A review by th3aclark
Human Acts by Han Kang

dark informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Human Acts details how the lives of its different narrators are changed in the wake of the Gwangju Uprising. The book is striking because so many of the human acts it details are inhuman. It focuses on the brutality humans are capable of, and the lasting impact this has. As Deborah Smith notes in her introduction, rather than beginning her story with heroism, "Han Kang starts with bodies." Rather than the Uprising itself, Han Kang describes its brutal suppression and aftermath in horrific detail. The book questions what it means to be human: what characteristics define us, what is universal. Definitely a very difficult read, but also a very important one.