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SEPTEMBER BUDDY READ
I’M WAITING FOR YOU & OTHER STORIES by Kim Bo-Young
Two worlds, four stories, infinite possibilities
In this mind-expanding work of speculative fiction, available in English for the first time, one of South Korea’s most treasured writers explores the driving forces of humanity—love, hope, creation, destruction, and the very meaning of existence—in two pairs of thematically interconnected stories.
In “I’m Waiting for You” and “On My Way,” an engaged couple coordinate their separate missions to distant corners of the galaxy to ensure—through relativity—they can arrive back on Earth simultaneously to make it down the aisle. But small incidents wreak havoc on space and time, driving their wedding date further away. As centuries on Earth pass and the land and climate change, one thing is constant: the desire of the lovers to be together. In two separate yet linked stories, Kim Bo-Young cleverly demonstrate the idea love that is timeless and hope springs eternal, despite seemingly insurmountable challenges and the deepest despair.
In “The Prophet of Corruption” and “That One Life,” humanity is viewed through the eyes of its creators: godlike beings for which everything on Earth—from the richest woman to a speck of dirt—is an extension of their will. When one of the creations questions the righteousness of this arrangement, it is deemed a perversion—a disease—that must be excised and cured. Yet the Prophet Naban, whose “child” is rebelling, isn’t sure the rebellion is bad. What if that which is considered criminal is instead the natural order—and those who condemn it corrupt? Exploring the dichotomy between the philosophical and the corporeal, Kim ponders the fate of free-will, as she considers the most basic of questions: who am I?
Translators: Sophie Bowman & Sung Ryu
*Description from Goodreads.
Genre: Short Story, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Romance
Themes: Existentialism, love and hope, space and time, and power hierarchies
Content Warnings: Death, Grief, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Animal death
Reading Breakdown
Discord channels are organized by part to minimize spoilers and keep the chat going while reading.
1 – I’m Waiting for You
2 – The Prophet of Corruption
3 – That One Life
4 – On My Way to You
Grab a copy to read along with us this month