the reader throughout each of these stories, but is somehow able to still adopt a new tone and style with each story. A deceptively simple work that beautifully captures the Korean American experience.
Choi's prose carries the reader throughout each of these stories, but is somehow able to still adopt a new tone and style with each story. A deceptively simple work that beautifully captures the Korean American experience.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This felt like a book that was trying too hard to be deep and multi-layered but ended up just being fairly one-minded and depthless. As with any short story collection, there were stories that were stronger than others but overall, the cohesion between the stories simply wasn’t there, resulting in a disjointed miasma of randomness.
I decently enjoyed the reflections on motherhood but the enjoyment collapsed upon the final reflection wherein the housewife remarks how her life is so much more full than her childless sister’s, a thought that felt shoved in as an afterthought but perhaps one that reflects the author’s true feelings.
I also felt like the chapter that touched upon a case of lice that infests a classroom was bizarre, in a “racism against Koreans are bad but wow look it’s so much worse against Black and Brown bodies” that swung too close to microaggression and guilt-tripping for comfort.
Overall, the writing is decent and some of the stories were interesting, but frankly there are much better short story collections out there, Bliss Montage by Ling Ma would be a much better option to read.
I decently enjoyed the reflections on motherhood but the enjoyment collapsed upon the final reflection wherein the housewife remarks how her life is so much more full than her childless sister’s, a thought that felt shoved in as an afterthought but perhaps one that reflects the author’s true feelings.
I also felt like the chapter that touched upon a case of lice that infests a classroom was bizarre, in a “racism against Koreans are bad but wow look it’s so much worse against Black and Brown bodies” that swung too close to microaggression and guilt-tripping for comfort.
Overall, the writing is decent and some of the stories were interesting, but frankly there are much better short story collections out there, Bliss Montage by Ling Ma would be a much better option to read.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
This was a great short story collection, where each character has some sort of connection to each other beyond their own personal turmoil adjusting to the American lifestyle as Korean immigrants. I find the Korean term for skinship so beautiful, that the English language cannot truly encapsulate all its depth and meaning.
A collection of short stories exploring the lives of a vast array of Korean-American characters. I enjoyed all of the stories, which really beautifully examined the complexity of human relationships and familial bonds. The Church of Abundant Life, Skinship, and Song and Song were my favourites.
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-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