Scan barcode
teh_samantha's review against another edition
4.0
Kim Un-Su's "The Cabinet" is an absurd little book made up of little vignettes about files from a mysterious, but also really banal, cabinet. Documents detailing the lives of "symptomers" - people with strange mutations or conditions that defy the rules of reality as we would understand them. A man who's turning into a gingko tree. People that can fall asleep for months at a time and others who simply vanish off the Earth before abruptly returning.
The book is a darkly hilarious and depressing meditation on life under capitalism. One criticism I see from readers is that the little stories documented by the narrator never really come together to anything meaningful. And it's true. Not to spoil anything, but the book ends on an unsatisfying note. Subplots and themes come together somewhat but never fully coalesce into anything grand or pointed. It just ends.
However, that is the point, right? Our main character finds himself in a bullshit job without purpose. The plot ends up happening to him because he was bored of getting paid to sit around so he spent months guessing a three digit combination to a lock for a cabinet that held some weird stories in it. The absurdity of the fantastical is grounded to the point that they are as banal and dull as a day job. Our main character is so ridiculously straight and normal that that alone is absurd.
So if you are looking for a book motivated by a coherent plot, you will not find one here. Instead, "The Cabinet" critiques the day-to-day of living in a late-stage capitalist hell hole by mimicking the essence of living in a late-stage capitalist hell hole. Which is to say: alienating, pointless and, above all else, absurd.
And for that it is a pretty darn good book.
The book is a darkly hilarious and depressing meditation on life under capitalism. One criticism I see from readers is that the little stories documented by the narrator never really come together to anything meaningful. And it's true. Not to spoil anything, but the book ends on an unsatisfying note. Subplots and themes come together somewhat but never fully coalesce into anything grand or pointed. It just ends.
However, that is the point, right? Our main character finds himself in a bullshit job without purpose. The plot ends up happening to him because he was bored of getting paid to sit around so he spent months guessing a three digit combination to a lock for a cabinet that held some weird stories in it. The absurdity of the fantastical is grounded to the point that they are as banal and dull as a day job. Our main character is so ridiculously straight and normal that that alone is absurd.
So if you are looking for a book motivated by a coherent plot, you will not find one here. Instead, "The Cabinet" critiques the day-to-day of living in a late-stage capitalist hell hole by mimicking the essence of living in a late-stage capitalist hell hole. Which is to say: alienating, pointless and, above all else, absurd.
And for that it is a pretty darn good book.
path_through_pages's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I... genuinely have no idea what I just read.
The book blurb describes it as whimsical, funny, and satirical. However, it ended up being this bizarre combination of fantasy and body horror.
I'm not saying I didn't enjoy it. What I am saying is I have no idea what 'it' was.
For some reason, I think it's going to stick in my head for a bit, or I could be wrong?
Who knows.
3.5
P.s. no MC pregnancy tropes
The book blurb describes it as whimsical, funny, and satirical. However, it ended up being this bizarre combination of fantasy and body horror.
I'm not saying I didn't enjoy it. What I am saying is I have no idea what 'it' was.
For some reason, I think it's going to stick in my head for a bit, or I could be wrong?
Who knows.
3.5
P.s. no MC pregnancy tropes
esther013's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-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? It's complicated
3.5
ariqstotle's review against another edition
5.0
Borges-like magical realism, witty/funny, insightful re: modern Korean life, but ending doesn’t cohere, unnecessary shift in tone
heathermoodreads's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This was the weirdest book I've ever read. It was charming, but confusing as well. The overall philosophical approach of this book went over my head at times, but Cabinet 13 felt like a character itself. This book was melancholy, and at times, rather slow. It was an interesting read with numerous quotes and scenes that stuck out to me.
jkmartin38's review against another edition
3.0
Interconnected stories about people who experience various unique symptoms and their bizarre lives. Each person has a file stored in cabinet at a research institute. The files are secretly read by the building’s security guard, who gets caught up in a larger story involving the files and the head research scientist. This was an light and quick read. Translation was smooth, albeit the book had many spelling errors. Some sections were interesting, like the symptomers who deleted their memories. I liked when the book used their symptoms as a mechanism to explore society, alienation, and loneliness. Although the tone never takes these issues seriously. Overall the book’s experimental narrative offered enough to keep me reading but never really reached full potential in the end. I may read his other translated book, which seems more promising.
tokkiboki's review against another edition
4.0
This book shows how little control we have over our lives. Odd things seem to happen at the most unexpected times. The author uses a term called "symptomers" for this, people that develop biologically weird attributes and how it changes their lives.
bri_the_librarian's review against another edition
5.0
On the surface its just a weird novel/collection of stories. But I love that there's more to think about the deeper you look. Reflections on society (especially Korean office/work culture), the state of the world, mental health, personal perspective, etc. I love a book that makes you think.