Scan barcode
A review by tasleemreads
Nowhere to Be Found by Bae Suah
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
#NowhereToBeFound is a Korean novella (translated in English) which left me thinking "what the hell did I just read?" and not in a bad way either. I'm left to think about the events, the nameless protagonist, her choices and actions - or lack thereof.
The writing style is completely different from anything I've read before. The story follows a nameless narrator through one year of her poverty-filled, emotionless life. The reader has no choice but to follow her and witness how void of meaning, purpose and fulfilment her life is. Her lack of emotion points to her feeling that the people in her life are simply not worth the emotion and effort she may be capable of. It seems she has given up on the people around her and herself. This leaves her with surviving, not living, her life in a monotone, melancholy way.
This book has left me feeling the same way as the protagonist; melancholy and meh. Although, I am intrigued by this writing style and I'll definitely be checking out Bae Suah's other works.
✨ "I think my family is just a random collection of people I knew long ago."
✨ "Most the people I knew long ago now live their lives without me, and those whom I will meet by chance one day do not know me now."
✨ "and that is how I became an absolutely meaningless thing and survived time."
The writing style is completely different from anything I've read before. The story follows a nameless narrator through one year of her poverty-filled, emotionless life. The reader has no choice but to follow her and witness how void of meaning, purpose and fulfilment her life is. Her lack of emotion points to her feeling that the people in her life are simply not worth the emotion and effort she may be capable of. It seems she has given up on the people around her and herself. This leaves her with surviving, not living, her life in a monotone, melancholy way.
This book has left me feeling the same way as the protagonist; melancholy and meh. Although, I am intrigued by this writing style and I'll definitely be checking out Bae Suah's other works.
✨ "I think my family is just a random collection of people I knew long ago."
✨ "Most the people I knew long ago now live their lives without me, and those whom I will meet by chance one day do not know me now."
✨ "and that is how I became an absolutely meaningless thing and survived time."
Content Warnings
TW: Depression