First off, hats off to a very talented writer. Ed Park essentially write one story through multiple POVs and time lines. The Korean history is both interesting and informative and the characters are intriguing and well-developed. I liked how the book came together and I found the ending to be quite cleaver.

That being said, I personally struggled with this one. It failed to hold my attention and I even contemplating not finishing it. In my very honest opinion, books 1-5 are very long and a bit of a drudgery to get through.

I’m glad I finished and the final sentence made me smile.

This is a hard book to categorize. Seems to be a lot going on in the book due to which it may not be for everyone.

The writing is beautiful and there is no doubt that the author is very talented. Sometimes it feels like there is a lot going in the story, maybe a bit too much. Alternative history is depicted very well.

Overall I liked it and will probably read future works from the author.

Unfortunately this is a DNF for me, but I think it boils down to taste more than quality. The opening of this book gave me big Cloud Atlas vibes -- another ambitious, sweeping book. I suspect readers who loved Cloud Atlas might love Same Bed Difference Dreams in a similar way.

For my tastes, it just did not pull me in hard enough. The narrator comes off a little distant, as opposed to a really deep point of view, which is a stylistic choice some readers love but can be a struggle for me. In this case, it was a struggle, in part because we seem to be introduced to a large number of characters before any real action happens. Between this and the frequent forays into backstory, I had trouble ascertaining what information was most important, and I struggled to retain it all.

I'm withholding a Goodreads star rating on this book because I truly think it was just not the right fit for me. The tone and atmosphere were very engaging, and the premise of the book pulled me in. If I were a faster reader or had a stronger preference for the narrative style, I probably would've kept on, and I suspect this book will find a lot of success with its audience.

And five stars get awarded to Ed Park’s whopping Head F__k of a novel, #Same Bed, Different Dreams, a stream of unconsciousness tome that proves Kaiser Soze is a member of the Korean Provisional Government. Mind Blowing in the best sense !

Such an excellent, interesting, brain twisting book. I couldn't put it down. This is a first time reading by this author but I will definitely be looking for more. You have to read this book.

Ed Park is super clever. Not only does he weave Korean history into his book with short bursts of what happened to famous leaders of the KGP, but he then weaves the story of Soon Sheen, who works at a modern company GLOAT similar to a Microsoft and his own take on pop culture and the madness of how the old world and new fit together today. He is a fine writer, with some surprisingly good prose, and a cutting wit.

This is a unique book, and one that is not necessarily linear, so the reader must be open for something different. If you are open you will learn about Korean history, get a sense of how absurd this time in history is, even from a kid’s perspective as Soon is married with a kid who likes their computer gaming time, and how history can be shaped by the powers that be.

One of the strengths of this book is Park's skillful writing style, which is both poetic and nuanced. He has a talent for evoking emotion and painting vivid scenes, which makes the story come alive. Additionally, the characters are well-developed and feel like real people with relatable struggles.
That said, the book can be a bit confusing at times, as the narrative jumps back and forth between different time periods and perspectives. Some readers may find this style of storytelling disorienting, but others may appreciate the challenge of piecing together the various threads of the plot.
Overall, "Same Bed Different Dreams" is a captivating and thought-provoking read that will appeal to anyone who enjoys literary fiction that challenges conventional narrative structures.

Park’s writing must come from some of his own experiences, and as a debut novel he is someone to watch.

Ed Park's dazzling novel left me feeling dizzy at times wondering if the "facts" presented in the historical lessons were actually true, and then I started fretting over truth from imagination, dreams from reality, and found at times I missed the main characters in Soon Sheen's small family. This is a wildly creative novel, at times quite funny, and at others quite thought provoking. All the characters are intriguing, the plots both wildly imaginative and too damn close to reality to be somewhat frightening, all connected by the dreamers and shakers.

This books is like reading a literary fever dream. It's somehow both elaborate and complicated, yet easily understood and, dare I say...cozy, in a way? Nothing is handed to the audience and no answers are clear cut. This is a book that trusts its readers and that seems to be a rare find these days. This is one of those books that stick with you, yet you easily forget, so the re-readability is incredibly high because you remember how you felt and you remember certain pieces of text, but you don't remember it as a whole so you find new things to latch onto each time you read and that emotional connection just gets stronger and stronger.

Truly a beautiful piece of literature.

This is an extremely imaginative novel. I love this author! Same Bed Different Dreams began as a funny novel and gradually pushed me into another dimension, a dimension in which paradise is a possibility. I absolutely loved how everything came together in the end and the ending was Perfect. I would like to thank Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of this book.

I’ll admit that I loved the cover of this book so much that I went into it blind and I’m so glad I did. Not knowing anything prior to reading kept me engaged and immersed the entire time. I really loved this book and was entranced by the vivid imagery and heartfelt characters. 10/10 recommend!

This book reads like a vivid fever dream, almost similar to Bae Suah’s Untold Night and Day. And I LOVED Untold Night and Day so you know I loved this book. There were many moments of confusion but the confusion made sense in its own way. This book isn’t meant to give you all the answers, and I think it’s because the Korean War isn’t technically over. Of course there are no cut-and-dry answers when this conflict hasn’t even concluded yet.

I really, really liked how everything connected in the end and while I’m not usually a fan of open-ended endings, this one was PERFECT. But I’ll admit, when I finished this book I ended up staring at the wall because I felt so empty inside.

Ed Park does a great job in creating a alternate history novel, I was glad it was such a well done story as the alternate history element was what drew me in. It worked well overall and I was engaged with the story and the characters within the story. Ed Park has a great writing style and I'm so glad I read this book.

"As he walked home that Wednesday, gusts of organ music drew him into a church. A midweek wedding. He stood in back as the sound swirled. Six guests were scattered on the pews. The hunched organist threw back her head, possessed. Parker sat down. The groom turned: a saffron face with oblique eyes. Parker’s blood froze. An ambush by his former captors? He instinctively touched the lighter in his pocket, then ran before the bridal veil was lifted."