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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a really varied collection, to the point where I think some of the stories really didn't belong with the others. In saying that, I did really enjoy most of the stories individually.
My favourites were: How to Eat Your Own Heart, Human Hearts, Attachment Processes, Names for Fireflies, and Honey and Sun.
Generally I prefer collections where the stories are more closely linked. Some of the stories mentioned characters we had seen in previous ones, and they all contained themes of women/girls navigating difficult situations, but none of them felt tied to the others in any tangible way.
A few of the stories had eerie technological aspects (not unlike Black Mirror), others read more like folktales, and some were firmly rooted in the contemporary immigrant experience.
The mix of styles and tones were great for my indecisive mood but I think could be frustrating at the wrong time.
I am interested to see how similar her other collection, Sea Change, is and whether the themes included in Green Frog are explored there as well.
My favourites were: How to Eat Your Own Heart, Human Hearts, Attachment Processes, Names for Fireflies, and Honey and Sun.
Generally I prefer collections where the stories are more closely linked. Some of the stories mentioned characters we had seen in previous ones, and they all contained themes of women/girls navigating difficult situations, but none of them felt tied to the others in any tangible way.
A few of the stories had eerie technological aspects (not unlike Black Mirror), others read more like folktales, and some were firmly rooted in the contemporary immigrant experience.
The mix of styles and tones were great for my indecisive mood but I think could be frustrating at the wrong time.
I am interested to see how similar her other collection, Sea Change, is and whether the themes included in Green Frog are explored there as well.
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
As much as I loved some of these stories I think the redundant and reductive stinkers and how many times they almost made me put the book down will be what I remember most from this collection
I loved this collection of short stories by Gia Chung! She was really able to weave some really beautiful and strong stories in a short amount of characters. Love, loss, pain, joy. I cried, I laughed, I smiled, I giggled, I sighed. I don't think there was a single story that I didn't at least rate a 4. But most of them were very solid and well told. And the first short story really comes out swinging right out the gate. I was hooked the whole way through and really just on a rollercoaster of emotions with the characters that she built.
Gina Chung is so good at writing strained Asian parent child relationships and grief and is one of the authors guaranteed to bring some tears for me. Will continue to read anything she writes in the future. Favourites: Rabbit Heart, Mantis, THE ARROW (gut punch) !! 4.25
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes