morebedsidebooks's review against another edition
3.0
'Disaster and catastrophe aren’t just within the realm of the gods. Us humans, we can manipulate nature, too.’
This the first translated book by Korean author Yun Ko-eun is the sort of trim ecolit novel that begs the question of just how dark, dark tourism can get. Yona Ko works for Jungle which specializes in travel packages to disaster areas. If that sounds rather problematic it also has a corporate culture that’s unsurprisingly very much the kind with a missing stair. So, the ten-year company veteran ends up on a review trip to one of the least lucrative destinations in Southeast Asia. A tropical island that decades ago was the site of a genocide and giant sink hole, now a lake. Coming off more as a paradise, the island however is hiding an all too deadly side.
I feel like the English language publisher over states the thriller, (dark) humor and feminist aspects of this story. But The Disaster Tourist is still an interesting little book that should make one think about travel, disasters, capitalism and the dichotomy between the global north and south.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Death, Murder, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Genocide
lunacarmona's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Alcohol
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