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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
funny
reflective
Phenomenally weird, touching, inventive, and enjoyable. Absolute powerhouse.
A little bit Ted Chiang, a little bit Tao Lin, a soupcon of William Gibson. Yet entirely unique. No wonder Elizabeth Tan blows me away.
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
adventurous
funny
mysterious
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Elizabeth Tan’s stunning short story anthology reflects the modern world whilst resisting the expectations of our society today. These incredible works are relatable and foreign all at once.
Ah, this book! I love it so, so much.
These short stories traverse such a diverse spectrum – they're about the negotiation of age-old, perennial concerns like loneliness, grief, dislocation, memory, relationship breakdowns, mental illness, body image issues, “the failure to meet some low bar of adulthood” and racial microaggressions through the prism of technology and selfhood.
The titular story is perhaps the best articulation of being depressed that I’ve ever read.
Tan is a master at building relatability and intimacy through the recounting of everyday mundanities, whether it's the “white dried spots of toothpaste on the bathroom counter” or “that feeling of a thread of hair stuck in your mouth that you can’t seem to tongue away”. She writes characters of colour and queer characters who are never reduced to their race or sexuality but who you know are people of colour and/or queer due to the way they interact with their world.
These stories are wildly original, generous and exceedingly funny.
These short stories traverse such a diverse spectrum – they're about the negotiation of age-old, perennial concerns like loneliness, grief, dislocation, memory, relationship breakdowns, mental illness, body image issues, “the failure to meet some low bar of adulthood” and racial microaggressions through the prism of technology and selfhood.
The titular story is perhaps the best articulation of being depressed that I’ve ever read.
Tan is a master at building relatability and intimacy through the recounting of everyday mundanities, whether it's the “white dried spots of toothpaste on the bathroom counter” or “that feeling of a thread of hair stuck in your mouth that you can’t seem to tongue away”. She writes characters of colour and queer characters who are never reduced to their race or sexuality but who you know are people of colour and/or queer due to the way they interact with their world.
These stories are wildly original, generous and exceedingly funny.
I had fun reading these. The style was smart, but I didn’t really feel anything but an aloofness. But what an incredible cover!