A review by wenwanzhao
Gods of Want: Stories by K-Ming Chang

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Like most short story anthologies, it's a mixed bag of compelling stories and less compelling ones. Most of these had a kind of fantastical element, but I liked the ones that really leaned into that more than they ones that didn't. It was enjoyable and Chang is a decent writer, but (and this might be my own prejudice) it felt very much like something written by someone with ~diaspora angst~ and not in a good way. It just wasn't compelling enough for the subject matter. I will say that Chang was very good at making me feel the descriptions. There's a lot of grossness in this book, and I felt it viscerally. Not a waste of time to have read it, but I can't say I'd recommend it either.