The weaving together of multiple timelines made it challenging for me to really immerse myself in the story and understand what was going on right off the bat. It wasn’t until about halfway in that the relationship between each of the timelines became clear to me. Maybe it’s because I don’t typically read sci-fi, but this book felt unnecessarily convoluted. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I couldn’t read this on my Kindle, the formatting was super wonky — which was such a bummer! I had such high hopes for the ARC, but I’ll need to pick up a physical copy before I can review it I think.

"Flux" by Jinwoo Chong is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that explores themes of identity, love, and the complexity of human experience in an interconnected world. The novel blends speculative fiction with elements of psychological realism, offering a fresh take on the struggles of self-discovery in the modern age. Chong’s prose is both poetic and precise, drawing readers into a world where technology, memory, and emotion intertwine. The characters are deeply human, their flaws and desires resonating long after the final page. This book is a challenging yet rewarding read that I am still thinking about.

I had to DNF due to the formatting of the book. It entirely broke any chance of getting into the story. This might be good but I couldn’t get into it enough to know.

Flux by Jinwoo Chong offers a fresh take on time travel, intertwining the lives of three characters across different timelines. Eight-year-old Bo loses his mother in a tragic accident just before Christmas. Decades later, 28-year-old Brandon is reeling from a job loss after a hostile corporate takeover, and 48-year-old Blue is entangled in a high-stakes trial involving a defunct tech startup and its dark secrets. Without spoiling "too much", as their individual stories unfold, an experimental technology capable of manipulating time begins to connect their lives.

This debut is a unique blend of neo-noir and speculative fiction. Chong weaves these disparate threads into a cohesive narrative that explores grief, trauma, and Asian identity in America. I wholeheartedly enjoyed it and can't wait to dive into I Leave It Up to You!

Thank you to NetGalley and Melville House for the free ARC in exchange for this unbiased review.

TLDR: Amazing book if you come with an open mind and no expectations. I loved getting a look into the main character’s mind and developing a deeper understanding of him as the book progressed. The content in this book really stuck with me. I’ll be thinking about everything it proposes in relation to the exploration of self, cultural identity, and familial bonds for a long time. It came at just the right time for me. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me early access.

Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆
Jinwoo’s writing style was one that I really enjoyed. He has a way of writing that is not overly flowery or expository but is not plain either. He has a way of putting profound things simply that at times left me putting the book down and pondering how it applies to my own personal sense of self. I loved the non-linear approach to telling a nonlinear story.

Plot: ☆☆☆☆☆
Flux, at its base, is a science fiction novel about time-traveling. To describe it as such would be to do it a disservice. The author uses time-traveling to explore grief, childhood trauma, complicated familial relationships, self-identity, cultural identity, mental health, and even some social commentary. He does this in a way that is not unfamiliar and yet still manages to be unique. I adored the parallels drawn between the main character and the in-world fictional character he idolizes. The plot is presented in a way that is very all over the place but in a very intentional and well-thought-out way. If you try to come at it expecting a clear linear progression with a closed mind, you will be confused. When you accept it for what it is in the moment and let things unfold how the author intends, it is incredibly gratifying. Eventually, you piece together exactly what is happening and it feels satisfying. The first half of the book was a beautiful fever dream that I loved every minute of.

World Building: ☆☆☆☆
The technological aspects of the world were written in a very subtle and casual way. All of the context that clued you into the tone and setting of the world was very natural. The majority of the book is set in the near future and is very believable in that aspect. I enjoyed reading about the simple yet effective quality-of-life improvements made in the world as they were relative to the plot. While the world-building in regard to technology and pop culture was great, they weren’t the focus of the book.

Characters: ☆☆☆☆☆
This aspect is where Flux really shines. The entire book reads like one big character study. Everything is so intentional when it comes to the words written, to the point that even the name of the main character (or lack thereof) relays important information about the larger themes and tone of the work. The side characters are very underdeveloped as their own individual characters. They are only developed as far as to serve the main character’s development or to portray something about the main character. That’s not to say they are flat, boring, or unlifelike. It is quite the opposite and I really enjoyed how the other characters are explored. The book doesn’t let the readers experience the other characters much through actions or interactions with them. Instead, all of the other characters are explored and developed through the main character’s memories and perceptions of them. I think there is something incredibly gripping and profound in reading about the other characters almost solely through the eyes of the main character. The narrative being spun about them in the main character’s head is almost unreliable. The main character himself is not very likable personality-wise either, which I enjoyed. That aspect to it helps elevate the narratives being relayed to you.

Overall: ☆☆☆☆☆ (4.5)
If you want to enjoy your time reading this book, I think it is important to toss out every preconceived notion or expectation you have regarding the genre or themes. You know what? Get rid of your expectations when it comes to plot structure too. If you’re not able to take what it gives you and enjoy the ride, understanding that clarity won’t come until close to the end, you most likely won’t enjoy it. That being said, if you are able to let go, piecing together the fragmented bits of context scattered throughout and exploring the main character’s mind leads to an immensely satisfying end. This is a book that will stick with me in my mind for a long time to come. Thank you to Jinwoo Chong for the experience, and thank you to NetGalley for allowing me early access to said experience.

An illuminating twist on the cyberpunk genre that gave me insight into valuable perspective I wouldn't normally have access to. Fans of the genre will enjoy this thoroughly.

The pacing in this was great, the time jumps kind of had me confused. It is a very interesting story overall.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm so sad to say that the formatting on the Kindle was not good. It practically made it unreadable. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this book.

The formatting of this book was messed up on my kindle, which just made reading and understanding what was happening even more confusing. I don't think I was in the right headspace for this book and the formatting just exacerbated that issue.

“Flux” – Jinwoo Chung

“That was one thing about memory. It often obeyed the capriciousness of a mind trying to hide from guilt, but one, always, had to live with the deceit.”

My thanks to @netgalley and @melvillehouse for the opportunity to read this.

A sci-fi, speculative, time-travelling first novel, “Flux” follows three people at various stages of life. As an 8-year-old, Bo loses his mum in a tragic road accident and is left haunted by the incident. As a 28-year-old, Brandon loses his job with a magazine and is quickly drawn towards a tech company with little disclosure. As a 48-year-old, Blue is a witness in a high-profile case against the same company. The book weaves between these three streams and slowly unveils its secrets about the protagonists and the technology at the heart of the book, while exploring ideas of grief, assimilation and corporate power.

I’m in a weird position with this book, in that I’m sure I would enjoy a second reading a lot more than the first, but nothing really encourages me to do so. I felt very lost and unengaged for the majority of the book, stuck with it, and finally got to the ending with a better sense of the goal of the book, one that I could assess better upon a reread. However, I find the themes much more interesting than the characters, and I’m not sure if the plot will fully make sense even upon revision.

There’s definitely something here, and it might work better for other people, but I spent so much of my time reading this either confused or bored that it’s hard to wholly recommend. That said, it could well work for others.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

**"Flux" by Jinwoo Choung** is a fascinating and ambitious read that offers a unique, thought-provoking experience, though it may not be for everyone. The book’s abstract presentation and fragmented narrative style ask for a great deal of patience from its readers. Many may find the disorienting storytelling a bit overwhelming, as we are often as confused as the protagonist, trying to make sense of the blurred boundaries between memory, identity, and reality.

The plot itself is a whirlwind, twisting and turning between a TV show, the protagonist’s story, and their fragmented memories. As the protagonist grapples with these overlapping worlds, themes of identity and the fluid nature of memory are explored in deeply compelling ways. The constant shifting between realities keeps the reader on their toes, but it also creates a sense of uncertainty and chaos that might frustrate some.

Despite these potential challenges, *Flux* stands out as a truly unique reading experience. The constant twists and the interplay of different realities makes for a book that requires and rewards patience, offering a fresh perspective on the nature of existence and self. However, its unconventional structure and abstract storytelling might leave some readers feeling lost or disconnected.

**Rating:** ★★★★ (4/5)

*Flux* is a book that demands engagement and patience, offering a complex, multi-layered narrative that will be immensely satisfying for readers who enjoy stories that challenge traditional storytelling. It’s a thought-provoking journey into identity, memory, and alternate realities, though not without its frustrating moments

Thanks to NetGalley and Melville House Publishing for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review!

2 stars unfortunately!

i feel like this book had a lot of ideas which ultimately failed to make a cohesive narrative in the end. it did try a lot of things— i liked how the three 'perspectives' ended up being the same voice in different times, i liked some of the themes touched on in this as well. (celebrity worship culture, growing up as an asian minority in western society, estranged families, and grief is always a hit with me if you explore it in your book). i liked some of the time travel intricacies and how certain scenes hit (blue and his father, bo and brandon in the snow).

but this book didn't feel like it knew what it was. was this a literary fiction-esque character study of brandon, his failing relationships and how he grapples with grief and trauma; or was this trying to be a fast paced sci-fi thriller steeped in mystery? the book tries to do both and is as such weak in both areas. i will say it wasn't as if this was written poorly, i did like the author's writing style and some of how the plot advanced. but the pacing left much to be desired and the plot twists into a convoluted mess that becomes increasingly hard to follow in the last 30% or so of the book.

the idea of flux was never really explained properly either— to what end was the company trying to commodify time travel? what was going on with the batteries? who the fuck was lev in all this?
some of how things came about also never really ended up making sense to me— how did brandon fall down an elevator shaft with nil repercussions? how did blue figure out how to trigger time travel when any combination of things he did in the day could have triggered it? it was still unclear to me why three employees were killed in the first place as well— for something that is quite literally in the front and centre in the blurb, i thought it would have been more prevalent. another gripe i had was that i genuinely couldn't bring myself to care about the TV show sections in this and they had my eyes glazing over every time they appeared (which was unfortunately quite often).

ultimately, i think this was a case of one book trying to achieve too many things at once and succeeding at none of them as a result. i wanted to love this, but it unfortunately didn't end up being the book for me.

thank you to netgalley and melville house publishing for the copy of this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy!

Wow wow! I loved this!!! I think it’s for a low score because it’s weird and a lot of people have a hard time with weird. But I found it really interesting and honestly quite sad.

If you love not knowing what’s happening for 80% of a book then this one’s for you

This was a wonderfully done novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the plot of this book. I thought the world worked well and had that feel that I wanted in this genre. The characters had that charm that I wanted and worked realistically in this universe. Jinwoo Chong has a strong writing style and am excited for more.

Flux by Jinwoo Chong is a book that starts off very confusing, and it takes a while to get into the story. The author switches between perspectives, holds back key information, and makes it hard to know if the narrator can be trusted. At first, this made me feel lost, but over time I realized this confusion is part of the experience. It mirrors how the narrator feels, adding to the story’s depth.

The plot combines several elements: childhood memories, losing a job and finding a new one, and a strong connection to an old TV show. This show is central to the story—it provides comfort to the characters but also plays a bigger role in their decisions. The book constantly shifts between layers: the TV show, the main story, and the protagonist’s memories. Sometimes these layers are clear, and other times they blend together, making it hard to tell what’s real and what isn’t.

The way the author writes about memory loss and repetitive patterns in life is impressive. The language reflects how time and reality seem to slip away for the narrator. The pacing of the story, however, can feel off—just when you think you understand something, another twist throws you off again.

I didn’t always like the narrator. Their thoughts and actions often reflect patriarchal attitudes, and they use language that felt unnecessary and even offensive at times. Unlike other books where unlikable characters are part of the point, here it felt less intentional. By the end, though, the narrator became more reflective, which made them a bit easier to relate to.

What stood out to me most was the book’s many layers. It’s about the narrator’s personal struggles, the TV show’s story and meaning, and how the two connect. As a reader, you often feel like you understand as little—or as much—as the narrator does, which is both frustrating and fascinating.

Flux is a challenging book that asks for patience. It’s not an easy read, but if you’re willing to embrace the confusion, it’s a unique and thought-provoking story about identity, memory, and the way we escape into other worlds.

Part speculative fiction, part Asian American character drama, Jinwoo Chong’s debut novel Flux is an incredibly complex story filled to the brim with incredible character work details. Despite being billed as a science fiction/time-travel associated story, the sci-fi elements largely take a back seat to Chong’s frank and startlingly good exploration of topics including biracial cultural identity, queer labels, the power of image, Asian portrayals in media, and the ever present theme of guilt. A unique blend of genres, this is easily one of the most ambitiously written novels I’ve read this year while simultaneously being one of the most difficult novels to recommend to others due to how tricky and alienating its presentation can be. While I found it to be an amazing and fascinating read, I acknowledge I’m also the exact match for the type of reader this book is clearly suited for; one that is a critical reader fully immersed in the story, reading between lines.

One of the primary reasons why I believe Flux has such polarizing reviews is due to the complexity of its plot and characters on top of the abstract presentation of the focal company, Flux. Presented from the perspectives of three individuals clearly from different years, the stories have zero hand-holding for the reader and forces you to to keep track of each narrative and characters that have seemingly nothing in common. I’m not going to recap what’s already discussed in the book’s synopsis but of the three characters, Brandon’s perspective makes up the bulk of the story initially. All three stories are incredibly detailed and my brain was both fascinated and sometimes struggled to process all that was happening, which is mostly character and family-centered drama. I am the type of reader that loves and craves complex and high-concept novels so this wasn’t necessarily a problem, but I can easily see the vast majority of readers not making it past the first 50-60 pages and finding many parts slow.

To make matters more interesting, Brandon’s storyline is very unapologetically queer but not in the typical rainbow colored or prideful “yas” manner. The character voice and reactions are entirely millennial and the social commentary is absolutely cutting, more than enough to alienate younger genz/alpha and older readers. His storyline also incorporates elements of being biracial and the complexities of being Asian American on top of being unlabeled yet clearly queer. While I personally felt completely (and at times quite uncomfortably) seen by this novel, I often wondered and worried how the story and content would land with readers outside of these specific groups that I so happen to be in. Pop culture references (RIP twitter), generational ideology, even subtle jabs at ethnic white knighting and being entirely politically correct further cement Flux’s millennial flavor and views.

A good portion of the book also heavily focuses on an in-universe 80’s police cop television show called Raiders. Brandon’s entire story is written in 2nd person directed to the main character of this television show which is an incredibly unique concept. Being from the 80’s, Raiders features intentionally questionable Asian stereotypes but also provides representation, areas that Flux heavily comments and reflects on. The sheer level of detail in Raiders, it’s individual ep storylines, the shift in its production, controversies surrounding it’s main actor, its lasting impact the show has on Bo and Brandon, it is incredible. And Raiders isn’t even the plot’s main focus.

When it comes to Flux’s science fiction angle, the mechanics and speculative fiction elements are quite vague and involve the concept of vast bioenergy that has unexpected effects. Flux’s entire being, its fall from grace, and its founder are unmistakably inspired by Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos, albeit in an entirely different industry and field. While elements of time travel and realities are important aspects, they feel more of a plot mechanism to facilitate and connect the events between the three storylines; the “what then” is more important than the “how”. While the concepts behind Flux’s sci fi elements made sense and were completely functional, I felt that they were playing the supporting act to Chong’s intense and emotional familial drama which was stellar (particularly impressive since familial drama is not one of my preferred reading genres/interests).

As I progressed through the book, I progressively felt like the science fiction elements were unevenly distributed, its first 150 pages in particular. While I have nothing bad to say once the book hits the 70% mark, its first third felt oddly lacking in this area and while the content was excellent, the read felt slow and unfocused. Part of this may be attributed to the book’s synopsis of a neo-noir, time-traveling story to cover murder. While not necessarily wrong, I felt that the synopsis is a poor representation of the book’s tone and focus (though admittedly, this is a very difficult book to write a synopsis for without giving away spoilers). Having completed the book, I acknowledge that its initially slower pacing is completely by design. I was in complete awe at how every scene across all three characters was connected and free of any obvious plot holes. However to get the full impact of the book’s plot twist at the two thirds mark when it pulls a move reminiscent of Inception, the reader is required to have paid full attention through the copious amounts of slice of life and familial drama. The emotional payoff in Blue’s (and to a lesser extent Brandon’s) final chapters is stunning. I’m also a sucker for quiet toned epilogue chapters, and the book’s ending was exactly what I wanted. Yet, I have a growing suspicion that the vast majority of potential readers will never be able to appreciate it due to how difficult the preceding content is to follow.

Despite how fully realized and deep Flux’s three characters and storylines are, the sheer amount of details is also my biggest nitpick with Flux (primary reason for a 4.5 rating bumped down). Between the fictional 80’s show Raiders itself, the real-life cast and production behind the show, Brandon’s recruitment into the company Flux, Flux’s core purpose and technology, exploration of tragedy and grief tearing people apart, self identity and culture, there is so much going on and I found myself often wondering if all of these details are important and crucial to Flux’s main story. While the vast majority of the details are, I often felt like the sheer scope of Flux’s ambitions was getting away at times. There was so much content about Raiders’ storyline and episodes, and while they were very detailed and realistic, it sometimes felt like it was too much or irrelevant. Every episode or scene in Raiders has a direct relation to something that affects Bo, Brandon or Blue, however I often felt like a lot less would have still gotten the job done while avoiding losing or confusing more casual readers. Brandon’s day to day movements during his employment at Flux also felt like they were occasionally veering into unnecessary territory, particularly some of Brandon’s almost sexual romps. Again, I personally did not mind them particularly due to Chong’s critical underlying social commentary plus queer representation, but I’ve seen other reviewers criticize these scenes for being crude or vulgar when taken at face value (I do not personally agree, and found a particular review that went off about how no gay man drinks that much milk to be hilariously terrible).

Flux’s science fiction’s element also felt like it was executed in a manner that made it difficult for casual readers to follow or stay invested in due to the plotting and pacing. Most of the book’s storyline has minor intentional inconsistencies that serve as the hook to the book’s time and reality altering climax, but they’re sometimes subtle and easy to overlook (this one begs to be read more than once). Compared to the amount of character drama and grief that is somewhat separate from the science fiction angle, the balance felt a bit off and at times, you could almost forget the science fiction elements exist. Once Flux’s, well, Flux kicks in, it’s relentless and is easy to become lost. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I couldn't help but wish the science fiction angle somehow couldn’t be spaced more evenly while still maintaining its Inception/Matrix moment; I loved the way a particular world-glitching scene is written with the stuttering dialogue and scenes recap.

If it wasn’t already evident, I personally loved Flux but fully realize that I am part of a very narrow niche group of readers that are able to fully appreciate everything it accomplishes. The character work and representation is excellent and more importantly, has completely different things to say and comment on compared to many other books or media that tackle similar topics. The characters are fully realized, complex, and heavily flawed, the area that Flux excels the most in. It’s just a shame that I feel very few readers will also experience Flux fully due to how complex it is to follow and how tricky its presentation and flavor can be. The sometimes unfocused scope of details and the science fiction element running a bit wide are perhaps small signs of Flux being a debut novel, however I am very impressed by the quality of Chong’s writing and sky high ambition and am eagerly looking forward to his upcoming novel I Leave It Up to You. I always feel a bit awkward mentioning that I generally am less interested in reading about familial drama and Asian American experiences (despite being Asian American myself), but the fact that Chong was able to get me so invested in both topics within his excellent writing is a huge accomplishment.

Thanks so much to Melville House Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of "Flux" by Jinwoo Chong in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

This book was truly unlike anything I've read before; it felt like experiencing a work of art. While it tells a story about family and the importance of cherishing the little things, the deeper themes bring a sense of warmth. The use of flashbacks added significant depth to the overall narrative. I am looking forward to more work by Jinwoo Chong.

Flux by Jinwoo Chong is a mind-bending, emotional ride that left me reflecting on grief, identity, and the strange ways our lives can intertwine. The characters—Bo, Brandon, and Blue—each carry such a quiet heartbreak that I found myself rooting for them, even as their stories unfolded in unexpected, often surreal ways. The blend of time travel, corporate mystery, and personal trauma gave the story a raw, emotional depth that stayed with me long after I turned the last page. If you love books that challenge the boundaries of genre while diving deep into the human experience, Flux is absolutely worth reading. It’s strange, beautiful, and thought-provoking—perfect for fans of speculative fiction with heart. ★★★★☆

I was initially intrigued by the concept and I really wanted to love it! However, this fell short for me. The amount of flashbacks proved to be too confusing, and I wish we would have been told how the characters were related and how they are currently in the present before we got the flashbacks. It made me feel too disconnected from the characters unfortunately. I think I just needed to know more and found myself craving to be grounded in the narrative.