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A review by mobyskine
Miss Kim Knows and Other Stories by Cho Nam-joo
5.0
A rare treat for a collection to have almost perfectly enjoyable stories in a spine. Having a theme of womanhood that grasped the perspective of 8 Korean women—aged 10 to 80 in their biography-alike narratives set in a household to workplace and society backdrops—I was brought to uncover a phase of life through these women’s eyes dealing with expectations and challenges, of relationship and motherhood, on one’s desire and dream; all in their own fate and mishap of a lifelong conflict that can go both alarming and heart-moving.
Major love to the author’s style of writing; so tender and gripping with catchy prose that piqued me to keep reading. I reread both Runaway (super love the characters and its surreal exploration of daughter-father relationship and how it grasped the conflict of a father in his old age) and Dear Hyunnam Oppa (most intense full of angst and sneaked into the unforeseen side of a relationship) for its distinctive enthralling theme. Under The Plum Tree was so sentimental for me as it depicted a view of an old lady in the verge of losing her sickly older sister. Night Of Aurora was the lengthiest of all but I love it a lot too for its generational related plot; a love-hate bond that sharply explored on one’s responsibility, ambition and happiness.
Both Dead Set and the titular story Miss Kim Knows (love the mysterious hue for this one) carried a career related arc that vouched the hardship of dealing with society and colleagues; bit triggering for how both highlighted on prejudice and mistreatment as well domestic and emotional abuse. A budding cute romance in Puppy Love, 2020 that was told in the midst of Covid-19; a charming love suspense with an intriguing abrupt ending for me. A slow anxious plot for Grown-Up Girl that echoed the evocative unsettling details of motherhood and one’s judgement.
Such a stunning collection to me overall; quite exceptional for how most reflected an ordinary day-to-day narrative yet reverberated an expansive thought-provoking and profound experience of many women; of hopelessness, fear, empathy and indifference. 5 stars to this!
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy!
Major love to the author’s style of writing; so tender and gripping with catchy prose that piqued me to keep reading. I reread both Runaway (super love the characters and its surreal exploration of daughter-father relationship and how it grasped the conflict of a father in his old age) and Dear Hyunnam Oppa (most intense full of angst and sneaked into the unforeseen side of a relationship) for its distinctive enthralling theme. Under The Plum Tree was so sentimental for me as it depicted a view of an old lady in the verge of losing her sickly older sister. Night Of Aurora was the lengthiest of all but I love it a lot too for its generational related plot; a love-hate bond that sharply explored on one’s responsibility, ambition and happiness.
Both Dead Set and the titular story Miss Kim Knows (love the mysterious hue for this one) carried a career related arc that vouched the hardship of dealing with society and colleagues; bit triggering for how both highlighted on prejudice and mistreatment as well domestic and emotional abuse. A budding cute romance in Puppy Love, 2020 that was told in the midst of Covid-19; a charming love suspense with an intriguing abrupt ending for me. A slow anxious plot for Grown-Up Girl that echoed the evocative unsettling details of motherhood and one’s judgement.
Such a stunning collection to me overall; quite exceptional for how most reflected an ordinary day-to-day narrative yet reverberated an expansive thought-provoking and profound experience of many women; of hopelessness, fear, empathy and indifference. 5 stars to this!
Thank you Pansing Distribution for the gifted review copy!