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gusiakos's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
manorclassics's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
The Evening Hero is about Dr Yungman, William or sometimes, to his consternation, Bill Kwak, a Korean immigrant living in America. At the beginning of the novel he loses his job as an ob-gyn specialist and is left feeling directionless. His marriage seems to be deteriorating and he finds it hard to connect with his son’s family. He is also hiding a secret from his past that he worries would destroy his marriage completely if his wife found out. As the novel progresses we go back in time to his childhood in Korea as he lived through the Korean War and the horrors associated with that.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the humour, it was laugh-out-loud funny in many places, while being heart-breaking in others. I liked the dynamic between Yungman and his wife, Young-ae, their relationship was portrayed beautifully and I loved the underlying bond between them. I thought all the characters in the small town were well-drawn too. Yungman’s awkward relationship with America, his friendship with fellow doctor Ken, and his childhood in Korea were so well-written, events came alive and I felt like I was there with him. This was a really interesting, emotional and heart-warming novel and I highly recommend it. I recently read Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu, which has a similar vibe, so if you have read and enjoyed that I think The Evening Hero is definitely for you.
I’d like to thank the publishers, Simon & Schuster, and Edelweiss for kindly providing me with an advance review copy, I really appreciate it.
lostcanticles's review against another edition
3.0
The Evening Hero, though not exactly long, is what I would call a dense read. It took me longer than usual to finish because it’s not something that could just be skimmed. The themes are heavy, although the author made it feel satirical at times but serious on the other. The time jumps were also a bit jarring; I enjoyed the historical parts more than the present, it’s what made me warm up to the prose and made it a much easier read. The commentary on social issues was something I could commend, especially when it comes to the American healthcare system since “The Evening Hero” was a doctor. There’s a lot more to unpack here in the history of North and South Korea, as well as Korea and the US that deserves more marinating from the reader.
The characters on the other hand, are what I think made this less engaging than it could have been. Dr. Kwak’s reflections took up a big part of this book, and sometimes in the middle of a dialogue he would think about something from his past that would take up a lot of paragraphs and pages that I would forget who he was originally talking to in the first place; things felt directionless in some instances so I had to backtrack a lot. After spending an entire book in Dr. Kwak’s head, he still wasn’t the character I looked to warmly. I wished Young-ae - his wife - had a POV at the very least, or his mother or younger brother, Young-sik. That said, maybe the author’s style just isn’t up my alley although it’s not something I’d call bad. I still found poignancy in the storytelling and was satisfied with the ending.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
The characters on the other hand, are what I think made this less engaging than it could have been. Dr. Kwak’s reflections took up a big part of this book, and sometimes in the middle of a dialogue he would think about something from his past that would take up a lot of paragraphs and pages that I would forget who he was originally talking to in the first place; things felt directionless in some instances so I had to backtrack a lot. After spending an entire book in Dr. Kwak’s head, he still wasn’t the character I looked to warmly. I wished Young-ae - his wife - had a POV at the very least, or his mother or younger brother, Young-sik. That said, maybe the author’s style just isn’t up my alley although it’s not something I’d call bad. I still found poignancy in the storytelling and was satisfied with the ending.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
readsinfrogpjs's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Described as "A sweeping, lyrical novel following a Korean immigrant pursuing the American dream who must confront the secrets of the past or risk watching the world he’s worked so hard to build come crumbling down."
Dr. Yungman Kwak's life is coming apart at the seams, the hospital he works for is closing, his wife is distant and his son is making risky financial decisions.. then a letter arrives threatening to unravel buried secrets from another lifetime.
It is quite the sweeping story, covering Yungman's life in Korea, the Korean War, immigrating to and building a life in the United States. Poetic and beautifully written with moments of humor and satire, this book is perfect for those that enjoy historical ficton and character driven stories.
For me, I found it a bit slow and meandering, I struggled to connect to the story. I value the authors diligence to provide such a well written, accurately correct exploration of the Korean culture, especially to someone like myself who can benefit from that insight.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy
Dr. Yungman Kwak's life is coming apart at the seams, the hospital he works for is closing, his wife is distant and his son is making risky financial decisions.. then a letter arrives threatening to unravel buried secrets from another lifetime.
It is quite the sweeping story, covering Yungman's life in Korea, the Korean War, immigrating to and building a life in the United States. Poetic and beautifully written with moments of humor and satire, this book is perfect for those that enjoy historical ficton and character driven stories.
For me, I found it a bit slow and meandering, I struggled to connect to the story. I value the authors diligence to provide such a well written, accurately correct exploration of the Korean culture, especially to someone like myself who can benefit from that insight.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy
cecil_reads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.25
yetanothersusan's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
The story of Yungman Kwak is a study in awkward contrasts. There is the clash between the Korean culture Kwak was raised with and the culture of America where he spends a majority of his life and raises a son who is the epitome of the American businessman stereotype. And there is the contrast between the author's beautiful prose and the ugliness of war ravaged Korea. All this combines to highlight the distinct difference between the history of the Korean War that Americans learn about in school and how the same situation is viewed by Koreans. Interspersed throughout all this is an education on the Korean language and culture. The result is an incredibly dense read. This is not a book you can skim and come away with an understanding of what you read. Another contributor to the bulky feeling of the book is how the timeline jumps around. The main story follows Dr. Kwak as he retires from his medical practice as an ob/gyn. But whether through nostalgia or guilt, the timeline frequently hops back to his past where the reader learns the history of Korea and what brought Kwak to the place he is today. I felt that these reflections sometimes took up too much of the book and occasionally I think I was reading the same thing a second or third time. But when you reach the end of the book you will come away with a great affection for a fictional doctor and an appreciation for a real country.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
plantybooklover's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
What an interesting book! There were parts that I felt were magical and parts that fell pretty flat for me.
This story is a bit of historical fiction that I really have mixed emotions about. The essential story- a Korean American Doctor- Yungman Kwak, is forced into retirement and must face some ghosts of his past, as well as what to do in the present.
The protagonist, Yungman, the Evening Hero- as his name means in Korean initially comes across as sort of a bland - work obsessed doctor that is bewildered by the reactions of his family and friends. He notes ruefully that he isn't living up to his name, but notes that he also prefers it to his younger brothers name which translates to "vegetable hero" . Yung man has done what he believes was expected as a doctor, husband and father, but missed the mark when it came to understanding people- especially his family. He is saddened and mystified by his wife's deep involvement with a mega- church and his son's seeming love affair with capitalism. As Yungman navigates through his unexpected free time, trying out a crazy job in medical retail, spending time with his friend, and trying to connect with his wife and family, he revisits his past- and tells a harrowing and painful but engrossing story of his life. As each segment of his life is revealed, Yungman becomes more human, and more likable. By the end, I was thrilled to see the resolution of some of his deepest insecurities.
For me, some of the characters seemed somewhat cartoonish- but I've considered that this may have been intentional by the author, rather than just a lack of depth. In addition, the Doctors without Borders episode within the story- was a fairly bad representation of how MSF actually works- but it was a fairly good vehicle to move Yungman to an appropriate location.
Overall, a very interesting read, and one that I would recommend to folks that enjoy historical fiction, and want to learn more about Korea.
This story is a bit of historical fiction that I really have mixed emotions about. The essential story- a Korean American Doctor- Yungman Kwak, is forced into retirement and must face some ghosts of his past, as well as what to do in the present.
The protagonist, Yungman, the Evening Hero- as his name means in Korean initially comes across as sort of a bland - work obsessed doctor that is bewildered by the reactions of his family and friends. He notes ruefully that he isn't living up to his name, but notes that he also prefers it to his younger brothers name which translates to "vegetable hero" . Yung man has done what he believes was expected as a doctor, husband and father, but missed the mark when it came to understanding people- especially his family. He is saddened and mystified by his wife's deep involvement with a mega- church and his son's seeming love affair with capitalism. As Yungman navigates through his unexpected free time, trying out a crazy job in medical retail, spending time with his friend, and trying to connect with his wife and family, he revisits his past- and tells a harrowing and painful but engrossing story of his life. As each segment of his life is revealed, Yungman becomes more human, and more likable. By the end, I was thrilled to see the resolution of some of his deepest insecurities.
For me, some of the characters seemed somewhat cartoonish- but I've considered that this may have been intentional by the author, rather than just a lack of depth. In addition, the Doctors without Borders episode within the story- was a fairly bad representation of how MSF actually works- but it was a fairly good vehicle to move Yungman to an appropriate location.
Overall, a very interesting read, and one that I would recommend to folks that enjoy historical fiction, and want to learn more about Korea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Abandonment
Moderate: Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, and Pregnancy
Minor: Medical content and War
abookishtype's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
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? Yes
3.0
After the rural Minnesotan hospital where Youngman Kwak works closes, he no longer has work to keep his mind occupied. This means that memories of his life in Korea during and after the Korean War start to creep back into his conscious mind. It also means that Youngman has time to reflect on his relationship with his wife, how they raised their son, the medical profession, and the casual racism he and his family have always faced. There’s a lot going on in Marie Myung-Ok Lee’s The Evening Hero. Unfortunately, it’s a little too much and the tone veers from beautifully thoughtful to absurdly satirical. To me, it read like two novels spliced together...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss, for review consideration.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss, for review consideration.
rachie_j's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
invisiblemonster's review against another edition
4.5
This is so close to being a great book! The main character is one of my favorites of the year so far, and the story is accessible and easy to read and is a great example of talking about serious topics in a way that won’t leave the reader bloody in the from heavy-handed pummeling. Korea’s history was the most fascinating for me. Now for just a couple reasons this is not a perfect book. One, it’s just a tad too long for my taste. Two, it’s tone is a bit schizophrenic. These are very minor so highly highly recommended.