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A review by m_peacock
Whale: A masterpiece of modern Korean fiction by Cheon Myeong-kwan
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"Sprawling" may be the most used adjective to describe this book, and it's probably the best. The mother-daughter story wanders forward, veering off the plotline for asides on fables, politics, and brickmaking. But even with this meandering, the story has momentum. It's well-written/translated. The straightforward language moves the story forward with pace; it kept my attention.
I'm usually not a magic realism fan. I often find it either overbearing or a plot crutch -- but here it worked for me. Maybe it's the novel's rural settings or the matter-of-fact tone of the omniscient narrator, but the fantastical plot elements seemed to be more integrated and less magical/out-of-the-ordinary.
I often complain that literary fiction authors don't know how to end their stories. They often skip the hard work of plotting for an easier and maybe what they think is a cleverer/more erudite trailing off into ambiguity. Cheon Myeong-Kwan doesn't do that; he sticks the landing in a melancholy way that fits the last, most difficult section of the book.
I'm usually not a magic realism fan. I often find it either overbearing or a plot crutch -- but here it worked for me. Maybe it's the novel's rural settings or the matter-of-fact tone of the omniscient narrator, but the fantastical plot elements seemed to be more integrated and less magical/out-of-the-ordinary.
I often complain that literary fiction authors don't know how to end their stories. They often skip the hard work of plotting for an easier and maybe what they think is a cleverer/more erudite trailing off into ambiguity. Cheon Myeong-Kwan doesn't do that; he sticks the landing in a melancholy way that fits the last, most difficult section of the book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture