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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
I just don’t enjoy short stories and this is probably better suited for those who enjoy short stories and like picking apart the language within it.
Surreal and abrasive, not everyone’s cup of tea. I think probably not mine, but it is well written.
On the 3.5 side of 4: some really really gorgeous haunting raw prose but also some stories that were a little meandering and felt like a poetic snapshot more than narrative in ways that didn't always serve them.
K-Ming Chang’s prose is gorgeous and haunting in this short story collection. Visceral yet serene, there’s a fluidity to these stories that’s echoed in both the water motifs and in the blurred lines between corporeal and spiritual. The book is divided into three sections: Mothers, Myths, and Moths, and the interplay between these sections is beautifully woven throughout. “Auntland” is a strong opening, and establishes early on the significance of cultural and familial ties in the collection. However, it was “The Chorus of Dead Cousins” that thoroughly drew me in — it’s dark and surreal, yet tender and even funny, which is a winning combo for me. “The La-La Store” was also a particularly poignant family portrait, and a story I immediately earmarked for teaching. As a mythology nerd, I loved every story in the “Myths” section, with the surreal, dystopian nature of “Dykes” as a stand-out for me. The collection comes full circle in the final segment, beautifully weaving together the relationships between not only the characters in the stories, but between the ideas and images carried throughout the work.
For me, this was reminiscent in tone and style of several of my favorite short story collections from the past few years, such as Carmen Maria Machado’s The Body and Other Parties, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s Friday Black, and Mariana Enriquez’s Things We Lost in the Fire; if you enjoyed any of those works, you will also appreciate this collection.
For me, this was reminiscent in tone and style of several of my favorite short story collections from the past few years, such as Carmen Maria Machado’s The Body and Other Parties, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s Friday Black, and Mariana Enriquez’s Things We Lost in the Fire; if you enjoyed any of those works, you will also appreciate this collection.
It is entirely possible that this book is an incredible surrealist set of fantasy and myth and story, but that particular combination must not be my thing as I struggled to finish. If it is your thing, it does seem to be very well written.
a reallyyyyyy imaginative and creatively written book and super fascinating and wacky and absurd and i often didn't grasp much of it and i really appreciate all of that. i think there is a lot that will stick with me, from the stories i did read (i got into the last section). but i think i couldn't finish bc i j didn't find myself ever in the mood to read the stories and sometimes just didn't feel that invested/connected to it which could be bc its short story format and i'm not a v habitual reader still...i would consider trying this book again though, but yea i do think a lot went over my head
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I absolutely enjoyed reading this collection of short stories. K-Ming’s prose is poetic, haunting, and gorgeous. The stories ebb and flow beautifully, mixing myths and stories of migration, bodies, and queerness.
There were some stories that I sat with before moving on with the rest of the book, like “The Chorus of Dead Cousins” and “Resident Aliens.”
After reading this, I was left so emotional. What a powerful book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House / One World for providing me this ARC. This book comes out on July 12!
There were some stories that I sat with before moving on with the rest of the book, like “The Chorus of Dead Cousins” and “Resident Aliens.”
After reading this, I was left so emotional. What a powerful book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House / One World for providing me this ARC. This book comes out on July 12!
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes