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noellelovesbooks's review
5.0
Content Warnings: murder, death, blood, gore, sexism, religious persecution, torture, and some body horror.
Wow...just another book I should not have left sitting on my shelf, unread, for so long.
As a big fan of historical kdramas [though I don't watch them often since they will emotionally eviscerate you and leave you an empty shell...flashbacks to watching my first historical kdrama, Ja Myung Go, years ago 😭] I was excited to dive into this story as I heard that June Hur wrote really amazing historical Korean stories...and this one did not disappoint.
We get to follow a young woman who's a police indentured servant for the remainder of her life...someone who is deeply curious in a time when women, especially servants, aren't supposed to be quite so curious.
If you've read The Apothecary Diaries manga...it's giving a little Maomao but darker...
Honestly just a really great freaking read and I look forward to reading more of June Hur's historical Korean stories!
Wow...just another book I should not have left sitting on my shelf, unread, for so long.
As a big fan of historical kdramas [though I don't watch them often since they will emotionally eviscerate you and leave you an empty shell...flashbacks to watching my first historical kdrama, Ja Myung Go, years ago 😭] I was excited to dive into this story as I heard that June Hur wrote really amazing historical Korean stories...and this one did not disappoint.
We get to follow a young woman who's a police indentured servant for the remainder of her life...someone who is deeply curious in a time when women, especially servants, aren't supposed to be quite so curious.
If you've read The Apothecary Diaries manga...it's giving a little Maomao but darker...
Honestly just a really great freaking read and I look forward to reading more of June Hur's historical Korean stories!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Death, Blood, Body horror, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Torture
Minor: Suicide
hoax_meal's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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? No
5.0
easily the best book I read this year. I couldn't put it down. And when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it. An amazing mystery and loveable protagonist. I also learned a lot about Korean history. If you like historical fiction and mystery, you will love this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Body horror, Physical abuse, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Child death, Blood, Child abuse, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Murder, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Grief, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Pregnancy and Colonisation
manrod809's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Murder
plumpaperbacks's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-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? No
4.0
This was one of the most interesting historical fiction novels I’ve read, as, if I recall, it’s the only one not set in a western country. I’d never heard of damos, so in addition to reading an intriguing story, I also learned a few new things.
Hur’s writing was easy to read, and the combination of that and the surprisingly complex mystery kept me turning pages. What seemed like a simple murder case ended up being a complicated one of religion, family and shame with multiple victims, and even though I thought more than once that I’d figured it out, I never had. Props to Hur for that, as I’ve gotten pretty good at predicting twists and solving mysteries.
Another thing I particularly liked was that Seol, the protagonist, was sixteen. While this is ultimately insignificant, it was nice to see a YA book with a main character under the age of seventeen; I can only think of a couple others that do.
Overall, I would recommend this book, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Representation
Hur’s writing was easy to read, and the combination of that and the surprisingly complex mystery kept me turning pages. What seemed like a simple murder case ended up being a complicated one of religion, family and shame with multiple victims, and even though I thought more than once that I’d figured it out, I never had. Props to Hur for that, as I’ve gotten pretty good at predicting twists and solving mysteries.
Another thing I particularly liked was that Seol, the protagonist, was sixteen. While this is ultimately insignificant, it was nice to see a YA book with a main character under the age of seventeen; I can only think of a couple others that do.
Overall, I would recommend this book, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Representation
- full Korean cast
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
Minor: Infidelity and Suicide
Those tagged minor happened prior to the story but are mentioned occasionally throughout.kimbekaw's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Death, Slavery, Police brutality, Blood, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Murder and Confinement
Minor: Suicide
allisonwonderlandreads's review
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.
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.
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
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Death of parent
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.
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
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