Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Silence of Bones by June Hur 허주은

16 reviews

allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.0

This historical mystery opens a window into 1800 Joseon. With a Queen Regent recently in power, a Catholic purge on the horizon, and brutal murders targeting converts and sympathizers, it is a tumultuous moment in time. The story follows Seol, an indentured servant for the police. With her natural inquisitiveness and broad stubborn streak, she's a gifted investigator in the making, although her gender and class prevent her from fully exercising that gift. Seol loyally assists an inspector whom she idolizes as he works on a challenging murder case. However, her easy trust might not survive the secrets coming to light.

I gleaned a lot of historical information that was new to me from this read, so that was greatly appreciated. The setting and the details of social structures were deftly woven throughout the story. That was easily my favorite part of the reading experience. I also appreciated the audiobook format, which allowed me to hear the correct pronunciation of names and terms throughout.

In terms of plot, I was less enthused. The mystery didn't draw me in, lacking in urgency and emotional timbre for most of the duration. Although I didn't anticipate the identity of the murderer, I also wasn't particularly concerned about it. In addition, the personal aspects of Seol's journey didn't catch my interest. While I appreciated the lack of romantic plot, I would have liked other relationships to be more fleshed-out to anchor me to the story. The big reveals on this front were quite predictable, yet the piecing together of Seol's past is fraught and drawn out. Worst of all, the ending seemed rushed in comparison, not leaving room to resolve any emotional fallout.

In the end, I would recommend this as a piece of historical fiction, but it didn't suit my tastes in terms of mystery or general plotting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Police brutality, Sexism, and Torture

Minor: Death of parent

monica98's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Death of parent

turtlebrainlibrarian's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Suicide, and Child abuse

tahsintries's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, and Torture

emily_mh's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

4.25

It took about half the book for me to be drawn in, but when it happened I really enjoyed it. The narrator, Seol, was fantastic as the main character, as she was gutsy, bright, headstrong and resourceful. I wasn't expecting the political and religious complexity that this book delivered, which added intriguing layers to the murder mystery. I also liked that on top of the murder mystery, there was a supporting personal mystery surrounding Seol's brother, as this really padded out the plot. Overall, the thriller had all the grittiness of a modern-day crime drama, which I loved. The third act in particular was incredible, and the resolution was satisfying.  However, because I couldn't get into this book for its entire first half, I decided to rate it only 4.25 stars.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Kidnapping, and Torture

Minor: Child abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, and Alcohol

translove's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Murder, Police brutality, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Suicide, Sexism, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Pregnancy