Author: Ken Liu
Genre: Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Anthologies, Short Stories
First published February 25, 2020
Book description: From award-winning author Ken Liu comes his much anticipated second volume of short stories.
Ken Liu is one of the most lauded short story writers of our time. This collection includes a selection of his science fiction and fantasy stories from the last five years — sixteen of his best — plus a new novelette.
In addition to these seventeen selections, The Hidden Girl and Other Stories also features an excerpt from the forthcoming book three in the Dandelion Dynasty series, "The Veiled Throne".
Review:
This was the first work by Liu I have seen. Can't say I'm proud but I had never heard about him, at all. This was picked up by accident because I finished my current book and I was at work, so I didn't have time to research anything about my next read. That ends up happening very often.
This was a wonderful collection, every story is captivating, quick to get through. The only negative point is that they're so short, it leaves you wanting more from them. It is actually hard to find story collections where I love most of them, and this is the first time I absolutely fall for all of them!
I'm intrigued to explore more of Liu's literary works. I appreciated the emphasis he placed on portraying empowered and astute female characters, particularly those of Asian origin, especially Chinese. I feel like I get a win-win situation with his works, read more diversely and having examples of a man writing decent female characters. This combination its not so easy to come by.
We have a lot of conflicted characters in different ways. We have a whole lot of topics covered, so even if you don't love them all, you will probably find some suitable for you. FYI- The stories are almost all depressing, they feature hard situations and have tragic storylines and most do not have a happy ending.
If you're feeling particularly sensitive and in search of a pick-me-up, I wouldn't recommend reading THE HIDDEN GIRL. Personally, after finishing it, I was left feeling pretty down and could definitely use a hug.
This overly broad review would not be very helpful on its own. So I'll try to give the gist of some of the stories in the collection. ?If you rather go into them with no information then this would be the best point to skip ahead.
The stories included were
- Ghost Days (2013) - As I read this poignant story, I couldn't help but feel for the alien colonist who found solace in the multi-generational saga of a Chinese family. It was heart-wrenching to see how they had to deal with xenophobic white people and struggled with their own cultural identities. The title of the story, which is a play on a Chinese term for white foreigners, also added to the depth of the story. It was interesting to see how both meanings of the term played a role in the narrative, including the reference to spirits. Overall, this story was a powerful reflection on the complexities of cultural identity and the impact of xenophobia on individuals and communities.
Side note: I found out after I was done reading that the title is a play on a Chinese term often used as offensive for white foreigners.
- Maxwell's Demon (2012) This is set during WWII it follows Takako, a woman of Okinawan descent who is taken from an internment camp and forced to renounce her citizenship so she can be deported back to Japan as an undercover spy for the Americans. Working in a physics lab, she ends up being the assistant and lover to a scientist developing a weapon that runs on a type of magic, forcing Takako to make a choice about what it easy versus what is right, and which country she should choose to be loyal to when both are wrong. It heart-wrenching story, and she's forced to make decisions against her own beliefs on her struggle to survive.
- The Reborn (2014) This starts after first contact, now the presence of aliens on Earth is a commonplace thing. Society is living in a semblance of peace. In the aftermath of the brutal colonization, the invading aliens seemed to have a change of heart. They sought to instill compassion and peace in the very society they had destroyed. However, their newfound compassion had a dark edge, and the body modifications that they required of the humans who interacted with them were far from benign. I can't help but wonder what sinister purpose lay behind these modifications, and what exactly the aliens hoped to achieve. It's a chilling thought and one that haunts me to this day. Their technology and body modification- the main one is the ability to modify memories with the effort of get rid of the person's opposition to the regimen.
- Thoughts and Prayers (2019) This is a multi-POV story exploring how a mass shooting affects the members of the victim's family, including the POV of a troll who is determined to see that the family suffers. I now its as wild as you imagine, and also very emotion evoking. You will either love it or hate it, find very difficult to believe it provokes a meh reaction.
- Byzantine Empathy (2018) It's a strange and confusing story, but one that I think raises some important questions about the way in which we engage with global conflict in the digital age. How do we ensure that we maintain our humanity and empathy when we're constantly bombarded with sanitized and removed images of violence and suffering? And what role do technologies like cryptocurrency and virtual reality play in shaping our perceptions of the world around us?
This is definitely an interesting take on the topic.
- The Gods Will Not Be Chained (2014) The main aspect is bullying, it might come off as childish to some readers, but it's a real-life struggle for the young generation. It's distressing but ends on a note of hope. A girl being bullied ends up gaining the mysterious protection of someone who only speaks in emoji, but, the savior starts to seem kind of familiar.
- Staying Behind (2011) This is a very intriguing story and heart-wrenching. What happens when humankind discovers how to upload consciousness without a physical body to keep it? It covers some of the temptations a digital existence poses to people- to the venal one and to those who have dreams and aspirations. Who would choose to stay in a world where physical limitations and a dying world present mostly hardships and suffering?
- Real Artists (2011) This one was ok, the gist of it was a look behind the curtain of a future with no creativity, via film.
- The Gods Will Not Be Slain (2014) This is the continuation of The Gods will not be chained, how odd that its not placed right after it. This explores the dangers of AI, specifically of AI that used a human consciousness as starting point. The worst of humanity comes out resulting in a digital warfare. It's depressing!
- Altogether Elsewhere, Vast Herds of Reindeer (2011) Another story of AI, this one was less emotional so it felt kind of less impactful. Still ok.
- The Gods Have Not Died in Vain (2015) This is the 3rd part of the Gods mini-series stories. It does keep the same pattern, its so sentimental and saddening. It definitely feels like a cautionary tales.
- Memories of My Mother (2012) A sad story about a woman dying of terminal disease who decides to cheat time by going into stasis and visiting her daughter once every seven years to cheat her 2 year prognosis. Interesting concept and a heart-tugging idea, not sure if this is a torture or a ray of hope for the daughter though.
- Dispatches from the Cradle: The Hermit - Forty-Eight Hours in the Sea of Massachusetts (2016) In this story the whole planet has flooded due to climate change. Humans have moved on to colonize other plants, and those who are still here are looked down upon. The rich and eccentric and the too-poor are the ones who live here. Interesting.
- Grey Rabbit, Crimson Mare, Coal Leopard (2020) A world where you can become a shifter after drinking a special wine. The animal you become is meant to be a blessing, of course, humankind shows the worst possible aspects here too. If you become the wrong kind of animal you are tossed like garbage and become a shame instead of be destined for glory and richness.
- A Chase Beyond the Storms- It's an ok, but not too attention-catching. This is meant to be an advertisement for the author's upcoming book. I'll probably still try it once it comes out.
- The Hidden Girl (2017) This is the basis for the short story title, I am always very eager to get to them when I read short story collections. It's about a girl who becomes an apprentice to a Buddhist nun to learn magic that is not really explained. Also, the apprenticeship is not really covered but it focuses mostly in becoming assassins for hire but ends up leaving her order after being asked to kill a man, despite this meaning cutting all ties to the people she considers family.
- Seven Birthdays (2016)
- The Message (2012) This once again a very sad story. An unlikely reunion between estranged daughter and father who are traveling the worlds trying to understand lost civilizations. The main focus is an ancient civilization hiding a secret, the meaning of lost symbols.
- Cutting (2012) This is cutting paper not self-harm, in case you get the wrong idea like I did. In my defense, that's the only thing left of depressing topics that were not covered in this collection.
Bình luận