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reflective
fast-paced
This was fine, but really felt like... nothing. There's nothing really wrong with any of the stories, they're all decent, but there's also nothing particularly special, interesting, or memorable about how Fu executes her concepts. There's plenty of cool premises in here, but I often couldn't help but think, "I'd love to read a version of this story that does more with this concept." When the writing veers toward surrealism or horror, it always stops short, as if afraid of going all-in.
So, yeah, definition of a 3-star book: there's nothing bad about it but I'm probably going to forget I ever read it.
So, yeah, definition of a 3-star book: there's nothing bad about it but I'm probably going to forget I ever read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Suicide
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Body horror, Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This collection of short stories attempts to gain insights into human nature by describing fantastical and supernatural situations.
I did not know what I thought this book was going to be about, but this wasn’t it. I say that in a VERY GOOD way. I was immediately drawn in by the first story and I continued to be intrigued by almost every one of them. The characters were likeable and relatable, even when dealing with otherworldly obstacles. Not every story was totally for me, but that’s kind of the fun thing about short story collections! I surprisingly found that I enjoyed some of the more sci-fi leaning stories the most, even though it is not typically a genre I enjoy.
This book felt a lot like a collection of Black Mirror episodes, so if that’s your jam the. I definitely recommend picking this up!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Death, Suicide, Murder
dark
emotional
inspiring
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Pandemic/Epidemic
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Murder
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
This was an impossibly strange and delightfully fascinating book. I love short story collections because there are so rarely firm answers or full pictures, just snapshots in time. The worldbuilding has to happen so quickly and the characters develop and are challenged in such fascinating ways.
I loved this very close-future speculative fiction perspective. The first story had me hooked right away and was probably my favourite, but I also loved Twenty Hours, Bridezilla, and Liddy, First to Fly. Some of the stories I really didn’t think I was smart enough to understand or didn’t quite land with me though, which sometimes can happen in a collection like this. Still would recommend! Would be a great read for fans of Black Mirror.
I loved this very close-future speculative fiction perspective. The first story had me hooked right away and was probably my favourite, but I also loved Twenty Hours, Bridezilla, and Liddy, First to Fly. Some of the stories I really didn’t think I was smart enough to understand or didn’t quite land with me though, which sometimes can happen in a collection like this. Still would recommend! Would be a great read for fans of Black Mirror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Murder
Minor: Child death, Suicide
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
I don't usually read short stories,nor do I read a lot of sci-fi/fantasy, and felt myself oscillating between "not getting it" and "getting it" as I was reading this book. Sometimes, the stories (which almost always ended with a bit of a cliffhanger) felt too short to fully develop the plot and characters. Other times, this felt like it was what made the stories so clever, as it was left up to the reader to fill in the gaps. Pre-Simulation Consultation XF007867, #ClimbingNation, and Do You Remember Candy were my favourites.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Murder
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
A perfect weird blend of surreal premises and real emotions
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship
Minor: Body horror, Child death, Eating disorder, Gore, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
I’m kind of struggling to figure out how much I enjoyed this one, because I did enjoy it— Just not as much as I thought I would. There were a few stories that really stood out to me while others felt a little lackluster, though I didn’t dislike any of them. I really enjoyed the elements of fantastical horror that was infused into most (if not all) of the stories to create this unsettling intimacy. It certainly helps that Fu’s prose is wonderful to highlight that these “lesser known monsters” are, indeed, not hidden from us but very much so living among and in us. I’d say it’s worth checking out this collection if you want something a little off the beaten path.
I might revisit this collection again in the near future. I think I might enjoy it more a second time around.
My favorites were “Pre-Simulation Consultation XF007867,” “Twenty Hours,” “In This Fantasy” (this may have been my favorite), “Scissors,” and “June Bugs.”
I should also note for the short story, “June Bugs,” this focuses on an incredibly toxic relationship that might be triggering for some. If you’re also not a fan of insects, you’ll probably want to skip this story because it will make your skin crawl.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Grief, Gaslighting
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse