ambershelf's Reviews (1.3k)

Utmost appreciation to the Mandarin version for including an analysis of Kang’s past works and connecting the books into a theme of defining humanity—how does one embrace a humane life? (如何擁抱人性化的人生)

Did i just read my fav Morrison

4.5/5 arc gifted by the publisher

Chilling and heartbreaking. I love the “confession” style and thriller-lite writing. Unputdownable!

3.75/5 I read this in mandarin! (No English translation yet?)

I really enjoyed this short story collection of “weird” stories that straddle reality and fantasy. What’s fascinating isn’t just reading about the tragedies that befall each main character, but how the supporting casts respond to the events. For fans of BLISS MONTAGE (Ling Ma), this one is for you!

3.5/5

What I loved
-great writing. It’s hard to describe- his style feels textured but not over manufactured (does this make sense lol)
-each story uses a central plot to move forward. Such a tough thing to do in short stories but Yoon does it amazingly
-covers lesser known Korean history and the long history of displacement

What didn’t quite work
-I have trouble extracting the deeper meanings from several stories. His points get lost for me and I couldn’t quite interpret the messages. Maybe there isn’t and I’m just overthinking?
-I adore the craft and the actual reading experience. But there’s just something not quite connecting for me