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A review by suryanii
The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu
5.0
tbh i only picked up this book cause it was by an asian author #aapimonth! so when every review stated that it was a sci-fi, dystopian type book, i was hesitant to start reading since that’s not my kind of vibe.
i admittedly have a narrow understanding of science fiction, so i was expecting far out borderline nonsense without tangible meaning like space battles or time travel warp portals idk. so i was pleasantly surprised when paper menagerie turned out to be the exact opposite of far out nonsense. liu is a great world builder; inviting me into the world of xxx and a universe where ai controls our every thought, while still having heart and remaining grounded in reality; perfectly intertwining fantastical aspects (mythological figures, magic, out of this world inventions, etc.) with concepts that feel familiar (belonging, familial complexities, embracing culture). the literomancer was also the first story that has made me cry, so that’s a biggie!
ugh what an amazing short story collection, thanks ken liu. i will be tuned in for more!
i admittedly have a narrow understanding of science fiction, so i was expecting far out borderline nonsense without tangible meaning like space battles or time travel warp portals idk. so i was pleasantly surprised when paper menagerie turned out to be the exact opposite of far out nonsense. liu is a great world builder; inviting me into the world of xxx and a universe where ai controls our every thought, while still having heart and remaining grounded in reality; perfectly intertwining fantastical aspects (mythological figures, magic, out of this world inventions, etc.) with concepts that feel familiar (belonging, familial complexities, embracing culture). the literomancer was also the first story that has made me cry, so that’s a biggie!
ugh what an amazing short story collection, thanks ken liu. i will be tuned in for more!