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gardens_and_dragons's review
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was a really fascinating look at gender, hook up culture, and human-ness through the eyes of a nonbinary alien that needs to feast on humans to survive. honestly, one of the more inventive, funny, and downright strange books I’ve read in a while. It’s gory, graphic, and strange, but when the commentary hits, it hits hard
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Body horror
Moderate: Transphobia, Body shaming, and Ableism
Minor: Cannibalism
essjay's review
4.75
I picked this up based solely on the cover and am so glad I didn't even read the blurb bc that blurb is bullshit. I can't remember the last time I read a work of fiction that so well articulated both the autistic and the queer experience. Will definitely be thinking of this for a long long LONG time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Sexual content
florecita_lectora's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Gore, and Body horror
storyorc's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
There is a sick delight in reading something that actually manages to express the depths of how disgusting it can feel to wear a human body: "I feel like a food waste bag dripping its rotten soup." One of many visceral descriptions. The typography tricks are a great way to echo the melting human form too.
Mumu, the grotesque alien predator, is absurdly relatable - the perpetual battle to 'disarm' the body so it behaves, pride in hard-earned tips and tricks for presenting feminine, even just the slow torture of existing on a subway each day. It was brave of Min to put this out here so nakedly.
The ending isinevitable and heart-rendering but also came at the right moment for the novella not to overstay its welcome.
Mumu, the grotesque alien predator, is absurdly relatable - the perpetual battle to 'disarm' the body so it behaves, pride in hard-earned tips and tricks for presenting feminine, even just the slow torture of existing on a subway each day. It was brave of Min to put this out here so nakedly.
The ending is
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence and Body horror
Moderate: Sexism
ebrooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Murder, Death, Cannibalism, and Body horror
sleaterkenneth's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
gender.............
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Body horror, Cannibalism, and Gore
pao_reynard's review
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Body horror, Cannibalism, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Fatphobia
suzyreadsbooks's review
4.0
a very queer, gory, gross alien story w thoughtful commentary on gender, disability, community.
in the translator’s note, Victoria Caudle describes working to “dismember genitals from gender and walk the organ-strewn line between ravenous lover and serial killer,” which gives you a taste for the way this book goes. saw a negative review that complained about the narrator being unlikeable and like…yeah lol
the audiobook was fun, full of the playful stretched & distorted language used throughout the book
in the translator’s note, Victoria Caudle describes working to “dismember genitals from gender and walk the organ-strewn line between ravenous lover and serial killer,” which gives you a taste for the way this book goes. saw a negative review that complained about the narrator being unlikeable and like…yeah lol
the audiobook was fun, full of the playful stretched & distorted language used throughout the book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Sexual content, and Murder
Moderate: Fatphobia
nini23's review against another edition
3.25
Masquerading as a SF book, Walking Practice is really about society's intolerant attitudes towards those who don't conform to the norm. My ebook edition released by HarperVia (14 March 2023) and translated by Victoria Caudle notes that it was originally published as Bohaeng Yeonseup in Korean in 2022 (Eunhaeng Namu Publishing Co., South Korea). Not sure what the Hangul title is.
Mumu whose spaceship has crashed on earth and been stuck here for more than a decade has to expand great energy to look and act like a human. Walking, taking public transport, stairs especially are extremely onerous. There are illustrations in the book done by Dolki Min to show the true form of Mumu. Mumu has discovered that humans seem to be their most suitable food and hunting via sexual online app hookups the most efficient way to have a continuous food supply.
The physical visceral descriptions of sex, gore and violence underscore the dynamics of predator and prey, the vulnerability of those who are outcasts, exploited. The empath reader in me could not help reacting to the pain of alienation and bullying in Dolki Min's writing. The parallels are not subtle, such as Mumu observing how humans slot gender with a glance and the acceptable confines of behaviour and demeanor, especially for female humans. Some do require context such as Mumu feeling under surveillance with cameras everywhere, I think this is referring to the scandals of spycams in South Korean female public washrooms (https://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200928000778) and the blackmailing of South Korean females with nude photos and sextapes taken without permission. A few important scenes take place in public washrooms (an assault at a public park too) and this is significant imo.
Who is truly monstrous?
Mumu whose spaceship has crashed on earth and been stuck here for more than a decade has to expand great energy to look and act like a human. Walking, taking public transport, stairs especially are extremely onerous. There are illustrations in the book done by Dolki Min to show the true form of Mumu. Mumu has discovered that humans seem to be their most suitable food and hunting via sexual online app hookups the most efficient way to have a continuous food supply.
The physical visceral descriptions of sex, gore and violence underscore the dynamics of predator and prey, the vulnerability of those who are outcasts, exploited. The empath reader in me could not help reacting to the pain of alienation and bullying in Dolki Min's writing. The parallels are not subtle, such as Mumu observing how humans slot gender with a glance and the acceptable confines of behaviour and demeanor, especially for female humans. Some do require context such as Mumu feeling under surveillance with cameras everywhere, I think this is referring to the scandals of spycams in South Korean female public washrooms (https://m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20200928000778) and the blackmailing of South Korean females with nude photos and sextapes taken without permission. A few important scenes take place in public washrooms (an assault at a public park too) and this is significant imo.
Who is truly monstrous?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual violence, Blood, Gore, and Violence
mialangley's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Violence
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