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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
This book is dark, but so captivating and original. I immediately became immersed in each of the 4 short stories. I love how each one had a weird little twist to it. This book felt different from my typical reads & it was refreshing.
1. First short story was about an aging serial killer struggling with memory loss.
2. About life-long friends who have always longed to be together, but new relationships challenge them from being with each other.
3. A family who is reunited with their teenage son after he was kidnapped as a baby.
4. A writer on a deadline, struggling with writers block to create a book that is fresh and original. When he gets involved with his publishers wife- things get complicated.
1. First short story was about an aging serial killer struggling with memory loss.
2. About life-long friends who have always longed to be together, but new relationships challenge them from being with each other.
3. A family who is reunited with their teenage son after he was kidnapped as a baby.
4. A writer on a deadline, struggling with writers block to create a book that is fresh and original. When he gets involved with his publishers wife- things get complicated.
The first 80% told the story of a murderer who got Alzheimer’s and has written everything down about the murders he committed. We see him being questioned for the murders and quite frankly, he has no recollection and is convinced he didn’t do them. This part made sense and was intriguing.
The remaining 20% of the story didn’t make sense to me at all. It didn’t feel relevant to anything that was discussed prior and it felt like a completely different book? Idk if that’s what the author was going for but I had to force myself to finish the book.
The remaining 20% of the story didn’t make sense to me at all. It didn’t feel relevant to anything that was discussed prior and it felt like a completely different book? Idk if that’s what the author was going for but I had to force myself to finish the book.
The eponymous story was my favorite, but the other are also solid.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2 hours 6 minutes - I really enjoyed this collection. The writing was really fascinating, and the unreliable narrator was really well executed in the first story. I liked the subtle exploration of themes like memory and family, without it becoming preachy and heavy handed. I wasn't as much of a fan of the last story, although the ending was a lot better than the rest of the story. However, the first three were all really good.
Diary of a Murderer opens with a gripping first-person perspective that pulls readers immediately into the mind of its complex narrator, an aged serial killer grappling with Alzheimer's. From the start, this unsettling and introspective journey is marked by a darkly comedic tone and a haunting exploration of memory, identity, and moral decay. The narrator's wit and detached yet deeply personal storytelling add unexpected depth and, at times, disarming humor to a thriller that otherwise grapples with heavy themes.
The main story leaves readers questioning both reality and the narrator's recollections—an unreliable narration that captivates, even as his memory deteriorates. As we’re taken through his convoluted sense of morality, the lines blur between his past and present crimes, leaving readers to unravel whether his intended last murder is more a product of his fragile memory or a chilling reflection of his truest self.
The additional short stories in the collection delve into themes of love, loss, and obsession, each with unique characters facing morally complex situations. The Origin of Life, the second story, introduces Seokjin and Ina, whose toxic relationship unfolds against a background of financial and emotional despair, yet the tale is undercut by questions about its thematic relevance to the collection. While The Missing Child faltered somewhat in capturing your interest, The Writer takes a shockingly surreal turn, pushing the boundaries of Kim’s exploration into obsession and identity, making it the most unforgettable—if bizarre—entry in the collection.
Ultimately, Diary of a Murderer is a thought-provoking and bold anthology that captures the intricacies of the human psyche under extreme conditions. Young-ha Kim skillfully balances philosophical reflection with narrative tension, leaving an impression both unsettling and profound.
The main story leaves readers questioning both reality and the narrator's recollections—an unreliable narration that captivates, even as his memory deteriorates. As we’re taken through his convoluted sense of morality, the lines blur between his past and present crimes, leaving readers to unravel whether his intended last murder is more a product of his fragile memory or a chilling reflection of his truest self.
The additional short stories in the collection delve into themes of love, loss, and obsession, each with unique characters facing morally complex situations. The Origin of Life, the second story, introduces Seokjin and Ina, whose toxic relationship unfolds against a background of financial and emotional despair, yet the tale is undercut by questions about its thematic relevance to the collection. While The Missing Child faltered somewhat in capturing your interest, The Writer takes a shockingly surreal turn, pushing the boundaries of Kim’s exploration into obsession and identity, making it the most unforgettable—if bizarre—entry in the collection.
Ultimately, Diary of a Murderer is a thought-provoking and bold anthology that captures the intricacies of the human psyche under extreme conditions. Young-ha Kim skillfully balances philosophical reflection with narrative tension, leaving an impression both unsettling and profound.
Menggunakan sudut pandang orang pertama, novel ini berisikan catatan dari seorang "mantan" pembunuh berantai.
Setelah berhenti melakukan kegiatan tersebut selama kurang lebih 25 tahun, keinginan melakukan kegiatan tersebut kembali muncul karena ia ingin melindungi anaknya—Eun-he. Ia mengaku, kegiatan kali ini berbeda, yang biasanya membunuh, berubah menjadi memburu.
Namun, penyakit dimensia yang diderita membuatnya kehilangan memori jangka pendek. Ia mudah lupa dengan apa yang baru saja dilakukannya dan apa saja yang akan dilakukannya. Maka dari itu, alat perekam dan buku catatan selalu ia butuhkan untuk membantu mengembalikan ingatannya. Mampukah ia melindungi Eun-he?
Meski judulnya Catatan Sang Pembunuh, isinya lumayan nyaman dibaca. Adegan kekerasan tidak terlalu ditunjukkan, malah isinya lebih kepada memberikan narasi penjelasan yang menurutku cukup unik.
Karena tokoh utama mengidap dimensia, catatan yang dituliskan menjadi ringkas dengan kata-kata yang penuh teka-teki. Sepanjang membaca, kita diajak untuk memikirkan apa yang sebenarnya terjadi. Beberapa pernyataan pada halaman sebelumnya bisa berubah dan menampilkan apa yang sebenarnya terjadi pada halaman selanjutnya, bagian-bagian ini seringkali membuatku tercengang.
Endingnya bisa ditebak, sayangnya terdapat beberapa hal yang masih menjadi tanda tanya, tidak dijabarkan dengan baik. Namun, meski begitu fakta-fakta yang dibeberkan di akhir cukup membuatku tercengang.
Aku rekomendasikan buku ini bagi pecinta thriller yang menginginkan bacaan sekali duduk.
Alur yang sederhana dengan background penokohan yang unik ini dapat membangkitkan jiwa penasaranmu.
"Kita mengacaukan hidup dengan ketakutan terhadap kematian, dan mengacaukan kematian dengan ketakutan terhadap hidup"
Hal. 12
"Semua orang ahli di dunia ini hanya akan terlihat seperti orang ahli bagiku apabila mereka membicarakan hal-hal yang tidak kuketahui."
Hal. 43
"Yang menakutkan itu bukan iblis, melainkan waktu. Tidak seorangpun bisa mengalahkan waktu."
Hal. 153
Setelah berhenti melakukan kegiatan tersebut selama kurang lebih 25 tahun, keinginan melakukan kegiatan tersebut kembali muncul karena ia ingin melindungi anaknya—Eun-he. Ia mengaku, kegiatan kali ini berbeda, yang biasanya membunuh, berubah menjadi memburu.
Namun, penyakit dimensia yang diderita membuatnya kehilangan memori jangka pendek. Ia mudah lupa dengan apa yang baru saja dilakukannya dan apa saja yang akan dilakukannya. Maka dari itu, alat perekam dan buku catatan selalu ia butuhkan untuk membantu mengembalikan ingatannya. Mampukah ia melindungi Eun-he?
Meski judulnya Catatan Sang Pembunuh, isinya lumayan nyaman dibaca. Adegan kekerasan tidak terlalu ditunjukkan, malah isinya lebih kepada memberikan narasi penjelasan yang menurutku cukup unik.
Karena tokoh utama mengidap dimensia, catatan yang dituliskan menjadi ringkas dengan kata-kata yang penuh teka-teki. Sepanjang membaca, kita diajak untuk memikirkan apa yang sebenarnya terjadi. Beberapa pernyataan pada halaman sebelumnya bisa berubah dan menampilkan apa yang sebenarnya terjadi pada halaman selanjutnya, bagian-bagian ini seringkali membuatku tercengang.
Endingnya bisa ditebak, sayangnya terdapat beberapa hal yang masih menjadi tanda tanya, tidak dijabarkan dengan baik. Namun, meski begitu fakta-fakta yang dibeberkan di akhir cukup membuatku tercengang.
Aku rekomendasikan buku ini bagi pecinta thriller yang menginginkan bacaan sekali duduk.
Alur yang sederhana dengan background penokohan yang unik ini dapat membangkitkan jiwa penasaranmu.
"Kita mengacaukan hidup dengan ketakutan terhadap kematian, dan mengacaukan kematian dengan ketakutan terhadap hidup"
Hal. 12
"Semua orang ahli di dunia ini hanya akan terlihat seperti orang ahli bagiku apabila mereka membicarakan hal-hal yang tidak kuketahui."
Hal. 43
"Yang menakutkan itu bukan iblis, melainkan waktu. Tidak seorangpun bisa mengalahkan waktu."
Hal. 153
Diary Of A Murderer - Kim Young-Ha
This book contains four stories.
Diary of a Murderer
Story of a 70-year-old retired serial killer who is suffering from dementia. He wants to murder one last person who may murder her adopted daughter. A lot of deaths happen in tue neighbourhood and things get confusing.
Well-written story with a different plot rhan expected, liked this the best of the four. Confusing.
The Origin of Life
Confusing story about two people who 'are in love' and meet after 20 years by accident. Woman is married and gets abused, man is there for her, until a thing. Suprising ending, but well-written and also confusing. Least liked of all four.
Missing Child
Couple go to the supermarket with their 3-year-old kid, son gets kidnapped and is found after 11 years. Now his biological mom suffers from schizophrenia and the found back son is suffering from founding the kidnapper, who'm he thought was his mother, dead by suicide. Narrator is the dad of the missing child.
Plot went the whole other way than hoped, but all was understandable and happened fast. Actually think I like this story best of the four even though I am sad to not get a piece narrated by the found child.
The Writer
Divorced couple are together in an industry as editor and writer, writer is the narrator. He needs to write a book to get money for his daughter's scholarship. Goes to New York to write, somehow writes the book in ten days, an erotic book or something. Open ending that leaves questions.
Would say this was the worst, while being well-written.
ALL
Overall I understand why people liked it, it was not horrible. I liked how the main focus really was deaths happening. 3/5. (2.5/5)
This book contains four stories.
Diary of a Murderer
Story of a 70-year-old retired serial killer who is suffering from dementia. He wants to murder one last person who may murder her adopted daughter. A lot of deaths happen in tue neighbourhood and things get confusing.
Well-written story with a different plot rhan expected, liked this the best of the four. Confusing.
The Origin of Life
Confusing story about two people who 'are in love' and meet after 20 years by accident. Woman is married and gets abused, man is there for her, until a thing. Suprising ending, but well-written and also confusing. Least liked of all four.
Missing Child
Couple go to the supermarket with their 3-year-old kid, son gets kidnapped and is found after 11 years. Now his biological mom suffers from schizophrenia and the found back son is suffering from founding the kidnapper, who'm he thought was his mother, dead by suicide. Narrator is the dad of the missing child.
Plot went the whole other way than hoped, but all was understandable and happened fast. Actually think I like this story best of the four even though I am sad to not get a piece narrated by the found child.
The Writer
Divorced couple are together in an industry as editor and writer, writer is the narrator. He needs to write a book to get money for his daughter's scholarship. Goes to New York to write, somehow writes the book in ten days, an erotic book or something. Open ending that leaves questions.
Would say this was the worst, while being well-written.
ALL
Overall I understand why people liked it, it was not horrible. I liked how the main focus really was deaths happening. 3/5. (2.5/5)
«چطور میشه کسی رو کشته باشی و یادت نباشه؟»
اینکه یک آدمکش آلزایمر بگیره، ایدهی جالبی بود. هرچند میشد حدس زد چطوری داستان پیش میره، ولی باز هم توی پایان داستان غافلگیری وجود داشت.
اینکه یک آدمکش آلزایمر بگیره، ایدهی جالبی بود. هرچند میشد حدس زد چطوری داستان پیش میره، ولی باز هم توی پایان داستان غافلگیری وجود داشت.