Look Who's Morphing

by Tom Cho

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Description

Tom Cho's collection of fictions and fantasies is all about morphing and transformation. Through the shape-shifting, we follow the narrator on his surreal adventures, which include dirty dancing with Johnny Castle, a rambunctious encounter with TV's Dr Phil, a job as Whitney Houston's bodyguard and another as a Muppet, a period in service with the von Trapp family in The Sound of Music, a totally destructive outing as Godzilla, and that high octane performance as a Gulliver-sized cock rock show more singer, complete with cohort of tiny adoring girls. As these fantasies of identity, sexuality and power u show less

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SWQS For fans of metafictional experimental fiction.

Member Reviews

3 reviews
This is a collection of insane short stories that had me snorting with laughter. After a couple of beers with the narrator Auntie Wei ends up in a novelty shop in Swanston street where she buys an apron with attached breasts which she wears down to Flinders Street station and home on the train. Other people are seeing her differently, the narrator notices, and in fact, Auntie Wei has become possessed by the devil. I can't do justice to this; it's hysterically funny and you have to read it for yourselves.

In another story, Cho starts off as Maria, turns into Captain von Trapp, and fantasizes about Fonzie with the Mother Superior. When the Australian Government launches a program to turn low income earners into robots, he becomes a robotic show more protocol expert, working at the UN. He's a cock rock god, staked to the earth like Gulliver. He's Whitney Houston's bionic bodyguard, then a penguin muppet.

Comic lunacy.
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½
Really enjoyed the read, particularly the literal relationship chemistry between Johnny and Bruce, and all the familial scenes--interrupted via orc raiders or not.
Some lovely moments, and Tom's voice comes through very clearly.
Unlike one of the reviews noted in the blurb, however, I wouldn't have been able to read this, all so greedily, in one go--the voice is too strong. Even with great divergence in the subject, it still sounds the same. I wouldn't characterise this as a problem, however, instead I would liken this to Gaiman's ever-present tone: overpowering in some ways, but also very likable, intimate. Very much a performance, in storyteller style.

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1+ Work 65 Members

Awards and Honors

Common Knowledge

Original publication date
2009

Classifications

Genres
Fiction and Literature, Fantasy
DDC/MDS
823.92Literature & rhetoricEnglish & Old English literaturesEnglish fiction1900-2000-
LCC
PR9619.4 .C56 .L66Language and LiteratureEnglishEnglish LiteratureEnglish literature: Provincial, local, etc.
BISAC

Statistics

Members
65
Popularity
478,493
Reviews
3
Rating
½ (3.73)
Languages
English
Media
Paper, Ebook
ISBNs
7
ASINs
3