Plot Summary
Alien Among Commuters
Mumu, an alien stranded on Earth, navigates the city's subway system, acutely aware of their difference. Every movement is a performance, a calculated effort to pass as human. The discomfort of public transportation, the anxiety of being perceived, and the physical strain of maintaining a human form are constant reminders of their alienation. Mumu's hunger is both literal and existential, driving them to seek out human prey through dating apps. The city is a hostile environment, and survival depends on perfect mimicry. The mundane act of commuting becomes a battleground for identity, as Mumu balances the need to remain unseen with the urge to satisfy their monstrous appetite. The chapter sets the tone: alienation, hunger, and the relentless practice of being human.
Gender, Hunger, Survival
Mumu reflects on the human obsession with gender, recognizing that being perceived as either male or female is essential for acceptance and survival. Gender is not an identity but a mask, a role to be played to avoid detection and satisfy hunger. Mumu's ability to shift between genders is a matter of life and death, not self-expression. The performance is exhausting, yet necessary; failure means starvation or exposure. The chapter explores the anxiety of being unclassifiable, the violence of misrecognition, and the alien's acute awareness of the arbitrary nature of gender norms. Mumu's hunger is intertwined with their need to belong, making every interaction fraught with risk and longing.
The Art of Passing
Mumu meticulously prepares for each encounter, transforming their body to match the desires of their next victim. The process is painful and laborious, requiring intense concentration and practice. Passing as human is not just about appearance but about movement, speech, and behavior. Mumu studies and rehearses every detail, from walking on two legs to modulating their voice. The chapter delves into the alien's internal manual for gender performance, highlighting the absurdity and arbitrariness of societal expectations. The act of passing is both a shield and a prison, offering temporary safety at the cost of constant vigilance and self-erasure.
Stairs and Strangers
Physical challenges like stairs become metaphors for the alien's struggle. Each step is a test of endurance and adaptation. Encounters with strangers—curious neighbors, nosy bystanders—are fraught with danger. Mumu must navigate suspicion, intrusive questions, and the ever-present threat of exposure. The alien's body rebels under stress, threatening to reveal its true form. Moments of vulnerability are met with fantasies of violence or escape. The chapter captures the exhaustion of living in a world not built for you, where every interaction is a potential threat and every kindness is suspect.
The Predator's Ritual
Mumu's predation is methodical, almost ceremonial. Each hookup is carefully planned: selecting prey, arranging meetings, preparing tools. The act of seduction is intertwined with the act of consumption. Sex becomes both a means of connection and a prelude to violence. Mumu's hunger is insatiable, driving them to kill and consume their lovers. The ritual is both grotesque and intimate, blending pleasure, necessity, and guilt. The alien's reflections on taste, anatomy, and culinary technique reveal a deep ambivalence about their actions. Survival demands violence, but the cost is a growing sense of isolation and remorse.
Sex, Love, Consumption
Mumu fantasizes about romance and companionship, imagining a life where love is possible. Yet, every relationship is doomed by their nature; intimacy inevitably leads to consumption. The alien craves affection and connection but is trapped in a cycle of predation. Sex is both a moment of closeness and the prelude to death. Mumu's longing for love is met with the reality of their monstrous appetite. The chapter explores the tension between desire and destruction, the fleeting nature of pleasure, and the impossibility of ordinary happiness for someone fundamentally other.
Aftermath and Reflection
After each kill, Mumu meticulously cleans up, erasing all traces of their presence. The process is both practical and symbolic—a way to maintain the illusion of humanity and suppress guilt. The alien reflects on their origins, the destruction of their home planet, and the loneliness of exile. Memories of family, lovers, and community haunt them, fueling both nostalgia and despair. The chapter examines the psychological toll of survival, the burden of memory, and the longing for a place to belong. Mumu's existence is a cycle of hunger, violence, and regret.
Practice Makes Human
Mumu's daily life is a relentless practice of being human. Every gesture, every word, every interaction is rehearsed and refined. The alien's home is both a sanctuary and a laboratory, filled with mirrors, manuals, and tools for transformation. The process is never complete; each day brings new challenges and failures. Mumu's body resists conformity, constantly threatening to revert to its original form. The chapter highlights the exhaustion of perpetual performance and the impossibility of true assimilation. Humanity is a role that can never be fully mastered, only endlessly practiced.
The Cycle of Desire
Mumu's life is a cycle of hunting, feeding, and longing. Each new encounter promises satisfaction but delivers only temporary relief. The alien's appetite is never sated; pleasure is fleeting, and loneliness persists. Attempts at connection—through sex, conversation, or fantasy—are ultimately hollow. The repetition of routines, the monotony of survival, and the futility of desire create a sense of existential ennui. The chapter explores the alien's growing awareness of the emptiness at the heart of their existence and the impossibility of escape from the cycle.
Failed Connections
Not every hunt ends in success. Mumu experiences failed hookups, misunderstandings, and moments of vulnerability. Encounters with humans who are uninterested, unreliable, or simply incompatible leave the alien frustrated and hungry. The pain of rejection is compounded by the physical and emotional toll of transformation. Mumu's longing for companionship is met with indifference or hostility. The chapter captures the alien's sense of futility and the deepening isolation that comes from repeated disappointment.
The Elephant in 101
A planned hookup with a "rhinoceros" turns into an encounter with an "elephant"—a human whose physical presence and unexpected tenderness disarm Mumu. Instead of violence, the meeting becomes an experience of mutual vulnerability and fleeting affection. Mumu is tempted to abandon their predatory role, imagining a future of companionship and love. The alien's hunger is momentarily forgotten in the warmth of another's embrace. Yet, the impossibility of lasting connection remains, and Mumu must eventually move on, leaving both longing and regret in their wake.
The Loneliness of Prey
Mumu reflects on the nature of loneliness, both as predator and as prey. The alien's existence is defined by separation—from their own kind, from humanity, from the possibility of belonging. Attempts to make friends or find love are thwarted by the fundamental gulf between self and other. The chapter explores the existential loneliness of being unrecognizable, the pain of perpetual disguise, and the yearning for someone who can truly see and accept them. Mumu's hunger is revealed as a metaphor for the deeper hunger for connection and understanding.
The Predator Hunted
Mumu becomes the target of a violent attack, ambushed by a group of humans. The experience is both terrifying and humiliating, forcing the alien to confront their own vulnerability. The violence strips away the illusion of control, exposing the fragility beneath the monstrous exterior. Mumu's self-healing abilities allow for survival, but the psychological scars remain. The chapter inverts the predator-prey dynamic, highlighting the precariousness of existence and the ever-present threat of exposure and annihilation.
Molting and Recovery
Severely wounded, Mumu retreats to their home to recover. The process of healing is depicted as a literal molting, shedding old skin and emerging renewed but not unchanged. The alien's body and psyche are inextricably linked; physical recovery is accompanied by emotional reckoning. Mumu reflects on the cyclical nature of their existence, the inevitability of hunger, and the impossibility of escape. The chapter is both a meditation on resilience and a lament for the unending struggle to survive in a hostile world.
The Final Encounter
In a climactic encounter, Mumu meets a being who may be another of their kind—or an even more dangerous predator. The meeting is fraught with tension, violence, and the possibility of recognition. The alien is forced to confront the limits of their power and the reality of their isolation. The battle is brutal, leaving Mumu battered and fleeing for their life. The encounter underscores the dangers of seeking connection in a world where every other is a potential threat, and survival often means solitude.
Dreaming of Home
In the aftermath, Mumu dreams of their lost home, family, and the life that was destroyed. The dream is both a source of comfort and pain, a reminder of what has been lost and what can never be regained. Waking, Mumu faces the reality of their existence: perpetual hunger, endless practice, and the impossibility of belonging. Yet, there is a measure of acceptance—a recognition that survival, however lonely or monstrous, is still life. The chapter closes with a sense of unresolved yearning, but also a quiet resilience in the face of unending alienation.
Analysis
Walking Practice is a radical meditation on alienation, identity, and survival in a world that demands conformity and punishes difference. Through the lens of speculative fiction and body horror, Dolki Min explores the violence inherent in the performance of gender, the hunger for connection, and the impossibility of true belonging for those who exist outside normative boundaries. Mumu's relentless practice of being human—shifting forms, rehearsing behaviors, erasing traces—mirrors the experiences of marginalized individuals forced to navigate hostile environments. The novel interrogates the arbitrariness of gender, the brutality of societal surveillance, and the existential loneliness of being unrecognizable. Yet, it also offers moments of tenderness, humor, and resilience, refusing to reduce its protagonist to mere monstrosity. By implicating the reader and blurring the line between predator and prey, Walking Practice challenges us to reconsider our own roles in systems of exclusion and violence. Ultimately, the novel is a queer, visceral, and deeply human story about the costs of survival and the enduring hunger for love and acceptance.
Review Summary
Walking Practice receives mixed but mostly positive reviews, averaging 3.55/5. Readers praise its unique premise of a shapeshifting alien using dating apps to hunt humans, while exploring themes of gender fluidity, queerness, and social alienation. Many highlight the conversational, fourth-wall-breaking narrative style and experimental typography as standout features. The audiobook narration receives particular acclaim. Critics note repetitiveness and a lack of plot momentum as weaknesses. Illustrations by the author are frequently praised. Most agree it is unlike anything else they've read.
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Characters
Mumu (Narrator)
Mumu is a stranded alien who survives by mimicking human forms and preying on humans for sustenance. Their existence is defined by hunger, loneliness, and the relentless need to pass as human. Mumu's relationship to gender is purely functional, shifting between male and female presentations as needed for survival. Psychologically, Mumu is marked by profound alienation, oscillating between longing for connection and the necessity of violence. Their internal monologue is witty, self-aware, and often darkly humorous, revealing both a deep desire for love and an acute awareness of their monstrosity. Over the course of the story, Mumu becomes increasingly reflective, questioning the morality of their actions and the possibility of belonging in a world that will never accept them.
Human Prey (Various)
The humans Mumu encounters are both targets and fleeting companions. They are chosen for their physical qualities, proximity, and willingness to engage in hookups. Each is a mirror for Mumu's longing and alienation, representing both the possibility of connection and the inevitability of violence. Some are indifferent, some are kind, some are cruel, but all are ultimately reduced to meat. Their fleeting presence underscores Mumu's isolation and the transactional nature of their relationships.
The Elephant (Rhinoceros)
This character, initially anticipated as a "rhinoceros" but revealed as an "elephant," offers Mumu a rare moment of genuine affection and vulnerability. Their physicality and warmth disarm Mumu, leading to a temporary suspension of the predator-prey dynamic. The Elephant's loneliness mirrors Mumu's own, and their brief connection highlights the possibility—and impossibility—of love for someone fundamentally other. The encounter leaves Mumu changed, if only for a moment, and deepens the sense of loss that permeates the narrative.
The Violent Gang
The group that attacks Mumu represents the ever-present danger of exposure and violence faced by those who are different. Their brutality strips away Mumu's carefully constructed human facade, forcing a confrontation with vulnerability and mortality. Psychologically, they embody the fear and hostility that greet outsiders, reinforcing Mumu's sense of alienation and the precariousness of survival.
The Other Monster
In the final encounter, Mumu faces a being who may be another of their kind or a different predator altogether. This character is both a potential ally and a deadly rival, embodying the dangers of seeking connection in a world defined by competition and survival. The encounter forces Mumu to confront their own limitations and the reality that even among monsters, there is no true kinship.
Nosy Neighbors
The neighbors and bystanders Mumu encounters are emblematic of the constant scrutiny faced by outsiders. Their questions, suspicions, and intrusions are both a source of danger and a reminder of the impossibility of true assimilation. They represent the collective gaze of society, always ready to police boundaries and punish deviation.
The Angel (Kind Stranger)
Occasionally, Mumu encounters humans who offer small acts of kindness—a seat on the train, a helping hand. These moments are rare and often met with suspicion, but they provide brief respite from the hostility of the world. The Angel's actions highlight the possibility of empathy, even in a world defined by difference and danger.
Mumu's Body
Mumu's body is both a tool and an adversary, constantly resisting the demands of mimicry and transformation. The physical pain and exhaustion of maintaining a human form are a constant source of anxiety and frustration. The body's rebellion mirrors Mumu's psychological turmoil, embodying the tension between self and performance, desire and necessity.
Mumu's Tools ("Babies")
The tools Mumu uses to butcher and process their prey are both extensions of their body and symbols of their alienation. They are cherished, named, and cared for, reflecting the ritualistic nature of Mumu's predation. The loss or destruction of these tools is experienced as a profound loss, underscoring the centrality of violence to Mumu's existence.
The Reader
Throughout the narrative, Mumu addresses the reader directly, implicating them in the story and blurring the line between observer and participant. The reader becomes a confidant, a judge, and a potential victim, drawn into the alien's world and forced to confront their own assumptions about identity, otherness, and violence.
Plot Devices
Shapeshifting and Performance
The central device is Mumu's ability to shapeshift, which serves as both a literal survival mechanism and a metaphor for the performance of gender, identity, and assimilation. The narrative structure mirrors this fluidity, shifting between internal monologue, direct address, and fragmented, stream-of-consciousness passages. The act of passing is depicted as an endless rehearsal, highlighting the exhaustion and impossibility of true belonging.
Direct Address and Meta-Narration
Mumu frequently addresses the reader, drawing them into the narrative and forcing them to confront their own complicity in systems of exclusion and violence. This device creates intimacy and discomfort, blurring the boundaries between fiction and reality, predator and prey.
Repetition and Routine
The narrative is structured around cycles—commuting, hunting, feeding, transforming, recovering. This repetition underscores the futility and monotony of Mumu's existence, as well as the inescapability of their condition. The cyclical structure is both comforting and suffocating, reflecting the alien's entrapment in patterns of survival and desire.
Body Horror and Sensory Detail
The narrative is saturated with visceral descriptions of bodies—human and alien, sexual and monstrous. The grotesque is juxtaposed with the mundane, creating a sense of unease and highlighting the thin line between pleasure and horror. The body becomes a battleground for identity, desire, and survival.
Foreshadowing and Flashback
Mumu's reflections on their lost home, family, and past traumas are woven throughout the narrative, providing context for their actions and deepening the sense of loss and longing. Flashbacks to the destruction of their planet and early struggles on Earth foreshadow the inevitability of violence and the impossibility of return.
Unreliable Narration and Fragmentation
The narrative frequently fragments, with sentences breaking apart, thoughts trailing off, and language dissolving into sound and sensation. This stylistic device reflects Mumu's unstable sense of self and the difficulty of maintaining coherence in a hostile world. The reader is drawn into the alien's disorientation, experiencing the world through their fractured perspective.
