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renn20751's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, and Toxic relationship
If you are wary of sexual content/semi-explicit public humiliation/potential for sexual harm, avoid "Scissors".rorikae's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
'Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century' by Kim Fu is a lightly speculative short story collection that has a few standout stories and a number that I wished had gone a little bit further. I would consider this a literary fiction collection with speculative elements, often just a slightly enhanced version of our everyday lives. Fu tackles a number of subjects including grief, climate change, and abusive relationships. My favorites in the collection were those that had a little more time to develop or clearly cut to the point immediately. The collection starts with one of my favorite stories, 'Pre-Simulation Consultation XF007867,' which discusses grief and virtual reality. The collection ends with my favorite story in the entire collection, 'Do You Remember Candy,' which deals with the fallout when people can suddenly no longer derive enjoyment from eating food and how one woman seeks to recreate these lost experiences for others. Two other stories that stood out to me in the middle of the collection include, 'Twenty Hours,' which questions what one couple would do if they had a printer that would reprint them, consciousness and all, if they were to die and 'June Bugs,' where a woman fleeing an abusive relationship finds herself plagued by an infestation of June bugs at her new home.
My favorite aspects of Fu's stories are the creative ideas and how she utilizes them to explore difficult subjects. I do wish that many of these stories went further. Some were rather quick and felt as if they were getting to the true meaning of what was happening right before they abruptly ended. Though I would read more of Fu's stories in the future, I think I would seek them out individually instead of seeking out an entire collection. The pieces I highlighted are great stories that really make you think and I would highly recommend them, even if I wouldn't recommend the full collection itself to everyone. I would be interested in Fu's longer works as I think when given the time to really explore her ideas, her stories flourish.
My favorite aspects of Fu's stories are the creative ideas and how she utilizes them to explore difficult subjects. I do wish that many of these stories went further. Some were rather quick and felt as if they were getting to the true meaning of what was happening right before they abruptly ended. Though I would read more of Fu's stories in the future, I think I would seek them out individually instead of seeking out an entire collection. The pieces I highlighted are great stories that really make you think and I would highly recommend them, even if I wouldn't recommend the full collection itself to everyone. I would be interested in Fu's longer works as I think when given the time to really explore her ideas, her stories flourish.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Transphobia, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Sexual content
kb_sherman's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
sad
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Child death, Toxic relationship, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Violence
marissab's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Dysphoria, Eating disorder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Body horror, Child death, Death of parent, Gore, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
jayisreading's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Grief, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Body horror, and Murder
Minor: Domestic abuse
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