Reviews with content warning for Sexism - The Cabinet

"There is no moral of the story - that's the moral of the story."

“These things are recorded simply because they just are. Not because they are magnificent or beautiful, but because they exist beside us.”

In THE CABINET, stories of symptomers (people who have biologically metamorphosed in surreal ways) are juxtaposed against the story of Kong Deok-geun, an office worker whose life is full of I-would-rather-eat-dog-treats-than-suffer-this-boredom boredom. Deok-geun is a passive, unenthusiastic narrator who seems to be swept along by his story instead of writing it himself. What starts as a boredom-fueled break-in to an exceedingly ordinary cabinet that holds the symptomers' files turns into a bizarre and potentially lethal ride from which Deok-geun makes no real attempt to escape. There was something so intensely human about the way Deok-geun ignored the absurdities happening in the world around him, pushing them away and minimizing them until they forced him to pay attention. Instead of putting off a dentist appointment, however, Deok-geun puts off thinking about the potential consequences of his interactions with the symptomers.

THE CABINET defies convention just as much as the symptomers do. It is darkly humorous and upbeat, but also disturbing on a visceral level. Dry humor and a touch of whimsy mingle with body horror and intense satire of capitalist office culture. Absurd science fiction vignettes meet the absurdity of reality. THE CABINET is a fascinatingly weird little book that deserves its own special place in the world of fiction.

Content Warnings

amaya_jam's review

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dark informative mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I had such high expectations but was so let down. There was always something missing in every chapter. I'm starting to think i just don't like Korean literature. Its macabre and convoluted which i think is a bad mix. Though i did like the little page of dialogue at the end of certain chapters. It was a good way of tying off each micro story.

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fox_at_the_circus's review

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challenging dark funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

My favourite part of this book were all the different abilites the "symptomers" have, I would have loved to see even more of them. Most of them I haven't seen in any other media, and the book really focuses on how those abilites make living life in our current society (more) difficult. In general, the book talks a lot about understanding each other's hardships and being more kind.
The beginning of the book is more of a introdcution to different "symptomers", the plot itself picks up in the second half and then in the end suddenly everything happens very fast. The ending was a twist for me, and I think it works well. It's very open though, and there are many open questions, which does work with the overall book atmosphere and tone, but I also like seeing things finished.
The main character is pretty interesting, not super likeable, but he works in the book.

Content Warnings

unboxedjack's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

The Cabinet by Un-su Kim

scifi_rat's review

andreapap15's review

exuberantlybuds's review against another edition

jaimeeslitlife's review

amaya_jam's review

fox_at_the_circus's review

unboxedjack's review against another edition