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melismatic's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
cafes's review against another edition
4.0
Lo leí de forma descontinuada en el tiempo, y quizás eso influye en mi opinión, pero no dejo de sentir que sigue siendo interesante haberlo leído así y también en el momento en que lo leí, esto porque la historia sigue un orden separado en momentos aleatorios en el tiempo, donde si bien es lineal desde ayer-hoy, la separación de días puede ser de semanas o meses; el tiempo no tiene importancia, sólo el espacio. Lo empecé hace mucho pero quise terminarlo hoy.
La forma en la que la historia se centra en los espacios físicos en que se mueven las personas, me recordó mucho a esas canciones que hablan de ciudades, de cómo se puede manifestar el sentir de las personas mediante el retrato de una ciudad en decadencia (y agradecí mucho esa conexión mental con mono.) y sus espacios oscuros y fríos, pero que al mismo tiempo, es el único refugio conocido para otros. Desde espacios ruidosos y donde cunde el movimiento, la rapidez y el ajetreo de un nuevo proyecto (como lo es el proyecto de demolición) hasta un espacio silencioso, tranquilo, donde el tiempo no parece pasar y donde la verdadera humanidad puede verse funcionar (el viejito que vendía las bombillas de luces). Los diálogos son lo más cercano a la realidad que puede verse en un libro, con silencios y palabras mundanas y repetitivas, realmente la autora quiso adentrar al lector en el escenario que construyó (y que según leí, está orientado a un caso de demolición real de un edificio en Corea del Sur).
Me gustó mucho la edición chilena (por @neonediciones) porque se tradujo las cinco anotaciones de Hyeongchul Shin sobre el libro, y a mi parecer fue un buen inicio para entender el trasfondo y el objetivo que tuvo la autora en tantas sombras.
''El fenómeno de rebelión de la sombra (...) de separación de la sombra-que si se tiene en cuenta, sucede solo cuando un sujeto llega al límite de su paciencia ante una realidad violenta''
No es un libro que me haya tocado la fibra sensible al punto de no parar de llorar, pero me generó muchos pensamientos y conexiones neuronales, porque también su concepto de sombra lo relacioné mucho a Carl Jung, porque para él la sombra también involucra la ''banalidad de la desdicha'' como dice el libro, es decir, miedos, frustraciones e inseguridades. Me gustó haberlo leído en un momento donde mi sombra también se levanta de a ratos y me consume, para luego volver a esconderse en esas esquinas donde no llega la luz. Se vive con esa sombra siempre, porque realmente ¿se puede luchar contra ella si es parte de ti? Unguio, no creo que exista otra vida después de esta. Siempre he pensado que era inevitable para todos los seres humanos sentir un poco esa sensación de vacío, vivan en las condiciones en las que vivan y en la situación en la que vivan.
La historia tiene más profundidad lingüística y sentimental que la que le estoy dando en esta reseña y que la que podría llegar a entender, pero me gustó mucho la escritura y la repetición de palabras hasta dejarlas desnudas y sin sentido. Las alusiones a un sistema capitalista tan frío como en el que estamos inmersos, donde todo debe sumar y nada debe restar, donde nuestras formas de ser y nuestras relaciones siempre son un cálculo y un trabajo. Hacemos mucho ruido, siempre estamos muy ocupados, queremos alcanzarlo todo muy rápido y, en muchos sentidos, somos además muy agresivos.
Como dijo Hyeongchul Shin, la historia tiene tantas temáticas y tan bien combinadas, me divertí y pensé mucho (algo que extrañaba de encontrar en una lectura). Gracias Hwang Jungeun!
La forma en la que la historia se centra en los espacios físicos en que se mueven las personas, me recordó mucho a esas canciones que hablan de ciudades, de cómo se puede manifestar el sentir de las personas mediante el retrato de una ciudad en decadencia (y agradecí mucho esa conexión mental con mono.) y sus espacios oscuros y fríos, pero que al mismo tiempo, es el único refugio conocido para otros. Desde espacios ruidosos y donde cunde el movimiento, la rapidez y el ajetreo de un nuevo proyecto (como lo es el proyecto de demolición) hasta un espacio silencioso, tranquilo, donde el tiempo no parece pasar y donde la verdadera humanidad puede verse funcionar (el viejito que vendía las bombillas de luces). Los diálogos son lo más cercano a la realidad que puede verse en un libro, con silencios y palabras mundanas y repetitivas, realmente la autora quiso adentrar al lector en el escenario que construyó (y que según leí, está orientado a un caso de demolición real de un edificio en Corea del Sur).
Me gustó mucho la edición chilena (por @neonediciones) porque se tradujo las cinco anotaciones de Hyeongchul Shin sobre el libro, y a mi parecer fue un buen inicio para entender el trasfondo y el objetivo que tuvo la autora en tantas sombras.
''El fenómeno de rebelión de la sombra (...) de separación de la sombra-que si se tiene en cuenta, sucede solo cuando un sujeto llega al límite de su paciencia ante una realidad violenta''
No es un libro que me haya tocado la fibra sensible al punto de no parar de llorar, pero me generó muchos pensamientos y conexiones neuronales, porque también su concepto de sombra lo relacioné mucho a Carl Jung, porque para él la sombra también involucra la ''banalidad de la desdicha'' como dice el libro, es decir, miedos, frustraciones e inseguridades. Me gustó haberlo leído en un momento donde mi sombra también se levanta de a ratos y me consume, para luego volver a esconderse en esas esquinas donde no llega la luz. Se vive con esa sombra siempre, porque realmente ¿se puede luchar contra ella si es parte de ti? Unguio, no creo que exista otra vida después de esta. Siempre he pensado que era inevitable para todos los seres humanos sentir un poco esa sensación de vacío, vivan en las condiciones en las que vivan y en la situación en la que vivan.
La historia tiene más profundidad lingüística y sentimental que la que le estoy dando en esta reseña y que la que podría llegar a entender, pero me gustó mucho la escritura y la repetición de palabras hasta dejarlas desnudas y sin sentido. Las alusiones a un sistema capitalista tan frío como en el que estamos inmersos, donde todo debe sumar y nada debe restar, donde nuestras formas de ser y nuestras relaciones siempre son un cálculo y un trabajo. Hacemos mucho ruido, siempre estamos muy ocupados, queremos alcanzarlo todo muy rápido y, en muchos sentidos, somos además muy agresivos.
Como dijo Hyeongchul Shin, la historia tiene tantas temáticas y tan bien combinadas, me divertí y pensé mucho (algo que extrañaba de encontrar en una lectura). Gracias Hwang Jungeun!
youthfulexpression's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
3.0
mahaila's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
For me, this was perfect.
I loved the style of Hwang Jungeun's writing and I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
The story follows Mujae and Eungyo, two young people working in repair shops in building B of a crowded market complex. The complex is in the early stages of being gentrified.
In this world, a person's shadow can rise, becoming a 3-dimensional figure, separate from their body, after they experience trauma and compounded sadness. This feels very realistic and troubling in the book.
I really liked the critique of the desensitization that is cultivated by capitalist systems. I think this quote captures it well, "I wonder if they call this kind of place a slum, because if you called it someone's home or their livelihood that would make things awkward when it comes to tearing it down."
Mujae describes the memory of seeing a woman and a man fight over reclaimed rags and cardboard boxes, which they plan to sell. The man ends up giving up his and the woman dies later that day, depicting the futility of human life in capitalist systems. As Mujae says, "Even after her children came and held a funeral for her, her handcart remained where she'd left it. There wasn't much in it, just a few boxes, lumps of Styrofoam and torn sheets of plastic, and as I looked at it I thought, A person can die for the sake [of] such things, a person can die and this is all they leave behind,"
I really enjoyed how the story was told through a series of separate scenes and memories. And I liked how Jungeun wrote dialogue without using quotation marks. While somewhat confusing at times, it gave the book a unique and familiar conversational feel.
I liked how the book begins with Mujae guiding Eungyo thorugh dangerous terrain after her shadow rises, and ends with Eungyo doing the same for Mujae.
I found it somewhat amusing that Mujae passes the orange peel theory TikTok challenge.
Also, I made a playlist for this book, because I guess that's what I do now. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0FXS4MZCTW5JKw9gVLPZXQ
Thank you to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for providing me with an e-arc ahead of the publication of the new edition.
I loved the style of Hwang Jungeun's writing and I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
The story follows Mujae and Eungyo, two young people working in repair shops in building B of a crowded market complex. The complex is in the early stages of being gentrified.
In this world, a person's shadow can rise, becoming a 3-dimensional figure, separate from their body, after they experience trauma and compounded sadness. This feels very realistic and troubling in the book.
I really liked the critique of the desensitization that is cultivated by capitalist systems. I think this quote captures it well, "I wonder if they call this kind of place a slum, because if you called it someone's home or their livelihood that would make things awkward when it comes to tearing it down."
Mujae describes the memory of seeing a woman and a man fight over reclaimed rags and cardboard boxes, which they plan to sell. The man ends up giving up his and the woman dies later that day, depicting the futility of human life in capitalist systems. As Mujae says, "Even after her children came and held a funeral for her, her handcart remained where she'd left it. There wasn't much in it, just a few boxes, lumps of Styrofoam and torn sheets of plastic, and as I looked at it I thought, A person can die for the sake [of] such things, a person can die and this is all they leave behind,"
I really enjoyed how the story was told through a series of separate scenes and memories. And I liked how Jungeun wrote dialogue without using quotation marks. While somewhat confusing at times, it gave the book a unique and familiar conversational feel.
I liked how the book begins with Mujae guiding Eungyo thorugh dangerous terrain after her shadow rises, and ends with
I found it somewhat amusing that Mujae passes the orange peel theory TikTok challenge.
Also, I made a playlist for this book, because I guess that's what I do now. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0FXS4MZCTW5JKw9gVLPZXQ
Thank you to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for providing me with an e-arc ahead of the publication of the new edition.
care__'s review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
chyuyuuz's review
dark
emotional
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.25
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with this ACR in exchange for an honest review.
One Hundred Shadows left me with a sombre feeling, but also with a calm soul. For quite a while, I wasn't sure how to review this book, I turned it over and over in my head and couldn't decide.
As someone who constantly worries for my future (I'm a chronic overthinker) this book was very interesting and in a way soothing to read. If you already know the book, this might confuse you a bit, but the almost surgical way many of the more serious happenings are described helped a lot to take away the fear of what might or might not happen - at least for my anxiety-filled brain. In contrast there were many witty comments and a kind of humour that would make me laugh out loud in public. The whole book had a certain melancholy but was also filled with little rays of sunshine throughout. All of this was emphasised by the phenomenal use of language. I greatly enjoyed the way this read, this is an amazing translation.
I greatly enjoyed the Fantasy aspect of this book, however, I would not market it as Fantasy. There are moreso supernatural elements to the storytelling, the shadows used as a metaphor for other, very real fears and emotions we experience.
Nevertheless, I greatly enjoyed reading One Hundred Shadows and if you are in need of a story that is not too long but will leave you thinking a little, I think you would enjoy it too.
One Hundred Shadows left me with a sombre feeling, but also with a calm soul. For quite a while, I wasn't sure how to review this book, I turned it over and over in my head and couldn't decide.
As someone who constantly worries for my future (I'm a chronic overthinker) this book was very interesting and in a way soothing to read. If you already know the book, this might confuse you a bit, but the almost surgical way many of the more serious happenings are described helped a lot to take away the fear of what might or might not happen - at least for my anxiety-filled brain. In contrast there were many witty comments and a kind of humour that would make me laugh out loud in public. The whole book had a certain melancholy but was also filled with little rays of sunshine throughout. All of this was emphasised by the phenomenal use of language. I greatly enjoyed the way this read, this is an amazing translation.
I greatly enjoyed the Fantasy aspect of this book, however, I would not market it as Fantasy. There are moreso supernatural elements to the storytelling, the shadows used as a metaphor for other, very real fears and emotions we experience.
Nevertheless, I greatly enjoyed reading One Hundred Shadows and if you are in need of a story that is not too long but will leave you thinking a little, I think you would enjoy it too.
shaerikireads's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
palmpages's review against another edition
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
emkellreads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
While this book was first published in 2010 and already translated for the UK market, this edition was recently published for the US market.
I received an ARC through NetGalley and want to thank Kensington Books for allowing me to read and review this book.
Irrespective of this being an ARC review, the following is my honest opinion:
Hwang Jungeun's writing is as clearcut as they come. There is no unnecessary fat. The structure is almost a stream of consciousness, while still highlighting details in absolute clarity and precision. One Hundred Shadows is not build on an overarching plot nor does much of "substance" happen, yet its theme takes you on a journey. It's the everyday themes that make this book so strong. The fantastical elements of "rising shadows" (pressure, expectations, dread that materializes in your shadow haunting you) juxtapose to the descriptions of the struggle to make a living in a poor neighbourhood of a Korean city in the current times.
If you're used to the prose of most modern Western fantasy, Hwang Jungeon's style might take some getting used to but through it's simplicity, it quickly gains an almost trance like rhythm. I've read this book mostly in one sitting and really enjoyed it.
I'm sure I'll spend more time thinking about its themes.
I received an ARC through NetGalley and want to thank Kensington Books for allowing me to read and review this book.
Irrespective of this being an ARC review, the following is my honest opinion:
Hwang Jungeun's writing is as clearcut as they come. There is no unnecessary fat. The structure is almost a stream of consciousness, while still highlighting details in absolute clarity and precision. One Hundred Shadows is not build on an overarching plot nor does much of "substance" happen, yet its theme takes you on a journey. It's the everyday themes that make this book so strong. The fantastical elements of "rising shadows" (pressure, expectations, dread that materializes in your shadow haunting you) juxtapose to the descriptions of the struggle to make a living in a poor neighbourhood of a Korean city in the current times.
If you're used to the prose of most modern Western fantasy, Hwang Jungeon's style might take some getting used to but through it's simplicity, it quickly gains an almost trance like rhythm. I've read this book mostly in one sitting and really enjoyed it.
I'm sure I'll spend more time thinking about its themes.