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sboedecker1024's review
4.0
After finishing section "Book 1" I have to admit I was extremely skeptical of this one. The present day situation of where Yungman wound up, his entitled son and disjointed family life had me wondering where this story was going. I am so happy I stuck with it though. The second half of the book really did it for me, weaving the history and scars of the Korean war into present-day Korean-American struggles. I love the snide critiques of American culture, politics and religion that are sprinkled throughout the book. This novel makes for a historical preview of war-time Korea, as well as a look into what it means to be a Korean-American, especially one trying to create a life for themselves outside the cultural enclaves of New York, Chicago or LA.
Many of the critiques and comments throughout the book are things I have heard from Asian-American friends or various independent news sources I follow. The strive to learn and perfect English, seeing language as an express lane to assimilation in America, the irony of the majority of Americans hating immigrants when it is a country of immigrants, and the difficulty of understanding both the overt and underlying racism of this country.
Many of the critiques and comments throughout the book are things I have heard from Asian-American friends or various independent news sources I follow. The strive to learn and perfect English, seeing language as an express lane to assimilation in America, the irony of the majority of Americans hating immigrants when it is a country of immigrants, and the difficulty of understanding both the overt and underlying racism of this country.
xofelia's review
3.0
This book had some interesting commentary around the Korean war, what it means to be home, immigration, and father-son dynamics. Unfortunately, most of it didn't work for me. I feel like the healthcare satire and specifics about Minnesota really brought down the vibe for me.
As someone who was raised in MN, I know there is an overwhelming variety to the different ways that racism can touch you on a daily basis, but surprisingly the setting in the book seemed very fake. I'm reminded of a book I recently read where the author set the story in New Orleans despite never having been there.
I really enjoyed Yungman's journey with his son, and it really helped me learn that 'boomers gonna boom' really holds true throughout the planet.
The story overall was good enough for me to finish but I think it could have stood to be shorter and it definitely suffered with its uneven tone, I wasn't expecting to read jokes about baby murder tbh.
But the cover is pretty baller, so I'd give it 5 stars if I could rate it based off that
As someone who was raised in MN, I know there is an overwhelming variety to the different ways that racism can touch you on a daily basis, but surprisingly the setting in the book seemed very fake. I'm reminded of a book I recently read where the author set the story in New Orleans despite never having been there.
I really enjoyed Yungman's journey with his son, and it really helped me learn that 'boomers gonna boom' really holds true throughout the planet.
The story overall was good enough for me to finish but I think it could have stood to be shorter and it definitely suffered with its uneven tone, I wasn't expecting to read jokes about baby murder tbh.
But the cover is pretty baller, so I'd give it 5 stars if I could rate it based off that
charan's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jzmiao's review
3.0
3.5
i really wanted to like this book, but there were a number of elements that just didn’t work for me. firstly, i was frustrated with the ways that a lot of side characters felt like caricatures. their characterizations were shallow, and i didn’t get to know them. secondly, the book is described as being humorous and satirical, and i see the author’s intentions of being so, but none of it clicked for me. perhaps it was too on the nose, and jokes about the commodification of health care just don’t ring funny anymore. finally, i have to give admiration to the author for her desire to represent narratives about the korean war and american imperialism in literature—however, i think there was not quite a balance between writing a work of literary fiction and being true to the history. sometimes it felt like i was reading a textbook of events, but that could be my own ignorance about the korean war speaking. the author even acknowledged her struggle balancing these two elements in a note at the end, so unfortunately, i can see the fracture lines. definitely an ambitious undertaking, but i have to say it fell short for me.
i really wanted to like this book, but there were a number of elements that just didn’t work for me. firstly, i was frustrated with the ways that a lot of side characters felt like caricatures. their characterizations were shallow, and i didn’t get to know them. secondly, the book is described as being humorous and satirical, and i see the author’s intentions of being so, but none of it clicked for me. perhaps it was too on the nose, and jokes about the commodification of health care just don’t ring funny anymore. finally, i have to give admiration to the author for her desire to represent narratives about the korean war and american imperialism in literature—however, i think there was not quite a balance between writing a work of literary fiction and being true to the history. sometimes it felt like i was reading a textbook of events, but that could be my own ignorance about the korean war speaking. the author even acknowledged her struggle balancing these two elements in a note at the end, so unfortunately, i can see the fracture lines. definitely an ambitious undertaking, but i have to say it fell short for me.
esther013's review
challenging
informative
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
damne's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tx2its's review
3.0
Reading 2022
Book 88: The Evening Hero by Marie Myung-Ok Lee
I saw this book in Real Simple Magazine. It seemed like something a bit different. Read this book on both a borrowed physical copy and audio book.
Synopsis: A sweeping, lyrical novel following a Korean immigrant pursuing the American dream who must confront the secrets of the past or risk watching the world he’s worked so hard to build come crumbling down.
Toggling between the past and the present, Korea and America, Evening Hero is a sweeping, moving, darkly comic novel about a man looking back at his life and asking big questions about what is lost and what is gained when immigrants leave home for new shores.
Review: Historical fiction is a favorite genre. There is lots of flashbacks in the book to the Korean War and the characters struggles through such hardship. While the book is not fast moving, it was enjoyable. Yungman is a loveable character, he struggles with the abrupt end of his livelihood as a doctor, and trying to find what he does with his life now. I would call this book on one hand quirky, on the other tragic. My rating 3.75⭐️.
Book 88: The Evening Hero by Marie Myung-Ok Lee
I saw this book in Real Simple Magazine. It seemed like something a bit different. Read this book on both a borrowed physical copy and audio book.
Synopsis: A sweeping, lyrical novel following a Korean immigrant pursuing the American dream who must confront the secrets of the past or risk watching the world he’s worked so hard to build come crumbling down.
Toggling between the past and the present, Korea and America, Evening Hero is a sweeping, moving, darkly comic novel about a man looking back at his life and asking big questions about what is lost and what is gained when immigrants leave home for new shores.
Review: Historical fiction is a favorite genre. There is lots of flashbacks in the book to the Korean War and the characters struggles through such hardship. While the book is not fast moving, it was enjoyable. Yungman is a loveable character, he struggles with the abrupt end of his livelihood as a doctor, and trying to find what he does with his life now. I would call this book on one hand quirky, on the other tragic. My rating 3.75⭐️.
eeewhysee's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0