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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3'5/5
That was...... Intense. Aunque a veces un poco lenta, la trama es increíblemente interesante e intrigante. Sabes cómo va a acabar, pero no cómo ni quién ni cuándo. Se nota que la autora es guionista, toda la narración estaba descrita de una forma muy cinematográfica y ha sido muy satisfactorio para mí. Kudos!
That was...... Intense. Aunque a veces un poco lenta, la trama es increíblemente interesante e intrigante. Sabes cómo va a acabar, pero no cómo ni quién ni cuándo. Se nota que la autora es guionista, toda la narración estaba descrita de una forma muy cinematográfica y ha sido muy satisfactorio para mí. Kudos!
weird character choices galore in this book that I couldn’t figure out such as the criminal PSYCHOLOGIST dragging her feet on getting her clearly extremely traumatized stepdaughter to a PSYCHOLOGIST after being put through like four back to back horrific events??
it was like fine as a story overall, nothing special. I’m not mad I read it but probably also wouldn’t recommend it either. I definitely wanted to see where it went but when it finished I just kinda thought “huh” and doubt I will ever think about it again
(also have to say that it’s kinda gross to me that this book is being advertised as a “must read for fans of Parasite” because lol there’s literally nothing in common between the two apart from the fact that they originate from the same country. nothing else connects them. I guess death??)
it was like fine as a story overall, nothing special. I’m not mad I read it but probably also wouldn’t recommend it either. I definitely wanted to see where it went but when it finished I just kinda thought “huh” and doubt I will ever think about it again
(also have to say that it’s kinda gross to me that this book is being advertised as a “must read for fans of Parasite” because lol there’s literally nothing in common between the two apart from the fact that they originate from the same country. nothing else connects them. I guess death??)
I don't really know how I feel about this book. A lot was probably lost in translation. I kind of liked the passiveness and lack of emotion in the storytelling, it kept the atmosphere bleak. I also enjoyed the last twist, and the ending was good although a bit predictable. Other than that, it felt to me that there wasn't that much substance to the story. It was giving me events, but the connections between the characters (apart from Seonkyeong and Hayeong, whose interactions were really interesting and the best parts of the book in my opinion) were somehow... lacking, and shallow. I also kept expecting the story to build to something more but it ended up just being another thriller-ish climax, twist, and a thought-provoking ending. I was hoping the book would've somehow managed to say more than what it did. I am very interested in delving more into South Korean books like this, though.
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would have rated this higher with a more satisfying ending. I don't do well with books where the "villain" doesn't get their comeuppance. There's also a bit of open-endedness with what will happen to Hayoung, but it's very clear that Seonkyeong will die. And that makes me sad! I would definitely like to read more from this author, because I think the premise and the plot itself are really fascinating. I'd like o see what else this author has to offer.
I felt like it had a pretty slow start but at the same time I'm not sure if my 39.5 degree fever I had at the time was causing my brain to not register it properly. I feel like it picked up a lot more for me once I figured out that different chapters were the perspectives of different people. I enjoyed it a lot but I wish that was made more clear to me from the beginning so that I could get some context to what was being shown on the page.
Overall, a very interesting story. The subject matter was quite heavy and the translation was sometimes a bit clunky. But, there were a few good twists and turns at the end and it was quite thrilling.
I liked the story but halfway in i was already able to predict the ending, feel like they gave away too much information in the middle.
The Only Child by Mi-Ae So is a tragic psychological thriller that follows Yi Seonkyeong, a criminal psychologist whose life became complicated when she was tasked to interview a serial killer whose gruesome murders shook the world. On the same day, Seonkyeong’s husband came home with his daughter from a previous marriage after her grandparents have died under questionable circumstances.
I liked the premise and I especially liked the central question that was posed about serial killers: what make serial killers who they are? It tapped into the whole nature vs nurture stuff. The book started with a pulse beating, almost poetic suspense that made me feel like this is going to be a good read but unfortunately I started to lose interest at 30% of the book because of several issues (repetitive, plot holes, characterisation).
The novel could have been good but the storytelling (or translation?) felt disjointed which made it very heavy going. What makes the reading felt even more like a chore was the fact that the characters had no personality and depth. I also get that the author tried to connect the key behaviours and traits of the serial killer to the stepdaughter but I honestly think that it was unnecessary and the story of the serial killer definitely went nowhere.
The plot twist, while not shocking, was still surprising enough. It was tragic and devastating which made me close the book with a heavy heart. I would recommend this book if you’re looking for a fast-paced domestic thriller read and a read on psychological effects of childhood trauma. Thank you Times Reads for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review. This book is available at all good bookstores around you. Actual rating: 2.5 stars.
I liked the premise and I especially liked the central question that was posed about serial killers: what make serial killers who they are? It tapped into the whole nature vs nurture stuff. The book started with a pulse beating, almost poetic suspense that made me feel like this is going to be a good read but unfortunately I started to lose interest at 30% of the book because of several issues (repetitive, plot holes, characterisation).
The novel could have been good but the storytelling (or translation?) felt disjointed which made it very heavy going. What makes the reading felt even more like a chore was the fact that the characters had no personality and depth. I also get that the author tried to connect the key behaviours and traits of the serial killer to the stepdaughter but I honestly think that it was unnecessary and the story of the serial killer definitely went nowhere.
The plot twist, while not shocking, was still surprising enough. It was tragic and devastating which made me close the book with a heavy heart. I would recommend this book if you’re looking for a fast-paced domestic thriller read and a read on psychological effects of childhood trauma. Thank you Times Reads for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review. This book is available at all good bookstores around you. Actual rating: 2.5 stars.