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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
There is a saying among us who work there: Palace secrets must never get out, or else inevitably there will be blood.
After much effort Hyeon has managed to acquire a position as a palace nurse, one of the only stable and respectable jobs for a bastard daughter. Working in the palace however is not just an honor, it's a heavy burden. One step out of place, one misspoken word and the consequences might be deathly. Hyeon wishes for nothing more than to be able to do her job without getting into trouble, but when a heinous multiple murder is committed, and her mentor is the only suspect, she'll have to step out of line and start her own investigation. She's not the only one interested in the case, a young police inspector is also hunting for the killer. The two must join forces to find the murderer, but what if the criminal was part of the royal family?
This was fun and really solid, I enjoyed reading this book. It's more of a romance than a mystery/thriller, it was easy enough to figure out the culprit, but it does not shy away from the murder aspect and handles it well for a young adult book. I didn't know much about the Korean royalty or the cultural practices of that time period and I found them easy to understand as they were presented by the author.
The strength of the book lies in the characters, specifically the main character. Hyeon was smart and strong while also behaving like an average person when exposed to the violence and injustice. It was easy to identify with her and with her wants and desires. The love interest, Eojin, was a tad more bland but sweet and competent, and the romance between the two of them was charming and adorable. I think this author is quite good and would love to read more from her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Medical content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood, Classism
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I have never been a fan of historical fiction and I have to confess that even though I am a big kdrama lover, I have never watched a kdrama with historical setting but rather a subplot in a modern day drama, even then I never felt that much drawn to it but after reading this book, now I want to watch the alchemy of souls (but only the second part because of go youn jung) and the apothecary diaries.
This historical mystery romance is set during the Josean period in Korea where our bold female main character who gives no shit, very ambitious, has both daddy and mommy issues and comes from a low servant class background who climbs the social ladder by becoming a palace nurse loses her mentor to imprisonment because of a crime she hasn't committed meets our male main character who is a young prodigy and challenges societal standards during that period, both of them working together to bring justice to the murdered victims and to save her falsely accused mentor even though it means going against the entire kingdom to bring the truth to light which is more dangerous that it is better to commit suicide.
This book is fast-paced, easy to read but even though it was a slow burn, I felt the plot rushed their relationship. The chemistry should have been more indepth to mae it feels a bit real. Nevertheless I enjoyed the dynamics between the MCs and got to know a bit of korean history better in a setting where it doesn't feel very historical at all and also raised many questions in me like If the person in a very higher power is corrupt making the powerless even more powerless, silence the brave to question or standup, will that society can withhold to stand without collapsing? Why men wasn't loyal to one women and had lots of concubines? Why classism doesn't stop men from seeking sexual favours from low class women but at the same time can't see them as their equal and treat them right when it comes to other attributes of society and neglecting the child born out of wedlock?
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
mysterious
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:
No
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
"Some dreams, I'd learned, were meant to fade away. And to let go of them didn't mean to let go of myself, but to release the life I'd imagined I wanted."
What started as something Baek Hyeon wanted to do to help her teacher clear her name turned into something more sinister, bloodier, and more tragedies unfolding. As she helped the new inspector uncover the mysteries behind the murders of several women, Baek Hyeon had to also face her own problems.
The first book from this author that I read. The blurb intrigued me, so I picked it up. The characters, especially Baek Hyeon, are truly fascinating. I had suspicion at the beginning that the book is somehow related to the infamous Prince Sado, and the author's words confirmed it.
I enjoyed the book. However, sometimes I feel frustrated with Baek Hyeon over her internal conflicts: between her eagerness to earn her father's approval and her wish to prove her mentor's innocence. Yet these flaws the characters displayed are what interest me.
Plot is intriguing. A murderous spree that targeted women working in the palace. Yet it's something many people would also do to if they have to face what the murderer dealt with: losing their loved ones in tragedy.
What started as something Baek Hyeon wanted to do to help her teacher clear her name turned into something more sinister, bloodier, and more tragedies unfolding. As she helped the new inspector uncover the mysteries behind the murders of several women, Baek Hyeon had to also face her own problems.
The first book from this author that I read. The blurb intrigued me, so I picked it up. The characters, especially Baek Hyeon, are truly fascinating. I had suspicion at the beginning that the book is somehow related to the infamous Prince Sado, and the author's words confirmed it.
I enjoyed the book. However, sometimes I feel frustrated with Baek Hyeon over her internal conflicts: between her eagerness to earn her father's approval and her wish to prove her mentor's innocence. Yet these flaws the characters displayed are what interest me.
Plot is intriguing. A murderous spree that targeted women working in the palace. Yet it's something many people would also do to if they have to face what the murderer dealt with: losing their loved ones in tragedy.