After enjoying both Black Water Sister and The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, my wife and I were eager to dive into Cho’s other fictions. We found Spirits Abroad: And Other Stories at the library and eagerly snapped up the chance to delve into her short stories.

Only for me to be rudely reminded that I have shit taste actually. God had to nerf me, okay. It’s been years since I’ve read a short story collection, and I clean forgot I don’t like them. No matter how skilled and beloved the author, my brain refuses to enjoy a series of little stories in one sitting. The process is too taxing. For each work, my brain will painstakingly observe and investigate the themes, characters, plot, pace, and world-building. Ya know: usual writer stuff. Once the story’s over, the brain rests, savors, and forms conclusions. If it has to do this heavy process again and again, in quick succession, I literally get headaches. If I'd bought the collection, I would have read a story a month and a more normal reading experience. However, an incredibly slow reading pace is impossible for a library book. Other people want to read this!

So, because I’m an idiot, Spirits Abroad: And Other Stories was a 3 star reading experience for me personally. That being said, even my brain, during active revolt, recognized this collection as more than worthy of 5 stars. Each story is well-plotted. Queerness and folkloric creatures inhabit nearly every story—subjects that are right up my alley. Like with her other work, Cho invites her readers into Malaysian culture: either to learn it for the first time or to be welcomed home. Several stories come in sets, and the same characters return for more adventures. The back cover has an author blurb that says Cho shows us the Malay spirit world, and how it’s just as annoying (and humorous) as the human one. Spot on description.

Most stories pierced my headache-induced brain fog one way or another. As you might guess, I enjoyed the longer or paired stories more. Special shout outs: