The Un-Inquired is a collection of short stories. It chronicles the stories of those who are struggling to find their voice in society and discover themselves, recollecting their trauma and memories, from the loss of a foster brother in a shooting incident to the hallucinations of a Japanese American immigrant with schizophrenia.

I started this year with a quick read, a short book with a handful of short stories in it. I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I loved it! The stories were (very) short but were very impactful. In a matter of pages, the author had me feeling attached to the characters.

I rate this book 4.5 🌟

I'd like to say a huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A quick, but impactful read. This is a thoughtful collection of short stories capturing pivotal moments.

Including:
Family members with mental illness, grief, nature vs. nurture, the effects of the maternal death rate, and is there such a thing as “justice”?

The writing styles of each are poetic. While the content is specific to each story, they open to door to self reflection.

Can writing be dark and whimsical at the same time? There’s death and childlike wonder in all these stories as well as lyrical prose and surprisingly harsh adversity. At first I thought, how odd for a book to be this short. But the author packs in so much that it really feels like enough by the end. The blurb didn’t prepare me for the depth of loss and grief in this collection. I tried to find out about the author, but all I could find was that she’s young and somewhat under the radar for now. I hope this book offers her the exposure she deserves and I look forward to reading her future writing.

Un-inquired was a beautiful collection of very moving short stories that will definitely tug at your feelings! 5 brief well-crafted stories of love and loss which also remind us of the unforgiving world we live in. I enjoyed the writing style very much; it was deep and intriguing, now to be honest there were times I found it hard to connect the dots together and I had to reread some parts to fully get a grasp on it but other than that things went smoothly!
Out of the 5 stories the first one really stand out to me, to have a twin separated from you must feel like having a piece of yourself ripped off which is just heartbreaking!
This collection is a great choice if you’re looking to read something meaningful but yet not so time consuming!


•Thanks to 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘆 and Querencia Press for this arc in exchange for my honest review•

my very first arc!! the un-inquired is a short collection of five stories, spanning just over 60 pages. i personally found 'the neverlands' to be the most captivating. i loved the themes of growing up, or even growing distant from your family. however, all the stories are truly magical and evoke all sorts of emotions (but they will break your heart.)

i went into this book completely oblivious to anything, and it surpassed any expectations i had. the prose was eloquent and vivid, i often went back to re-read or highlight certain passages. each story shattered my heart EIGHT TIMES.

a truly stunning collection of short stories, thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc!

A journalist within the main character navigating the pain and hurt of a broken bond. Amis the need to hold on to the promise of good within as the focal point instead of glooming upon a darkness too big to fully comprehend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author and publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a collection of short stories about death, love, coming-of-age and family. The stories cover interesting subjects, however the writing is a little cumbersome.

Melancholy and magical. The prose was elegant and heartbreaking at times. Absolutely stunning. The last story made me tear up a little.

**Thanks to Netgalley and Querencia Press for the eArc in exchange for an honest review**

The Un-Inquired is a beautiful collection of (very) short stories on grief, love, family/sibling hood and regrets. They were all heartbreaking in their own way, and also all had a unique structure, which I appreciated. They could have easily felt repetitive considering they all explore similar themes, but it wasn't the case at all. My favorites were "The Unspoken Words", "The Finitey of Time" and "The Neverlands". I will definitely reread them, and I'm looking forward Renee Chen's future work.

thank you NetGalley & Querencia Press for the arc! (publication date: January 12, 2024)

The Un-Inquired is a (very) short collection of stories that detail subjects such as love, loss, trauma, and grief. Beautifully written, these stories are touching, introspective and melancholy. I found myself pausing to re-read certain paragraphs because the prose was beautifully.

The highlight for me was story two: "The Finitey of Time". Absolutely beautiful. My follow up was story four: "The Neverlands", with its childlike innocence that turns into a stark contrast to reality.

This was a lovely quick read and aspects of these stories made me feel like I wanted to reminisce.

I love my short stories, and I would recommend this in a heartbeat!

Once again, thank you NetGalley & Querencia Press for the arc!

I didn’t expect a short story to evoke such intense emotions while being written so beautifully!

This collection of short stories delves into subjects like loss, love, and mental illness, which are sensitive topics to address.

Successfully portraying these themes in a beautiful manner is truly challenging. It’s amazing how these stories managed to evoke so many emotions in me within just 70 pages!

Going into this book with no expectations, it completely shattered my heart. Personally, I found the second story the most compelling, but each story resonates with you in its own unique way.

-Thank you to Querencia Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review-

The Un-Inquired is an own voices collection of brief short stories that is utterly gripping and will wrench your heart into a million pieces. The five stories are told over the course of barely more than 60 pages and they pack a serious punch, dealing with deep emotions such as love, loss, what it means to be an outsider in this world, family, and mental illness.

The prose is poetic and lyrical - at times chaotic and is reminiscent of Carmen Maria Machado and Terese Marie Mailhot. I found it haunting, beautiful, and having staying presence. In such a short time, I know that this book with stick with me. I am excited to see more from this author in the future.

**Thank you to Querencia Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review**

Thank you Querencia Press for a copy of The Un-Inquired!

"The Un-Inquired is the confession of refugees, families, and lovers who have no right to love. It chronicles the stories of those who are struggling to find their voice in society and discover themselves, recollecting their trauma and memories, from the loss of a foster brother in a shooting incident to the hallucinations of a Japanese American immigrant with schizophrenia. An antiheroic tale of finding a way to survive in a world, the collection is at times emotional and tender, at times melancholy, lonely, and wryly introspective."

REVIEW:
The short stories in this collection was a hit/miss for me. I loved the 3rd and 4th story but the rest were "meh:. It is a quick read, so I may need to revisit it in the future. All stories have this melancholy, lonely tone - almost like a diary entry on a sad memory lol.

These were heartfelt short stories that left me wanting for more, they were alluring and inspiring and emotional, although short i think it leaves an impact on the reader and leaves you thinking about happiness, connection and love despite tragedy

The Un-Inquired is a collection of five short stories that manages to weave in themes of love and loss so expertly and allows you to reflect on your own experiences, whether they are full of regret and sorrow or nostalgia and contentment. Though I enjoyed every short story, “The Neverlands” stood out to me in particular. There is just something so beautiful about childhood innocence, about Luke and Noah falling in love with Neverland. And the contrast that comes later is jarring, but it is ultimately a depiction of something that is all too common — dreamers turned realists, trying only to survive the horrific truths of the world.

The Un-Inquired | Renee Chen | Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

** Thank you @Netgalley for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review**

This is a collection of five short stories which will shred you into five million pieces. These are fragments of life, sewn together whimsically to create a tapestry of melancholy ruminations. The story of a Japanese American immigrant family with a schizophrenic daughter, the one about two lovers with a terminal illness, the one about a foster kid with his biological father being an executed murderer: these are tales of brotherhood, love, grief, family, death and devastating. These are tales of those who are made to question love: whether they deserve it or whether love deserves them.

The prose is lyrical, at times abstract and at times like our own fleeting thoughts and feelings which we forget to express.
In under 60 pages this will move you, rip you apart and make you yearn for more.

It's like when your tears are all stuck in a bundle somewhere in your throat and Renee Chen gives you a nudge, ever so slightly, to let it go and cry out loud.

Going by Booktube and Bookstagram references this is something Jack Edwards will love and recommend in a heartbeat

This book is short enough to read in a day or in one sitting. The story I liked most is The Unspoken Words. It's almost haunting. I could hear a somewhat silent yet deafening sound in my head after the last scene. The Finitey of Time reads like a love letter, and I’m pretty sure it is one. The Neverlands left me feeling sad and empty right from the very first line. The rest of the stories are equally beautiful and bittersweet. I’ll be thinking about this book for a while.