The debut collection of genre-defying short stories from the Korean Literature and Society’s New Writer Award.
 
Seven diversely wild and gripping stories – dreamy, dark, lyrical and wry – that expose the oddness of how we live and how we might come to live. Moving between science fiction, surrealism, speculative fiction and uncanny realism, these are rich and exhilarating stories that will haunt your summer. 
 
'This collection of seven stories is different from every angle, crossing genres from science fiction to horror to speculative fiction, from dream to nightmare. Wild originality in stories that are so wide-ranging but come together to form a brilliant, multifaceted whole.'
GQ's Best Books of the Year
 
'There’s an air of quiet mystery to these seven askance short stories, a sense that nighttime dreaminess has seeped into the daytime world, leaving reality awash with strange, unsettling feelings and inexplicable happenings.'
Daily Mail
 
'From missed  opportunities to surreal, almost dreamlike tales, [Heuijung Hur] weaves a fascinating narrative web, enough to intrigue and delight to keep you coming back for more.'
Marie Claire - Summer Reads
 
‘A bold, weird, brave exploration of the imagination.’
Vanessa Onwuemezi, author of Dark Neighbourhood.
 
'Pack your bags – we’re going somewhere totally weird this summer. Failed Summer Vacation is a slippery collection that follows desire lines to unexpected places. Strong voices and strange concepts merge to create unforgettable narrative knots. I couldn’t put it down.'
Alice Slater, author of Death of a Bookseller
 
‘These strange stories of isolation and longing will stay with you - puzzles you can't quite solve.’
Jessie Greengrass, author of Sight and The High House.
 
‘Hur’s stories force us to reconsider our reality, trace back our memories, re-examine our lives. A unique experience.’ 
Bora Chung, author of Cursed Bunny.
 
‘Adventurous, experimental, and brimming with wit.’
Gu Byeong-mo, author of The Old Woman With the Knife.
 
Heuijung Hur is the winner of the Korean  Literature and Society New Writer Award Winner. Her work has appeared in The White Review. 
 
Paige Aniyah Morris is the co-translator of Han Kang’s forthcoming We Do Not Part.