Reviews with content warning for Murder - Méně známé nestvůry 21. století

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.

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vincci's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

3.5

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.

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marissab's review against another edition

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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

5.0

A perfect weird blend of surreal premises and real emotions

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jayisreading's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

3.75

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.

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