Cursed Bunny: Stories by Bora Chung (Author), Anton Hur (Translator) (SHORTLISTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE)

A wildly original novel from a rising star of Korean literature—surreal, chilling fables that take on the patriarchy, capitalism, and the reign of big tech with absurdist humor and a (sometimes literal) bite.   

From an author never before published in the United States, Cursed Bunny is unique and imaginative, blending horror, sci-fi, fairy tales, and speculative fiction into stories that defy categorization. By turns thought-provoking and stomach-turning, here monsters take the shapes of furry woodland creatures and danger lurks in unexpected corners of everyday apartment buildings. But in this unforgettable collection, translated by the acclaimed Anton Hur, Chung’s absurd, haunting universe could be our own.   

“The Head” follows a woman haunted by her own bodily waste. “The Embodiment” takes us into a dystopian gynecology office where a pregnant woman is told that she must find a father for her baby or face horrific consequences. Another story follows a young monster, forced into underground fight rings without knowing his own power. The titular fable centers on a cursed lamp in the shape of a rabbit, fit for a child’s bedroom but for its sinister capabilities.   

No two stories are alike, and readers will be torn whether to race through them or savor Chung’s wit and frenetic energy on every page. Cursed Bunny is a book that screams to be read late into the night and passed on to the nearest set of hands the very next day.  

“Like the work of Carmen Maria Machado and Aoko Matsuda, Chung’s stories are so wonderfully, blisteringly strange and powerful that it's almost impossible to put Cursed Bunny down.” ―Kelly Link, bestselling author of Get In Trouble  

Finalist for the 2023 National Book Award in Translated Literature 

Review

SHORTLISTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE, FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN TRANSLATED LITERATURE, AND WINNER OF A PEN/HEIM TRANSLATION GRANT

"Bora Chung's Cursed Bunny mines those places where what we fear is true and what is true meet and separate and re-meet. The resulting stories are indelible. Haunting, funny, gross, terrifying—and yet when we reach the end, we just want more."―Alexander Chee, author of How to Write an Autobiographical Novel

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Algonquin Books

Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 6, 2022

Edition ‏ : ‎ Translation

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Print length ‏ : ‎ 256 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1643753606

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 9781643753607

Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds

Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.1 x 0.9 x 8.1 inches