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jiscoo's review against another edition
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Gore, Cannibalism, and Violence
30something_reads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
What a perfectly weird collection of short stories by Bora Chung! This is a great blend of Sci Fi and Horror while also having a very distinct sense of humor that I really vibed with. Some of these stories were amazing and some of them were just fine. But overall, I really enjoyed this collection.
My top 3 favorites include:
1. The End of the Voyage - Had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I don't know if a short story has ever grabbed my attention quite like this one. Even though I did predict the outcome, I still loved the horrifying and thrilling journey to get there.
2. A Very Ordinary Marriage - Another absolutely weird and compelling story. While not as graphic as the previous story, there was a subtle horror simmering beneath the tale that I really enjoyed.
3. Seed - Strange and creepy and it gave me a similar feel as Annihilation.
1. The End of the Voyage - Had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I don't know if a short story has ever grabbed my attention quite like this one. Even though I did predict the outcome, I still loved the horrifying and thrilling journey to get there.
2. A Very Ordinary Marriage - Another absolutely weird and compelling story. While not as graphic as the previous story, there was a subtle horror simmering beneath the tale that I really enjoyed.
3. Seed - Strange and creepy and it gave me a similar feel as Annihilation.
I haven't read Cursed Bunny yet but it seems to be the preferred collection of stories by Chung so I am excited to get to it ASAP.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Mental illness, Murder, Blood, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Death, Gore, Grief, Medical content, Child death, Body horror, Terminal illness, Transphobia, and Violence
jayisreading's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.5
This was a surprisingly reflective collection and a significant departure in tone (and perhaps even style) from Chung’s previous short story collection, Cursed Bunny. While Cursed Bunny leaned into the weird and classic horror, the horror of Your Utopia is more insidious and reminiscent of what I would say is a reflection of our world today and the possible direction it’s heading towards. This short story collection puts utopia and dystopia in conversation with each other with technology in mind. Each story grapples with the meaning of a “better” world as a result of technological advancements, if that actually is the case or not. Relatedly, “hope” and “empathy” are contentious concepts in this collection as each story switches between perspectives of the human and nonhuman, often resulting in a different emotional response, depending on who is speaking and what the theme happens to be. I also found the afterword from the author particularly illuminating, as it went into some of her inspirations and reflections on real-world circumstances, ultimately, adding layers to already complex stories.
I enjoyed most of the stories for different reasons, but I was especially taken to “A Song for Sleep,” which was told from the perspective of a highly advanced elevator who is drawn to an elderly resident of the building it operates in. I was really taken to how emotionally impactful this story was in how it reflected on what it means to be human from the perspective of a nonhuman.
While I did find that I wanted some of these stories to be a bit more fleshed out, they weren’t unsatisfying by any means. I’m really impressed by the depth of this collection and the questions it poses about the world we are (and could be) living in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Death, Cannibalism, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Stalking and Drug use
savvylit's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Let me start by saying that if you are a fan of Bora Chung's first collection, Cursed Bunny, you may be surprised by Your Utopia. While Cursed Bunny is firmly in the bizarre stories camp, Your Utopia is pure science fiction. Written in protest during the COVID-19 pandemic, these stories are very existential, often featuring anti-capitalist themes. This collection had so much that I loved: sentient cars & elevators, immortal office workers, tree-human hybrids, cannibalism... Every mini-world that Chung created was memorable and unsettling.
Thank you @netgalley and @algonquinbooks for the advance reader copy of Your Utopia in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Violence, and Pandemic/Epidemic
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