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Gods of Want

A New York Times Notable Book of 2022
By K-Ming Chang
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Gods of Want by K-Ming Chang is a collection of vibrant short stories that weave together themes of heritage, identity, and belonging. The narratives explore the lives of Asian American women grappling with their desires and family histories. With a blend of magical realism and folklore, the book paints a poignant and surreal picture of the complexities of culture and personal longing.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are drawn to lyrical storytelling and tales that blend mythology with modern life. The author weaves tales filled with vivid imagery, exploring themes of identity, culture, and family dynamics through diverse narratives. This book may appeal to readers who appreciate rich, evocative prose and stories that delve into the complexities of immigrant experiences.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Gods of Want presents queer, fabulist stories from rising Asian American talent K-Ming Chang, a Kundiman Fellow, National Book Award "5 Under 35" honoree, and Lambda Literary finalist. This collection explores themes of body, memory, queerness, and family with boundless, dark imagination and visceral prose.

WINNER OF THE 2023 LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD FOR LESBIAN FICTION

A New York Times 100 Notable Book of 2022

"These stories glitter and pulse" - Dantiel W. Montiz

In her singular, electrifying style, K-Ming Chang peels back questions of body, power, and identity, and the relationships of Asian American women, with vivid imagination. A stream of women adjust to American life by sneaking kisses from women at temple and buying tubs of vanilla ice cream to prepare for citizenship tests. Ghost-cousins cross space, seas, and skies to haunt their living cousin. Two girls explore each other's bodies for the first time in the belly of a plastic shark.

Brimming with moths and mothers, nine-headed birds, and storm-chasers, these queer, fabulist tales delve viscerally into myth and memory, corporeality and ghostliness, beauty and the grotesque.

One of the best books of the year according to New York Times, NPR, Them, and Book Riot, from the National Book Award "5 under 35" honoree and author of Bestiary.

"Wild and lyrical, visionary and touching. Read her!" - Sharlene Teo

"A voracious, probing collection, proof of how exhilarating the short story can be." - New York Times

"Stunning and moving... One of our most brilliant authors." - Bryan Washington

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Gods of Want by K-Ming Chang is praised for its mythical, fairytale-like stories that merge unsettling reality with a vibrant, unapologetically queer perspective. The collection is described as vibrant and exhilarating, characterised by a profound hunger to transform the familiar into something both wild and deeply alive. Reviewers have highlighted the stories' focus on themes of emigration and adolescence, combining folkloric myths with the complexities of modern American life.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529114218

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 August 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 14.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 159g

Pages: 224

Collections

Fiction General Fiction K-Ming Chang LGBTQ+ Penguin Books

About the Author

K-Ming Chang is a Kundiman fellow, a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree and an O. Henry Prize winner. She is the author of the novel Bestiary, which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, and Gods of Want, which won the Lambda Literary Award.

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