Diary of a Murderer – Kim is a poetry-loving, ex-serial killer with a long career behind him, now diagnosed with dementia but determined to protect his daughter from the murderer who’s on the loose. When she introduces him to the man she wants to marry his suspicions are aroused but now that he’s incapable of remembering whether he’s had lunch will anyone believe him? And why are the police so interested in a string of murders committed so long ago?
The Origin of Life – Seojin feels cursed by his rootlessness, beginning an affair with the only person he feels connected to, horrified by the bruises inflicted by her violent husband. Soon, he finds himself caught up in a tangled emotional dilemma.
Missing Child – A couple’s three-year-old disappears during a moment of inattention. Ten years later he’s returned to them but a decade of searching for their lost child has taken its toll, and it seems their son is traumatised.
The Writer – A blocked writer hatches a plan to fund his daughter’s education. Taking up his new publisher’s offer of the loan of a New York flat, Mansu finds himself unblocked by the appearance of the publisher’s beautiful estranged wife.
All four of these smartly turned out stories impressed me. Diary of a Murderer, the longest by far, is a particularly clever piece of writing. As Kim’s mind becomes increasingly scattered, unscrambling his confusion becomes almost impossible, both for him, and for us. Young-Ha has created a supremely unreliable narrator, vividly evoking Kim’s mental disarray often with the blackest of humour. The Writer sees the return of that humour, this time bordering on the farcical, with a few playful twists slotted in as Mansu wonders whether he’s the victim of an elaborate plot far superior to any he could devise himself. Both The Origin of Life with its shocking epiphany and Missing Child are more sober although the latter ends on a much-needed note of hope. There’s much to admire in each of these stories but it was the writing in Diary of Murderer that stood out for me:
Each time I read a sentence, it feels like I’m forcibly assembling a machine that’s missing a few crucial parts.
Maybe death is a stiff drink that helps you forget the boring night out that is your life.
How smart is that?
Atlantic Books: London 2020 978183950040 200 pages Paperback
That is a fantastic quote! You’ve sold me on this – although of course I am NOT planning to buy any more books etc. etc.
Oh dear, apologies for holding out such temptation but it is brilliant.
I’m a little ashamed to say that I hadn’t heard of him before either, so thank you for the introduction. As Marina says, that quote really stands out, and the dark humour certainly appeals. A very tempting review, Susan.
All four stories are excellent, Jacqui, although I loved the titular piece with its wonderfully unreliable narrator and snappy writing the best.
All of those stories sound fantastic but I have to say the first one does draw me in the most.
Highly recommend the entire collection, Janet, but the first story was my favourite. A very clever piece of writing.
These stories sound excellent, not a collection or writer I’d heard of before.
Me, neither, but I’ll be on the look out for more of his writing after reading this.
Not a writer I’ve encountered before either, but I do like the sound of this.
I’m keen to track down his other translated works having read this one.
You had me at poetry loving ex-serial killer 😀
Ha! You don’t come across many of those, at least not in my neck of the bookish woods.
I also enjoyed this author. My favorite quotations is:
“The way you feel about writing poems that no one reads and committing murders that no one knows about is not that different.”
Here is my review: https://wordsandpeace.com/2019/08/20/book-review-diary-of-a-murderer/
Heartfelt, perhaps but let’s hope not! There were so many brilliant quotes it was hard to stick to just two for me. Thanks for the link. I’ll pop over and take a look.
Me too! And then the rest – and the quotations – just sealed that deal. Thanks for the recommendation! (And there’s a copy at the library, so I can be sure to work it into the stack.)
Oh, that’s great. Always pleased to hear that a library has picked up on a book that seems a little out of the way.
I was trying to reply, nested beneath Madame Bibi’s comment…but, go ahead, a more general “Me too” then. 🙂
I think quite a few of us would be intrigued by the prospect of a poetry-loving ex-serial-killer!