3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

A collection of short stories of speculative fiction. Most of these were intriguing and caught my attention right away, or pulled me in near the end.
It’s such a nice experience to finish one story and be able to sit with it and reflect on what you read, what was intended, and what you got from it.

A few of the stories near the end lost me a bit, probably because of some sci-fi elements my mind couldn’t wrap around quite well. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed how this was written and the author’s narrative voice(s) are a pleasant read.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Learning to Hate Yourself as a Self-Defense Mechanism is a fantastical collection of speculative short fiction. Without a doubt, this anthology took me back to watching Black Mirror and Love, Death & Robots for the very first time. Each story has that same cinematic quality that makes it so easy to picture the scenes and characters on a screen.

The collection is an immersive deep dive into the pertinent and complex issues raised by the advancement of technology. In some ways, it's a forecast of what the world could look like in the distant or maybe even near future. In other ways, it’s a reimagining of histories and worlds that combines exciting components of science fiction with various genres and powerful themes that explore the human condition.

I love how balanced and unified it is. Despite the dark underlying themes in some stories, others are laden with so much life and humour that feels both absurd and completely natural. The Communist Computer Rap God is the perfect example of this. It is so funny, from the premise itself to the dry tone of dialogue and everything in between. I found it so impressive that while bizarre and futuristic, it was still completely imaginable, which just made it funnier. I honestly think it’s one of the funniest short stories I’ve ever read, and it’s one of my favourites in this collection. (Other favourites include There Are No Hot Topics on Whukai, Miss DELETE Myself, and I Want To Dream of a Bright Future. But even though I liked these the most, the others are also so so good.)

Overall, a really well-written anthology with interesting plots and worlds that make you want to sit and reflect for days and days after reading. I definitely enjoyed the writing style and the pacing of most stories, but I do think that the characters could have been developed with a little more individuality and depth. Of course, some stories are stronger and weaker than others, but for the most part, I really enjoyed this and I’m eager to read more of the author’s work.

A highly intriguing collection of Black Mirror-esque short stories. Even if I didn't enjoy every one of them with the same intensity—"Rebuttal to Reviewer's Comments" particularly felt too avant-garde for me to wrap my head around—I did find them all to be commendably creative and thought-provoking. Kriz is certainly able to pack an emotional punch while tackling issues and themes such as colonialism, the loss of agency, and online exploitation. Overall, I liked this!

Individual stories rating:

Learning to Hate Yourself as a Self-Defense Mechanism - 3.5⭐
Communist Computer Rap God - 3⭐
There Are No Hot Topics on Whukai - 5⭐
Miss DELETE Myself - 4.5⭐
AIs Who Make AIs Make the Best AIs! - 2.5⭐
The Ones Who Got Away From Time and Loss - 3⭐
Rebuttal to Reviewer's Comments on Edits for Demonstration of a Novel Draconification Protocal in a Human Subject - 2⭐
I Want to Dream of a Brief Future - 4⭐
And That's Why I Gave Up on Magic - 4⭐
Resistance in a Drop of DNA - 3⭐
The Last Caricature of Jean Moulin - 3⭐
The Leviathan and the Fury - 3⭐

I didn't look too much into what this collection was about beyond the fact that it contained sci-fi short stories and the cover looked nice. In hindsight, the title signals that it's a bit too edgy for my tastes, but I still appreciated the storytelling and thought behind each idea.

Some of the ideas felt too fixed on technologies and cultural aspects of the past few years rather than more eternal concepts, but that did put an interesting perspective on things. I also didn't expect there to be magic in this collection. I think "Miss DELETE Myself" was my favorite.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Interstellar Flight Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really great collection of thought-provoking short stories that explore Virtual Reality, AI, alternate timelines in really insightful and entertaining ways.
Each story has such intricate world building details in such a few amount of words. The author does a fantastic job interweaving sci-fi elements with the darkness of humanity, but is also able to bring in humor that had me laughing out loud at times. (ex: "AIs Who Make AIs Make the Best AIs" & "Rebuttal to Reviewer's Comments on Edits for 'Demonstration of a Novel Draconification Protocal in a Human Subject'")

Many of these stories are just ones that stick with you. I'm sure I will be thinking about this collection for many years to come, especially as AI integrates more into our lives.

My favorites were "Communist Computer Rap God", "There Are No Hot Topics on Whukai", "Miss DELETE Myself", and "AIs Who Make AIs Make the Best AIs".

Thank you, Andrea Kriz, Interstellar Flight Press and Netgalley for this free ARC in exchange for a review.

This is similar to Black Mirror, and many who wanted another season will enjoy it. Recommended for teens to internet / tech-savvy adults of any age who enjoy a stylistically light sci-fi read on serious subjects within the intersection of artificial intelligence and humanity.

The loss of two stars:

Some of these stories are better, and a bit more fleshed out than the others. It’s front-loaded with the better ones.

We can’t really get a feeling for many of the individual characters traits. They seem wooden. It’s possible to write a short fiction anthology with more characterization, while keeping the futurism. Some of the stories are short enough that we connect even less, or not at all with the characters.

I've tried reading multiple of the stories of this book, but unfortunately, none of them stuck. My first impression set by the first two stories wasn't good. When they were first published, they might have connected with the audience, but now, a few years later, they already feel dated. Although they take place in the future, the references towards the pandemic made them already feel aged. Don't get me wrong, "older" works can still be collected to reflect the past, but I don't want to open the time capsule to a time I rather forget.

I tried a few other stories, but they also didn't grab my attention. None of the scenarios felt truly unique, I wish there was something I have never seen before.

I'll admit, I read this one purely because of the title. It caught my eye immediately and I was intrigued. And while I'm not normally a huge fan of anthologies (I never learn), I decided to pick it up. Sadly, that was a decision I came to regret. While the first three stories had me excited and hooked, the rest were a steady downhill slide. They lost all coherence, and left me utterly confused. It got to the point that I was reading just to finish it, not because I was enjoying what I was reading. But again, I'm not an anthology person, so take everything I'm saying with a grain of salt.

a fantastic short story collection!
kriz writes about human traits in worlds where technology is so advanced it seems like humans are no longer a part of it. the stories are fresh, the style and wording of each different from the previous one, while the sociological themes remain at the center of each one. it's a fun, refreshing read!
wishing kriz lots of success and looking forward to reading more from her in the future!

I got this book as an ARC which is very exciting because I’ve never received an ARC before.
I think that the author is incredibly smart and talented and their writing is technically great. I think they’re so creative, some of the concepts they came up with for these short stories were so wild and fun and a little scary. I think the scope of what some of these stories try to cover is greater than the handful of pages they each were. I think the author tries to disorient the reader by throwing them into the thick of their story— which is cool, but I found myself a little confused or wondering about certain elements of background that pulled me out of the stories.
This anthology soars when it leans into absurdity. “Communist Computer Rap God” is SO funny the idea is so fun, I loved that story so much.
Maybe a 2.5! It was fun, it was creative, I’d be interested in reading more from the author.

Interesting group of short stories. Not for those who don’t like science fiction. As someone else said good for fans of Black Mirror

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

I enjoyed reading this collection of short stories, there were some that seemed relatable and some that seemed very out there but I enjoyed it overall.

Wonderful and weird, Learning to Hate Yourself as a Self-Defense Mechanism explores the complexities and dangers of technology, and examines the impacts of COVID-19 on society in an anthology of short sci-fi stories. At its core, Kriz's collection delves into the changing social dynamics, and humanity's abundant flaws. An excellent read for short story readers, and fans of Black Mirror.

That being said, some of Kriz's stories are more effective and memorable than others. Stories that stood out to me in particular included "Miss DELETE Myself", "I Want To Dream of a Brief Future" and "The Last Caricature of Jean Moulin". Unfortunately, other stories lacked the same emotional depth that these stories held, and resulted in forgettable plots and characters that muddled the quality of the anthology. Clarity in the stories also needs work, as some stories get lost in technical jargon and result in a confusing experience that also diminishes the quality of the anthology.

Overall, three stars feels like a suitable rating for this book. I would be interested in reading Kriz's other short stories, too, as I believe there is immense potential for Learning to Hate Yourself as a Self-Defense Mechanism.

In this intriguing collection of short stories, the author weaves a compelling narrative that provides a captivating glimpse into life on various worlds and alternate futures. Each tale unfolds with its own unique charm, creating an engaging exploration of diverse settings and speculative scenarios. The book's ability to offer a snapshot of different worlds enhances its appeal, making it an absorbing read for those drawn to imaginative and thought-provoking storytelling.

The cover immediately caught my attention and that title was so good I just knew I had to read this book as soon as possible.
I am pleased to report that it was pretty much as fantastic as I hoped it would be and I will certainly be on the lookout for more by Kriz. The stories blended science fiction, fantasy, and horror elements seamlessly and honestly my only gripe with this one is that I wish it was longer because I'm greedy.
AIs Who Make Ais Make the Best Ais! was a favorite for its use of repetition which I thought was masterfully done and I Want to Dream of a Brief Future was also a favorite because it gave me Recursion vibes but with a fantasy flavor which I found most delightful.
Many thanks to Interstellar Flight Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this title.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in an exchange for my honest review*

“Learning to Hate Yourself as a Self-Defense Mechanism” is the first work of Andrea Kriz I am acquainting myself with.

This collection of short stories was presented in a very witty and brilliant way. I appreciate that each story had its essence and provided something different from the previous one. I found myself flipping page after page, eager to find out what happens next, The individual pieces that stuck with me a bit more than the rest were “I Want to Dream of a Brief Future”, “And That’s Why I Gave Up on Magic”, and “The Last Caricature of Jean Moulin”. Despite them being short stories, they left me wanting something more. They made me think and wish their plot lines were resolved differently, and their characters had gotten more time to bloom and find happiness and meaning (which doesn’t mean they didn’t have that already. It implies that the stories were too short and I desperately need more of them, because Andrea’s mind blew me away).

I don’t regret picking this one up, thinking to myself before requesting it: “Oh, it has a pretty cover and it sounds interesting.” It left me with way more than that, and I’m glad I have been given the opportunity to review it.

An interesting set of 12 short stories written over the last 3 years by Andrea Kriz.

Filled with magic, time travel, virtual reality, sentient AI and off-world colonies, each story provides an incredible snap shot into life on different worlds/alternate futures.

My favourites from this collection were “Communist Computer Wrap God” and “AI’s who make AI’s make the best AI’s”.

I'd say that this book gave me whiplash. Even though I knew that there were going to be many short stories inside this novel, I wasn't prepared for how many, or how difficult some of the stories would be to understand certain terms and phrases unless you had a scientific background.

A lot of the stories did have promise too them though, if only they weren't written like excerpts from a book that the author could have already published. The ones that I enjoyed seemed like Kriz only wanted to write a specific scene or sequence from an idea that they'd had previously. Which isn't inherently bad, but too many times I was pulled out of the story by either being unfamiliar with the jargon, or the history of the fanatasy world that was made up wouldn't last long enough for me to care to learn it.

The stories are written very well though, and if given the right audience, that is obviously not me, I think they would love the novel.

The concept was interesting, but writing style was a bit hard to follow. "Learning to Hate Yourself as a Self-Defense Mechanism" is a poignant exploration of the intricate dance between vulnerability and self-preservation. The prose gracefully weaves a tapestry of words, inviting readers into the labyrinth of the human psyche. The author's mastery of language captivates, as each sentence is a brushstroke painting the complexities of self-discovery. Through skillful narration, the book unveils the intricate layers of emotion and introspection. It challenges societal norms, urging readers to confront the uncomfortable truths embedded in the human experience. A literary journey that transcends conventional boundaries, this work is a testament to the transformative power of language.