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moonlit_dewdrops's review against another edition
4.0
Very compelling book. I absolutely loved the themes of family in here- the lengths a father is willing to go for their children and also the issue within families when parents tend to favor one child over the other. I also really liked the focus on sisterhood. Hwani and her sister were estranged and were barely on speaking terms but by working together to solve the mystery behind the missing girls, they discover how many they mean to one another and that regardless of how upset a person can be at their family, they still love one another deeply. This part of the book was a nice refreshing change from what I usually read (which involves romance).
I found Hwani a very interesting and intelligent character who is good at gathering evidence and looking for clues. (Though there was one particular part that made me scream because she literally licked a random powder found in the shaman's drawer). However, I feel like she still has much to learn because I feel like she tended to jump to conclusions too quickly based on minimum evidence. I think she will definitely need her sister by her side with any future cases they work on. Every detective needs a good partner, right?
I'm also part of the majority who thinks the atmosphere in the book was incredibly well-written. It just made the setting and book that much more compelling. My heart was literally pounding when Hwani and her sister were getting chased by the masked man in the woods.
As for my thoughts on the historical parts of this book, I couldn't help but find it incredibly disturbing that girls starting at the age of ELEVEN were basically traded/sent off like cattle. Like it's so messed up.
To conclude my review, June Hur is now an author I'd automatically read and I am eagerly waiting for her release of 'Crane Among Wolves' (which I've pre-ordered!)
I found Hwani a very interesting and intelligent character who is good at gathering evidence and looking for clues. (Though there was one particular part that made me scream because she literally licked a random powder found in the shaman's drawer). However, I feel like she still has much to learn because I feel like she tended to jump to conclusions too quickly based on minimum evidence. I think she will definitely need her sister by her side with any future cases they work on. Every detective needs a good partner, right?
I'm also part of the majority who thinks the atmosphere in the book was incredibly well-written. It just made the setting and book that much more compelling. My heart was literally pounding when Hwani and her sister were getting chased by the masked man in the woods.
As for my thoughts on the historical parts of this book, I couldn't help but find it incredibly disturbing that girls starting at the age of ELEVEN were basically traded/sent off like cattle. Like it's so messed up.
To conclude my review, June Hur is now an author I'd automatically read and I am eagerly waiting for her release of 'Crane Among Wolves' (which I've pre-ordered!)
mainereading's review against another edition
4.0
After reading 'The Silence of Bones', I was really excited to pick up another book by June Hur. 'The Forest of Stolen Girls' was a fantastic historical mystery, and after picking it up I couldn't put it down! I loved the relationship between the two sisters in this book, it felt very realistic and was, in my opinion, one of the best parts about the book. The mystery was also really enjoyable, and I honestly didn't see the twist about who was involved coming.
clarxvizconde13's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Suicide, and Murder
lunarmelodie's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
rosazns's review against another edition
5.0
this is sooo good! my fav june hur’s books pero kasi i dont rlly remember sa the red palace so i cant compare the two of them. i love the mystery here
lawryn's review against another edition
3.0
A historical fiction, mystery set in 1400s Korea that follows a girl searching for her father and uncovering a decades old conspiracy! Lots of sisterly moments too
bookwoman1967's review against another edition
4.0
This one wins on two of my favorite elements - characters and setting. The mystery wasn't bad either, but mostly I loved the sisters' relationship.