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the_rainydayreader's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
One Hundred Shadows is a novella that portrays poverty in South Korea and the literal and figurative instability people there experience because of poverty. Shadows are a little bit supernatural in this world and the author seems to use them metaphorically to portray depression and suicidal ideation.
Unfortunately I didn’t think this was a successful story. The overall story is very disjointed, with side characters going on long tangents about their own lives and even people they’ve known who have “had their shadow rise”. There is no plot, and sometimes I don’t mind a plotless book as long as it has strong characters, and this had neither.
Sometimes there are very random moments that will take up time (and every word counts for a lot in a novella) but seem unnecessary to the plot, unless I just didn’t get it. For example, the few pages where they went on about hair whorls. Maybe that is due to the translation?
I thought this had potential and there were a few interesting lines here and there that almost made me want to sit and ponder them, but instead I just wanted to be done with this book.
One Hundred Shadows is a novella that portrays poverty in South Korea and the literal and figurative instability people there experience because of poverty. Shadows are a little bit supernatural in this world and the author seems to use them metaphorically to portray depression and suicidal ideation.
Unfortunately I didn’t think this was a successful story. The overall story is very disjointed, with side characters going on long tangents about their own lives and even people they’ve known who have “had their shadow rise”. There is no plot, and sometimes I don’t mind a plotless book as long as it has strong characters, and this had neither.
Sometimes there are very random moments that will take up time (and every word counts for a lot in a novella) but seem unnecessary to the plot, unless I just didn’t get it. For example, the few pages where they went on about hair whorls. Maybe that is due to the translation?
I thought this had potential and there were a few interesting lines here and there that almost made me want to sit and ponder them, but instead I just wanted to be done with this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
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