A review by mar
On the Origin of Species and Other Stories by Kim Bo-young

reflective medium-paced

5.0

From the Afterword by Sunyoung Park:
Overcoming human form, in Kim's world, is not quite a way of transcending our limits, as is often the case in superhero narratives, but rather a desperate attempt to survive by the marginalized and the vulnerable.

this is genuinely one of the best short story collections i've ever read, and i do not say that lightly. 
evolution and devolution, themes of marginality and struggle for survival (even in the face of the unforgiving passing of time and impermanence of life), a boundless creativity in exploring alternate scientific realities that i've only seen rivalled in the works of Ted Chiang, the familiar made alien and the alien made familiar so thoroughly it makes you question the subjectivity of not only your lived experience, but also of the reality humans take for granted... oh i fear this book will live in my mind forever
Expand filter menu Content Warnings