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ahoyitsjoy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I loved the stories so much. They were all good, but Prophet of Corruption was especially interesting. It gave me so much to think about, and I can't stop thinking about it. I also loved the letters from the translators at the end, from the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic. I hope they were able to meet up together like they wished! They truly did an incredible job translating some conceptually difficult stories in a way that I barely remembered I was reading a translated work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Death, Grief, and Violence
Minor: Animal death and Pandemic/Epidemic
hello_lovely13's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
As someone that doesn’t typically read sci-fi, this blew me away. I personally preferred the stories centered around the engaged couple because it was the easier ones to read. There was such a hopeful and determined voice to it that made me invested in the story and the couple finally reuniting (I started to tear up a bit when he found all the notes she left him in the church ). I really liked the other two, which were far more philosophical; they just took so much more brain power to read. It had a lot of interesting things to say about individuality versus community, and what it means to make rules and who is defined as an outsider or “right.” How the second story of this. philosophical set ended made sense, but also made me a bit sad. The fact that everything began over again, with Naban eventually fight for the underdog so that the "corrupted" beings weren't so persecuted or repressed was quite insightful and unexpected, but it was ultimately to the benefit of the message. Overall, I definitely recommend this; it is definitely now one of my favorite sci-fi books of all time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Confinement
Minor: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Animal death
rorikae's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
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
4.5
'I'm Waiting for You and Other Stories' by Kim Bo-young is a mix between a short story collection and a novel that tells two main plots across a few different stories. The book is bookended by the two sides of a letter correspondence between an engaged couple who are separated by space travel. In between these two stories are a few stories that follow a collection of gods that dive into and out of the human world. These gods have very specific views on what constitutes corruption and purity that speak to free will and individuality.
This book is unique in how it utilizes linked stories to tell two overarching narratives. I do think there is something to be said that the middle stories could also be interpreted as being in the same world as the letter stories. The letters were my personal favorites though the stories about the gods had me thinking a lot about free will, individuality, and community.
One of my favorite things about this book is that there are a number of additional pieces at the end that help flesh out the stories. One piece is a correspondence between the author and translator during 2020 that mirrors the letters written by the lovers. There is also a helpful piece about what inspired the letter stories including pieces by the people who requested the stories be written. In all, it feels like a full project that we get to see different aspects of. It comes together beautifully and was moving. If you're interested in something a little bit experimental and also enjoy learning about the backstory of why stories are written, I would highly recommend this book.
This book is unique in how it utilizes linked stories to tell two overarching narratives. I do think there is something to be said that the middle stories could also be interpreted as being in the same world as the letter stories. The letters were my personal favorites though the stories about the gods had me thinking a lot about free will, individuality, and community.
One of my favorite things about this book is that there are a number of additional pieces at the end that help flesh out the stories. One piece is a correspondence between the author and translator during 2020 that mirrors the letters written by the lovers. There is also a helpful piece about what inspired the letter stories including pieces by the people who requested the stories be written. In all, it feels like a full project that we get to see different aspects of. It comes together beautifully and was moving. If you're interested in something a little bit experimental and also enjoy learning about the backstory of why stories are written, I would highly recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: War, Death, Xenophobia, and Violence
beccaand's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Grief, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Physical abuse
caseythereader's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
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