One Hundred Shadows
Ratings5
Average rating3.3
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER! “There is an unforgettable, curious beauty to be found here.” —Han Kang, Winner of the Man Booker International Prize for The Vegetarian Han Kang’s Human Acts meets Yōko Ogawa’s The Memory Police in this understated South Korean novella in translation: a restrained yet emotional magical realist examination of futility in a capitalist society written in response to the 2009 Yongsan Disaster. In a Seoul slum marked for demolition, residents’ shadows have begun to rise. No one knows how or why–but, they warn each other, do not follow your shadow if it wanders away. As the landscape of their lives is torn apart, building by building, electronics-repair-shop employees Eungyo and Mujae can only watch as their community begins to fade. Their growing connection with one another provides solace, but against an uncaring ruling class and the inevitability of the rising shadows, their relationship may not be enough. Winner of the Hankook Ilbo Literary Award and the Korean Bookseller’s Award, One Hundred Shadows is a tender working-class perspective with subtle and affecting social commentary. This edition features an introduction by Man Booker Prize-winning author of The Vegetarian, Han Kang, and an exclusive interview with the author.
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4 star read. This book had beautiful imagery. I loved the repeated metaphor of shadows rising and floating away. I also loved the personification of people's shadows and how they became the representation of characters inner turmoils within the novel. The world Hwang Jungeun created was bleak yet intoxicatingly mystical and alluring. The characters of Eungyo and Mujae were fascinating and their romance captivating. I loved the subtleties in this novel. A very well composed novel.
I found it quite difficult to stay engaged and focused with this book, and it felt that way until the end. Normally I would have DNF'd something that I struggled to stick with, but there were bits and pieces of the story that I thought were worth staying for, only to be a little let down.
I understand the issues with translated books, where sometimes things don't come across as intended, or it's lost in translation. And unfortunately, I feel like this was one of those times because it left me feeling unsatisfied. There was potential, but it didn't come across as much as it was supposed to.
