The Hidden Girl and Other Stories

Overall a good book

Paper Menagerie was and is my favorite modern sci fi short story collection so Ken had some big shoes to fill. It is sometimes hard to believe they are from the same author. I plan on rereading Paper Menagerie to see exactly what made it so much more appealing to me. On one last note I feel like the author was pushing some ideologies in a ham fisted sorta way, which was either non existent or much better done in Paper Menagerie. If you come in with ZERO expectations then your enjoyment may vary widely from mine.Do yourself a favor. If you plan on reading both of Ken's short story collections start with The Hidden Girl and then Paper Menagerie. You'll thank me later.

I laughed, I cried, but above all I could not stop reading. eight more words required it says. Now 2

Some good stories, but pales in comparison to a paper menagerie. Still worth a read, just skip stories that don’t start strong

Ken Liu deserves a spot in the 'ABCs' of Sci Fi; he stands on the shoulders of the giants but is also a giant himself. I loved his first Anthology "The Paper Menagerie." That book made me fall in love with the form of short stories and how so much emotion and lingering thought could linger with the fewest necessary words? A perfect short fiction is math; any omission or addition of a word ruins the precariously balanced equation. Each of his stories would be the equivalent of a well thought out thought experience on the nature of humanity. His story, "The Advanced Reader's...." is my favorite short story written.So, how does his second anthology fare? I did not find each story as captivating or provocative by itself as its predecessor. However, this book shines because each short story is meticulously woven and placed to give meaning to the overall book like a spider's web. Elements and unsolved questions spill over to the next story, themes and variations leave you feeling as if there are three chapters each in their own 'Liu- verse' challenging us to ask the questions. There are also two stories (one a preview) that are fantasy or silk-punk related which felt more action oriented than thoughtful. Overall, where the first anthology shined due to each story being exemplary, this anthology shines due to the brilliant structure and placement of its stories erasing the boundaries from stories spanning time and themes.

Ken Liu's latest collection of short stories is truly a remarkable read. Presented in the form of a meta-narrative, we as readers do get the sense that this collection, while written over a nearly ten-year span, forms a cohesive whole that makes sense together. Liu and his editor create this sense of cohesion by linking story lines and central themes throughout the collection. While other reviewers have noted the darkness and dystopia casting a shadow on the collection, I also found plenty of reasons to cheer when reading these stories. Here are a few of the aspects I truly love about this collection.First, nearly every story here features a powerful female protagonist. In fact, some stories are inhabited solely by female characters. In a traditionally male-dominated genre, I find it so empowering to read an entire collection of stories in which female characters are given such a forceful voice. Liu's talent truly shines in his ability to create compelling and believable characters, both female and male, who nearly leap off the pages into the reader's space. We can't help but cheer for Ava as she goes on a quest to rescue her lost brother, grieve with Maddie as she suffers personal loss to save humanity, and shout frustration at Maggie as she tries to prove herself with reckless abandon.Another theme I find uplifting in this collection is the power of family, even in the face of disaster. We immediately recognize the complex and complicated family relations within these stories as akin to our own contemporary reality: estranged fathers and daughters brought back together by tragedy, children grappling with their identity and heritage, adolescents breaking free of the world their parents envision for them, the sacrifices of parents for their children and vice versa. No matter the setting, we see in these stories the power of family ties to traverse all barriers of space and time.Finally, this collection often focuses on survival in an apocalyptic/post apocalyptic world. The speculative dystopian outcomes described here can be difficult to read, but in typical Liu fashion, these outcomes - not outside the scope of our own near-future reality - are presented without any moral high-handedness, allowing the reader to consider all sides and wonder what is right and wrong, what is the truth behind those forces driving social justice, how should we handle global crises with the long view in mind? Whether it is the aftermath of extreme global warming or the digitization of the human species, Liu's speculative view of a post-human world (and even a post-alien universe) forces us to reflect on our own reality in ways we might not choose to do without this impetus.Each story in The Hidden Girl is a world of its own, ready for the reader to explore, while also fitting into the larger thematic universe of the collection. Liu's writing offers a perfect gateway into speculative fiction, sci-fi, and fantasy for those who might not be familiar with these genres. A wonderful collection with meaningful themes, compelling characters, and plenty of what-if moments to keep every reader intrigued to the very last page.

Buena recopilación de cuentos, sobre todo para los que somos aficionados al estilo literario de Liu. La mayoría de los cuentos están relacionados con el concepto de singularidad.

Lived it loveditloved it!!!! Captivating and insightful. At the end of each story I had to stop and catch breath to ponder "what just happened". Highly recommend!

I didn't finish this book, it was making me too sad.

A wonderful book of surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed dipping in and out of this one. Lovely read.

I got through them all in the end but it was a struggle. Lecturing. At first I thought the style was YA but by the end I think they all use a hectoring tone and have under developed characters, not good for any audience.