courto875's review
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Suicide, and Kidnapping
Minor: Abandonment, Child death, Abortion, and Bullying
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
neoralisa22's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Dementia, and Gaslighting
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
geeters14's review
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
Moderate: Chronic illness, Murder, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Gun violence
daneyyy's review
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Dementia
mispaintedlady's review
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Murder, and Child death
Violence against women.serendipity421's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Dementia, Murder, Death, and Gore
Minor: Car accident
dalmavatai's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The first story/title story in this collection was amazing, so trippy and exciting and twisty. Unfortunately, I had very high expectations for the rest of the stories and I was very disappointed. The concepts/ideas were really interesting but the plot didn't really end up going anywhere, there were no shocking moments whatsoever. They felt more like slice-of-life kind of stories which is fine, but I think the first story doesn't set the reader's expectations right and is not really indicative of the tonality of the rest in the collection. Hope this author has more stories like the first one because I really enjoyed that one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Violence
ohanaaa's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I really enjoyed the first two stories of this collection, but I lost interest as the others rolled around. However, I made it through the entire book in one piece.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Medical content