“You said that when a civilization tells stories about itself, it starts with myths, dealing with gods and monsters. Then, when that civilization develops, it moves on to history, telling stories of important personages who achieved great things. When it moves into the modern era, it becomes increasingly interested in the lives of regular people, their thoughts and feelings. You described it as the movement from myth to history to life.”

The Melancholy of Untold History by Minsoo Kang is a unique and creative work of fiction and an ode to storytelling that revolves around how the interpretation of myth and history define a civilization and its beliefs.

An ancient storyteller who realizes that his gift is the only thing that is keeping him from being executed by his captors; four divine deities who from their perch in the mountains shape the fate of the realm below as a consequence of their actions; a prolific historian who accomplished the unimaginable feat of disproving the history of a prolific dynasty as was written in history books; and the historian’s protegee in whose arms he finds solace as he grieves for his deceased wife, and who also a researcher studying the interplay between history and fiction while on a personal journey of self-acceptance - the author weaves multiple threads and voices, spanning over three thousand years into a complex, yet absorbing narrative.

The narrative is divided into segments named Myth, History and Life – with chapters arranged in no specific chronological order, frequently jumping timelines, which can at times overwhelm the reader. As with most narratives with multiple timelines, not all the timelines were equally impactful, but this did not detract from my overall experience. The author employs an embedded storytelling format, rich with symbolism and vividly described settings. The Epilogue is clever ( though a tad pretentious) and I loved how all the threads of the story converged and appreciated how the author incorporates certain philosophical/spiritual concepts into the narrative to bring all the threads of the story together.

I will admit that this book is a challenging read and will garner mixed reactions. Though only 240 pages, the narrative is dense, occasionally disjointed and there is a lot to absorb. The novel explores themes of history, legacy, grief, loss, atonement, survival, and most importantly, the power of stories and the importance of authenticity, transparency and honesty in preserving and sharing of the history of those who came before us.

“The world was filled with effective stories in the forms of myths, rumors, propaganda, and conspiracy theories that were used to distort reality, manipulate people, and, in some cases, commit atrocities.”

The story/history of a civilization and/or its people is incomplete without its darkest phases, but the author balances these aspects with a healthy dose of humor infused into the narrative. As the story nears its conclusion, the author relies on our interpretation of the cyclical events described in the narrative. which is not surprising given the nature of the story and the underlying themes.

“‘We may not be able to change our fates,’ the storyteller said. ‘Our imagination may not be able to break open this cangue or relieve you of your sorrow, but we could create a more fortunate ending for others, perhaps even a brand-new start.’”

Overall, I found this novel to be a promising debut and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

Many thanks to William Morrow for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.