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willdpage's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
cozy_reading_times's review
4.0
4.5*
Even though it took me some time getting into it, in the end I loved Kundo Wakes Up even more than The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday.
CW: drug abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide (off page), corpses, body horror, corpses, cyberstalking, vomiting, mention of necrophilia
There are two things I have to mention first:
1. While it's not required (as this works as a standalone novella), I do recommend you read The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday first. There are several mentions and minor spoilers of that story in here.
2. Compared to The Gurkha, this book is much darker, especially in the beginning. It's narratively somewhat of the opposite to that novella, with this story starting out bleak and hopeless but getting more hopeful throughout the plot.
I stuggled a little bit getting into this, as my favourite part of The Gurkha was Hussain's incredible sens of humour. Furthermore did I not click with Kundo ar first, he seemed spiteful and a little petty. It didn't help that the whole set up of this book is very bleak.
But then, slowly, did I find myself sliding into the story, understanding Kundo a bit better and getting invested. As the story gradually built up a weirdly wonderful found family around Kundo and we got to explore more of Chittagong (a city beaten but not dead yet), I felt myself falling in love.
The themes are the foremost reason that I suggest reading The Gurkha first, as it's the contrast to Kathmandu that showcases so profoundly what Chittagong is lacking and how much nuance there is to this world Hussain has created.
Aside from the at time very disturbing cyber punk elements (and Kundo's musings about his wife's hypothetical sex life with other men), this was an incredible read, moving, fascinating and definitely memorable.
To the return of the kPop-Retrogirl!
Even though it took me some time getting into it, in the end I loved Kundo Wakes Up even more than The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday.
CW: drug abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide (off page), corpses, body horror, corpses, cyberstalking, vomiting, mention of necrophilia
There are two things I have to mention first:
1. While it's not required (as this works as a standalone novella), I do recommend you read The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday first. There are several mentions and minor spoilers of that story in here.
2. Compared to The Gurkha, this book is much darker, especially in the beginning. It's narratively somewhat of the opposite to that novella, with this story starting out bleak and hopeless but getting more hopeful throughout the plot.
I stuggled a little bit getting into this, as my favourite part of The Gurkha was Hussain's incredible sens of humour. Furthermore did I not click with Kundo ar first, he seemed spiteful and a little petty. It didn't help that the whole set up of this book is very bleak.
But then, slowly, did I find myself sliding into the story, understanding Kundo a bit better and getting invested. As the story gradually built up a weirdly wonderful found family around Kundo and we got to explore more of Chittagong (a city beaten but not dead yet), I felt myself falling in love.
The themes are the foremost reason that I suggest reading The Gurkha first, as it's the contrast to Kathmandu that showcases so profoundly what Chittagong is lacking and how much nuance there is to this world Hussain has created.
Aside from the at time very disturbing cyber punk elements (and Kundo's musings about his wife's hypothetical sex life with other men), this was an incredible read, moving, fascinating and definitely memorable.
To the return of the kPop-Retrogirl!
dude_watchin_with_the_brontes's review
4.0
Weird and wonderful. A lot of the same cutting humor as The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday.
codercaitlin's review
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.75
droar's review
4.0
A sibling book to The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday that stands on it's own, Kundo Wakes Up goes a different direction than I expected. It's a mystery to be sure (and sleep related to boot), but where Gurkha felt like a wide/systemic level adventure, Kundo feels like a much closer and intimate journey, while still looking at a grassroots retooling of a broken world. It isn't what I expected and is perhaps a bit too abrupt in places, but I certainly enjoyed reading it!
jvilches's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mooonflower's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.0