A review by pearseanderson
Wolves by Jeon Sungtae

4.0

One of my first translated reads of the year! Sora Kim-Russell did a really nice job on the translation. This was a simple book, full of characters and little lives, almost exclusively Korean expats or citizens, mostly in Mongolia or South Korean islands. It was simply constructed: sentences, scenes, plots (kill a big wolf! Get into your apartment! Repay your debt by selling frogs (ok?)!) but they were all very well executed looks at identity, travel, loss, and interpersonal relations under hard to understand authorities, from groundskeepers to school principals to American shelling. 8/10, I am glad I picked this up but not overwhelmed by its quality. My favorite piece was Korean Soldier, but the title piece was fantastic as always (thanks White Review).