By Larissa Page
Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century is a unique collection of short stories. These stories are not linked to each other, but as I read through this collection I felt there was a common theme among them all. The synopsis on the back of the book cites this theme as “the strange made familiar and the familiar strange,” which I find vague but also perfectly fitting.
There have been many times that I’ve lost interest in a collection of short stories or have felt the need to push myself to continue reading, but I found Kim Fu’s writing to be engaging, propelling, and descriptive. At the end of each story, I was excited to start a new story with a new world and reality laid out. I found these stories interesting, thought-provoking, and each so different than the last.
Something I noticed was common among several of these stories is one of my favourite, though sometimes frustrating, literary tools: the unfinished ending. Several of the stories in this collection ended without full closure, enough that you are left wondering what happens beyond what is written on the page. I found myself thinking about these stories after the fact, wondering what the outcome actually was, wondering how the characters continued on with their lives. Additionally, a lot of the stories brought up concepts that were interesting and new and really made me think about what life would be like if this happened or that was invented. For short stories to have that sort of impact on someone’s thinking, I believe, is an incredible feat.
This collection was similar to another collection of short stories I read last year, Glorious Frazzled Beings. However, I struggled a lot with my feelings for Glorious Frazzled Beings, finding that I didn’t connect to or understand the element of weird that was woven through the stories. I find myself feeling the complete opposite about this collection. While it certainly has the element of weird, I really enjoyed my experience reading Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century. It didn’t feel “over my head” and I felt like I could connect to most of the stories.
As a comment on the publishing, this book (or my copy at least) is printed on the most luxurious paper! Quoted in the back as being Zephyr Antique Laid paper from second growth forests, the feeling and weight of this book in your hand and the sensation of the thick and textured pages between your fingers is an experience in and of itself. I’ve never commented on the printing quality in a review before, but this warrants a mention.
Thank you to Coach House Books for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.