A review by thomaswjoyce
House of Pungsu by K.P. Kulski, K.P. Kulski

4.0

A grandmother, mother and daughter seemingly trapped in a Korean palace, unable to leave the grounds, and almost definitely not alone. Rather than dwelling on the idea of something supernatural happening, Kulski uses the setting to explore the nature of identity, specifically that of women in Joseon Korea and how it is defined by their relationships with the men of the time. Although I soon figured out the message behind the story, it still felt like it wasn't written for me. I could still appreciate the language and the style, which was beautifully done. And as the story came together at the end and we realised what the palace represented and who the three main characters really were, it really tied a bow on a great story for me. And the idea that the main character of the story could take what they had learned through the course of their life and this story, and use it to improve their existence going forward was a great way to end the book. Fantastic writing.