Review by not_another_ana - The Red Palace

not_another_ana 's review for:

The Red Palace by June Hur

3.75

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

There is a saying among us who work there: Palace secrets must never get out, or else inevitably there will be blood.

After much effort Hyeon has managed to acquire a position as a palace nurse, one of the only stable and respectable jobs for a bastard daughter. Working in the palace however is not just an honor, it's a heavy burden. One step out of place, one misspoken word and the consequences might be deathly. Hyeon wishes for nothing more than to be able to do her job without getting into trouble, but when a heinous multiple murder is committed, and her mentor is the only suspect, she'll have to step out of line and start her own investigation. She's not the only one interested in the case, a young police inspector is also hunting for the killer. The two must join forces to find the murderer, but what if the criminal was part of the royal family?

This was fun and really solid, I enjoyed reading this book. It's more of a romance than a mystery/thriller, it was easy enough to figure out the culprit, but it does not shy away from the murder aspect and handles it well for a young adult book. I didn't know much about the Korean royalty or the cultural practices of that time period and I found them easy to understand as they were presented by the author.

The strength of the book lies in the characters, specifically the main character. Hyeon was smart and strong while also behaving like an average person when exposed to the violence and injustice. It was easy to identify with her and with her wants and desires. The love interest, Eojin, was a tad more bland but sweet and competent, and the romance between the two of them was charming and adorable. I think this author is quite good and would love to read more from her.

Content Warnings