This book may clock in at 577 pages, but it feels like it’s so much longer. I don’t mean that as an insult. I mean that as a compliment. This book is not a trifling thing–it’s a deep, dense, carefully-constructed, intricately-woven, and ineffably magical text that takes little to no time at all to sink a hook in you before reeling you into a story of an alternative history where Korea has had a shadow government at work behind the scenes since the 19th century. All of its members work to keep Korea unified, but not all of them agree as to how to do so. Some members don’t even know they’re members. Some become members posthumously. Some are tapped to be members, unwittingly, since birth. Cogs become sprockets that move the chain along the track.

To tell you the truth, it’s difficult to describe this book, because it’s not a singular book. There’s essentially four “books” inside Same Bed Different Dreams.

The present-day story of our main protagonist, Soon Sheen, a sometimes-author who works for a tech conglomerate called GLOAT;
The five “Dreams” that make up the “book” within the book, called “Same Bed Different Dreams”;
The story of Parker Jotter, a Korean War veteran/POW and author of a series of sci-fi novels;
A handful of miscellaneous stories about historical events that are tied to fiction and fact by tenuous yet absolutely fascinating strings, like absurd Reddit conspiracy theories or internet train wrecks you just can’t look away from;

There are two phrases repeated throughout the text, like magic, ritual, or religion. One’s a riddle and one’s evocative of an axiom or a proverb.

“Did the straight line murder the circle?” (Or variations on this riddle.)

“Same bed, different dreams.”

The first? Well, that you’ll have to figure out yourself, just like I did.

The second? Korea is the same bed. Everyone: the Koreans (North, South, or otherwise), Japanese, Chinese, Russians, Americans? They all have different dreams for that same bed. None of them involve unifying Korea as Korea. They all involve molding Korea into some kind of vision of what they think Korea should be.

This entire book is about the shadow government known as the KPG and their intergenerational efforts to bring about the unification of Korea no matter what. Kick everyone out of the bed. Same bed, same dream. No matter how delusional the vision, no matter how tenuous the ties. No matter how far-fetched the plans or how desperate the hope.

The research that must have gone into this book has to have been insane and had to have taken ages. From obscure film references to real and imagined Korean authors to real-life cults like the Moonies to American games shows to slapstick silent films to the assassination of President McKinley to the fate of KAL flight 007. The list could go on and on. What matters is that not only is the Korean War extensively researched for the purposes of this book (since a great deal of this book centers around the division of Korea), but that every real-life event and/or person has been extensively researched for the matter of this book so that when Park inevitably twists the narrative to fit his alternative history spin on matters, everything that needs to connect does so seamlessly, as if it was always meant to be that way.

Ed Park is an extremely talented author, deftly writing four books in one, all with different tones, tenors, and modes. Soon Sheen’s story of working at GLOAT and reading “Same Bed Different Dreams” in pieces is written like a contemporary fiction novel, with Soon playing the part of a beleaguered father and corporate drone that has become enraptured with a secret book that fell into his hands seemingly by accident. “Same Bed Different Dreams” has a harsh tone and clipped economy of words that reminds one of both a confession and a manifesto. The story of Parker Jotter, Korean War vet, POW, and sci-fi author is written almost like a psychological fiction novel where the protagonist is a psychologically-compromised war vet whose thoughts and ideas might not all be his own. All the miscellaneous stories about historical events and people sprinkled throughout the book here and there vary in tone and complexity but never vary in interest.

This book is a wonder, and one of the best books I’ve read this year. It’s barely got a plot. It’s barely got a vibe. It’s barely got atmosphere. So what does it have? Beauty. The beauty of words. That’s all. It’s just a book that’s made up of beautiful words made into beautiful sentences made into beautiful pages made into a beautiful book.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without any offer or acceptance of compensation.

File Under: 5 Star Review/AAPI Fiction/Alternative Earth Fiction/Historical Fiction/Literary Fiction/Meta Fiction/OwnVoices/Satire/Secret Society/Speculative Fiction

An incredible read where its like a two dimensional political and historical fiction. An understanding of the facets of the interests of the characters and how to navigate the story around them. There are chapters in the story where you feel like your lost because of the way the story wants to convey. Overall, I enjoyed the read but just need to take the time to read it.

3.4/5 stars

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the Arc.

There's no good way to summarize the plot of "Same Bed, Different Dreams" - it covers recent Korean History by way of Secret Societies, conspiracies, high tech mega-corporations, UFOs, the New York literary publishing scene, Buffalo Sabres hockey, the actress Betsy Palmer, and three storylines that intertwine and eventually converge. It has a kinship with Thomas Pynchon at his most readable. It's also an amazing piece of historical research and literary architecture; I did a Wikipedia-level fact check of many of the characters and events described in the book, and his descriptions seemed to be accurate.

The book is also very funny, with warmly drawn characters mostly trying to do the best they can in insane circumstances. Truly an epic.

Same Bed Different Dreams is a hard novel to review but not so if you think Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. Remember when you picked it up and was like what am I reading but then after a few pages your were like I just want to read books like this. I felt the same way with Ed Park's novel. It starts our as a novel about writers and books and then turns into segmented history lessons of North and South Korea, all pushed into a novel about a book. It's a not novel for everyone so I'll be honest about that. But if you are looking for something different to read that will expand your mind then this book is for you. Just take the chance you won' regret it. I can't wait to see what he does next. So exciting! Thank you Random House for the ARC. Just bought my own physical copy because I want to read again in physical form

Soon Sheen works at the international technology company GLOAT, and finds an unfinished book detailing a revisionist history. Famous people and bit players are all interconnected, working to bring Korea together.

The Korean Provisional Government had formed to protest the Japanese occupation of their country and had been dissolved after Japan's defeat in World War II. In this novel, however, the KPG remained intact, working toward a unified Korea. The three main POVs of this novel are interconnected, which isn't immediately obvious when you begin the story. We start with Soon and other Korean literary types discussing books and history, and in a very meta point, Soon begins to read Echo's book "Same Bed Different Dreams." KPG members were part of the resistance, and there were "secret members" apparently so secret they didn't know they were members. Or "founding members" that had died before the KPG was even formed. This book is written in a microessay format, going through history and tying figures together with the goal of gaining Korean independence. There is another thread of a different author writing a sci-fi series of novels and his family life, then the people working to make it into a game.

This literary novel has multiple nested books and plots, which admittedly made it harder for me to get attached to any of the characters. We find them in the middle of their problems and dreams, then cut to the book. Then at the end of a book section, we move to different characters and their problems. With the threads weaving in and out of each other, it starts getting more interconnected as the manuscript pushes forward to the present. The microessays start relating the history of figures with multiple names, and some of them we start to recognize. The connections are layered, with meaning given to each one in code, until we get to the conclusion of the book. I'm not sure if I like the characters, because it feels more like a history text than a novel, and often we don't get insight into how they feel. Korean history is the core of the story and the unifying component underlying it all. The different meanings people give it are the different dreams for Korea and heritage.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Same Bed, Different Dreams is an unconventional and ambitious novel which follows, among other things, tech employee Soon Sheen, who comes into possession of a mysterious and unfinished book.

I'm always a fan of a weird novel, and Same Bed, Different Dreams is no exception. Through his masterful application of craft, Ed Park takes us on a whirlwind journey through worlds we know and worlds we don't, who we are and who we might be. This book is at turns artful, ridiculous, twisty, complicated, peaceful, and overall a true masterpiece. Though it will undoubtably not be everyone's cup of tea, I think anyone who approaches this book with the right amounts of whimsy and determination will absolutely adore it.

This highly imaginative story is, at its core, a quirky and frankly vertiginous lesson in how foreign governments shaped the fate of Korea and one group’s secret struggle to undo the damage. It is infused with sci-fi elements, real and invented history, and a concocted account of the Korean Provisional Government formed in 1919 when Japan occupied Korea.

The novel opens with a scholarly discussion about the nature of history. One scholar claims history to be the message from a genius, ruined by the rain. This is the warning shot for readers, as the adventure unfolds through three intersecting storylines with a host of characters and some wacky cameos. The main points of view are that of tech worker Soon Sheen, Korean War veteran and sci-fi novelist Parker Jotter, and, most challenging, the text of a book—Same Bed Different Dreams—written by the “Scourge of Seoul” Echo.

This wonderful book requires more tracking and juggling skills than I possess, but for those who enjoy puzzles, escape rooms, and treasure hunts, it might be your book.

“In 1904, as war erupts between Japan and Russia, Syngman is granted an early release. The conflict spells a death sentence for Korea. The two neighbors want her, each for its own purpose: Japan for a foothold on the continent, Russia for access to warm-water ports. Horace or Homer sermonizes: Same bed, different dreams.”

Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park is such a unique book. It is told in a variety of voices and several different narratives. The writing was excellent--a great blend of wit and satire, with plenty of detail and interesting characters. I feel like a good chunk of this book went over my head since I do not have a good grasp of Korean history so I didn't know what was true and what was imagined. This book was interesting but did feel a bit long to me. I think this will be a hit with a certain group of readers for sure, especially those interested in metafiction or Korea.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

It took me months to read this book. I was so intrigued by the blurb, but I kept coming up against my ignorance of Korean history, which I've been reading around the edges of for the past nearly ten years. Not enough.

Reading this book was like peering through a sliver in a curtain, just to find that there was a kaleidoscope right up against that sliver, and as soon as I made some sense of a pattern, the writer would give it a crank and all the pieces would gyrate wildly into a new pattern. Maybe this is a book that, despite being written in English, is about Asians, for Asians?

Anyway, there is a lot of glimpses into Korean history here, but a lot of it is alternate history. Science fiction, metafiction, satire (it's shot through with humor) and speculation abound. It's a remarkable book, about which one can say, truly, that publishers do NOT publish "the same old thing." There is nothing like this one out there!

Since we have to do stars, which I truly hate, I'll give it a three because the book was over my head, and it did take forever to read. But that's on me.

This was an intricate, mind-bending story that spans centuries and follows multiple plot lines. Everything came together perfectly and the slow reveals and realizations throughout created a wonderfully tense atmosphere that built suspense and kept me reading. The true and alternate histories blend together so well; I enjoyed learning more about the history of Korea. All of the characters are memorable. I also thought that the format of the "Dreams" sections was smart--it made organization easy and was engaging to read. The last line brought everything together in such a perfect, fulfilling way. This book was an ambitious undertaking, and it delivers on everything it promises.

Although this was my first time reading it, I can tell that this is definitely one of those books that become better with each re-read. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history and literature, as well as anyone who appreciates the multiple ways a story can be told.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

There is no good way to describe this book without giving everything away.

Let’s start with well drawn, humorous characters. Add in a story within a story that is fun, thought-provoking, and exciting. The pacing, the plot, the descriptions, all of it made for a terrific read.

Now I’m off to learn more about Korean history. Thanks, Mr. Park for piquing my interest!

A big (long) and challenging read which is likely to be hit or miss with readers. Is it better to know something about the history of Korea before starting down this path? Hard call because I'm not well versed in it and therefore wasn't at all clear what was real and what is alternative. And then there's the sci-fi elements. On balance, this became more work than pleasure for me and I DNF at about 30 percent. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of literary fiction and those with a lot of patience.

Readers are going to need to be very interested and/or knowledgable about Korean history or big fans of metafiction to appreciate this book. There are a lot of storylines and characters to follow, some more engaging than others. I did expand my decent knowledge of Korean history (while also having to verify what was true and what was not). I can appreciate what Park did with this book but it wasn't the right book for me.

A sprawling, unconventional novel that ties a dog-chewed manuscript read in pieces, the history of the Korean Provisional Government, a big brother tech company, and a Korean veteran science fiction writer.

In this kaleidoscopic narrative feat, Park weaves together historical fiction, metafiction, and an alternate reality to create something smart, bold, witty, and wildly original. This epic story will tempt you into Google rabbit holes, but no research is required for thorough enjoyment. I included this title in my fall reading guide.

This is the perfect book for someone like me who has ADHD and loves to explore a dizzying world within a world. I was hooked from the first page - love the many pop culture references that the author incorporates throughout. Reminiscent of Emily St. John Mandel's writing and other authors that take non-traditional approaches to narrative fiction.

This review was made possible via an ARC through NetGalley

Ed Park weaves together a story that features the experiences of the Korean diaspora of the future, a veteran of the Korean War, and an outline for a book that is the history of the Korean Provisional Government. It's a modern depiction of the many layers of the Korean experience and it can get uncomfortable at times as it deals with real-life historical implications and attitudes directed at Koreans over the years. The narrative benefits from this greatly as it doesn't shy away how those attitudes can play into today.

At times, the outline part felt a little bit dry as it was a very detailed outline, but I can say that I learned a lot about the KPG, which I had never heard of before, and the details used are not all historically accurate as far as I can tell, but they do help the story feel really and connected to the other two parts.

I recommend this to anyone interested in stories of Korean history and the diaspora. I do not recommend this to anyone who is adverse to reading long outlines.

I love the narrative within narrative writing of this book. Furthermore, it's so unapologetically "Asian." While I've read 100+ Asian lit this year, I adore that Park doesn't confine the story to the common Asian immigrant tropes. But instead spins an elaborate, complicated, and compelling tell of Korea's little-known history. SAME BED DIFFERENT DREAMS is unique, and while it might not be for everyone, it makes me so excited about what Asian lit could be when it's written for an Asian audicence!

Ed Park is a grand writer--"grand" in the sense that he's very good, and grand in the way of having big ideas. "Same Bed, Different Dreams" is a big book, spinning with ideas. The question is whether the book will fling you out of the pinwheel and hug you to its center.

Park sets a lot in motion--Korean history, a speculative fiction writer, 1950s science fiction, the march for Korean independence going back to the nineteenth century. His warmth as a writer pulls you in to each story and somehow manages to maintain your good will while moving you to another place, say from Buffalo to 19th century Korea. Is it chaotic? Yes. Is it meta? You bet.

I enjoyed "Same Bed, Different Dreams" intermittently The writing is so good and the structure is daring and fun to navigate, but it's too much. The reader goes through a lot and to what end? Park has obviously loved setting all these plates a-spinning, but I'd like to read something by him that allows for the reader to really indulge in the characters and settings he builds.

3.5 rounded up to four.

*DNF @ 30%

Book opens up with the air of someone who reads too much of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘳 and writes for writers (and, to my surprise, found that he had written for the New Yorker on several occasions).

A shift occurs. Mixing Korean history recontextualized, historical fiction with sci fi elements that feels refreshing. I enjoyed this aspect at first because I feel like my APUSH textbook covered the Korean War in a single paragraph and the west has little to no knowledge of Korean history.

But then it devolved into pure confusion. There isn't enough to ground readers to understand the scope of what feels like a few different novels happening all at once (sentiments similar to that of The Fraud).

What you end up with is a bad magic trick, too technical in its execution with very little pay off. With little impression. So, for Ed Park, I suggest he review this scene here.