clavishorti's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Diary of a Murderer: And Other Stories by Kim Young-Ha is a collection of four short stories that captivate readers with their intriguing narratives and skillful storytelling. Delving into the complexities of life, identity, and relationships, the anthology encompasses a range of emotions, from suspenseful thrillers to heartfelt reflections.
The opening story, "Diary of a Murderer," chronicles the journey of Kim Byeongsu, a former serial killer grappling with Alzheimer's disease. This story will bring you into his mind as he faces various problems, including the firm decision to carry out one final act of murder in order to protect his daughter, Kim Eun Hee. Written in a unique diary-style narrative, the story cleverly weaves dark humor and poetic elements, delivering a suspenseful and immersive reading experience.
In "The Origin of Life," the author explores the relentless pursuit for a sense of belonging amidst the perpetual transience of living conditions since childhood. The central character, Seojin, experiences a profound yearning for a true 'origin' to return to, adding depth to the thematic complexity. Emotionally connected to a girl named Ina, Seojin's relationship with her offers profound insights into the intricacies of human connections and bonds. In Seojin's eyes, Ina represents the epitome of his source of origin, resulting in a deeply intricate connection. The story takes an unexpected shift in its storytelling approach, which may momentarily puzzle readers, including myself. Nevertheless, as the plot unfolds, the story gains momentum, delivering a fast-paced and captivating reading experience.
The third story, "Missing Child," movingly depicts the heart-wrenching journey of Yunseok and Mira as they desperately search for their lost child. Similar to the preceding stories, this plot exhibits a comparable level of complexity. Themes of loss and mental well-being, particularly depression, enrich its emotional depth, eliciting strong empathetic responses from readers. The author adeptly intertwines these elements, crafting a resonant and thought-provoking reading experience.
Wrapping up the anthology is "The Writer," a story centered around a writer facing personal hurdles and experiencing a creative slump while working on a new novel for publication. Through the character Bak Mansu, this story offers insight into a writer's inner musings and thought processes. I found myself thoroughly captivated by the plot, as it proved to be a compelling and enthralling read. Diverging from the preceding three stories, "The Writer" includes explicit erotic scenes and delves into candid discussions about sexual matters.
In conclusion, Diary of a Murderer: And Other Stories is a captivating anthology, skillfully translated by Krys Lee to preserve the stories' distinctive allure without sacrificing accessibility. "Diary of a Murderer" rightfully takes its place as a standout centerpiece, solidifying its position as the title story. With its masterful deployment of plot twists and surprises, the anthology offers a captivating and emotionally resonant literary journey, making it a valuable and worthwhile addition to any reader's bookshelf.
The opening story, "Diary of a Murderer," chronicles the journey of Kim Byeongsu, a former serial killer grappling with Alzheimer's disease. This story will bring you into his mind as he faces various problems, including the firm decision to carry out one final act of murder in order to protect his daughter, Kim Eun Hee. Written in a unique diary-style narrative, the story cleverly weaves dark humor and poetic elements, delivering a suspenseful and immersive reading experience.
In "The Origin of Life," the author explores the relentless pursuit for a sense of belonging amidst the perpetual transience of living conditions since childhood. The central character, Seojin, experiences a profound yearning for a true 'origin' to return to, adding depth to the thematic complexity. Emotionally connected to a girl named Ina, Seojin's relationship with her offers profound insights into the intricacies of human connections and bonds. In Seojin's eyes, Ina represents the epitome of his source of origin, resulting in a deeply intricate connection. The story takes an unexpected shift in its storytelling approach, which may momentarily puzzle readers, including myself. Nevertheless, as the plot unfolds, the story gains momentum, delivering a fast-paced and captivating reading experience.
The third story, "Missing Child," movingly depicts the heart-wrenching journey of Yunseok and Mira as they desperately search for their lost child. Similar to the preceding stories, this plot exhibits a comparable level of complexity. Themes of loss and mental well-being, particularly depression, enrich its emotional depth, eliciting strong empathetic responses from readers. The author adeptly intertwines these elements, crafting a resonant and thought-provoking reading experience.
Wrapping up the anthology is "The Writer," a story centered around a writer facing personal hurdles and experiencing a creative slump while working on a new novel for publication. Through the character Bak Mansu, this story offers insight into a writer's inner musings and thought processes. I found myself thoroughly captivated by the plot, as it proved to be a compelling and enthralling read. Diverging from the preceding three stories, "The Writer" includes explicit erotic scenes and delves into candid discussions about sexual matters.
In conclusion, Diary of a Murderer: And Other Stories is a captivating anthology, skillfully translated by Krys Lee to preserve the stories' distinctive allure without sacrificing accessibility. "Diary of a Murderer" rightfully takes its place as a standout centerpiece, solidifying its position as the title story. With its masterful deployment of plot twists and surprises, the anthology offers a captivating and emotionally resonant literary journey, making it a valuable and worthwhile addition to any reader's bookshelf.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Murder, Dementia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness, Gun violence, Infidelity, and Violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
sas_ram's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Honestly my rating would have been much better if it was just the first story (Diary of a murderer). I liked how unreliable the narration was and that you never knew what's true. It was really interesting. The second one I honestly barely remember. Same with the fourth. The third one wasn't as strong as the first but much better than the second and fourth. It's about a boy who gets kidnapped as a young child and is returned to his family a decade later. He believes his kidnapper to be his real mother and the family falls apart. I wish it was more indepth. It was just missing something but it wasn't bad.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Dementia, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Child death
muddleufflwe's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The first story in the collection (Diary of a Murderer) is probably the most worth-reading, a fascinating exploration of dementia from the perspective of a character who has it. It had made me think and understand the condition better than any other explanation or writing has managed to do- it creates an atmosphere of disconnect fitting for the subject and illustrates the internal struggles of the main character in a way that I've not seen done well often. The Origin of Life is, on the other hand, blatantly underwhelming (with a rather confusing plot), and the story of the Missing Child tries to explore it's (unique and rather interesting) premise but fails in doing it well. A disappointment considering the wealth of a story it could've been. The forth story, The Writer, is certainly an experience (for more than one reason), and an interesting think-piece. It's on par with the first story in the collection despite it's shorter length, and even if it is the grittiness that makes it fail to click with me in any way, it deals with an interesting plot revolving around a writer turned hack writer and their lack of motivation, first few pages giving a sense of depth to the character that the pervious two short stories had failed to do. My favorite part of the book overall would be An interesting collection if anything, though I was rather disappointed by the cheap 'plot-twists' that were pulled in the third short story.
Spoiler
the repeating experiences of the main character in the first book and the slight changes that are made to their character over time, such as the growing aggressiveness and paranoia that fits both with the theme of a guilty murderer and dementia patient, and the descriptor for the sudden burst of inspiration that the man gets, and the product of this inspiration. The particular segment had me even wanting for the section to be true so I would be able to read the result of the described book, but alas such a book does not exist (to my knowledge).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Stalking, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Blood, Car accident, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt
Lots of triggers so be cautious when reading in case you have any of those <3 stay safeareaderheart's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness
lyricalreads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My brain feels like it’s been wrung out but in a good way. I’m questioning so many things. I think my favorite of the stories was the titular one (Diary of a Murderer). “Missing Child” comes next.
I really found the explorations of family incredibly fascinating and also the characters’ relationships to one another. Kim constantly drives the readers and the characters to dig into these familial relationships and question further.
I really found the explorations of family incredibly fascinating and also the characters’ relationships to one another. Kim constantly drives the readers and the characters to dig into these familial relationships and question further.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Murder, and Kidnapping
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