A review by maxwelldunn
City of Ash and Red by Pyun Hye-young

3.0

This is a disgusting novel—and I mean that literally. The setting, the atmosphere, and the main character inspire disgust. It's an odd thing to read something that seems to make you want to hate everything about it, yet is still compulsively readable. The translation is excellent and the plot is compelling. However, in the end I found myself a bit ambivalent about the book's meaning and purpose. If it meant only to get a visceral reaction out of the reader, it has succeeded. But left with not much to ponder, I can only say that it was unique and page-turning, and ultimately a tad unsatisfactory.