Black Mirror meets Get Out in this gripping story collection
reminiscent of the work of Octavia E. Butler, which deftly blends
science fiction, horror, and fantasy to examine issues of race,
class, and prejudice--an electrifying, oftentimes heartbreaking
debut from an extraordinary new voice. Justin C. Key has long been
obsessed with monsters. Reading R. L. Stine's Goosebumps as a kid,
he imagined himself battling monsters and mayhem to a triumphant
end. But when watching Scream 2, in which the movie's only Black
couple is promptly killed off, he realized that the Black and Brown
characters in his favorite genre were almost always the victim or
villain--if they were portrayed at all. In The World Wasn't Ready
for You, Key expands and subverts the horror genre to expertly
explore issues of race, class, prejudice, love, exclusion,
loneliness, and what it means to be a person in the world, while
revealing the horrifying nature inherent in all of us. In the
opening story, "The Perfection of Theresa Watkins," a sci-fi love
story turned nightmare, a husband uses new technology to download
the consciousness of his recently deceased Black wife into the body
of a white woman. In "Spider King," an inmate agrees to participate
in an experimental medical study offered to Black prisoners in
exchange for early release, only to find his body reacting with
disturbing symptoms. And in the title story, a father tries to
protect his son, teaching him how to navigate a prejudiced world
that does not understand him and sees him as a threat. The World
Wasn't Ready for You is a gripping, provocative, and distinctly
original collection that demonstrates Key's remarkable literary
gifts--a skill at crafting science fiction stories equaled by an
ability to sculpt characters and narrative--as well as his utterly
fresh take on how genre can be used to delight, awe, frighten, and
ultimately challenge our perceptions. Wildly imaginative and
powerfully resonant, it introduces an unforgettable new voice in
fiction.
General
Imprint: |
Collins
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
September 2023 |
Authors: |
Justin C. Key
|
Dimensions: |
229 x 152 x 23mm (L x W x T) |
Pages: |
288 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-06-329042-6 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
0-06-329042-1 |
Barcode: |
9780063290426 |
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