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adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
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
I took my time reading this book, and boy was it worth it. The Silence of Bones follows sixteen year old Seol, a servant indentured to the police bureau, as she assists in the case of a murdered woman. The story explores religion, history, class and family, all woven together in a thrilling and fast-paced plot which had me smiling and then crying.
It was one of those books that I finished and then had to sit and think about it for a few minutes, just brewing over what I had read, and that's how I know it was a good book.
It was one of those books that I finished and then had to sit and think about it for a few minutes, just brewing over what I had read, and that's how I know it was a good book.
The Silence of Bones is a thrilling historical mystery taking place in Joseon dynasty Korea. Seol is a 16-year-old indentured servant to the police, setting the stage for a rare historical mystery that goes far beyond a mere whodunit.
One of the most critical determining factors of the quality of a historical mystery is how seamlessly essential historical details are integrated into the story, and in this respect June Hur’s debut is extraordinary. The same seamless integration is present in the use of Korean words. A reader who knows little to nothing about the Joseon time period or the Korean language should find no issue becoming immersed in the tale without needless exposition.
Because the story features a historical era I’m not familiar with, it provided a unique background to explore a number of themes: religion, class, gender, family, loyalty, and choices to name a few. Although there were some plot points that I predicted ahead of time, there was still plenty to keep me in suspense. In fact, it was so engrossing that I couldn’t put it down and ended up staying up into the wee hours to finish the book.
As of right now, the way the story was wrapped up makes me suspect The Silence of Bones is intended to be a standalone novel. However, there is enough of a kernel of a possibility for a sequel that if the author were to return to this character I would be eager to check it out. At any rate, it looks like the author will be publishing another historical fiction work set in the same time period, so I will be on the prowl to pick that up as soon as it comes out next year.
Rating reviewed 12/26/2022.
One of the most critical determining factors of the quality of a historical mystery is how seamlessly essential historical details are integrated into the story, and in this respect June Hur’s debut is extraordinary. The same seamless integration is present in the use of Korean words. A reader who knows little to nothing about the Joseon time period or the Korean language should find no issue becoming immersed in the tale without needless exposition.
Because the story features a historical era I’m not familiar with, it provided a unique background to explore a number of themes: religion, class, gender, family, loyalty, and choices to name a few. Although there were some plot points that I predicted ahead of time, there was still plenty to keep me in suspense. In fact, it was so engrossing that I couldn’t put it down and ended up staying up into the wee hours to finish the book.
As of right now, the way the story was wrapped up makes me suspect The Silence of Bones is intended to be a standalone novel. However, there is enough of a kernel of a possibility for a sequel that if the author were to return to this character I would be eager to check it out. At any rate, it looks like the author will be publishing another historical fiction work set in the same time period, so I will be on the prowl to pick that up as soon as it comes out next year.
Rating reviewed 12/26/2022.
4/5*
Unexpected read. Lots of twist and turns.
This book taught me more about Korean history. Perfect to read during winter to set up the mood.
Unexpected read. Lots of twist and turns.
This book taught me more about Korean history. Perfect to read during winter to set up the mood.
This book was different from the ones I usually read, but I truly enjoyed it. Never thought I’d be a mystery/historical fiction type of girl and yet here I am.
This is my second June Hur book and she might become one of my favorite authors. I look forward to her new works!
This is my second June Hur book and she might become one of my favorite authors. I look forward to her new works!
4. 5⭐. This book took me about a hundred pages to get into, I was so set to DNFed it by 150 pages. But I'm so glad I persisted, because once things started kicking in, this became absolutely phenomenon.
The layers of mystery, both behind the protagonist's past and the present investigation, are brimmed filled with Korean historical context and a sense of the political tension of that era. I can't believe how well the author balanced between so many nuanced characters and their motivations.
The relationship between Inspection Han and Seoul led me close to tears. The nuance and restrained in that relationship and revelation is some top notch stuff.
The layers of mystery, both behind the protagonist's past and the present investigation, are brimmed filled with Korean historical context and a sense of the political tension of that era. I can't believe how well the author balanced between so many nuanced characters and their motivations.
The relationship between Inspection Han and Seoul led me close to tears. The nuance and restrained in that relationship and revelation is some top notch stuff.
My Thoughts:
- Seol is practically a slave to the police bureau, but she has dreams of home and finding her long lost brother. When a wealthy woman is murdered, Seol becomes invaluable to the detective put in charge of the investigation. It turns out the Seol is brave, good at getting information, and clever. Besides solving a murder, Seol also has to deal with the struggles of her station.
- I loved Seol's character. She was easy to root for, and I just wanted her to get a happy ending. I loved how fear didn't stop her from doing things. She was so brave, and her curiosity was a curse and a blessing.
- I didn't know who to trust most of the time. I had no idea how the story was going to end. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking. The ending gave me all the feels.
- I loved the beautiful setting of Joseon Korea. It was such a beautiful time and place in history, but it also had it's low points. I loved all the politics and intrigue.
- I really appreciated this book, and I hope there are a lot more Korean historical fiction books coming.
- Seol is practically a slave to the police bureau, but she has dreams of home and finding her long lost brother. When a wealthy woman is murdered, Seol becomes invaluable to the detective put in charge of the investigation. It turns out the Seol is brave, good at getting information, and clever. Besides solving a murder, Seol also has to deal with the struggles of her station.
- I loved Seol's character. She was easy to root for, and I just wanted her to get a happy ending. I loved how fear didn't stop her from doing things. She was so brave, and her curiosity was a curse and a blessing.
- I didn't know who to trust most of the time. I had no idea how the story was going to end. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking. The ending gave me all the feels.
- I loved the beautiful setting of Joseon Korea. It was such a beautiful time and place in history, but it also had it's low points. I loved all the politics and intrigue.
- I really appreciated this book, and I hope there are a lot more Korean historical fiction books coming.
I loved the mystery aspect of this book as well as the characters. I loved the fact that Seol was depicted as a strong woman in a society completely dominated by men, especially the fact that she was strong in mind and not just body. I also enjoyed the fact that instead of just talking about how she wanted to do things she actually did them. Anyway, I was right in predicting that this book would make me cry, the mostly sad ending was extremely sad. The solution to the mystery was also very satisfying. I would recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for a good YA mystery.
Spoiler
For example, she actually gave the evidence implicating Inspector Han to Officer Kyŏn because she believed him to be a cruel tyrant and even though all signs pointed to it could not believe that her brother would end up being someone like this.Spoiler
I mean, how could the author just kill Han as soon as he found out that Seol was his sister. It was also so sad that he already thought that they died.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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:
Complicated