Seven Samurai Swept Away in a River by Jung Young Moon

This is a book about Texas. It’s also about boysenberries, yogis, cats in space, Hemingway, cowboy churches, Marx, and more. It’s about all of these things and none of these things. From the lens of a Korean visiting Texas on a writer’s residency, he chronicles all of the hyper-Americana that the state has to offer and takes us on a long-winding and long-winded expedition through the dusty landscape of the Lone Star State.

I don’t know how this little book came to be in my humble local bookstore, but I’m glad it did. I thought the book was amusing, and a playful rambling that was both absurdist and self-aware. At its core, it’s a novel of meandering ideas; a novel that treasures the side roads rather than the main path of thought. Depending on the reader, the book could either be read as a critique of pretentious novels or a book saturated in pretentiousness. I enjoyed it for the experience of reading, though I would be hesitant to join the fanbase of this cult favorite because it seems to be comprised of a lot of men eager to profess their love of “quirky” literature. I saw someone on Goodreads describe this book as “Best taken in sips,” and I agree—like the narrative, my head would start to wander on its own tangents if I sat with the Seven Samurai Swept Away in a River for too long. But I think that’s what made the experience fun.

I would recommend this for readers who enjoy unconventional writing styles, and are not put off by books without plot. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more by Jung Young Moon.

Writing ⭐⭐⭐

Plot ⭐⭐

Themes ⭐⭐⭐