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A review by aformeracceleratedreader
Flux by Jinwoo Chong
medium-paced
2.75
There were some interesting parts in this but overall I don't think it was for me (or maybe I just didn't understand it?).
As a mixed race Asian American, I was hoping for more discourse on the mc's battle with having a mixed race identity, but that topic was very much a throwaway compared to what reviews and the little blurb led me to believe which was a letdown for me. The blurb also mentioned how it was a commentary on whiteness in Asian American communities which there was barely, if any, discussion of that either in the book. I don't think that should even be included as a main point in blurbs and reviews as there was so little about it that it could've easily been omitted and not changed the story like at all. I felt there was nothing in the story that would've made the mc's asianness or mixed race identity integral to the story, though I would've appreciated it if it was. Like there was no focus on the mom besides her death so it felt like his asianness was secondary which I guess may have been the point? I don't know.
I was also confused by a lot of it like it bounced around way too much and the insert of the show didn't do it for me either (I understand that it was the mc's coping mechanism tho). I understand that the story is supposed to be a bit disorienting so maybe I'm just not smart enough to have fully understood it.
I did listen to the audiobook, which the narrator did a phenomenal job, while following along with the ebook so maybe with the speed I had it it didn't allow me to fully understand many parts of it.
The book was mainly a discussion on grief and trauma set on a background of very light sci-fi.
The ending was also just okay. Not a terrible end since I understand that it is (SPOILER - closing the loop thus closing his grief/trauma that he suffered with the whole of the book) but it felt sort of rushed maybe? I dunno I wasn't fully satisfied with the end.
As a mixed race Asian American, I was hoping for more discourse on the mc's battle with having a mixed race identity, but that topic was very much a throwaway compared to what reviews and the little blurb led me to believe which was a letdown for me. The blurb also mentioned how it was a commentary on whiteness in Asian American communities which there was barely, if any, discussion of that either in the book. I don't think that should even be included as a main point in blurbs and reviews as there was so little about it that it could've easily been omitted and not changed the story like at all. I felt there was nothing in the story that would've made the mc's asianness or mixed race identity integral to the story, though I would've appreciated it if it was. Like there was no focus on the mom besides her death so it felt like his asianness was secondary which I guess may have been the point? I don't know.
I was also confused by a lot of it like it bounced around way too much and the insert of the show didn't do it for me either (I understand that it was the mc's coping mechanism tho). I understand that the story is supposed to be a bit disorienting so maybe I'm just not smart enough to have fully understood it.
I did listen to the audiobook, which the narrator did a phenomenal job, while following along with the ebook so maybe with the speed I had it it didn't allow me to fully understand many parts of it.
The book was mainly a discussion on grief and trauma set on a background of very light sci-fi.
The ending was also just okay. Not a terrible end since I understand that it is (SPOILER - closing the loop thus closing his grief/trauma that he suffered with the whole of the book) but it felt sort of rushed maybe? I dunno I wasn't fully satisfied with the end.
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail