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A review by rieviolet
The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur 허주은
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I really liked how the author rendered the setting on the page, from the natural descriptions of Jeju island to the depictions of buildings and even characters' clothes, it all felt really vivid and I could easily picture it in my mind.
However, I wasn't so taken with the storyline, at times it dragged on and also certain aspects were a bit too much predictable (and I say this as someone who usually never sees what is coming in a mystery).
I also wasn't really drawn to the characters, I struggled to connect with them and I didn't find their emotional portrayal and development particularly incisive.
All in all, it was an interesting reading and I really appreciated the historical setting, but in terms of the story itself it fell a bit flat for me.
However, I wasn't so taken with the storyline, at times it dragged on and also certain aspects were a bit too much predictable (and I say this as someone who usually never sees what is coming in a mystery).
I also wasn't really drawn to the characters, I struggled to connect with them and I didn't find their emotional portrayal and development particularly incisive.
All in all, it was an interesting reading and I really appreciated the historical setting, but in terms of the story itself it fell a bit flat for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Child abuse, Sexism, Vomit, Kidnapping, Abandonment, and Grief
Moderate: Murder, Trafficking, Suicide, Blood, Violence, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture, Suicidal thoughts, and Alcoholism