Dear Cyborgs

Dear Cyborgs seamlessly blends superhero narratives with social protest movements across multiple timelines and realities. The story moves between 1980s suburban Ohio, where two Asian American boys bond over comic books, and a near-future New York City during a fictionalized version of Occupy Wall Street. The narrative structure incorporates conversations between superheroes, protest stories, and fragments of art criticism into an experimental form. Characters discuss revolution, resistance, and the nature of protest while navigating both mundane and extraordinary circumstances. The novel draws on superhero mythology and social justice movements to explore themes of activism, friendship, and cultural identity. It presents a meditation on the intersection between protest culture and popular entertainment, considering how stories of resistance take shape in both real and fictional worlds.

Readers describe Dear Cyborgs as an experimental novel that weaves together superhero narratives with philosophical discussions. Many note it requires careful attention to follow the interconnected storylines. Readers appreciated: - The blend of pop culture with literary fiction - Sharp commentary on activism and resistance - Unique structure that challenges traditional storytelling - Discussions of Asian American identity Common criticisms: - Difficulty following multiple narrative threads - Too much philosophical meandering - Characters feel distant and hard to connect with - Plot can feel secondary to the discussions Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (293 ratings) Amazon: 3.8/5 (12 ratings) One reader noted: "Like a conversation that keeps going off on tangents but somehow circles back to make sense." Another wrote: "The superhero elements feel like window dressing for lengthy philosophical monologues." Multiple reviews mention the book works better when viewed as a series of connected meditations rather than a traditional novel.

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🔷 Eugene Lim's novel mirrors the real-life Occupy Wall Street movement of 2011, which began in New York's Zuccotti Park and spread globally, becoming one of the most significant protest movements of the 21st century. 🔷 The book's superhero elements draw from both Western comic book traditions and Asian martial arts mythology, creating a unique cultural fusion that reflects the author's Korean-American heritage. 🔷 Prior to writing Dear Cyborgs, Eugene Lim worked as a librarian and ran Ellipsis Press, an independent publishing house dedicated to experimental fiction. 🔷 The novel's structure was partly inspired by David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas, another work that employs multiple interconnected narratives across different time periods. 🔷 The 1980s Ohio setting draws from the author's own childhood experiences growing up in the Midwest as an Asian American during a period of significant demographic change in suburban America.