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Table of Contents
About The Book
The lonely worlds of three very unusual siblings collide in this breathtaking tale of what it means to be human
In a fictional near-future Korea, robots have integrated seamlessly into society. They are housekeepers and policemen, teachers and bus drivers. They are our lovers. They are even our children.
Siblings Jun and Morgan Cho haven’t spoken to each other in several years. The children of a celebrated robot designer, both are still grieving the loss of their brother Yoyo, the earliest prototype for what humanoid robots have now become—nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. But Yoyo was always bound for a darker purpose, and his absence has left a chasm in the siblings’ lives.
When a strange disappearance thrusts the siblings back together, neither of them realizes that the investigation will not only force them to confront their fractured family’s past, but will also bring them back to Yoyo himself.
At once a thrilling page-turner and a heartfelt story of the ties between siblings, Luminous is an unforgettable literary debut.
In a fictional near-future Korea, robots have integrated seamlessly into society. They are housekeepers and policemen, teachers and bus drivers. They are our lovers. They are even our children.
Siblings Jun and Morgan Cho haven’t spoken to each other in several years. The children of a celebrated robot designer, both are still grieving the loss of their brother Yoyo, the earliest prototype for what humanoid robots have now become—nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. But Yoyo was always bound for a darker purpose, and his absence has left a chasm in the siblings’ lives.
When a strange disappearance thrusts the siblings back together, neither of them realizes that the investigation will not only force them to confront their fractured family’s past, but will also bring them back to Yoyo himself.
At once a thrilling page-turner and a heartfelt story of the ties between siblings, Luminous is an unforgettable literary debut.
Product Details
- Publisher: Magpie (March 20, 2025)
- Length: 400 pages
- ISBN13: 9780861546428
Raves and Reviews
'A spectacular debut, taking place in a thoroughly imagined, vividly written future. Harrowing but full of heart, a work of enormous ambition and brilliance with an ending that fully justifies the title and brought me to tears.' Karen Joy Fowler
'Luminous is warm, expansive, and particular. Park renders the intersection between family and technology with wit and philosophical depth, but ultimately this is just incredibly exciting to read. It's utterly beautiful.' Raven Leilani, author of Luster
'Inventive, rollicking, and poetic, Luminous is a future classic novel about robots that reveals itself to be profoundly, beautifully human.' Juhea Kim, author of Beasts of a Little Land
'Luminous is full of complex characters, damaged and broken and beautiful. It's a novel full of pleasures, big and small, gorgeous sentences from which Park weaves a rich, layered story of family and work, of history and speculation, of Korea, past, present and future.' Charles Yu, author of Interior Chinatown
'Wildly and, yes, luminously emotional.' Matt Haig, New York Times-bestselling author of The Midnight Library, via Instagram
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Luminous eBook 9780861546428
