Paperback
Published July 15, 2021 by Honford Star.
Cursed Bunny is a genre-defying collection of short stories by Korean author Bora Chung. Blurring the lines between magical realism, horror, and science-fiction, Chung uses elements of the fantastic and surreal to address the very real horrors and cruelties of patriarchy and capitalism in modern society.
Anton Hur’s translation skilfully captures the way Chung’s prose effortlessly glides from being terrifying to wryly humorous. Winner of a PEN/Heim Grant.
Bora Chung is versatile in her weirdness. Some of these stories might be classed as surrealism, some as horror, some as science fiction or fantasy. Almost always, the characters are relatable no matter how bizarre their circumstances.
Most stories have some kind of gruesome supernatural component, I really enjoyed that. One I thought started out looking pretty ableist but then it took a turn that I also thought was cool but probably didn't really make up for the "blindness as a metaphor" thing.
It's unlike anything I have read before and I don't know how I feel about it. I mean, the fact that it is so unique is of course amazing in itself but the particular brand of sometimes just grossness can be kind of off-putting. Which I guess is challenging taboos in my life which again is interesting from an 'experiential' perspective.
I really applaud the author for putting together something this challenging to read, not the words, the flow of the book is very easy but by the response it engenders which can be palpable at times.
I'm actually at a loss what to rate this book as!
Loved this collection of dark and strange stories. I was often uncomfortable and audibly cringing while reading these stories as she does not shy away from body-horror, but nonetheless felt compelled to keep reading. Characters are seeking meaning and a sense off humanity through bizarre and often grotesque circumstances, which brought me deeper into each story even as I recoiled.
The stories are at their most powerful when she turns up the psychological disorientation through slowly revealed details, in stories you have to ( and want to) read several times to make sense of.
