Book Review: Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu

My Rating:

3.5⭐️

Short story collections are always a mixed bag. The themes in this collection vary between realistic, satirical, fantastical , futuristic and dystopian with touches of magical realism and revolve around themes of coming of age, loneliness, grief, mortality, relationships, regret and so much more. 

One of my personal favorites is the first story, "Pre-Simulation Consultation XF007867" which is about a client in discussion with a simulator operator describing the specific requirements desired in recreating a day spent with said client's late mother in a controlled simulated environment. The story "Twenty Hours" featuring a married couple taking turns killing each other only to be recreated in original form by a special printer was quite unique. I also enjoyed “Do You Remember Candy?” which revolves around a world where people lose their sense of taste and how one person profits from her creative ways to relive the memories of their favorite foods. In "Time Cubes" we meet a young woman who befriends a salesman who deals in special cubes designed to control and regulate the aging cycle of living things.

In “Liddy, First to Fly” a young girl sprouts wings from her ankles and with the help of her friends tries to learn how to use them. We see the distrustful and revengeful side in people who are known to be intimate friends in “#ClimbingNation”.In another story, an insomniac can enjoy a deep sleep only after submitting to the “Sandman”. A creepy doll discovered by neighborhood kids on the grounds of a home of a family, members of which have recently perished causes haunting dreams and strange experiences in "The Doll". "In This Fantasy” is centered around a woman who spends time fantasizing about alternative lives she could be leading. In “Scissors” the author explores the themes of sexual control and dominance. “June Bugs” tell the tale of a woman who walks away from a troubled relationship and ends up in a home infested with beetles. “Bridezilla” revolves around a bride not sure of herself or what she wants.

Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century by Kim Fu is a collection of twelve short stories that revolve around human nature in its complexity . Kim Fu knows how to weave a tale. The sheer versatility in theme and tone in these stories is a testimonial to the author’s creative imagination and skillful storytelling. One common thread that defines these stories is that these “monsters” are not those that hide under our beds, lurk in the shadows or are results of human experimentation gone wrong. The monsters that plague life in the 21st century are within people themselves- their inner darkness that is often manifested in self-serving behavior characterized by lack of inhibition, self-obsession, lack of accountability, a tendency towards escapism and obsession with social media and technology.

I have always been a fan of magical realism and, in principle have no objection to dystopian themes but I felt Kim Fu’s Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century suffers from excessive use of metaphors and the author relies too heavily upon the readers to interpret the abrupt endings/outcome of the stories as they perceive it. While there is nothing wrong with ambiguous endings, had this been the case for a few of the stories I would not have a problem. In some of the stories the ambiguity felt forced and that is why my rating is not as high as it could have been. The stories are original and unique and though some of them were a bit too dark for my taste, I did not dislike the collection in its totality. However, this is not a book I would recommend to everyone. Having said that, I am sure many readers will appreciate this book more than I have.

I won an ARC of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and would like to thank the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this unique collection of stories.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own.