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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
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Kitabın gerilim olduğu iddia edilse de değildi, ancak onun yerine şu sıralar okuduğum en kaliteli aksiyon romanlarından birisini okumuş oldum. Reseng'in hiçbir şeyi umursamayan tavrından bir anda her şeyi umursamaya geçişi biraz kanlı olsa da olay örgüsü ve karakter gelişimi gerçekçiydi. O kadar iyi yazılmıştı ki hevesle okuyup bitirdim kendisini.
Kitabın gerilim olduğu iddia edilse de değildi, ancak onun yerine şu sıralar okuduğum en kaliteli aksiyon romanlarından birisini okumuş oldum. Reseng'in hiçbir şeyi umursamayan tavrından bir anda her şeyi umursamaya geçişi biraz kanlı olsa da olay örgüsü ve karakter gelişimi gerçekçiydi. O kadar iyi yazılmıştı ki hevesle okuyup bitirdim kendisini.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
The Plotters are the masterminds working in the shadows, pulling the strings in a complicated, incomprehensible play of politics and power, while Reseng, a contract killer, simply follows the orders he's been given. However, this changes after he breaks the rules and meets an eccentric trio of ladies who wish to completely overthrow the system. Reflecting on his past and present, Reseng decides whether he wants to remain a pawn, or finally take control of the plot.
Following Reseng was such an interesting and engaging experience because we are introduced to the gritty and dark Korean underworld through his eyes, giving us insight into the way this world works by showing rather than telling. Moreover, although we are privy to his thought process, he remains a rather enigmatic character whose actions and motivations can be difficult to understand, though not in a way where he doesn't make sense.
Apart from Reseng, Kim also introduces a plethora of other characters, many of whom are pawns of the plotters as well. While they may not have been featured as prominently, I found them and the little pieces I got of their stories just as interesting. The grim and unapologetic acceptance of the lack of morals in exchange for personal gain—whether it be to support their families, simply scrape by, or achieve the heights of power—all blended together into such an intriguing landscape of real people with real motivations, and was not just a caricature of a noir, mafia-esque setting.
However, I feel that this book isn't without its faults either. What I felt was most lacking was the underdevelopment of the three ladies, who appeared a little too late in the book for their personalities and motivations to be sufficiently fleshed out, though this could also be the author's choice in fully focusing on Reseng instead. I personally thought it was a shame, because they were all interesting characters worth exploring and Mito (one of the ladies) did seem to have some very interesting layers to her which I would have liked to seen more of. Because of this lack of development, I felt that the later half of the book was a little more abrupt and somewhat cliche.
Even so, I really enjoyed reading and being immersed in the world of The Plotters. I quite liked the prose and in particular, the overall plot and pacing, which I believe can throw off regular devourers of mystery-thriller stories (I may be stereotyping, but I often perceive your standard mystery-thriller to be an adrenaline-filled experience of suspense and action). It may not be what you completely expect from the blurb, but I think it's a story worth reading nonetheless!
Following Reseng was such an interesting and engaging experience because we are introduced to the gritty and dark Korean underworld through his eyes, giving us insight into the way this world works by showing rather than telling. Moreover, although we are privy to his thought process, he remains a rather enigmatic character whose actions and motivations can be difficult to understand, though not in a way where he doesn't make sense.
Apart from Reseng, Kim also introduces a plethora of other characters, many of whom are pawns of the plotters as well. While they may not have been featured as prominently, I found them and the little pieces I got of their stories just as interesting. The grim and unapologetic acceptance of the lack of morals in exchange for personal gain—whether it be to support their families, simply scrape by, or achieve the heights of power—all blended together into such an intriguing landscape of real people with real motivations, and was not just a caricature of a noir, mafia-esque setting.
However, I feel that this book isn't without its faults either. What I felt was most lacking was the underdevelopment of the three ladies, who appeared a little too late in the book for their personalities and motivations to be sufficiently fleshed out, though this could also be the author's choice in fully focusing on Reseng instead. I personally thought it was a shame, because they were all interesting characters worth exploring and Mito (one of the ladies) did seem to have some very interesting layers to her which I would have liked to seen more of. Because of this lack of development, I felt that the later half of the book was a little more abrupt and somewhat cliche.
Even so, I really enjoyed reading and being immersed in the world of The Plotters. I quite liked the prose and in particular, the overall plot and pacing, which I believe can throw off regular devourers of mystery-thriller stories (I may be stereotyping, but I often perceive your standard mystery-thriller to be an adrenaline-filled experience of suspense and action). It may not be what you completely expect from the blurb, but I think it's a story worth reading nonetheless!
Not for me. I didn't really like the style.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The tone of this Korean noir story - about an assassin who is targeted by a plot and spends the rest of the book trying to uncover the plotter - is a bit all over the place. I couldn't tell if this was a full-blown dark comedy or a darker drama. I enjoyed the pacing, some of the fighting scenes and the collection of menacing characters in this John Wick-type of world. But I had a hard time connecting with the main character or feeling moved by anything that was happening to him. His motivations were unclear and he seemed rather listless for a majority of the book. When he decides to make a self-sacrifice at the end of the book I wasn't really sure what was the specific inspiration for doing so.
Still, a fun book, but one I might not remember by the end of the year!
Still, a fun book, but one I might not remember by the end of the year!
A 3.5, rounded down. I liked the characters and the concept, and there was some dry humor in places, but it took a long time for me to get into the book. It picked up a lot in the second half, but it took me days to get to that point. There's a little too much unnecessary exposition.
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense