The Hole: A Novel | 
panNO. Awful in all senses of the word. Unreliable narrator not clueing into a history of emotionally abusing his wife, even bearing some responsibility for her death in a car accident, does not then permit her mother to perpetrate a pattern of abuse on him. No one heals from that. Maybe it's the translation, but writing = not good. Typical domestic thriller full of bad/sad people, NOT horror. Warning: Ableism, fatphobia, SA/abuse by caregivers.
pick🎧 This was a slow, creepy, thought provoking, short story.
It starts slow with a post accident coma, a dead passenger, a mother-in-law nursemaid and about halfway into this novella … a really dark turn … it kept me in the edge of my seat enjoying the story.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
pickThis was a dark, interesting audiobook about a man who survives a terrible car accident that took the life of his wife. I think some of the plot twists were a bit obvious, but it worked thanks to the quality of writing. It also helped that the author kept the book so short. It gives a sense of urgency to everything that happens!
so-soA paralyzed man recuperates after surviving a car crash that has killed his wife and left him in the care of a grieving mother-in-law who may not be too keen on his recovering. A quiet and very dark book (familial love and duty twisted into themes of isolation, shame and psychological torture), but I feel I can‘t grasp the nuances behind many of the Korean characters‘ thoughts possibly due to the imprecision of an English language translation.
Ok this also gets mixed reviews on here. It sounds good to me though.
pickThis book reminded me of Hang Kang, but a lot more tangible. Therefore, I think The Hole would be a good start for people who want to start reading Korean literature.
Written so simple, the language hides all that is going on beneath. As we know Koreans know how to go very deep into the human psyche. And so does Hye-Young Pyun.
#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks
pickTranslated book with amazing tense setting and story telling.
so-sothis book has some effective scenes of tension and dread in the last 40%, but the awkward structure and short length significantly undercut it. Pyun frontloads the book with all the info about the protagonist and his wife and their relationships, which detracted from the horror aspects of helplessness and neglect following a serious accident. I'm not a fan of the ambiguous and abrupt ending, which felt more like a cop-out.
finally getting around to starting The Hole, alongside The Girl In the Tower as my current physical book. really wish more of my 'want to read' kindle horror books went on sale more often but I suppose I should take that as a sign to go back and use overdrive/libby more.
pickFirst book finished in 2019 and I loved it! This was a wonderful tension-filled thriller! Happy New Year!!🎉
Been wanting to read this one for awhile.
pickThe vise tightens on every page until it‘s almost unbearable. Don‘t expect a pressure release from this book.
#SouthKorean #horror? SOLD! And #HarukiMurakami‘s vinyl collection on #Spotify. May Monday stay at bay! #chemex
so-soUm . . . I dunno? Interesting. The plot reminded me of Gerald‘s Game: a person restrained/unable to flee a weird situation. I gave it a so-so. There were many plot elements that didn‘t come together all the way. 🤷♀️
panThis was an impulse borrow. I was disappointed with the slow build-up and was even more let down with its conclusion. Thank goodness it was only 200 pages.
About to finish this one as the setting sun creates an eerie mood in the apartment.
Yet another impulse haul at the library based only on the cover. I‘m going to challenge myself to only read this one outdoors. Why? Why not?
$1.99 today! Korean horror/thriller novel - Man wakes up paralyzed after surviving a car accident that killed his wife. His mother-in-law is his caregiver, and things start to get weird. Can‘t wait to read this one! 😱
pickThis book is so weird in the best way. The details about Oghi marriage and his feelings for his wife are slowly revealed as the novel plays out. His slowly deteriorating care at the hands of his mother-in-law make for a claustrophobic read. It is a close look at how people can change in their relationships and questions how well we really know our loved ones. Recommend if you're looking for a slow burn ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
With each chapter, this large dark circle gets larger and moves more toward the center of the page. I barely noticed it a first but it's a small touch that adds to the claustrophobia 🖤
#Korea #translation
Starting this while waiting for an oil change and recall work on my car. A man is left disabled after a car accident that kills his wife. His only family left to care for him is his mother-in-law. So far it seems to ask how well any of us truly know our spouse or family.
#translation #Korea
So this is what happens when you stop at B&N for a little book therapy after a couple of crappy days. Yikes!
😳
