4 Stars
In 2002, eighteen-year-old Kim Hae-on is killed. There are two suspects, but no formal charges are laid and the case remains unsolved. The novella traces the lingering effects of this murder on three women connected to the victim: Kim Da-on is the younger sister; Yun Taerim was a rival for the attentions of Shin Jeongjun; and Sanghui was a classmate.
The book’s eight chapters switch time frames over a period of seventeen years. The perspective of each woman is given so we see the impact Hae-on’s murder has had on each of them. Da-on, for example, tries to become her sister by undergoing numerous plastic surgeries. She seeks out Han Manu, one of the suspects, thinking she can exact revenge if she can confirm that he is the one who murdered her sister.
The role of narrator alternates among the three women, and it is soon obvious that they are not always reliable. Sanghui is the most objective so her observations are most accurate. Kim Da-on proves to have secrets and Taerim is still jealous of Hae-on’s beauty, so all her comments about her are negative. In terms of style, Taerim’s sections stand out because they are one-sided conversations which are almost stream-of-consciousness. Her sections are confusing and revealing at the same time.
There is little focus on the victim and the suspects. Hae-on remains almost ethereal. Though we learn about what happens to Han Manu, our information is provided by Da-on. Taerim speaks about the other suspect but her reliability is perhaps most questionable.
This is a book for attentive readers. Fragments of information emerge so we are given a glimpse of what happened, but nothing is confirmed. In fact, a second crime is revealed but, again, the reader is left to deduce the identity of the perpetrator.
At about 160 pages, this is a short book so it lends itself to re-reading. I will definitely return to it. It’s perfect for a reader willing to play detective.
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