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4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
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
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
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
I loved A Crane Among Wolves and wanted to read more by this author but was a little disappointed. If I had read this first or picked it up on its own it would have been fine but it just felt like a slightly worse version of ACAW.
The main character was okay if not a little flat. Her connection with the male lead was sweet at times but again just felt like a less developed version of the newer book.
The writing style was also very straightforward. I know it is YA but it felt like it would give a "show, don't tell" line and then immediately follow up with the "tell" clarifying what they meant.
The setting and mystery were interesting though.
The main character was okay if not a little flat. Her connection with the male lead was sweet at times but again just felt like a less developed version of the newer book.
The writing style was also very straightforward. I know it is YA but it felt like it would give a "show, don't tell" line and then immediately follow up with the "tell" clarifying what they meant.
The setting and mystery were interesting though.
The Red Palace is a book I've been looking forward to for quite a while. I loved June Hur's The Forest of Stolen Girls and I know she's incredible at creating a very atmospheric and compelling mystery. When I heard this was loosely based on the tragedy of Prince Sado and that June has personally been interested in his story for so long, I was so excited! I loved how the story shared Prince Sado's story in a way that wasn't overwhelming. The way we got an inside look at his life without being too intimate with him was such a compelling way to tell his story. Especially since it is a story where so much is unknown in history.
The way that Hur creates intrigue around Prince Sado's life was so indicative of her curiosity for the story and a great example of how well she can write. I found myself hoping for more glimpses into his life with every single turn. Every clue that we got I just wanted to get closer to the Crowned Prince. The way that June Hur is able to get you just as interested as she is in the Crowned Prince's story is such a gift and I was so impressed.
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The way that Hur creates intrigue around Prince Sado's life was so indicative of her curiosity for the story and a great example of how well she can write. I found myself hoping for more glimpses into his life with every single turn. Every clue that we got I just wanted to get closer to the Crowned Prince. The way that June Hur is able to get you just as interested as she is in the Crowned Prince's story is such a gift and I was so impressed.
Bookish Brews | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr | Facebook
This book was amazing I loved it, I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know more about the investigation, the witnesses, the suspect and how they were all linked, and the relationship between Eojin and Hyeon was so cute and their dynamics... chef's kiss. If by any chance this book is adapted into a K-drama I would devour it.
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
My favorite thing about this book, are the descriptions! You really get a visual of the clothing and scenery you are faced with, along with the necessary background on titles and society expectations.
Overall had a good mix of the mystery and the slow burn romance, so neither felt too overwhelming at once.
Overall had a good mix of the mystery and the slow burn romance, so neither felt too overwhelming at once.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
My obsession with Korean dramas, music (BTS!), and the culture now involves books too. I discovered this book while browsing Instagram, and I was immediately sold when I saw captions like “read as a K-drama” “Joseon Era” “Mystery” and “Romance”. Cue to me, overhyped and excited I picked the book and I couldn’t stop reading it.
This is a Historical Mystery Drama with a tinge of romance, if you’ve watched some Korean dramas, that’s to be expected, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the romance it does have sucks, it doesn’t! Although this book is YA it didn’t feel like I was reading YA, right now I kind of overlook that genre because I’m not a young adult anymore I guess, but I’ll make an exception for June Hur, by now I will read anything she writes.
Set in the Joseon Era, The Red Palace follows Baek- Hyeon a nurse palace that gets involved in an investigation of a massacre in the King’s palace. Baek-Hyeon’s mentor has been wrongly accused of the murder and she is willing to go to any length to prove her mentor’s innocence, which means finding an ally in police inspector Seo Eojin. Together they will unravel the mystery surrounding the murders, risking their own lives in the process, when all fingers point to the Crown Prince as the perpetrator.
I like that the book focuses on resolving the murders and every hurdle Baek-Hyeon and Seo Eojin encounter in the process, I also loved how the author managed, and succeeded, to fill the story with Korean customs from the Joseon Era and how closely she tried to keep the historical facts as accurate as she could. I like that I learned a little (or a lot) by reading historical details such as the medical practices and how women were treated back then. I loved the romance between the main characters, the yearning, and longing, the second-guessing, “will-they-or-won’t-they” trope. It was cute and heartwarming at the same time. I kept thinking of Park Bo-gum and Kim Yoo-jung in “Love in the Moonlight” as I read The Red Palace.
It’s been my absolute favorite read this year and I can’t wait to read June Hur’s next work.
Rating: 5.00/5.00
This is a Historical Mystery Drama with a tinge of romance, if you’ve watched some Korean dramas, that’s to be expected, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the romance it does have sucks, it doesn’t! Although this book is YA it didn’t feel like I was reading YA, right now I kind of overlook that genre because I’m not a young adult anymore I guess, but I’ll make an exception for June Hur, by now I will read anything she writes.
Set in the Joseon Era, The Red Palace follows Baek- Hyeon a nurse palace that gets involved in an investigation of a massacre in the King’s palace. Baek-Hyeon’s mentor has been wrongly accused of the murder and she is willing to go to any length to prove her mentor’s innocence, which means finding an ally in police inspector Seo Eojin. Together they will unravel the mystery surrounding the murders, risking their own lives in the process, when all fingers point to the Crown Prince as the perpetrator.
I like that the book focuses on resolving the murders and every hurdle Baek-Hyeon and Seo Eojin encounter in the process, I also loved how the author managed, and succeeded, to fill the story with Korean customs from the Joseon Era and how closely she tried to keep the historical facts as accurate as she could. I like that I learned a little (or a lot) by reading historical details such as the medical practices and how women were treated back then. I loved the romance between the main characters, the yearning, and longing, the second-guessing, “will-they-or-won’t-they” trope. It was cute and heartwarming at the same time. I kept thinking of Park Bo-gum and Kim Yoo-jung in “Love in the Moonlight” as I read The Red Palace.
It’s been my absolute favorite read this year and I can’t wait to read June Hur’s next work.
Rating: 5.00/5.00
dark
emotional
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:
No