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mee48w82hsshe's review
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
prose_reveries's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
a weird and enchanting book!
macksanders20's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
meganl9's review against another edition
4.0
I went into this thinking it was going to be a realistic examination of parasocial relationships and stan culture. It's actually very feverdreamish and reminded me of Deborah Levy, which I loved, but I found that the main plot of a woman obsessed with a K-pop star didn't totally gel with the vibes of the writing and the rest of the themes. Yi is incredibly good at expressing the desperations and ennui of modern romance, the dialogue, especially on the subjects of obsession and how we perceive ourselves and others, was brilliant, and I found the protagonist compelling and relatable, but I kept finding what was going on in the pages clashed with my perceptions of what the Kpop stan world (and the fanfiction world which gives the novel its title) is actually like. Admittedly I'm not in that world so maybe my assumptions are wrong, but the overall feeling for me was that something wasn't quite clicking, and that maybe the reality of the subject matter is so peculiar in itself that looking at it through a somewhat fantastical lens actually makes it less interesting (I had the same reaction to Bunny). Still 4 stars though, really amazing writing.
davechua's review against another edition
5.0
Loved the unpredictably of this novella. An obsession with a member of a K-pop band goes in wild directions.
elizabeth_lepore's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Stalking
Moderate: Sexual content, Dementia, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
mel_oh_me's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
srwells48's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
emmams's review against another edition
4.0
initially disturbing, this novel became an odd and meandering journey through identity and meaning. it’s often uncomfortable but the end was worth the means