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julieh46's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
5.0
nicole_bookmarked's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
3.0
Table for One is a book that's as weird as it is funny, with nine stories that take you on a wild ride through some really strange places. Yun Ko-eun has a knack for turning everyday scenarios into something completely out there, which makes the book engaging but also a bit of a mixed bag.
The stories range from a woman learning to enjoy eating alone to a guy dealing with a bedbug nightmare, and even a character who wears other people's pajamas to dream their dreams. It's not your typical collection of stories, and while some of them hit the mark and made me think, others were just too out there or fell flat.
Overall, if you like your books to be a bit quirky and don't mind a bit of absurdity, you might get a kick out of this. But if you prefer something a bit more straightforward, this might not be for you.
The stories range from a woman learning to enjoy eating alone to a guy dealing with a bedbug nightmare, and even a character who wears other people's pajamas to dream their dreams. It's not your typical collection of stories, and while some of them hit the mark and made me think, others were just too out there or fell flat.
Overall, if you like your books to be a bit quirky and don't mind a bit of absurdity, you might get a kick out of this. But if you prefer something a bit more straightforward, this might not be for you.
zeldaspellman's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
hanreadsstuff's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
What a set of short stories!
Table for one is a set of short stories that explores lonliness and expectation in South Korean culture.
This is a genre bending collection, surreal, horror, speculative fiction.
Its a short little bset but I had to pause often to reflect on the message the author was giving.
I also found there to be a lot of autistic coding in the book which I greatly enjoyed. So many of the charectors where exploring special interests in both fulfilling and unfulfilled ways.
I'll be reading through all of Yun Ko-Yuens work after this introduction. What a talent!
Thankyou Netgalley for this ARC.
Table for one is a set of short stories that explores lonliness and expectation in South Korean culture.
This is a genre bending collection, surreal, horror, speculative fiction.
Its a short little bset but I had to pause often to reflect on the message the author was giving.
I also found there to be a lot of autistic coding in the book which I greatly enjoyed. So many of the charectors where exploring special interests in both fulfilling and unfulfilled ways.
I'll be reading through all of Yun Ko-Yuens work after this introduction. What a talent!
Thankyou Netgalley for this ARC.
jshawreads's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
michelareads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Table For One is a collection of indelible short stories by contemporary South Korean author Yun Ko-eun. Her fiction is bursting with images that toe the line between realism and the fantastic, and her characters are quirky, lonely, hopeless, sad, isolated... unique, just like her stories. There are some that I enjoyed reading more than others, the titular one being my absolute favorite, but overall they are all pretty good! I would recommend this book if you enjoy literary translated fiction and characters finding themselves in surreal situations.
4 stars.
* I'd like to thank Yun Ko-eun, Columbia University Press and NetGalley for providing this ebook in exchange for my honest review.
4 stars.
* I'd like to thank Yun Ko-eun, Columbia University Press and NetGalley for providing this ebook in exchange for my honest review.
courtenaywrites's review against another edition
For me, the writing was too simplistic. Additionally, the stories feel like excerpts from novels we aren’t privy to.
sadiaa's review against another edition
3.0
First of all, the cover intrigued me; a zebra having a meal, obviously I had to read the description. I find myself attracted to east Asian literature, they have an element of normal, everyday, monotonous life with a surrealist element. This book focuses more on loneliness and obsession.
I found that it was dragging after the first couple of stories, which made it difficult to finish but I persevered.
I found that it was dragging after the first couple of stories, which made it difficult to finish but I persevered.