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A review by mahaila
One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
For me, this was perfect.
I loved the style of Hwang Jungeun's writing and I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
The story follows Mujae and Eungyo, two young people working in repair shops in building B of a crowded market complex. The complex is in the early stages of being gentrified.
In this world, a person's shadow can rise, becoming a 3-dimensional figure, separate from their body, after they experience trauma and compounded sadness. This feels very realistic and troubling in the book.
I really liked the critique of the desensitization that is cultivated by capitalist systems. I think this quote captures it well, "I wonder if they call this kind of place a slum, because if you called it someone's home or their livelihood that would make things awkward when it comes to tearing it down."
Mujae describes the memory of seeing a woman and a man fight over reclaimed rags and cardboard boxes, which they plan to sell. The man ends up giving up his and the woman dies later that day, depicting the futility of human life in capitalist systems. As Mujae says, "Even after her children came and held a funeral for her, her handcart remained where she'd left it. There wasn't much in it, just a few boxes, lumps of Styrofoam and torn sheets of plastic, and as I looked at it I thought, A person can die for the sake [of] such things, a person can die and this is all they leave behind,"
I really enjoyed how the story was told through a series of separate scenes and memories. And I liked how Jungeun wrote dialogue without using quotation marks. While somewhat confusing at times, it gave the book a unique and familiar conversational feel.
I liked how the book begins with Mujae guiding Eungyo thorugh dangerous terrain after her shadow rises, and ends with Eungyo doing the same for Mujae.
I found it somewhat amusing that Mujae passes the orange peel theory TikTok challenge.
Also, I made a playlist for this book, because I guess that's what I do now. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0FXS4MZCTW5JKw9gVLPZXQ
Thank you to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for providing me with an e-arc ahead of the publication of the new edition.
I loved the style of Hwang Jungeun's writing and I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
The story follows Mujae and Eungyo, two young people working in repair shops in building B of a crowded market complex. The complex is in the early stages of being gentrified.
In this world, a person's shadow can rise, becoming a 3-dimensional figure, separate from their body, after they experience trauma and compounded sadness. This feels very realistic and troubling in the book.
I really liked the critique of the desensitization that is cultivated by capitalist systems. I think this quote captures it well, "I wonder if they call this kind of place a slum, because if you called it someone's home or their livelihood that would make things awkward when it comes to tearing it down."
Mujae describes the memory of seeing a woman and a man fight over reclaimed rags and cardboard boxes, which they plan to sell. The man ends up giving up his and the woman dies later that day, depicting the futility of human life in capitalist systems. As Mujae says, "Even after her children came and held a funeral for her, her handcart remained where she'd left it. There wasn't much in it, just a few boxes, lumps of Styrofoam and torn sheets of plastic, and as I looked at it I thought, A person can die for the sake [of] such things, a person can die and this is all they leave behind,"
I really enjoyed how the story was told through a series of separate scenes and memories. And I liked how Jungeun wrote dialogue without using quotation marks. While somewhat confusing at times, it gave the book a unique and familiar conversational feel.
I liked how the book begins with Mujae guiding Eungyo thorugh dangerous terrain after her shadow rises, and ends with
I found it somewhat amusing that Mujae passes the orange peel theory TikTok challenge.
Also, I made a playlist for this book, because I guess that's what I do now. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0FXS4MZCTW5JKw9gVLPZXQ
Thank you to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for providing me with an e-arc ahead of the publication of the new edition.