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A review by thelilbookwitch
The Red Palace by June Hur
5.0
I've had this one on my TBR for a little while now, and am so glad I took the plunge and started reading!
If you love historic k-dramas, this nurse x police investigator pairing will have you kicking your feet in the air as Hur goes to work crafting an excellently paced character-driven tale of mid-1700's Korea following a massacre at a nursing school.
Hyeon is a complex protagonist that is balancing her drive for personal validation and excellence with her need for approval, while keeping in mind the class she is in and the limits of how far she can rise with her background. She is intelligent and kind (but don't interpret "kind" as "a pushover" by any means), and Hur places her perfectly at the crossroads of so many choices that have meaningful impacts on her as a character. She is a character that stuck with me long after the book ended, and I hope to think of her often as an example of how authors can honor the time, efforts, and choices of youth by gifting them agency, responsibility, and accountability.
This book does operate under the premise of competency with, or at the very least knowledge of, honorifics, and some additional Korean words and terms didn't have a lot of context clues to go with them, and I respect that as a writing choice. That being said, some familiarity with genre tropes will go a long way for readers for their enjoyment, as those who are brand new will face a challenge. Not insurmountable by any means, but something to consider for readers who are on the fence about reading.
I highly recommend this book for readers in grades 8+, and this does include adults as well. There is a fair bit of blood and gore described (respectfully and without over-sensationalism), and the appeal is there for more character introspection and puzzling, as opposed to All Plot Points and Action All the Time. There is a gravity and maturity to Hyeon, Seo, and other characters that despite their relative youth, does make them less appealing to younger readers. Could someone in middle school read this? Sure, especially if this fits their niche interests, but I think someone in or about to be in high school and above will get more enjoyment out of it.
If you love historic k-dramas, this nurse x police investigator pairing will have you kicking your feet in the air as Hur goes to work crafting an excellently paced character-driven tale of mid-1700's Korea following a massacre at a nursing school.
Hyeon is a complex protagonist that is balancing her drive for personal validation and excellence with her need for approval, while keeping in mind the class she is in and the limits of how far she can rise with her background. She is intelligent and kind (but don't interpret "kind" as "a pushover" by any means), and Hur places her perfectly at the crossroads of so many choices that have meaningful impacts on her as a character. She is a character that stuck with me long after the book ended, and I hope to think of her often as an example of how authors can honor the time, efforts, and choices of youth by gifting them agency, responsibility, and accountability.
This book does operate under the premise of competency with, or at the very least knowledge of, honorifics, and some additional Korean words and terms didn't have a lot of context clues to go with them, and I respect that as a writing choice. That being said, some familiarity with genre tropes will go a long way for readers for their enjoyment, as those who are brand new will face a challenge. Not insurmountable by any means, but something to consider for readers who are on the fence about reading.
I highly recommend this book for readers in grades 8+, and this does include adults as well. There is a fair bit of blood and gore described (respectfully and without over-sensationalism), and the appeal is there for more character introspection and puzzling, as opposed to All Plot Points and Action All the Time. There is a gravity and maturity to Hyeon, Seo, and other characters that despite their relative youth, does make them less appealing to younger readers. Could someone in middle school read this? Sure, especially if this fits their niche interests, but I think someone in or about to be in high school and above will get more enjoyment out of it.