Green Frog, Gina Chung
Short story collections are often overshadowed in favour of full-length novels, even though they possess a certain storytelling prowess. Readers, myself included, might overlook them, believing they lack the depth and pilgrimage novels provide. However, as famously alluded to by F. Scott Fitzgerald – “Find the key emotion; this may be all you need to know to find your short story” – the true beauty of short stories lies in their ability to distil powerful emotions, complex ideas, and vivid characters into concise, impactful narratives. They are designed to consume you from the very first page with short and sharp brevity, exploring multiple worlds and perspectives within a single volume. As readers, we are given only a side glance of a character’s full existence; there is, after all, no need to understand their entire life story, as we’re standing in the wings of a theatre production, having missed the first half.
Gina Chung’s Green Frog exemplifies this strength. It presents 15 emotionally resonant stories that explore the complexities of human relationships, identity, culture, and the multifaceted nature of womanhood through the lens of the Korean American experience.
This collection's breadth is remarkable. Each story stands on its own two feet, blending realism, folklore, and speculative elements to curate an anthology that varies in length and style. Much like Chung’s debut novel, Sea Change, Green Frog explores the fantastical intersection with the everyday. Both books are deeply rooted in Korean American identity and cultural heritage, supported by the insertion of traditional fairy tales and the occasional use of the Korean language. No words are wasted on the page, and each sentence is deliciously melodic and sweepingly empathetic. Chung's writing style, with its lyrical prose and compassionate tone, is a critical factor in the book's storytelling finesse, making Green Frog a truly captivating read.
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