Take a photo of a barcode or cover
standout short story of this collection was “skinship” (which prob explains why it’s the title of the book lmao). so fucking good.
besides “skinship,” another good short story was “song and song.”
besides “skinship,” another good short story was “song and song.”
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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:
Complicated
Easily read short stories about Korean American lives and how we/they perceive the daily lives of ourselves and the people around us. I was sometimes finding myself as if wanting more, some of the stories a bit... not fully fleshed out. The titular story though, stayed with me, specially the character of the mother.
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
Truthful and astoundingly intricate, Choi explores the voices and experiences of being Korean American. Each story makes you wanting more and derives beautiful themes about identity, family, and loss. Highly recommend!
Favorite line: "'How's that atrial,' he would ask, and she would become acutely aware that she had one. Actually, two. One on the right and one on the left sides of the heart, according to Mr. Sorenson. It gave her a feeling of strangeness toward her body and all it's functioning parts, as if they were not to be taken for granted."
Favorite line: "'How's that atrial,' he would ask, and she would become acutely aware that she had one. Actually, two. One on the right and one on the left sides of the heart, according to Mr. Sorenson. It gave her a feeling of strangeness toward her body and all it's functioning parts, as if they were not to be taken for granted."
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
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
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
a rare occasion when an anthology of eight stories means eight five star stories, each story could standalone or be expanded upon into a full story.
this book is centered on the relationships between family and friends and the layers of beauty and heartbreak that often bind us together or drive us apart.
yoon choi’s patience and understanding of empty space is so evident in her writing. these stories read exactly like the cover, beautiful, intentional, and skillfully uses negative space and silence to create such impactful stories.
while reading this, i was really reminded of “past lives” from a24 — one of my favorite films of last year that is so delicate on the surface but articulates so much depth and complexity in its exploration of the nuances of our asian american identities, and how they are shaped by the immigrant experience.
tldr i super love this book and urge everyone to read it
rather poignant; the images of all the korean dishes linger in my head still. time seems to be momentarily arrested.