Family, Nostalgia, and Time Travel: Flux Review
“Your line was always ‘give me a reason.’ Always. And forget the fact that it was and continues to be the cheesiest TV-pilot-gravel-voiced-detective-mystery catchphrase ever written. It was your thing, you were the guy who wanted everybody in the world to give you a reason, the reason, any reason, and for the most part, for most of the episodes through 1985 and 1986, people did.”
-page 1, Flux By Jinwoo Chong
Flux, released in March 2023, is Jinwoo Chong’s debut novel. Despite its recent release, already, it has a long list of accolades. Flux features in a long list of publications, including as Editor’s Choice for the New York Times. Esquire, Goodreads, Powell’s, Cosmopolitan, and Debutiful also named it ‘One of the Best Books of 2023’.
The novel jumps between three characters Bo, an 8-year-old who loses his mother, Brandon, a 28-year-old who loses his job, and Blue, a 48-year-old who is preparing to do an exclusive expose on his former employer. They are all united by a complicated relationship with an 80s detective show Raider, and their struggle to separate themselves from the art, artist, and reality. In fact, a large portion of the book is addressed to the main character of Raider. Largely, the book considers themes of identity, grief, and family through a time-twisting literary setting.
Flux: Spoiler-Free Review
Overall, I was very fond of this book. The cast of characters is largely bisexual, mixed race, and Korean American. The novel did an excellent job of interrogating what those identities meant to the people that held them. I will say, this novel is rather bleak. I found myself continuously despairing in the terrible decisions made by the characters, particularly Brandon. That being said, the decisions make sense in the context of the story, even if you’re screaming at your book. If you are okay with crying, and you like genre twisters, this is a definite must-read.
Flux: Spoilers-Filled Review
Now, we can dive into more specifics. As wasn’t too hard to guess (and is revealed about halfway through the book), Bo, Brandon, and Blue are all the same person. Largely the novel focuses on how Bo’s loss of his mother and failure to process his grief tears apart his relationships as both Brandon and Blue. He blames himself for her death which causes him to lash out at his brother and father. However, also is afraid of intimacy and struggles throughout the novel to maintain both romantic relationships and friendships. After losing his job, Brandon is hired by the company, Flux. Once hired, he begins to lose time and become even more self-destructive as his grip on reality falters. The way in which the reader gets to follow this man at all stages of his life creates a heartbreaking vignette of a life spent stuck in the past and in the process forsaking his future.
Flux was not at all what I expected. It wasn’t quite as science fiction heavy as I anticipated, but I still was in love with the characters and the setting. Most of the true action takes place ‘off-screen’ and the scenes are more devoted to how those actions impact the thoughts and feelings of the characters after the face. This is not an action-packed time travel mystery. However, it is a thoughtful and thought-provoking tale of family and heartbreak.
(4.5 / 5)
Book Reviews
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke.
“What have you done today to deserve your eyes?”
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes, Eric LaRocca’s June 2021 debut collection, is a dark and disturbing exploration of human connection and the desperation for intimacy. These stories burrow under the skin, blending psychological horror sprinklings of body horror and a disturbing undercurrent of religious obsession.
The Stories.
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes features a novella followed by two short stories.
‘Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke.’
Presented as a true crime investigation and told through a series of increasingly disturbing emails and instant messages,Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke charts the twisted relationship between Agnes and Zoe. What begins with the sale of an heirloom apple peeler quickly spirals into obsession, control, and unsettling discussions about life, death, and dominance. Winner of the 2022 Splatterpunk Award for Best Novella.
‘The Enchantment.’
Set in our world, but where the afterlife has been proven to not exist. A couple (Olive and James) welcomes their teenage son Milo home, eager to celebrate his 17th birthday. Milo, a highly religious person, is in no mood to celebrate. Milo is convinced that science is wrong, God exists, and he is willing to go to great lengths to prove his devotion.
‘You’ll Find It’s Like That All Over.
Gerald Fowler’s garden discovery—a bone—leads him to his mysterious neighbor, Mr. Perlzig. A seemingly simple question about the bone’s origins quickly devolves into a series of escalating bets that Gerald can’t seem to lose, with darkly comedic and increasingly unsettling consequences. What lengths is Mr. Fowler willing to go to to ensure he remains a polite neighbor?
- Audible Audiobook
- Eric LaRocca (Author) – Laurie Catherine Winkel (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
Last update on 2025-02-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Highlights.
The main highlight in this collection was the first story, ‘Things Have Gotten Worse Since We last Spoke’. This story felt like a rollercoaster and it ended with me wanting more. The body horror toward the end was so well written, LaRocca doesn’t resort to drawn-out bloody descriptions or visceral language, the body horror here feels more mature than that. It is slight cramping and nausea and knowing the cause and how it’s all going to end. Also please pay attention to the nuances of who enters and leaves the chats first and how quickly (or slowly) emails are returned. It is in these details that LaRocco shines, you can feel the desperation oozing from the page.
‘You’ll Find It’s Like That All Over’ is Stephen King-esque; for me, that’s a big win! I’m not sure what it is exactly, perhaps it is Mr. Fowler who feels he could walk into Castle Rock, in particular of the Needful Things era, and not be noticed, or maybe it’s the Americana feel of the story itself. There’s just something there that makes me want to pick up anything of King’s and reread it.
- Audible Audiobook
- Stephen King (Author) – Stephen King (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
Last update on 2025-02-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Drawbacks.
Notice how I skipped a story in the ‘Highlights’ section. Let’s talk about ‘The Enchantment’. Look, I didn’t hate it. It just felt disjointed and unfinished. Like LaRocca had a great idea but perhaps had some trouble with the execution. The first scene was great and I was ready to completely enjoy it. The characters are so well developed in this first scene, the parental angst and the teen anger are palpable. But then there is the ‘Six Months Later’ jump and we are thrown onto Temple Island. Despite the parents being there, they are not the same people and I didn’t completely buy the reason for them being there, or being there together. The stranger who appears and the reason behind it feels contrived and enters into deus ex machina territory.
The Final Take.
This collection has much to offer, with the eponymous novella being the strongest of the three in my humble opinion. While ‘The Enchantment’ is less impactful, it does contribute to the book’s exploration of religious ideas and provides a thematic bridge between the other stories. Might someone skip who feels inclined to do so? Yes, I think they could without missing out on too much.
(3.5 / 5)
Ever wonder what would happen if a witch, a mythological dreamscape, and a kitchen disaster collided at full speed? Jennifer Weigel’s Let’s Do Lunch (Witch Hayzelle’s Recipes for Disaster Book 1) doesn’t just answer that question—it serves it up on a flaming silver platter with a side of snarky humor and alliterative goodness.
This fast-paced, genre-blending novella is part mythological adventure, part obsessive investigation (Moby Dick style), and part cookbook. Yes, you read that right. The book sprinkles in recipes—some of which might be surprisingly edible (looking at you, tofu dish). I think the mix of this worked really well. At times, and this might be because of my background, I thought that the book was pushing into Gargantuan territory and then it slipped back into a real recipe.
Where Let’s Do Lunch really shines is in its world-building. The mythology of dreams is an intriguing and immersive element that keeps the story grounded in a unique and whimsical lore. The characters, while more like vehicles for humor than deep personalities, fit well within the book’s quick and quirky style. There’s also a delightful meta-layer to the storytelling, making it feel self-aware in the best possible way.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Weigel, Jennifer (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Last update on 2025-01-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Another thing that worked really well, even on Kindle, is the art the author produces. The drawings really do make a lot of the book pop and work remarkably well in black and white (or paperwhite, as the case may be). Even the cover is a mix of void space set aside by white–the creation of art through erasure of darkness.
Kindle Caveat:
One small hiccup–if you’re reading the Kindle version, be prepared for footnotes that don’t always play nice with e-readers. They can be tricky to navigate, making it tough to appreciate some of the book’s side notes without breaking the flow. This is something the publisher seems to agree with (as the amazon page has a similar warning).
Overall and Score
Overall, Let’s Do Lunch is a light, fun read perfect for anyone who enjoys their fantasy with a heavy dose of humor and a sprinkle of culinary catastrophe. If the rest of the Recipes for Disaster series keeps up this level of playful mayhem, fans are in for a treat (or at least a hilarious food-related accident).
(4 / 5)
“It’s the thing they say about Tome. Everyone returns in the end-“
Lucy Foley’s 7th and newest page-turner was released in June 2024. The Midnight Feast, demonstrates to readers why her name keeps appearing on the New York Times best sellers list. Blending a mystery/ thriller story with folkloric horror, Foley had me sitting up past my bedtime and considering moving Tome.
- Audible Audiobook
- Lucy Foley (Author) – Joe Eyre, Sarah Slimani, Roly Botha (Narrators)
- English (Publication Language)
Last update on 2025-01-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Plot.
The Manor, an exclusive retreat nestled deep within the woods, opens its doors on a weekend of glitzy chaos. Founder Francesca Meadows, is the picture of serene wellness. A meditating, green juice-drinking, organic linen-wearing type, at least on the surface. The Manor was left to her by her Grandfa (no this is not a typo!) and she summered here as a teen.
Francesca is rather stressed because it is opening night and the construction is still in progress. The next stage in the renovation is the building of treehouses for guests to stay in. Inspired by one that Francesca had as a child. However, this means cutting down trees in the woods. Though this part of the woods is technically private property the locals are not happy, and neither are the strange bird-like creatures in the woods. These are Elder trees after all, and cutting them down would be bad luck without asking the trees’ permission first…
As a diverse cast descends upon The Manor, each harboring concealed pasts, the idyllic facade begins to crumble. Locals, masquerading as glamorous outsiders, mingle with the elite, revealing a web of interconnected secrets and unspoken resentments.
Beneath the veneer of tranquility lies a simmering undercurrent of tension, fueled by unspoken desires, long-buried grudges, and the unsettling feeling that everyone, in their own way, is seeking redemption at The Manor.
Highlights.
The Midnight Feast brims with subtle and insightful social commentary. One of the most compelling aspects is Foley’s ingenious portrayal of the affluent imitating the pagan, and vice versa. The elite, led by Francesca Meadows, strive to embrace “natural living” with white robes, floral headpieces, and a veneer of eco-consciousness. Ironically, they are aping the very rituals of the local townsfolk, who hold deep-rooted pagan beliefs. Meanwhile, these locals are donning formal attire and dropping their accents to navigate the social circles of The Manor. This fascinating dynamic, presented with understated humor, highlights the performative nature of social identity and the blurred lines between genuine connection and superficial imitation.
On a more profound level, Foley grapples with the complex issue of land ownership and the historical injustices it can perpetuate. Francesca Meadows, with her inherited wealth and privileged position, asserts absolute dominion over the land. She views it as her exclusive domain. She attempts to restrict access to the woods, a vital thoroughfare for the local community, sparking a conflict that raises important questions about land rights, historical dispossession, and the inherent unfairness of a system that allows a few to claim ownership over land that has been traditionally used and revered by others for generations.
Drawbacks.
My only criticism of this book is for something Foley is known for doing; 5+ points of view. There’s Bella, Owen, Francesca, Eddie, DI Walker, and local fishermen, then add to this journal entries from the summer of 2010 and it really does feel like you are drowning in the beginning. Despite this overwhelm, as you become more familiar with the characters it becomes easier to follow. Foley is excellent at making her characters’ voices distinct from one another. So much so that you almost don’t need the names at the top of the chapters. But buyer beware.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Foley, Lucy (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Last update on 2025-01-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Final Take.
Having thoroughly enjoyed all of Foley’s novels that I’ve read, I can confidently say that The Midnight Feast is a standout. The seamless integration of folkloric elements – a personal favorite – truly elevates the narrative. From the enigmatic markings to the otherworldly creatures lurking within the forest and the intriguing use of solstice as chapter markers, Foley masterfully weaves a captivating and atmospheric tale that kept me utterly engrossed. This is a true page-turner that I wholeheartedly recommend.
(5 / 5)
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