A review by casskrug
We Do Not Part by Han Kang

3.5

we do not part is a hazy spiral into a dark part of korean history. it was the perfect time of year to read this book, with snow and the cold being a major motif throughout the story.

i really appreciate the way that han kang is shedding light on a part of history that is not widely talked about. in order to fully grasp what was occurring, i did research into the jeju massacre, which is the event the book ultimately centers around, and which i was previously unaware of. kang depicts the atrocities without being gratuitous in her descriptions of violence. i really liked the way information is uncovered through inseon’s documentaries and collected newspaper clippings - it was a nice change of form. the friendship between inseon and kyungha was also very touching to read.

overall, i found the story to be quite meandering and dream-like. the more history is uncovered, the less certain we are of what is occurring in the story’s present-day timeline. i wanted a bit more resolution of that present-day storyline and found the uncertainty made it a bit difficult for me to get fully engaged.

really appreciate this as an opportunity to learn about history from a nobel prize winner! thank you to hogarth for sending me a copy of this book!