Book: Teddy Bears Never Die by Cho Yeeun
Reviewed by Weird | weird.reads.books
Rating: 4/5
The second I read the description of this book, I knew I had to pick it up.
Our protagonist, Hwayoung, is a teenager enduring relentless hardships with absolutely no reprieve in sight. After her mother dies in a mass-cyanide poisoning at their luxury apartment complex, Hwayoung becomes convinced there is foul play involved and vows to uncover the truth. Left to survive on her own as a minor, she struggles to find legitimate work and is forced into some shady dealings just to get by.
Beneath the wild premise, the story tackles some massive, heavy themes. The stark economic inequality and the gentrification of lower-income neighborhoods really stood out to me. Through Hwayoung’s eyes, we witness her town’s transformation into a hip district, a shift that systematically displaces the vulnerable residents who built it. Yeeun Cho pulls absolutely no punches in depicting Hwayoung’s shattered life right up until she crosses paths with a... sentient teddy bear?
The murderous bear and the inherent silliness he brings to the table provide a perfect, much-needed balance to the book's heavier elements. The stuffed animal is possessed by Doha, a boy and former classmate of Hwayoung who has no idea how he ended up trapped in a fuzzy body. When he first appeared, I couldn't stop imagining him with the voice of Monokuma from the video game Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc . The book carries a very similar vibe—combining deep despair and helplessness with cheeky, pitch-black humor. The cover might look bright, colorful, and fun, but make no mistake: this is horror. And while there are elements of romance, they are vastly overshadowed by the chaotic events unfolding around the characters.
I absolutely loved the juxtaposition of horror with a cute, cozy aesthetic. However, the narrative did hit a few speed bumps in translation. There were moments where the story flow felt a bit choppy, or the wording was slightly too awkward to smoothly convey a character’s intent. While it briefly pulled me out of the moment, I was still fully invested in the plot.
Teddy Bears Never Die is for the weirdos out there who love soft, cute aesthetics but live for the macabre. It handles heavy, cathartic themes in a compact package, making it the perfect dark palate cleanser to read between tome-sized books.
Thank you to Orbit for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.