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A review by lienwynvarras
The Good Son by You-Jeong Jeong
5.0
I absolutely loved it. The slow but steady pace, imagery, and frankly unsettling story — all of it was amazing. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect since the reviews seem pretty split here on Goodreads, but it turns out it was right up my alley. Maybe because I don't need pulse-pounding action or twists to keep me interested.
Because, well, if that's what you're looking for, this isn't the book for you. BUT, if you, like me, enjoy a slow, ambling descent into insanity, it most certainly is. This book is heavily focused on the main character and his thoughts, behaviour, and actions, which I find incredibly fascinating. Also incredibly unsettling and downright terrifying, because you can tell pretty early on that things aren't what they seem but you're not quite sure how bad things will get before you reach the end and... yeah, it's just good. I really, really liked it. Especially since it wasn't afraid to keep things simple and tightly contained, which just made it all the more easy to read.
Despite the slow pace, I was never bored and never actually wanted to stop reading. If I DID take breaks, it was mostly because I wasn't sure if I wanted to know what happened next, because it unsettled me so much. At the same time, I desperately wanted to know what happened next, because it was simply that good.
Also, while I wish I could have read the original (writing is usually best in its original language) I must say that the translation felt pretty solid. I could still see hints of the original Korean in the imagery and word choices, which I very much appreciated.
So yeah. A creepy but wonderful book that's well worth reading.
Because, well, if that's what you're looking for, this isn't the book for you. BUT, if you, like me, enjoy a slow, ambling descent into insanity, it most certainly is. This book is heavily focused on the main character and his thoughts, behaviour, and actions, which I find incredibly fascinating. Also incredibly unsettling and downright terrifying, because you can tell pretty early on that things aren't what they seem but you're not quite sure how bad things will get before you reach the end and... yeah, it's just good. I really, really liked it. Especially since it wasn't afraid to keep things simple and tightly contained, which just made it all the more easy to read.
Despite the slow pace, I was never bored and never actually wanted to stop reading. If I DID take breaks, it was mostly because I wasn't sure if I wanted to know what happened next, because it unsettled me so much. At the same time, I desperately wanted to know what happened next, because it was simply that good.
Also, while I wish I could have read the original (writing is usually best in its original language) I must say that the translation felt pretty solid. I could still see hints of the original Korean in the imagery and word choices, which I very much appreciated.
So yeah. A creepy but wonderful book that's well worth reading.