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Green Frog: Stories
A short story collection that explores Korean American womanhood, bodies, animals, and transformation as a means of survival.
Equal parts fantastical—a pair of talking dolls help twins escape a stifling home, a heart boils on the stove as part of an elaborate cure for melancholy, a fox demon contemplates avenging her sister's death—and true to life—a mother and daughter try to heal their rift when the daughter falls unexpectedly pregnant, a woman reexamines her father's legacy after his death—the stories in this collection are hopeful and heartbreaking, full of danger and full of joy. Chung is a master at capturing emotion, and her characters—human and otherwise—will claw their way into your heart and make themselves at home.
Equal parts fantastical—a pair of talking dolls help twins escape a stifling home, a heart boils on the stove as part of an elaborate cure for melancholy, a fox demon contemplates avenging her sister's death—and true to life—a mother and daughter try to heal their rift when the daughter falls unexpectedly pregnant, a woman reexamines her father's legacy after his death—the stories in this collection are hopeful and heartbreaking, full of danger and full of joy. Chung is a master at capturing emotion, and her characters—human and otherwise—will claw their way into your heart and make themselves at home.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 12, 2024
212 people are currently reading
12040 people want to read
About the author
Gina Chung
3 books279 followersGina Chung is a Korean American writer from New Jersey currently living in New York City. She is the author of the novel Sea Change, which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, a 2023 B&N Discover Pick, and a New York Times Most Anticipated Book, and the short story collection Green Frog (out March 12, 2024 from Vintage in the U.S. and June 6, 2024 from Picador in the U.K.). A recipient of the Pushcart Prize, she is a 2021-2022 Center for Fiction/Susan Kamil Emerging Writer Fellow and holds an MFA in fiction from The New School. Her work appears or is forthcoming in One Story, BOMB, The Kenyon Review, Literary Hub, Catapult, Electric Literature, and Gulf Coast, among others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 380 reviews
January 27, 2025
i don't know who's behind the idea that every promising debut author has to immediately release a short story collection, but tell them i love them.
HOW TO EAT YOUR OWN HEART
well, it's exactly what the title says. a 13-step process on ingesting your own heart. although i guess i should mention that it also includes very somber instructions on sh*tting it out and putting it back, which kind of constitutes a plot twist.
rating: 3
GREEN FROG
THIS is what a title story should be! concise, memorable, thematically tied to the others in the collection, evocative, emotional. rocked it.
rating: 4
AFTER THE PARTY
damn. after reading about 900 books and short stories on the subject, i'm ready to call it: being a wife really sounds like it sucks.
rating: 3.5
RABBIT HEART
yeah no big deal just a stunningly beautiful description of loss and growing up.
rating: 4.5
PRESENCE
this is kind of like peter pan and his shadow when it's not attached to him via bar of soap (? why did that work), except if the shadow in question were a physical embodiment of humanity going too far and committing evils via science.
unlike a bar of soap it doesn't quite stick the landing.
rating: 3
HUMAN HEARTS
fox girls are seriously sooo trendy right now.
rating: 3.5
MANTIS
oh, to be a praying mantis living in an upscale apartment (tree) in a great location (baseball field) who gets to eat her situationships alive (literal).
rating: 4
THE SOUND OF WATER
i've read a lot of mediocre (and okay also bad) short story collections lately. it's stunning to read one like this, where each story is so different and contains the potential for absolute excellence. well done, this is one of my favorite genres.
rating; 4.5
ATTACHMENT PROCESSES
sheesh. this author can write the hell out of grief.
rating: 4
THE ARROW
jesus christ. i think this one actually physically damaged my heart.
rating: 5
NAMES FOR FIREFLIES
now i want to be a 12 year old with a crush and also eat chinese food from a buffet. call me influenced.
rating: 4
HONEY AND SUN
this was a weird on but all the others have been so good that i'm like "probably it just wasn't my cup of tea."
rating: 3
YOU'LL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU
we're so back. (we never really left.) i could've read a novel of this one, or at least twice as long of a story. maybe it's just from liking it so much that it feels a bit unfinished.
rating: 4
THE FRUITS OF SIN
and now we have first person plural. is there a perspective this book cannot do???
rating: 4
THE LOVE SONG OF THE MEXICAN FREE-TAILED BAT
paying for my excited comment on the last story with immediate second person. all my homies hate second person.
and yet this is still good.
rating: 4
OVERALL
this is the platonic ideal of a short story collection: a variety of perspectives, genres, and themes that are more than the sum of their parts. there were a couple of duds in here, but even those served just to make me appreciate how good the others were.
rating: 4.5
HOW TO EAT YOUR OWN HEART
well, it's exactly what the title says. a 13-step process on ingesting your own heart. although i guess i should mention that it also includes very somber instructions on sh*tting it out and putting it back, which kind of constitutes a plot twist.
rating: 3
GREEN FROG
THIS is what a title story should be! concise, memorable, thematically tied to the others in the collection, evocative, emotional. rocked it.
rating: 4
AFTER THE PARTY
damn. after reading about 900 books and short stories on the subject, i'm ready to call it: being a wife really sounds like it sucks.
rating: 3.5
RABBIT HEART
yeah no big deal just a stunningly beautiful description of loss and growing up.
rating: 4.5
PRESENCE
this is kind of like peter pan and his shadow when it's not attached to him via bar of soap (? why did that work), except if the shadow in question were a physical embodiment of humanity going too far and committing evils via science.
unlike a bar of soap it doesn't quite stick the landing.
rating: 3
HUMAN HEARTS
fox girls are seriously sooo trendy right now.
rating: 3.5
MANTIS
oh, to be a praying mantis living in an upscale apartment (tree) in a great location (baseball field) who gets to eat her situationships alive (literal).
rating: 4
THE SOUND OF WATER
i've read a lot of mediocre (and okay also bad) short story collections lately. it's stunning to read one like this, where each story is so different and contains the potential for absolute excellence. well done, this is one of my favorite genres.
rating; 4.5
ATTACHMENT PROCESSES
sheesh. this author can write the hell out of grief.
rating: 4
THE ARROW
jesus christ. i think this one actually physically damaged my heart.
rating: 5
NAMES FOR FIREFLIES
now i want to be a 12 year old with a crush and also eat chinese food from a buffet. call me influenced.
rating: 4
HONEY AND SUN
this was a weird on but all the others have been so good that i'm like "probably it just wasn't my cup of tea."
rating: 3
YOU'LL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU
we're so back. (we never really left.) i could've read a novel of this one, or at least twice as long of a story. maybe it's just from liking it so much that it feels a bit unfinished.
rating: 4
THE FRUITS OF SIN
and now we have first person plural. is there a perspective this book cannot do???
rating: 4
THE LOVE SONG OF THE MEXICAN FREE-TAILED BAT
paying for my excited comment on the last story with immediate second person. all my homies hate second person.
and yet this is still good.
rating: 4
OVERALL
this is the platonic ideal of a short story collection: a variety of perspectives, genres, and themes that are more than the sum of their parts. there were a couple of duds in here, but even those served just to make me appreciate how good the others were.
rating: 4.5
May 27, 2024
In a Nutshell: An astounding collection of speculative fiction with some diverse female characters. Infused with a strong Korean flavour, but with situations and emotions that are universal. A fabulous OwnVoices option for short story lovers, especially those with a fondness for speculative fiction.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This collection of fifteen stories comes with no author’s note. However, the blurb helps us know that this collection of “offbeat, scintillating stories influenced by Korean fairy tales and contemporary ennui, shines a light on womanhood in all of its human (and other) forms.” An intriguing and ambitious theme, met almost perfectly by the stories, which come from varied genres such as speculative fiction, contemporary drama, fantasy, folk lore, and sci-fi.
The author’s imagination is powerful, as is her exploration of emotions. There’s a sense of poignancy underlying most of the stories, though not all the tales are morose. Each of the narratives covers a tangled relationship.
What makes the stories distinct is the approach and the main character. The narrator in the tales covers a diverse spectrum of females, such as a twelve-year-old girl, a mother, a daughter, a kumiho, and even a female praying mantis. The narrative styles are also distinct, with the tales being explored in first person singular, first person plural, second person and third person. Each story felt so fresh and so individual that I never felt any kind of déjà vu while going through this work.
Quite often, an anthology/story collection begins quite strong and then starts getting either dragged or repetitive. This time though, the start of the book was relatively okay for me, partly because of the ‘slice of life’ storytelling style. As I began to wonder if this book would take a nosedive, the stories took a strong turn upwards, and stayed there right till the end. I am so glad I persisted, because this ended up being one of the most creative anthologies I have read this year.
The endings are mostly satisfying, but more importantly, they make perfect sense for their respective storylines without feeling forced. Only a couple of the endings felt abrupt to me.
As always, I rated the stories individually, Of the fifteen stories, a whopping eleven stories reached or crossed the 4 star mark. The remaining four stories scored 3.5 stars. What a performance!
As I don’t want to pen a lengthy list of top rankers, here are my favourites, with 4.5+ stars:
Overall, this OwnVoices story collection began as good but ended up outstanding. It will be one of my favourite story collections of 2024.
Strongly recommended to all short story lovers who love to read tales blending reality and fantasy. Don’t expect the typical in these tales, and you will be pleasantly surprised.
4.15 stars, based on the average of my ratings for each tale. (If you are familiar with my ratings, you know that an average that goes to 4 stars and beyond is outstanding for an anthology.)
My thanks to Pan Macmillan, Picador, and NetGalley for the DRC of “Green Frog”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This collection of fifteen stories comes with no author’s note. However, the blurb helps us know that this collection of “offbeat, scintillating stories influenced by Korean fairy tales and contemporary ennui, shines a light on womanhood in all of its human (and other) forms.” An intriguing and ambitious theme, met almost perfectly by the stories, which come from varied genres such as speculative fiction, contemporary drama, fantasy, folk lore, and sci-fi.
The author’s imagination is powerful, as is her exploration of emotions. There’s a sense of poignancy underlying most of the stories, though not all the tales are morose. Each of the narratives covers a tangled relationship.
What makes the stories distinct is the approach and the main character. The narrator in the tales covers a diverse spectrum of females, such as a twelve-year-old girl, a mother, a daughter, a kumiho, and even a female praying mantis. The narrative styles are also distinct, with the tales being explored in first person singular, first person plural, second person and third person. Each story felt so fresh and so individual that I never felt any kind of déjà vu while going through this work.
Quite often, an anthology/story collection begins quite strong and then starts getting either dragged or repetitive. This time though, the start of the book was relatively okay for me, partly because of the ‘slice of life’ storytelling style. As I began to wonder if this book would take a nosedive, the stories took a strong turn upwards, and stayed there right till the end. I am so glad I persisted, because this ended up being one of the most creative anthologies I have read this year.
The endings are mostly satisfying, but more importantly, they make perfect sense for their respective storylines without feeling forced. Only a couple of the endings felt abrupt to me.
As always, I rated the stories individually, Of the fifteen stories, a whopping eleven stories reached or crossed the 4 star mark. The remaining four stories scored 3.5 stars. What a performance!
As I don’t want to pen a lengthy list of top rankers, here are my favourites, with 4.5+ stars:
🐸 Rabbit Heart - Generational complexities explored in this poignant tale about parental connections. Love how it handles emotions. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🐸 Human Hearts - A story of revenge and love and human hearts and not-so-human hearts, made all the more special by the narrator, a kumiho (the nine-tailed fox from Japanese mythology.) - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🐸 Mantis - A love story gone wrong. What's special about that, you ask? The narrator is a female praying mantis. 😉 I always love atypical narrators when voiced right. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🐸 Attachment Processes - Don't want to reveal any content spoilers about this one, but it has a thought-provoking concept that generates awe, sadness and apprehension all at once. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🐸 The Arrow - A poignant story in second person, about how a life-altering event changes a relationship. Love the exploration of emotions in this bittersweet narrative. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
🐸 The Fruits of Sin - Remember the biblical verse, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"? This is a beautiful representation of the practical side of that thought. Loved this to the core! - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Overall, this OwnVoices story collection began as good but ended up outstanding. It will be one of my favourite story collections of 2024.
Strongly recommended to all short story lovers who love to read tales blending reality and fantasy. Don’t expect the typical in these tales, and you will be pleasantly surprised.
4.15 stars, based on the average of my ratings for each tale. (If you are familiar with my ratings, you know that an average that goes to 4 stars and beyond is outstanding for an anthology.)
My thanks to Pan Macmillan, Picador, and NetGalley for the DRC of “Green Frog”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
May 20, 2024
Gina Chung writes messy Korean Americans characters so well! Up until the last story I was expecting to give this collection three stars overall (3.5 rounded down), but the last story “The Love Songs of the Mexican Free-Tailed Bat” really moved me and won me over. I also enjoyed “The Sound of Water” and “The Arrow.” In these stories, Chung does an excellent job of portraying Korean Americans navigating difficult family dynamics and challenging emotions. I loved the range of these stories, Chung’s creativity in engineering these life circumstances, like a woman whose bat-owning father recently passed away, a younger sibling who sacrificed his swimming ambitions to take care of his family, and a woman who unexpectedly falls pregnant which further unexpectedly starts to heal her tumultuous relationship with her mother. As a somewhat uptight Vietnamese American myself, I loved that how Chung gives permission for Asian American adults to be dysfunctional and to feel a kaleidoscope of feelings, but not in an overly contrived way. Finally, I appreciate that Chung writes Korean American adult characters in their late 20s and early to mid-30s, selfishly because I’m turning 29 in five days haha.
I didn’t really enjoy the fantastical stories in this collection because that’s not my wheelhouse, though I liked when Chung blended speculative fiction elements into her more literary stories (though the purely realistic fiction ones were my favorite). I also felt that several stories in this collection were more in the three-star range for me, though mostly because I wanted them to be longer so I could get even more invested in the characters, which may not be a fair critique if some of these stories were capped by a page or word limit. Overall, Chung’s prose does feel memorable and striking, and even in the stories I didn’t fall in love with I was entertained and wanted to know more.
It's relatively hard for a short story collection to get four stars or above from me so that speaks to the strength of the standout stories in this collection. Sea Change , Chung’s debut novel, was my absolute favorite book of 2023 and I’m excited to read more of her work moving forward.
I didn’t really enjoy the fantastical stories in this collection because that’s not my wheelhouse, though I liked when Chung blended speculative fiction elements into her more literary stories (though the purely realistic fiction ones were my favorite). I also felt that several stories in this collection were more in the three-star range for me, though mostly because I wanted them to be longer so I could get even more invested in the characters, which may not be a fair critique if some of these stories were capped by a page or word limit. Overall, Chung’s prose does feel memorable and striking, and even in the stories I didn’t fall in love with I was entertained and wanted to know more.
It's relatively hard for a short story collection to get four stars or above from me so that speaks to the strength of the standout stories in this collection. Sea Change , Chung’s debut novel, was my absolute favorite book of 2023 and I’m excited to read more of her work moving forward.
March 18, 2025
Manse March 2025 #1
How to Eat Your Own Heart ⭐⭐⭐⭐
While I don't love an East Asian fantasy, I sure love an East Asian horror. This is basically a recipe to cut out your own heart, cook it, and eat it. Here for this. Very THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART.
Green Frog ⭐⭐⭐
I expected the titular story to hold more weight with me. The narrator is quite self-deprecating, and not in a very understanding way.
After the Party ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I need to read further (or do I?), but this should've been the title story. I get GREEN FROG sounds better. It's whatever.
Love when a racist, old white man makes comments about a former Asian girlfriend to you when you are also Asian. Especially when you're not even the same kind of Asian. Love that. Love this. Love everything.
Even worse, Mia's husband seems fine with it. He's pushing it. He thinks it's okay. We're not explicitly told, but I have a feeling he's white. He sounds very white.
Rabbit Heart ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one is haunting and ethereal. I get feeling ugly in your own skin. But when someone finds you beautiful, and it just has to be one person, it sparks a light in you.
Presence ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I loved this nearly as much as AFTER THE PARTY. Marrying the wrong man is a choice. I can name several friends that did so. You choose your own life, to a point.
While cutting out memories you want to forget seems fantastic, there are obvious side effects. But if you're so hurt you don't care, would this matter? Would you do it anyway?
Human Hearts ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I don't always love a nine-tailed fox story, but I do love a man killing story.
Mantis ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I might have loved this more than AFTER THE PARTY. I haven't read any reviews yet, or I haven't in a while, but I imagine some men may be offended by this. I find it hilarious. Eat more men! What a mood!
The Sound of Water ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
These stories are solid. Ellie is Justin's older brother James' ex. She doesn't fit the Korean American ideal, but she doesn't have to. Justin has a bit of a crush on her. James is giving off massive Capricorn energy, if you're into astrology. That's very LA of me. It is what it is.
Attachment Processes ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Is Irene Nakamoto the new Hideo Tanaka? Because I have a crush. I don't even care if WARCROSS is a READY PLAYER ONE ripoff. Hot Japanese billionaire is my type.
The Arrow ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Being thirty-six and living paycheck to paycheck in a city you can't afford feels familiar. Attacked. At least I'm not pregnant and dealing with a horrible relationship with my mother.
Names for Fireflies ⭐⭐⭐
I still make that "X" when I get mosquito bites. You know exactly what I'm talking about. The MASH reference? Mansion for life. I will not be naming my middle school husband of choice. IYKYK
Honey and Sun ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Twins. Dolls. Butterflies. Magical realism. Or is it?
You'll Never Know How Much I Loved You ⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you have it, grandmotherly love is incredible.
Being ugly in East Asian society is horrific. You are invisible.
Never trust a good looking Korean man. Follow me for more dating advice.
The Fruits of Sin ⭐⭐⭐⭐
More advice? Never trust a pastor. Or any organized religion. Or unorganized religion. Just religion. Just people.
The Love Song of the Mexican Free-Tailed Bat ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This entire story reminds me of the bats that live south of downtown Austin. Y'all know the ones. Little creepers.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage
How to Eat Your Own Heart ⭐⭐⭐⭐
While I don't love an East Asian fantasy, I sure love an East Asian horror. This is basically a recipe to cut out your own heart, cook it, and eat it. Here for this. Very THE EYES ARE THE BEST PART.
Green Frog ⭐⭐⭐
I expected the titular story to hold more weight with me. The narrator is quite self-deprecating, and not in a very understanding way.
After the Party ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I need to read further (or do I?), but this should've been the title story. I get GREEN FROG sounds better. It's whatever.
Love when a racist, old white man makes comments about a former Asian girlfriend to you when you are also Asian. Especially when you're not even the same kind of Asian. Love that. Love this. Love everything.
Even worse, Mia's husband seems fine with it. He's pushing it. He thinks it's okay. We're not explicitly told, but I have a feeling he's white. He sounds very white.
Rabbit Heart ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one is haunting and ethereal. I get feeling ugly in your own skin. But when someone finds you beautiful, and it just has to be one person, it sparks a light in you.
Presence ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I loved this nearly as much as AFTER THE PARTY. Marrying the wrong man is a choice. I can name several friends that did so. You choose your own life, to a point.
While cutting out memories you want to forget seems fantastic, there are obvious side effects. But if you're so hurt you don't care, would this matter? Would you do it anyway?
Human Hearts ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I don't always love a nine-tailed fox story, but I do love a man killing story.
Mantis ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I might have loved this more than AFTER THE PARTY. I haven't read any reviews yet, or I haven't in a while, but I imagine some men may be offended by this. I find it hilarious. Eat more men! What a mood!
The Sound of Water ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
These stories are solid. Ellie is Justin's older brother James' ex. She doesn't fit the Korean American ideal, but she doesn't have to. Justin has a bit of a crush on her. James is giving off massive Capricorn energy, if you're into astrology. That's very LA of me. It is what it is.
Attachment Processes ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Is Irene Nakamoto the new Hideo Tanaka? Because I have a crush. I don't even care if WARCROSS is a READY PLAYER ONE ripoff. Hot Japanese billionaire is my type.
The Arrow ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Being thirty-six and living paycheck to paycheck in a city you can't afford feels familiar. Attacked. At least I'm not pregnant and dealing with a horrible relationship with my mother.
Names for Fireflies ⭐⭐⭐
I still make that "X" when I get mosquito bites. You know exactly what I'm talking about. The MASH reference? Mansion for life. I will not be naming my middle school husband of choice. IYKYK
Honey and Sun ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Twins. Dolls. Butterflies. Magical realism. Or is it?
You'll Never Know How Much I Loved You ⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you have it, grandmotherly love is incredible.
Being ugly in East Asian society is horrific. You are invisible.
Never trust a good looking Korean man. Follow me for more dating advice.
The Fruits of Sin ⭐⭐⭐⭐
More advice? Never trust a pastor. Or any organized religion. Or unorganized religion. Just religion. Just people.
The Love Song of the Mexican Free-Tailed Bat ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This entire story reminds me of the bats that live south of downtown Austin. Y'all know the ones. Little creepers.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage
April 7, 2024
In recent years, there has been a surge in the publication of 'weird' short story collections, and unfortunately, Chung's Green Frog is a lacklustre addition to this trend. The ‘quirky’ tone and the use of absurdist and surreal elements felt almost formulaic as if Chung was following a checklist or creative writing prompts rather than genuine narrative experiences rather than genuinely experimenting with her storytelling.
The choice of the opening story was particularly baffling; it’s basically a series of instructions, not a story at all. To place this as your ‘opener’...it’s an odd choice. It was almost off-putting in a way. Usually collections like these open with a banger (and then fizzle out). But still, I moved past it hoping that the following stories would at least deliver on the themes promised by its summary. Sadly, they didn’t. Not only did they lack substance, but the style they prioritized felt derivative and not particularly compelling. Characters fail to register their presence on the page, and the story’s ‘quirks’ were entirely gimmicky. The only truly memorable one was the story about an amorphic praying mantis, but this story is really cut short and doesn’t really do anything (thematically or stylistically). They just washed over me. Neither bad, nor good, but certainly surface-level and forgettable. This is a pity as they promised to blend real-life struggles, specifically of Korean American women, with fantastical elements. However, I found the author’s exploration of bodies, desires, and memories to be tedious.
While I didn't love Chung's debut, it had an earnestness that I couldn't help but admire. In comparison, Green Frog feels rather contrived. Maybe if you have just started reading weird short stories you might find yourself able to appreciate Green Frog in ways that I was unable to.
The choice of the opening story was particularly baffling; it’s basically a series of instructions, not a story at all. To place this as your ‘opener’...it’s an odd choice. It was almost off-putting in a way. Usually collections like these open with a banger (and then fizzle out). But still, I moved past it hoping that the following stories would at least deliver on the themes promised by its summary. Sadly, they didn’t. Not only did they lack substance, but the style they prioritized felt derivative and not particularly compelling. Characters fail to register their presence on the page, and the story’s ‘quirks’ were entirely gimmicky. The only truly memorable one was the story about an amorphic praying mantis, but this story is really cut short and doesn’t really do anything (thematically or stylistically). They just washed over me. Neither bad, nor good, but certainly surface-level and forgettable. This is a pity as they promised to blend real-life struggles, specifically of Korean American women, with fantastical elements. However, I found the author’s exploration of bodies, desires, and memories to be tedious.
While I didn't love Chung's debut, it had an earnestness that I couldn't help but admire. In comparison, Green Frog feels rather contrived. Maybe if you have just started reading weird short stories you might find yourself able to appreciate Green Frog in ways that I was unable to.
February 20, 2025
chung is supremely skilled at writing characters who are a little lost, melancholy and lonely, perhaps stuck so deep inside themselves that they can't see how adrift they are.
this short story collection is replete with grief, fractured family relationships, painful solitude, and mundane details peppered with bursts of magical realism or speculativity. chung's themes are consistent, and she uses a variety of super creative storytelling devices in her writing. she even dares to dabble in second person narration! bold!!
most memorable stories:
rabbit heart is a star of a story about loss. it's a love letter to a grandmother, the joy of having her love despite the inevitability of losing her.
presence is a dreamy little piece of speculative fiction. an enigmatic sanctuary, a presence that shadows the protagonist, dreams of cats. technology that allows us to upload certain memories so we don't have to carry them with us anymore. addictiveness of avoiding pain, despite this pain often being intrinsic to selfhood. necessity of feeling all that we don't want to feel. this is a longer piece, and chung shines when she allows herself to stretch out.
human hearts is so lovely - a kumiho (ninetales) story of revenge and becoming.
honey and sun is perhaps my favorite - a strange piece narrated collectively by young twins, wild, dirty, being taught to make themselves clean and small and obedient. the ultimate transformation is becoming two halves of the same butterfly, together and beautiful and free.
this short story collection is replete with grief, fractured family relationships, painful solitude, and mundane details peppered with bursts of magical realism or speculativity. chung's themes are consistent, and she uses a variety of super creative storytelling devices in her writing. she even dares to dabble in second person narration! bold!!
most memorable stories:
rabbit heart is a star of a story about loss. it's a love letter to a grandmother, the joy of having her love despite the inevitability of losing her.
presence is a dreamy little piece of speculative fiction. an enigmatic sanctuary, a presence that shadows the protagonist, dreams of cats. technology that allows us to upload certain memories so we don't have to carry them with us anymore. addictiveness of avoiding pain, despite this pain often being intrinsic to selfhood. necessity of feeling all that we don't want to feel. this is a longer piece, and chung shines when she allows herself to stretch out.
human hearts is so lovely - a kumiho (ninetales) story of revenge and becoming.
honey and sun is perhaps my favorite - a strange piece narrated collectively by young twins, wild, dirty, being taught to make themselves clean and small and obedient. the ultimate transformation is becoming two halves of the same butterfly, together and beautiful and free.
April 4, 2024
She’s just a really talented writer and the way she writes about complicated parent-child relationships is very important to me. I’ll follow up with some of my favorite stories in a bit — this was great
March 18, 2025
Such beautiful writing
This collection spans across multiple genres and touches on so many themes which I love.
I will read anything this author publishes in the future.
This collection spans across multiple genres and touches on so many themes which I love.
I will read anything this author publishes in the future.
June 6, 2024
Green Frog is a brilliant array of short stories, all centred around the Korean-American experience, dipping into varying genres such as folklore, sci-fi, contemporary, literary, and horror, to name just a few.
Each story is beautifully handled, whether Chung is writing a guide on how to eat your own heart, exploring the concept of replacing your dead daughter with a robot, folklore based kumhio’s seeking revenge, or tangled family relations in our present world.
When writing reviews for short story collections this is the point where I would usually highlight a few of my favourites - but that’s quite impossible to do, as practically every single story stands out and shines in its own way. I implore you to read this book, to see exactly what I mean. Chung easily sinks her teeth into her varying chosen genres, and these stories speak for themselves.
Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.
Each story is beautifully handled, whether Chung is writing a guide on how to eat your own heart, exploring the concept of replacing your dead daughter with a robot, folklore based kumhio’s seeking revenge, or tangled family relations in our present world.
When writing reviews for short story collections this is the point where I would usually highlight a few of my favourites - but that’s quite impossible to do, as practically every single story stands out and shines in its own way. I implore you to read this book, to see exactly what I mean. Chung easily sinks her teeth into her varying chosen genres, and these stories speak for themselves.
Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.
April 17, 2024
3.5 stars
I always love a new collection of short stories. Green Frog is an interesting take on a number of stories revolving basically around being Korean American and experiencing emotions and incidents of life by bringing the tales into various genres from folklore to sci-fi to horror. What stood out for me is the way the author describes the relationship between each individual, from parents to children or from spouse to spouse in such a raw and tender way. As it's a collection, there were both stories I absolutely loved and some I didn't care much for, thus the rating. My favorites were Rabbit Heart, Presence, and The Love Song of the Mexican Free-Tailed Bat.
I always love a new collection of short stories. Green Frog is an interesting take on a number of stories revolving basically around being Korean American and experiencing emotions and incidents of life by bringing the tales into various genres from folklore to sci-fi to horror. What stood out for me is the way the author describes the relationship between each individual, from parents to children or from spouse to spouse in such a raw and tender way. As it's a collection, there were both stories I absolutely loved and some I didn't care much for, thus the rating. My favorites were Rabbit Heart, Presence, and The Love Song of the Mexican Free-Tailed Bat.
August 6, 2025
An engaging collection of short stories about Korean-American women.
I do not have much to say about this collection - I have read quite a few contemporary story collections, so I might be a bit desensitized. It was a mixed bag of stories: some cool retellings/variations of folk tales from Korea, some stories that made me chuckle, some creepy tales I loved, and others I could not care less.
Favorite stories:
🫀 How to eat your own heart
🫀 Presence
🫀 Mantis
🫀 Honey and Sun
🫀 The fruits of sin
I do not have much to say about this collection - I have read quite a few contemporary story collections, so I might be a bit desensitized. It was a mixed bag of stories: some cool retellings/variations of folk tales from Korea, some stories that made me chuckle, some creepy tales I loved, and others I could not care less.
Favorite stories:
🫀 How to eat your own heart
🫀 Presence
🫀 Mantis
🫀 Honey and Sun
🫀 The fruits of sin
March 3, 2024
arc gifted by the publisher
Chung explores Korean American womanhood through sci-fi, folktales, horror, body transformation, and more in this phenomenal and unique short story collection. While the stories vary greatly in length, I find them original and unforgettable, each evoking different emotions that etched themselves into my memory. Here are some of my favorites.
• How to Eat Your Own Heart: a brilliant piece on heartache and a fantastic start that sets the tone of what to expect from this collection
• After the Party: the meaning of being an obedient daughter juxtaposing two marriages. I'm reminded of the Chinese character for tolerance, 忍, a knife on one's heart, and the slow death that comes with "enduring" a marriage
• Rabbit Heart: a girl travels to Seoul and basks in the adoration of her grandmother through rich stories; a beautiful tale of the nurturing love that transcends time
• Presence: a woman invents a technology to erase one's memory selectively. I love this sci-fi exploration of grief and what happens when we run away from loss instead of facing it
• Human Hearts: follows a family of Kumiho, mythological Korean creatures, and their exploration of what it means to be "human." And even fantastic beasts suffer from complex mother-daughter relationsihps lol
• Mantis: the "dating life" of a praying mantis. I secretly think it's about how shitty the dating scenes are, but I might be wrong hahaha
• The Sound of Water: I loved this tender tale about a son giving up his life to treat his father's injury
• Attachment Processes: a mother grieves her daughter's death & one of my favorites from this collection. This story explores the essence of love and the intersection with technology. Can we use tech to "scale" love? I walked away thinking real love is supposed to make us uncomfortable and want to be better
• The Love Song of the Mexican Free-Tailed Bats: a daughter returns home after her dad's passing. This one is for all of us with unresolved daddy issues (jkjk). I adored the exploration of the blurred lines between love and anger. How do we hold both truths that someone we love(d) also hurt us? Are the small moments of tenderness enough to sustain our love? How do we forgive?
Chung explores Korean American womanhood through sci-fi, folktales, horror, body transformation, and more in this phenomenal and unique short story collection. While the stories vary greatly in length, I find them original and unforgettable, each evoking different emotions that etched themselves into my memory. Here are some of my favorites.
• How to Eat Your Own Heart: a brilliant piece on heartache and a fantastic start that sets the tone of what to expect from this collection
• After the Party: the meaning of being an obedient daughter juxtaposing two marriages. I'm reminded of the Chinese character for tolerance, 忍, a knife on one's heart, and the slow death that comes with "enduring" a marriage
• Rabbit Heart: a girl travels to Seoul and basks in the adoration of her grandmother through rich stories; a beautiful tale of the nurturing love that transcends time
• Presence: a woman invents a technology to erase one's memory selectively. I love this sci-fi exploration of grief and what happens when we run away from loss instead of facing it
• Human Hearts: follows a family of Kumiho, mythological Korean creatures, and their exploration of what it means to be "human." And even fantastic beasts suffer from complex mother-daughter relationsihps lol
• Mantis: the "dating life" of a praying mantis. I secretly think it's about how shitty the dating scenes are, but I might be wrong hahaha
• The Sound of Water: I loved this tender tale about a son giving up his life to treat his father's injury
• Attachment Processes: a mother grieves her daughter's death & one of my favorites from this collection. This story explores the essence of love and the intersection with technology. Can we use tech to "scale" love? I walked away thinking real love is supposed to make us uncomfortable and want to be better
• The Love Song of the Mexican Free-Tailed Bats: a daughter returns home after her dad's passing. This one is for all of us with unresolved daddy issues (jkjk). I adored the exploration of the blurred lines between love and anger. How do we hold both truths that someone we love(d) also hurt us? Are the small moments of tenderness enough to sustain our love? How do we forgive?
June 16, 2024
This collection of short stories took me by surprise, in the best way.
And the more I sit and think about this book, the more I felt compelled to write something longer as I overanalyse each story again.
The core theme of the book circles around womenhood, throughout the ages. And I liked how each stories are different and stands in their own way - and making the struggles being a Korean-American amongst the theme of this collection as well.
There is something so serene with her writing, but it also screams rage and unhinged in the best way. I loved the metaphors that she had used in her stories, and each one represents a loss or hope, either in relationships, grief and even love. The thing with Gina Chung, is how she can make some of the stories so shocking that it will bring tears to your eyes - like how How To Eat Your Own Heart had made me bawled my eyes out in public (and its only 5 freaking pages), or how she can evoke and explore some emotions that you are very uncomfortable with.
But again, it all resonated to the struggles of women, motherhood and also the complex relationship of asian parents, especially with mothers and daughters and the pressure and guilt to give back to our parents. Chung has managed to write complex themes into stories with simple and straightforward nuances, and sometimes even almost mind-boggling, but also has a deep message interlaced within.
And I kind of want her to write more Sci-Fi themed, because, damn, her stories in here were really good and it had definitely made me stare at the pages for a good few minutes after finishing it.
Some of the stories that are memorable and I had very much enjoyed:
Story 1: How To Eat Your Own Heart
This one sets a tone to the collection and how you can expect it to be. The story was only 5 pages long, but it had touched something in me that I didn't know how to explain, and left me bawling in public. It was also told in such an interesting way that will leave you almost speechless.
Story 5: Presence
On grief and how pain is a relative thing in the core for humans. Imagine having a technology where we can alter and delete memories as we wish. But, will it do more good than harm? One of the stories that had spoke volumes without needing much effort.
Story 9: Attachment Processes
Again, one of her sci-fi takes, and one that I had absolutely enjoyed. Attachment processes shows how grief works differently for others, and at the end, in whichever way you choose to handle grief, only yourself can learn to forgive yourself properly.
Story 12: Honey and Sun
I felt that this particular story's writing was so ethereal, it felt almost dream-like. The writing for this particular story was so beautiful and it accentuates the sorrow for the two characters.
This is my first book from Gina Chung, and even if its my first from hers, she might be an author that I will definitely keep on the lookout for. The mix of folklore and sci-fi but also spoke volumes on what reality is makes it endearing and one that I will remember for a very long time.
Definitely a fav. Would definitely recommend for you to at least read this book once in your life.
Personal Ratings: 4.5🌟
Thank you to Pansing for this copy! I truly appreciate it :)
And the more I sit and think about this book, the more I felt compelled to write something longer as I overanalyse each story again.
"It was not so very much to look at, this life of his. But it was, and will always, be his own."
The core theme of the book circles around womenhood, throughout the ages. And I liked how each stories are different and stands in their own way - and making the struggles being a Korean-American amongst the theme of this collection as well.
There is something so serene with her writing, but it also screams rage and unhinged in the best way. I loved the metaphors that she had used in her stories, and each one represents a loss or hope, either in relationships, grief and even love. The thing with Gina Chung, is how she can make some of the stories so shocking that it will bring tears to your eyes - like how How To Eat Your Own Heart had made me bawled my eyes out in public (and its only 5 freaking pages), or how she can evoke and explore some emotions that you are very uncomfortable with.
But again, it all resonated to the struggles of women, motherhood and also the complex relationship of asian parents, especially with mothers and daughters and the pressure and guilt to give back to our parents. Chung has managed to write complex themes into stories with simple and straightforward nuances, and sometimes even almost mind-boggling, but also has a deep message interlaced within.
And I kind of want her to write more Sci-Fi themed, because, damn, her stories in here were really good and it had definitely made me stare at the pages for a good few minutes after finishing it.
Some of the stories that are memorable and I had very much enjoyed:
Story 1: How To Eat Your Own Heart
This one sets a tone to the collection and how you can expect it to be. The story was only 5 pages long, but it had touched something in me that I didn't know how to explain, and left me bawling in public. It was also told in such an interesting way that will leave you almost speechless.
Story 5: Presence
On grief and how pain is a relative thing in the core for humans. Imagine having a technology where we can alter and delete memories as we wish. But, will it do more good than harm? One of the stories that had spoke volumes without needing much effort.
Story 9: Attachment Processes
Again, one of her sci-fi takes, and one that I had absolutely enjoyed. Attachment processes shows how grief works differently for others, and at the end, in whichever way you choose to handle grief, only yourself can learn to forgive yourself properly.
Story 12: Honey and Sun
I felt that this particular story's writing was so ethereal, it felt almost dream-like. The writing for this particular story was so beautiful and it accentuates the sorrow for the two characters.
This is my first book from Gina Chung, and even if its my first from hers, she might be an author that I will definitely keep on the lookout for. The mix of folklore and sci-fi but also spoke volumes on what reality is makes it endearing and one that I will remember for a very long time.
Definitely a fav. Would definitely recommend for you to at least read this book once in your life.
Personal Ratings: 4.5🌟
Thank you to Pansing for this copy! I truly appreciate it :)
July 24, 2024
“All families operated according to their own language and logic,” is a sentiment that pervades Green Frog by Gina Chung.
This collection of fifteen short stories seeks to articulate female experiences, and they mostly focus on the lives of Korean American women within familial relations (I say mostly because one story is uniquely told from the point of view of a grasshopper), all while paying homage to Korean heritage in any way possible. The book begins, for instance, with a recipe for cooking one’s own heart — a recipe that has been passed down through generations to ease the heartaches of their women forebears living through wars, faithless husbands and missing family members.
With a blend of realism, Korean folktale and science fiction, the author skilfully captures the unique “logic and language” that governs each family’s dynamic that it’s very likely that you will relate to at least one of the stories. You will meet the daughter who struggles to move on from her mother's death; the mother who has to sacrifice her ambitions for her family; the wife frustrated by her husband's inability to understand her; the granddaughter who is close with her grandma; the daughter with a mother who has Alzheimer's; the mother who often remarks on the differences between her children and many more.
Some of my favourite stories include the following: Incorporating the themes of grieving and elements of artificial intelligence, Essence and Attachment Processes ask whether we could we cheat memories and escape grieving process. Honey and Sun, a story that is both fantastical and heartbreaking chronicles the lives of an identical twin who are largely ignored by the adults around them, yet still manage to find joy and adventure in their surroundings. The Arrow serves as a poignant reminder that daughters, often become, or inherently are their mothers.
Although most of the stories are framed within the context of family relationships, it manages to present them through a wide range of voices, and experiences, effectively hammering home the notion that family is something you can’t easily escape from. They often shape our identity and inescapably, our future.
This collection of fifteen short stories seeks to articulate female experiences, and they mostly focus on the lives of Korean American women within familial relations (I say mostly because one story is uniquely told from the point of view of a grasshopper), all while paying homage to Korean heritage in any way possible. The book begins, for instance, with a recipe for cooking one’s own heart — a recipe that has been passed down through generations to ease the heartaches of their women forebears living through wars, faithless husbands and missing family members.
With a blend of realism, Korean folktale and science fiction, the author skilfully captures the unique “logic and language” that governs each family’s dynamic that it’s very likely that you will relate to at least one of the stories. You will meet the daughter who struggles to move on from her mother's death; the mother who has to sacrifice her ambitions for her family; the wife frustrated by her husband's inability to understand her; the granddaughter who is close with her grandma; the daughter with a mother who has Alzheimer's; the mother who often remarks on the differences between her children and many more.
Some of my favourite stories include the following: Incorporating the themes of grieving and elements of artificial intelligence, Essence and Attachment Processes ask whether we could we cheat memories and escape grieving process. Honey and Sun, a story that is both fantastical and heartbreaking chronicles the lives of an identical twin who are largely ignored by the adults around them, yet still manage to find joy and adventure in their surroundings. The Arrow serves as a poignant reminder that daughters, often become, or inherently are their mothers.
Although most of the stories are framed within the context of family relationships, it manages to present them through a wide range of voices, and experiences, effectively hammering home the notion that family is something you can’t easily escape from. They often shape our identity and inescapably, our future.
January 18, 2024
A wise mix of the feelings we regard as facts and sharp pivots of language. Chung tells us the stories we know in our hearts before they have coded themselves into our thoughts, our memories. Ephemeral and sprightly, themes of loss and motherhood are stretched widely open and inverted, to tent us in language that feels like play as a result of hard work. Chung’s work is genuinely surprising and seamlessly immersive, a wonderful collection for a first-time reader.
Read
June 5, 2024This collection features a ton of minor variations on a theme -- most of the stories are about people on the precipice of a revelation who then don't quite have it -- but they're exquisitely written, and Chung writes astonishing sentences. I was frequently blown away by her concluding paragraphs.
Also, every so often, she'll throw in a story about, like, talking dolls just to keep you guessing. I love this for me!!!!!
Also, every so often, she'll throw in a story about, like, talking dolls just to keep you guessing. I love this for me!!!!!
January 7, 2026
Så bra! Mix av saga/fabel, sci-fi, skräck och modern litteratur. Om att vara kvinna med en kvinnas kropp i Korea/USA. Måste läsa mer av Chung.
April 5, 2024
There was not one story I didn’t like — the ultimate success for a short story collection!
‘Green Frog’ by Gina Chung is a short story collection that explores the lives of the Korean American experience utilizing fantastical elements and impactful folktales.
Through the stories, we see a woman remedying heartache by eating her actual heart, children navigating complicated parental relationships, the utilization of technology to combat grief and painful memories by deleting memories and bringing your deceased children back to life, unexpected pregnancies that bond relationships, children finding their identity and taking control of their lives (+ more)
I enjoyed all 15 stories, but the standouts for me were -
🐸 How to Eat Your Own Heart
💖 Green Frog
🐸 Human Hearts
💖 The Sound of Water
🐸 The Arrow
If you’re looking for unique, heartfelt stories that showcase people navigating heavy life challenges and keep you engaged and hopeful toward life, I highly recommend it. Being able to return to these stories was the highlight of my week.
Thank you so much for the #gifted copy! I already put in my request for Sea Change at the library.
‘Green Frog’ by Gina Chung is a short story collection that explores the lives of the Korean American experience utilizing fantastical elements and impactful folktales.
Through the stories, we see a woman remedying heartache by eating her actual heart, children navigating complicated parental relationships, the utilization of technology to combat grief and painful memories by deleting memories and bringing your deceased children back to life, unexpected pregnancies that bond relationships, children finding their identity and taking control of their lives (+ more)
I enjoyed all 15 stories, but the standouts for me were -
🐸 How to Eat Your Own Heart
💖 Green Frog
🐸 Human Hearts
💖 The Sound of Water
🐸 The Arrow
If you’re looking for unique, heartfelt stories that showcase people navigating heavy life challenges and keep you engaged and hopeful toward life, I highly recommend it. Being able to return to these stories was the highlight of my week.
Thank you so much for the #gifted copy! I already put in my request for Sea Change at the library.
January 20, 2025
4.5 but rounding down. I love a good short story collection. This almost reminded me of her body and other parties. The weirdness and vulnerability were captivating. A beautiful exploration of growing and love and how that manifests in so many different shapes.
February 14, 2024
I am so thankful to PRH Audio for the #free audiobook and Vintage Books and Gina Chung for the physical and digital access to this gem before it hits shelves on March 12, 2024. Each story is so craftily written to celebrate women and love them for their rights and wrongs.
From murderous praying mantises lusting and slicing their lovers like clockwork to a young girl having a child with a town's pastor to a duo of sisters who are up to causing mayhem for their uncle's prized possessions -- there's a story for every angle. I ate them all up and digested them with glee. There are supernatural themes, ones of magical realism, and even some more contemporary lights. This is best on audio and even more fun to follow up with in physical format to get the full effect.
From murderous praying mantises lusting and slicing their lovers like clockwork to a young girl having a child with a town's pastor to a duo of sisters who are up to causing mayhem for their uncle's prized possessions -- there's a story for every angle. I ate them all up and digested them with glee. There are supernatural themes, ones of magical realism, and even some more contemporary lights. This is best on audio and even more fun to follow up with in physical format to get the full effect.
May 22, 2025
(4,5 stars)
Ok people, let‘s just start this review right here and now because this is already hitting more than I could have expected (lowkey thought this was going to be so chill, mystical, and nature-related and that it would get my mind off of real-life issues, but it‘s actually quite a bit the opposite—in a great way though! 😀)
Common theme I‘m seeing so far:
all the different colors of life and the “human heart”💖🌈
Short stories shall get equally short reviews ;)
HOW TO EAT YOUR OWN HEART:
Stunning opening story. 5 pages were enough to have me rethink everything about feeling, our own power over it, & sometimes the need for rebirth in life. Could it have been a little longer? A bit more added to it? Maybe. Or maybe it was just the right recipe.
rating: 4.5
GREEN FROG:
Title story alert. I really like the concept of the Green Frog, and the story truly does hit on some levels. Like not knowing what to do with your life and yourself generally, but no matter what happens, realizing you're still here and able, so just go for it…
rating: 3.5
AFTER THE PARTY:
The theme of this one was a little harder to decode. I think it was floating around multiple, perhaps centering around the hidden turmoils and stories behind closed doors and the twists and turns of life + security vs. the unknown…
rating: 4
RABBIT HEART:
Oh, but the age-old story of being misunderstood… until you aren‘t anymore, and then the best thing in your life is taken away, of fear and courage, growing up, loss, and the fleeting nature of comfort & happiness. But hope…there‘s always the hope…
rating: 4.5
PRESENCE:
What in the Black Mirror episode was this, honestly? 😭 I mean, compared to the show, it‘s also pretty good, but a little quieter in its action, if you know what I mean. The story had a little more potential, I think, but I liked the flashback storytelling structure, and this was all about how far we would go to get rid of our pains and hurtful memories in life and the dangers and ethical questions of science. Also, the more you try to run away and hide from your problems, the more they will linger: like an unshakable presence.
rating: 4
HUMAN HEARTS:
A mythical little story about nine-tailed foxes where the author aims to explore the themes of empathy and the struggle of forging one’s identity in the face of parental and societal expectations, while bringing to life a new side of the Chinese myth. Although I wanted and expected more of this from this collection (and perhaps more I am going to get), there’s something bugging me about the consistency of the stories until now. I think “Presence” and “After the Party” could’ve been blended in a little better. I don’t know; we’ll see.
rating: 4
MANTIS:
I really do enjoy a 4-page zinger that just hits right. Humanizing a mantis’ life while staying true to its nature and managing to create a satire on human relationships and habits, transformation and our ever-changing nature, while making a connection between us and other beings on this planet so well, that shortly, takes some skill.
rating: 4.5
THE SOUND OF WATER:
Just the immigrant experience and where life tends to lead us sometimes, in these unequivocally lives of our own, all weaved together with some beautiful language and relatable feelings—a great one :,,)
rating: 4.5
ATTACHMENT PROCESSES:
Wow. These stories are only beginning to show more and more substance, depth, and connection as a whole, better and better. This story truly amazed me with its exploration of grief, parental struggles and realities, as well as the depth of all the characters. Truly a masterwork in all of its layers. Wouldn‘t change a thing.
rating: 5
THE ARROW:
Oh. And I thought the last story was depressing. My heart is actually aching after this. The story gives off “Green Frog” vibes, but with a lot more substance and generational trauma, showing how in the end, sometimes sadly, no matter the circumstances, children do tend to become their parents in some fundamental ways. But I can say one thing for sure: as the collection is progressing, the stories are strung together only better, and the themes presented are all the more complex and well explored…
rating: 4.5
NAMES FOR FIREFLIES:
Hmm…this felt a little quick and like it could’ve had a whole novel on its own lol; however, it mimics the fast-paced rhythm of youth and first, burning love or crush perfectly. Symbolisms of love, connection, and identity are there. Really cute.
rating: 4
HONEY AND SUN:
Man, these stories are so well crafted; the author definitely deserves all the praise for this collection. All of them are so different, but then again they intertwine so well in their themes, and I love how she uses so many different styles of narration as well as ways of conveying the story, this one very metaphorical but somehow also tightly strung with reality. The ways children find ways to escape reality through their imagination when they are neglected or feel this emotional turmoil they are not able to explain was so beautifully illustrated here. This, the contrast between complete liberty or complete control while growing up and societal expectations on girls and how they should behave and look and blossom but be kept under control, were central themes. Also, them choosing to become the butterfly but flying away in the end was a moment I’ll definitely remember for a while…
rating: 4.5
YOU’LL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVED YOU:
Oh man, we really cannot catch a break, huh… First of all girl has deep issues. Second of all, leave your husband! Leave, leave your husband!! But on a more serious note, I think this is a lot about how, what you were made to feel you deserved earlier on in life is what you think you deserve your whole life, unless you really find the right person to help heal that side of you. How the feeling of worthlessness deeply ingrained within you can ruin your whole life, just because you think that’s all you deserve or that’s the way you work. Similarly, choosing comfort and a fake fantasy over reality can be the easiest sometimes, but it is also something that tends to end very badly… I kind of wish we would’ve gotten a story twice as long; I still felt like it had some potential for even more depth and a bigger conclusion… However, this one still broke me…
rating: 4
THE FRUITS OF SIN:
Here, human nature, with all of its imperfections, contradictions, and emotional complexities, is juxtaposed with the more restrictive moral cages that humans tend to trap themselves into, mindsets that are condemning and can become very damaging. With an exception to purposeful harm upon somebody else, all should view and be viewed with understanding, empathy, and kindness before anything else.
rating: 4
THE LOVE SONG OF THE MEXICAN FREE-TAILED BAT:
An impactful story to finish the collection, speaking of unresolved anger and negative feelings towards unfairness in your life and not knowing how to properly manage it, and the way we always seek closure and connection in life, regarding all of its different parts, often finding solace in unexpected places as well.
rating: 4
Overall: a great short story collection that spans across many different genres, storytelling techniques, and themes, all while portraying difficulties and different, ambiguous issues of life from the perspectives of a wide cast of women in different situations. The coherence of the stories managed to be well kept to me in the end, the author blending in a little bit of everything, as well as purposefully and masterfully connecting the animal, mythical, and technological worlds to the human world, and so giving even more meaning to the already powerful messages of the stories regarding community, familial ties, moral dilemmas, complicated feelings and relationships, and being human ♥️
Ok people, let‘s just start this review right here and now because this is already hitting more than I could have expected (lowkey thought this was going to be so chill, mystical, and nature-related and that it would get my mind off of real-life issues, but it‘s actually quite a bit the opposite—in a great way though! 😀)
Common theme I‘m seeing so far:
all the different colors of life and the “human heart”💖🌈
Short stories shall get equally short reviews ;)
HOW TO EAT YOUR OWN HEART:
Stunning opening story. 5 pages were enough to have me rethink everything about feeling, our own power over it, & sometimes the need for rebirth in life. Could it have been a little longer? A bit more added to it? Maybe. Or maybe it was just the right recipe.
rating: 4.5
GREEN FROG:
Title story alert. I really like the concept of the Green Frog, and the story truly does hit on some levels. Like not knowing what to do with your life and yourself generally, but no matter what happens, realizing you're still here and able, so just go for it…
rating: 3.5
AFTER THE PARTY:
The theme of this one was a little harder to decode. I think it was floating around multiple, perhaps centering around the hidden turmoils and stories behind closed doors and the twists and turns of life + security vs. the unknown…
rating: 4
RABBIT HEART:
Oh, but the age-old story of being misunderstood… until you aren‘t anymore, and then the best thing in your life is taken away, of fear and courage, growing up, loss, and the fleeting nature of comfort & happiness. But hope…there‘s always the hope…
rating: 4.5
PRESENCE:
What in the Black Mirror episode was this, honestly? 😭 I mean, compared to the show, it‘s also pretty good, but a little quieter in its action, if you know what I mean. The story had a little more potential, I think, but I liked the flashback storytelling structure, and this was all about how far we would go to get rid of our pains and hurtful memories in life and the dangers and ethical questions of science. Also, the more you try to run away and hide from your problems, the more they will linger: like an unshakable presence.
rating: 4
HUMAN HEARTS:
A mythical little story about nine-tailed foxes where the author aims to explore the themes of empathy and the struggle of forging one’s identity in the face of parental and societal expectations, while bringing to life a new side of the Chinese myth. Although I wanted and expected more of this from this collection (and perhaps more I am going to get), there’s something bugging me about the consistency of the stories until now. I think “Presence” and “After the Party” could’ve been blended in a little better. I don’t know; we’ll see.
rating: 4
MANTIS:
I really do enjoy a 4-page zinger that just hits right. Humanizing a mantis’ life while staying true to its nature and managing to create a satire on human relationships and habits, transformation and our ever-changing nature, while making a connection between us and other beings on this planet so well, that shortly, takes some skill.
rating: 4.5
THE SOUND OF WATER:
Just the immigrant experience and where life tends to lead us sometimes, in these unequivocally lives of our own, all weaved together with some beautiful language and relatable feelings—a great one :,,)
rating: 4.5
ATTACHMENT PROCESSES:
Wow. These stories are only beginning to show more and more substance, depth, and connection as a whole, better and better. This story truly amazed me with its exploration of grief, parental struggles and realities, as well as the depth of all the characters. Truly a masterwork in all of its layers. Wouldn‘t change a thing.
rating: 5
THE ARROW:
Oh. And I thought the last story was depressing. My heart is actually aching after this. The story gives off “Green Frog” vibes, but with a lot more substance and generational trauma, showing how in the end, sometimes sadly, no matter the circumstances, children do tend to become their parents in some fundamental ways. But I can say one thing for sure: as the collection is progressing, the stories are strung together only better, and the themes presented are all the more complex and well explored…
rating: 4.5
NAMES FOR FIREFLIES:
Hmm…this felt a little quick and like it could’ve had a whole novel on its own lol; however, it mimics the fast-paced rhythm of youth and first, burning love or crush perfectly. Symbolisms of love, connection, and identity are there. Really cute.
rating: 4
HONEY AND SUN:
Man, these stories are so well crafted; the author definitely deserves all the praise for this collection. All of them are so different, but then again they intertwine so well in their themes, and I love how she uses so many different styles of narration as well as ways of conveying the story, this one very metaphorical but somehow also tightly strung with reality. The ways children find ways to escape reality through their imagination when they are neglected or feel this emotional turmoil they are not able to explain was so beautifully illustrated here. This, the contrast between complete liberty or complete control while growing up and societal expectations on girls and how they should behave and look and blossom but be kept under control, were central themes. Also, them choosing to become the butterfly but flying away in the end was a moment I’ll definitely remember for a while…
rating: 4.5
YOU’LL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVED YOU:
Oh man, we really cannot catch a break, huh… First of all girl has deep issues. Second of all, leave your husband! Leave, leave your husband!! But on a more serious note, I think this is a lot about how, what you were made to feel you deserved earlier on in life is what you think you deserve your whole life, unless you really find the right person to help heal that side of you. How the feeling of worthlessness deeply ingrained within you can ruin your whole life, just because you think that’s all you deserve or that’s the way you work. Similarly, choosing comfort and a fake fantasy over reality can be the easiest sometimes, but it is also something that tends to end very badly… I kind of wish we would’ve gotten a story twice as long; I still felt like it had some potential for even more depth and a bigger conclusion… However, this one still broke me…
rating: 4
THE FRUITS OF SIN:
Here, human nature, with all of its imperfections, contradictions, and emotional complexities, is juxtaposed with the more restrictive moral cages that humans tend to trap themselves into, mindsets that are condemning and can become very damaging. With an exception to purposeful harm upon somebody else, all should view and be viewed with understanding, empathy, and kindness before anything else.
rating: 4
THE LOVE SONG OF THE MEXICAN FREE-TAILED BAT:
An impactful story to finish the collection, speaking of unresolved anger and negative feelings towards unfairness in your life and not knowing how to properly manage it, and the way we always seek closure and connection in life, regarding all of its different parts, often finding solace in unexpected places as well.
rating: 4
Overall: a great short story collection that spans across many different genres, storytelling techniques, and themes, all while portraying difficulties and different, ambiguous issues of life from the perspectives of a wide cast of women in different situations. The coherence of the stories managed to be well kept to me in the end, the author blending in a little bit of everything, as well as purposefully and masterfully connecting the animal, mythical, and technological worlds to the human world, and so giving even more meaning to the already powerful messages of the stories regarding community, familial ties, moral dilemmas, complicated feelings and relationships, and being human ♥️
April 1, 2024
mind is reeling…feeling ill…genuinely think this book was written for me. each story reached deep into the enclaves of my brain to resonate with different memories / emotions / anxieties / etc. in a million ways i didn’t expect.
this book is like if Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory were an Asian American coming of age short story collection with a focus on generational trauma (aka I loved it).
the last story was the final nail in the coffin (set in Austin because her dad is a professor at UT??? bffr..), quote as proof below:
“Someday you will forgive your father, and you will remember his occasional tenderness and be able to hold it alongside the hurt he caused you and your family and see it all like light through a prism, refracted by both the things you cannot look at and the things you cannot look away from.”
this book is like if Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory were an Asian American coming of age short story collection with a focus on generational trauma (aka I loved it).
the last story was the final nail in the coffin (set in Austin because her dad is a professor at UT??? bffr..), quote as proof below:
“Someday you will forgive your father, and you will remember his occasional tenderness and be able to hold it alongside the hurt he caused you and your family and see it all like light through a prism, refracted by both the things you cannot look at and the things you cannot look away from.”
July 21, 2024
i really wish i liked this book a lot more. some stories are quite lovely, like the first and last story. unfortunately it felt like the author kept revolving around the same type of protagonist with very similar concerns (korean middle aged diaspora women). the author shines the best in her surreal stories, like one about pinned butterflies and stifling silences, but i wished there were more such exciting surprising stories.
it also seemed like the stories had loads of buildup of context but would stop just before chekhov's gun is actually revealed, right before the emotional climax of the story, and it was a move that happened in quite a few stories. it felt a bit unsatisfying after a while which i greatly mourned.
overall, i'm glad i read it, but i did not enjoy it as much as i wanted to.
it also seemed like the stories had loads of buildup of context but would stop just before chekhov's gun is actually revealed, right before the emotional climax of the story, and it was a move that happened in quite a few stories. it felt a bit unsatisfying after a while which i greatly mourned.
overall, i'm glad i read it, but i did not enjoy it as much as i wanted to.
January 11, 2024
a collection of short stories, all centered around Korean American characters. they cover a broad range of settings and themes but some recurring ones that stuck out to me were grief and family dynamics (parents, marriage, children). some of the stories have speculative or almost fairy tale-like elements, such as talking dolls or advanced tech that can mainpulate memories. in each story the central character was either on the precipice of a big life change or having just experienced one, making each story very reflective and impactful. they are the perfect collection of short stories if you are looking for unique takes on old themes or when you are in a pensive mood. (i posted this on storygraph first)
November 11, 2024
Names for Fireflies, Human Hearts, and Honey and Sun >>>>>
March 25, 2024
[4.5/5 stars]
A heart boils on the stove as part of a cure for melancholy; there is a manipulation of memory in an attempt to treat psychiatric disorders and the MC is haunted; a kumiho whose twin sister died and she seeks revenge; parents get their lost child (embedded with memories) back; a mother and daughter reunited by an unwanted pregnancy; a son who gives up his dream for family; a woman reexamines her father's legacy after his death,...
In this collection, the characters are plagued by guilt and grief. They often nurture the hurt, which resentment, betrayal and rage that comes from love become an insistence in their lives.
Grief, as a lifelong process, makes even the slightest warmth to vanish and broken relationships are born as a result. A melancholic tone lurks in the words, viscerally making its way through one's life. However the words hold far more than sorrowing - amidst fragile bonds, forgiveness and tenderness relieve the weight on one's mind and the characters are free to make their own way through life; these feel palpable in a way that exposed the most vulnerable side of me.
In this process of purging, Chung has the ability to tactfully capture the complexity of parenting, motherhood, womanhood, patriarchy, cultural identity, immigration, misogyny, religion, marriage and family; and the infusion of Korean folktales invite the best of tenderness. There are slice-of-life stories that frequently emanate atmospheric vibes and emotional tensions. Each story is meaningful and my favorites are "Rabbit heart", "Human hearts", "Attachment processes" and "The arrow". "Green frog" especially resonated with me, as I lost my mother from the same cancer and it unlocked some memories.
With evocative prose, the stories in this collection offer a sharp sense of longing and readers will miss their mother and grandmother.
GREEN FROG is a heartfelt and raw short story collections that stir the deepest emotions. Chung doesn't disappoint in this sophomore and I found it meditative, unique and multifaceted.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Vintage books . All opinions are my own ]
A heart boils on the stove as part of a cure for melancholy; there is a manipulation of memory in an attempt to treat psychiatric disorders and the MC is haunted; a kumiho whose twin sister died and she seeks revenge; parents get their lost child (embedded with memories) back; a mother and daughter reunited by an unwanted pregnancy; a son who gives up his dream for family; a woman reexamines her father's legacy after his death,...
In this collection, the characters are plagued by guilt and grief. They often nurture the hurt, which resentment, betrayal and rage that comes from love become an insistence in their lives.
Grief, as a lifelong process, makes even the slightest warmth to vanish and broken relationships are born as a result. A melancholic tone lurks in the words, viscerally making its way through one's life. However the words hold far more than sorrowing - amidst fragile bonds, forgiveness and tenderness relieve the weight on one's mind and the characters are free to make their own way through life; these feel palpable in a way that exposed the most vulnerable side of me.
In this process of purging, Chung has the ability to tactfully capture the complexity of parenting, motherhood, womanhood, patriarchy, cultural identity, immigration, misogyny, religion, marriage and family; and the infusion of Korean folktales invite the best of tenderness. There are slice-of-life stories that frequently emanate atmospheric vibes and emotional tensions. Each story is meaningful and my favorites are "Rabbit heart", "Human hearts", "Attachment processes" and "The arrow". "Green frog" especially resonated with me, as I lost my mother from the same cancer and it unlocked some memories.
With evocative prose, the stories in this collection offer a sharp sense of longing and readers will miss their mother and grandmother.
GREEN FROG is a heartfelt and raw short story collections that stir the deepest emotions. Chung doesn't disappoint in this sophomore and I found it meditative, unique and multifaceted.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Vintage books . All opinions are my own ]
August 3, 2024
Huge thanks to Netgalley and @panmacmillan for the advanced digital copy of Gina Chung's short story collection 'Green Frog'.
I wasn't familiar with Gina Chung's previous work, but it's safe to say she gained a new fan with this one.
As a lover of short story collections, 'Green Frog' hit all the right spots for me.
'Green Frog' is a collection of 15 ambitious and intriguing short stories in different genres. The author takes very real stories and human experiences like dealing with the loss of a parent, unexpected pregnancy and dysfunctional familial relationships, and sprinkles them with a bit of magical realism, speculative fiction and Korean mythology.
Just like with every other short story collection, there's stories I loved and stories that didn't impress me as much.
What I will say is that every story in this collection stands out in its own unique way.
I wasn't familiar with Gina Chung's previous work, but it's safe to say she gained a new fan with this one.
As a lover of short story collections, 'Green Frog' hit all the right spots for me.
'Green Frog' is a collection of 15 ambitious and intriguing short stories in different genres. The author takes very real stories and human experiences like dealing with the loss of a parent, unexpected pregnancy and dysfunctional familial relationships, and sprinkles them with a bit of magical realism, speculative fiction and Korean mythology.
Just like with every other short story collection, there's stories I loved and stories that didn't impress me as much.
What I will say is that every story in this collection stands out in its own unique way.
March 22, 2025
3.5 rounded down bc i'm feeling strict
could have been a perfect short story collection if almost every story did not end tied into a pretty little bow. truly such great stories and then the very last sentence would be like "but then i remembered that life goes on" or "but death is only the end of life.. not the end of love" like yes girl but also consider trusting your reader to come to those realisations themselves i beg. i was telling my coworker about this and showed her an example and she said it was giving tumblr word post reblog and you know what, it really was!
towards the end of the collection, the stories ditch that pattern so i liked them a lot more -- wish they would have done that earlier smh
could have been a perfect short story collection if almost every story did not end tied into a pretty little bow. truly such great stories and then the very last sentence would be like "but then i remembered that life goes on" or "but death is only the end of life.. not the end of love" like yes girl but also consider trusting your reader to come to those realisations themselves i beg. i was telling my coworker about this and showed her an example and she said it was giving tumblr word post reblog and you know what, it really was!
towards the end of the collection, the stories ditch that pattern so i liked them a lot more -- wish they would have done that earlier smh
May 17, 2024
3.5
Thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me an eARC to review!
After really enjoying Sea Change I was excited to read more from the author, and this was a solid short story collection about family (especially mothers and daughters) and coming-of-age (at any age).
Some of the stories had a touch of magical realism but others are firmly rooted in reality, and since the messages of the stories were all very similar I think this was the perfect length for the collection. Would definitely read more from this author in future!
Thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me an eARC to review!
After really enjoying Sea Change I was excited to read more from the author, and this was a solid short story collection about family (especially mothers and daughters) and coming-of-age (at any age).
Some of the stories had a touch of magical realism but others are firmly rooted in reality, and since the messages of the stories were all very similar I think this was the perfect length for the collection. Would definitely read more from this author in future!
July 13, 2025
okay i actually have so much to say. looooved these stories so much !! themes of parental and familial relationships, grief and loss, motherhood and pregnancy, animals and nature, and sometimes dipped into magical realism and dark fiction and i ate that up. i listened to this on audiobook (my first ever audiobook!) and i feel mixed about it. the writing was beautiful, but i felt like it was harder to truly appreciate because i was listening instead of reading (probably my own processing issue lol). also i felt very ~abandoned~ at the end of each story lol - it felt very different from finishing a story/book when reading and holding it in your hands and having a moment. overall the book is a 5/5, audio book experience of it was a 3.5/5.
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