‘We all need practise slowing down’
This book is a quiet exploration of friendships and loneliness and human connection. It is slow and may not appeal to all, but I enjoyed this and found the characters endearing and lovable. We all need to try making each other happier in this world.

This book might not be for everyone. It's a quiet, slow book about families and friendships, whilst also having the back drop of robots and animal cruelty.
Despite it's slow nature, it tackles topics of parent loss, trauma, poverty and disability.

I have grown a new love for a "quieter" reads - those unassuming, simpler slice of life stories that just appeal to your heart - and this is a wonderful example of such a book. A wonderful read.

‘Time flows differently for each person even when they shared the same space, they remembered different things even when they looked at the same thing, and they did not know how others felt unless they talked about it. Sometimes they say one thing but mean another. They seemed intent on using all their energy to constantly hide their true feelings. Even so, from time to time, humans understood what others were feeling even if they didn't talk about it, and faced the same direction even as they looked at different things. Their experience of time sometimes aligned even when they were apart—.’

I loved this book. From it's engaging characters to the timely reminder to slow down in a world that is constantly on the go.
This book was packed full of emotion and really pulled me into the world.
So pleased that I read this one.

This was such a fascinating read! I loved how it tackled themes like animal cruelty and humanity’s relentless quest for entertainment, all set against a future where the lines between man and machine blur in thought-provoking ways.
Coli, the robot jockey, was a standout for me. Its imperfectly perfect view of the world and quirky take on life made for some truly memorable dialogue—I honestly wanted even more of it. If you enjoyed Klara and the Sun, you’ll appreciate how this book explores the complex relationship between humans and robots with real heart.
And let’s talk about Today, the racehorse. Her storyline was heartbreakingly beautiful, offering an honest, unflinching look at horse racing that ties the whole narrative together so well. Highly recommend!

A Thousand Blues is a beautifully evocative novel that explores the nuances of family, identity, and longing. The storytelling feels intimate and poetic, bringing the characters and their struggles to life with subtlety. While the pacing is gentle and some parts might feel contemplative, the emotional depth makes it a rewarding read.

I loved the concept of this book from the blurb, but something about it didn't quite work for me. The real world is a lot right now, and maybe heavy subjects like the ones explored in this book are a little much right now. I have a feeling that in a few years, with a reread, I will enjoy this book much more.

I'm on the fence: loved and hated it at the same time. Fascinating and hard to read (my adhd was not happy)
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The book isn’t for everyone with the story of a robot that is a racehorse jockey and a family with heavy issues but you read about their lives and how they’ve managed to get through things and dealt with love and loss

A Thousand Blues has become one of my favourite books. Life feels turbulent and overwhelming and this beautiful book is the reminder we all need to slow down. To quieten the noise and revel in the small joys.

The year is 2035 and Coli, a robot jockey, has been adopted by a young Korean girl, Yeonjae. Coli would have been sold and taken apart, but Yeonjae upgrades Coli and gives him a second life.

Yeonjae has a sister, Eunhye, who is confined to a wheelchair. Her mother, Bogyeong, works all hours to make ends meet and is frozen in time since the loss of her beloved husband.

Coli brings this family together in a way nobody could predict. Together, they learn to connect and when Today (Coli's partner and racehorse) is threatened with euthanasia due to injury, they make it their mission to buy Today more time.

Dealing with themes of grief, loneliness, disability, poverty, technology and above all love, this book is a testament to the best and worst of humanity. It is so poignant and moving and manages to provoke deep joy and sadness at the same time.

It is a book I would turn to when life feels heavy and humanity seems doomed.

I ummed and ahhed over whether to review this as I didn’t actually finish it on time- instead getting to 38% before my arc expired. I, obviously, decided I would as while I wasn’t able to fully read this novel, I have been able to fully digest the pages I did read. This is a beautifully quiet, verging on the mundane, tale of a girl who is fascinated by robotics and the robot jockey who thinks and feels too much.

I’ll start with the robot. He was implanted with the wrong chip and is therefore quite different to the other robot jockeys. For one, he cares about his ride, a horse named Today. For two, he seeks more from life. He wants to feel the wind on his body, he wants to see the sky as he races, and he wants to race as long as Today enjoys doing so. So when Today is injured yet still being pushed to race, he sacrifices himself to save her from pain.

This sacrifice is where this tale truly begins and we are introduced to our other characters and point of views.

A Thousand Blues was heartwarming and small in its scope- we are given glimpses of the larger world and the robots and AI that inhabit it, though they are never the focus. The writing is lovely and the characters felt so real.

This may be a good book for you if you primarily read literary fiction and are wanting to slowly give science fiction a try. I would also highly recommend this to fans of cosy fantasy.

While I wasn’t able to finish this in time, the parts I did read were quaint yet beautiful. If you like quiet stories with a small cast of characters, definitely give this translated work a go!

Appreciation of the sky.
Coli is an unusual robot, he is a jockey robot, his sole purpose to ride and win horse races. During production he has the wrong chip inserted giving him reasoning and speech. Ion his way to the racetrack he sees the sky and is fascinated by it. The horse he is given to ride is called Today and by watching the kindly trainer he learns how the horse likes to be stroked and handled. Today goes on to be a winner and is highly prized. During one race Coli looks up at the sky and falls off the horse, he is badly damaged and is destined for scrap.
Yeonjae and Eunhye are sisters, their Mother Bokhui struggles to.make ends meet, she is a widow and runs a popular resturant. Eunhye is restricted to a wheel chair and has trouble getting about without help. Yeonjae is a quiet studious girl who is good at robotics. When Coli is sitting in his damaged state outside the stables, Yeo.make negotiates to buy him and takes him home, her Mother is upset as she does not trust robots.
Jitsu is a fellow pupil of Yeonjae and asks her to be her partner in a robotics competition, in return she will supply Coli's spare parts. Back at the stable Today has injured his legs and is not entered into any races, the vet attending to him says he needs to be put down.
This book is full of family struggles and disappointments, attitudes to friendship,which are helped by Coli's questions and reasoning.
Thank you NetGalley, Chain and Random House for this ARC.
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The year is 2035 and robots are gradually taking over menial jobs that humans once did. Initially revolving around teenager Yeonjae who comes across a discarded jockey robot whom she calls Coli; the story branches out to Yeonjae's elder wheelchair-bound sister Eunhye and widowed mother Bogyeong.

Whilst Coli is being manufactured, something goes amiss which leads to Coli gaining human-like intelligence. He becomes a successful robot jockey who rides a horse named Today. Together they are a dream team until during one race, Coli's curiosity gets the better of him. He is in awe of the blue sky above him and ends up falling off Today leading him to become damaged and discarded until Yeonjae comes across him. Yeonjae has a passion for robotics and fixes Coli to become one of the family.

Don't be fooled, A Thousand Blues is not all about robotics and sci-fi. It is moving and poignant and delves into the importance of human relationships.

Set in 2035, in a fast-changing futuristic world, robots have become more prevalent within society and have replaced many manual jobs, including horse jockeys.
We are introduced to sisters Yeonjae and Eunhye, who embark on a mission to save a retired racehorse called Today. They have formed a deep bond with the horse, who after many years of successful racing, is waiting to be euthanised. Joining them on their mission is Today’s jockey, Coli, a loveable humanoid robot, who after serving his intended purpose has been left on the scrap heap.

This was really thought-provoking and charming piece of fiction. It explores technology, specifically AI, and how this may shape our future whilst many current social struggles remain the same, but also examines deeper themes of mother, daughter and sister relationships, disability and animal cruelty.
I’m not usually sci-fi girly but there is something about Korean fiction that is so healing to read; the ending made me blub 😭

In 2035, a purpose-built jockey robot (with a little extra than expected) falls from its horse and is destined to be scrapped and repurposed. Until a young woman decides to salvage it. A Thousand Blues is a heartfelt exploration of the highs and lows of humanity, and how we prioritise technological advancements that make the rich richer, rather than improving quality of life for all. One of the key characters is physically disabled and this book discusses in depth society’s failures to accommodate and support disabled people, which was incredibly moving and well- handled.

I need to say straight off the bat I picked up this book for the sentient robot, and immediately I was hating monk & robot duo vibes and I was chomping at the bit. Unfortunately the actual robot is scarcely present in this book, and the focus of this story is actually the girl and her family. Now, this isn’t a BAD story! I really liked the characters and the way the author explores how shared trauma effects close relationships, and it definitely had dystopian vibes regarding how technological advances have effected different classes. It’s just not the story I was wanting/expecting. I think if THAT sounds like something you’re interested in, I’d definitely recommend this book. If you are after a quirky robot with heart, I think you’ll be hung out to dry a little bit. Despite being pretty short it took me a couple days to finish just because I wasn’t very immersed (I think because I was waiting for more robot scenes 💀)

The most important thing is the themes and messages of A Thousand Blues are incredibly important and well-delivered. There’s a lot of commentary about the racing industry and the treatment of animals in general, and this is a really interesting way to weave that in to fiction. I also really love that a book with such heavy and almost threatening themes ends with an abundance of hope and love. I would really love to read more from this author.

The thing about A Thousand Blues is that it takes you in by surprise. I started this book thinking it'll be similar to all the cozy Asian literature books that I've previously read - I probably will feel comforted by it but nothing else - but I closed the last chapter of this book reeling with the feeling of loss and grief, but also this feeling of warmth for the characters that I didn't think I was going to get attached with.

For a story involving an AI robot, this book is very much human. All the characters have so much heart and complexities that made it very easy to root for them and to empathize with them and I really loved how much thought and care the author has put into each of these characters. I've always loved cozy Asian literature books, but one thing I noticed from my time with them is that it's common for me to feel like I'm only reading these characters through a distance, but this book was different. I loved the friendships and the relationships that were brought or repaired in this book.

Thank you so much for Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC

Published earlier this month, this book is one of the reasons why I love Korean and Japanese translated works. This is a book packed full of themes and moments that will hurt your heart. We are in the near future where AI and robots are becoming more widespread. People are losing their jobs because buying a robot is cheaper. In this story that covers the space of about six months we are in the world of horse racing. Human jockeys have been replaced by robot jockeys because 1) jockeys were getting hurt and 2) robot jockeys are much lighter and so the horses can go much faster. Coli is the jockey robot who rides Today and they are a champion winning team. Coli - by accident -was fitted with the wrong chip and is sentient. He is inquisitive, he understands the world around him, he can feel through touch that when Today runs she is happy and so he is happy too. However, he falls from her and is crushed, destined to be thrown away until a young girl, Yeonjae, who wants to be involved in robotics finds him, buys him and takes him home to repair. Her mother is not that keen; she mistrusts robots. As for her sister, Eunhye, who is confined to a wheelchair, she is more interested in Today. Every day she is at the stables with the horse. But Today is suffering. The speeds that she is reaching are affecting her and her joints are failing. A horse that cannot race has only one fate. Therefore the two sisters set out to make sure that Today can have one last race, urged on by Coli who wants Today to be happy one last time. But this race will be different, for this race Today must be the slowest. The themes come thick and fast in this novel - disability and accessibilty is one of them. Eunhye’s mother cannot afford for her to have prosthetic limbs, but all around money is being spent on producing more mobile robots. The robots can go anywhere, Eunhye cannot. Then there is the theme of animal rights - the fact that the only thing that Today has to look forward to when she can no longer race is death. Also sisters and their mother are closed up, trapped in their own feelings which is reflected in the small box that Coli is kept in at the track and Today’s small stable. For the humans, Coli is the catalyst to help them find their freedom. But this is also a book that reminds us to take our time. Just as Today must run her slowest race, so we too should slow down and, like Coli, enjoy the thousand blues in the sky.

A Thousand Blues by Cheon Seon-Ran (translated by Kim Chi-Young) is on its face a science fiction book. The book opens with a robot jockey who accidentally gets an AI chip that allows it to develop a more human personality. But robot jockeys and servers and search and rescue teams aside, A Thousand Blues is really about a family – mother Bogyeong and her two daughters Yeonjae and Eunhye – brought together by that robot and his relationship with the horse that he rode called Today.
A Thousand Blues opens from the perspective of the jockey robot (aho comes to be called Coli). Robot riders mean that horses could achieve greater speeds, and Coli’s human characteristics give him a much closer connection to Today who becomes an award winning racehorse. But this racing wears the horses out and before Today can run itself to death, Coli sacrifices himself, getting smashed in the process. He is rescued and rebuilt by Yeonjae, who turns out to be an expert in robotics, and slowly wins the heart of the family. Meanwhile Yeohjae’s wheelchair-bound sister, Eunhye, has become fixated on saving Today.
A Thousand Blues is a book about growth, friendship, empathy and redemption. It fits neatly within a Korean genre of popular culture known as healing style – which are are characterized by a variety of characters with their own stories, set in familiar and nostalgic spaces, and featuring characters recovering from pain. In this case, despite the futuristic setting, the main characters can be found at the racecourse, school or Bogyeong’s chicken restaurant. But also in this vein, it is a book about slowing down – about taking time to look at the sky and to really think about what is around you. Cheon Seon-ran writes a little about her journey to understand this lesson in a short Afterword.
It cannot be forgotten that the main character of this book is a robot. Coli does drive the plot and his actions and observations cause the other characters to change underpin consideration of what it means to be human (or at least a good human). This is reminiscent of the robot protagonist of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun.
A Thousand Blues won the 4th Korea Sci-fi Literature Award. And while it is not particularly ground breaking science fiction, it is heartwarming, though provoking and endearing and that is more than enough.

Set in the near future where robotics are rife to the point the average population have lost their means of occupation by the development, replaced to save money for business owner the book follows a girl and her sister who become entwined with the lives of a humanoid robot jockey that appears to be sentient beyond what it should be and it's ailing horse today.

The book ultimately poses the question of what does it mean to be alive and questions how a world obsessed with new complex tech, forget about cheap and accessible options that can improve the quality of life of animals and of humans with disabilities, a thought provoking read and one I would recommend when it comes to wanting to reflect on what it truly means to be alive...


Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Doubleday for the e-ARC.