A review by emsemsems
Mannequin by Ch'oe Yun

3.0

‘But not all wishes are fulfilled. It isn’t that hard, however, to put such petty desires to rest, and finally, to forget. People say at times that trivial desires have a greater hold on the soul. Perhaps that’s true. Perhaps that’s why many people leave somewhere only to return there for the same reason.’

Between a 3 and a 4, but I’m settling on a 3 for now because the unsettling ambiguity of the story (/stories) left me feeling rather frustrated. Glorious piece of writing, brilliantly translated by one of my favourite translators, Jung Yewon. Consistently bleak atmosphere throughout the whole novel. Seaside ‘gothic’ fiction with a touch of magical realism. Spectacular characterisation. Somewhat reminds me of [b:Tokyo Ueno Station|43398196|Tokyo Ueno Station|Miri Yū|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1562758850l/43398196._SY75_.jpg|47328578] by Miri Yu – poverty, homelessness, death(s). If you’re in the mood for a story with a ‘happy ending’, stay away from these books! RTC.