A review by thenovelmaura
I'm Waiting for You: And Other Stories by Kim Bo-young

dark emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I wanted to love this translated collection because I enjoy speculative fiction and a well-written short story. And I did really enjoy half of it! Exactly half, because there were only four stories in the collection and they were two matched pairs, continuations of each other. "I'm Waiting For You" and "On My Way To You" were heartbreaking and beautiful. The premise of people who travel through space in order to travel through time was fascinating and I had to chuckle at the misadventures that kept our narrator couple apart (at least until they kept going and going).

"The Prophet of Corruption" and "That One Life" were far too long for my taste. I was interested in the creation myth that Bo-young spun here but I just couldn't stay engaged throughout the length of the narrative. I know several readers who really loved these stories, so if you have more patience than me then you should give them a try! Bo-young is a compelling writer and I'll keep an eye out for more of her work as it's translated to English.
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