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Lemon
In the summer of 2002, when Korea is abuzz over hosting the FIFA World Cup, nineteen-year-old Kim Hae-on is killed in what becomes known as the High School Beauty Murder. Two suspects quickly emerge: rich kid Shin Jeongjun, whose car Hae-on was last seen in, and delivery boy Han Manu, who witnesses Hae-on in the passenger seat of Jeongjun's car just a few hours before her death. But when Jeongjun's alibi turns out to be solid, and no evidence can be pinned on Manu, the case goes cold.
Seventeen years pass without any resolution for those who knew and loved Hae-on, and the grief and uncertainty take a cruel toll on her younger sister, Da-on, in particular. Unable to move on with her life, Da-on tries in her own twisted way to recover some of what she's lost, ultimately setting out to find the truth of what happened.
Told at different points in time from the perspectives of Da-on and two of Hae-on's classmates, Lemon loosely follows the structure of a detective novel. But finding the perpetrator is not the main objective here. Instead, the work explores grief and trauma, raising important questions about guilt, retribution, and the meaning of death and life.
Seventeen years pass without any resolution for those who knew and loved Hae-on, and the grief and uncertainty take a cruel toll on her younger sister, Da-on, in particular. Unable to move on with her life, Da-on tries in her own twisted way to recover some of what she's lost, ultimately setting out to find the truth of what happened.
Told at different points in time from the perspectives of Da-on and two of Hae-on's classmates, Lemon loosely follows the structure of a detective novel. But finding the perpetrator is not the main objective here. Instead, the work explores grief and trauma, raising important questions about guilt, retribution, and the meaning of death and life.
147 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2019
About the author
Kwon Yeo-Sun
5 books74 followersKwon Yeo-sun was born in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province of South Korea in 1965. Kwon enjoyed a brilliant literary debut in 1996 when her novel Niche of Green was awarded the Sangsang Literary Award. At the time, novels that reflected on the period of the democratization movement in South Korea, were prevalent.
Kwon's work is often unconventional in form and topic and for that reason she sometimes has a reputation for being difficult to read
Kwon's first work Niche of Green was one of the most outstanding coming-of-age novels to emerge from the South Korean publishing world of the 1990s. Eight years after the publication of Niche of Green, Kwon published a short story collection called Maiden’s Skirt. This collection, a book that Kwon professes felt like publishing a love letter to herself, is about defeated individuals who, though troubled by their tragic fates, come to a place of resigned acceptance. The characters in this collection generally consist of people who are handicapped by relationships that society does not accept, such as extramarital affairs and gay relationships. Unable to overcome this sense of handicap, the characters witness their love collapse. In Kwon's second short story collection The Days of Pink Ribbon, the characters are often people who have failed rather than succeeded. They are generally people with defects in their character or physique. In Kwon's work, characters do not fail because of exterior causes but because of their own shortcomings or due to bad fate.
Her novel, told through interconnected short stories, Lemon, was expanded from her 2016 short story "You Do Not Know". It was her first work translated into English, with Janet Hong as the translator and the translation released in 2021.
Kwon's work is often unconventional in form and topic and for that reason she sometimes has a reputation for being difficult to read
Kwon's first work Niche of Green was one of the most outstanding coming-of-age novels to emerge from the South Korean publishing world of the 1990s. Eight years after the publication of Niche of Green, Kwon published a short story collection called Maiden’s Skirt. This collection, a book that Kwon professes felt like publishing a love letter to herself, is about defeated individuals who, though troubled by their tragic fates, come to a place of resigned acceptance. The characters in this collection generally consist of people who are handicapped by relationships that society does not accept, such as extramarital affairs and gay relationships. Unable to overcome this sense of handicap, the characters witness their love collapse. In Kwon's second short story collection The Days of Pink Ribbon, the characters are often people who have failed rather than succeeded. They are generally people with defects in their character or physique. In Kwon's work, characters do not fail because of exterior causes but because of their own shortcomings or due to bad fate.
Her novel, told through interconnected short stories, Lemon, was expanded from her 2016 short story "You Do Not Know". It was her first work translated into English, with Janet Hong as the translator and the translation released in 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,781 reviews
August 6, 2021
The focus of the novel is the murder in 2002 of Kim Hae-on and is known as the High School Beauty Murder. Hae-on wears a lemon coloured dress the day she is last seen alive, hence the book title. This novella is made up of short chapters over 19 years and examines the impact of Hae-on’s death especially on her sister Da-on, on suspect Han Manu who is treated very badly by the investigating detective, Yun Taerim a witness and we get an outsiders view from Sangui Eonni who views the effects on those involved.
This book really defies a category to place it in, it’s not suspenseful, it’s not really a mystery thriller although obviously Hae-on’s death is at the centre of the novel, it is more an examination of grief. It is extremely raw in places as you see the ripples of the trauma on all involved even if it’s peripheral. Da-on moves through a whole range of emotions from stultifying anguish to revenge to acceptance. This is done well and of all the characters she’s the easiest to visualise.
However, it’s very hard to know whose voice you are hearing through the various years and I find some are baffling. This is particularly true when one of the characters talks to a doctor on the phone and you only get one side of a very strange conversation. The book doesn’t really have any structure as such, meandering through the nineteen years and you have to piece a lot together yourself which is fine but it takes a bit of sifting through and figuring out. The short length means that apart from Da-on and to a lesser extent Han Manu you don’t really get to grips with the other characters.
Overall, this is not a simple story by any means, it may be short but it’s complex, some meanings are obtuse and unclear and I think it will divide audiences. It’s very good at conveying Da-on’s struggles and how it changes her life but other parts are confusing.
With thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the widget in return for an honest review.
This book really defies a category to place it in, it’s not suspenseful, it’s not really a mystery thriller although obviously Hae-on’s death is at the centre of the novel, it is more an examination of grief. It is extremely raw in places as you see the ripples of the trauma on all involved even if it’s peripheral. Da-on moves through a whole range of emotions from stultifying anguish to revenge to acceptance. This is done well and of all the characters she’s the easiest to visualise.
However, it’s very hard to know whose voice you are hearing through the various years and I find some are baffling. This is particularly true when one of the characters talks to a doctor on the phone and you only get one side of a very strange conversation. The book doesn’t really have any structure as such, meandering through the nineteen years and you have to piece a lot together yourself which is fine but it takes a bit of sifting through and figuring out. The short length means that apart from Da-on and to a lesser extent Han Manu you don’t really get to grips with the other characters.
Overall, this is not a simple story by any means, it may be short but it’s complex, some meanings are obtuse and unclear and I think it will divide audiences. It’s very good at conveying Da-on’s struggles and how it changes her life but other parts are confusing.
With thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the widget in return for an honest review.
November 22, 2021
Less a murder mystery than a study of how trauma and grief reverberates through time, differently through various social classes
Like those who had no idea their youth was gone, I’d lost myself without realizing it.
Sisters Da-on, bright, bubbly and beautiful Ha-on, are at the centre of Lemon.
I don't think the blurb does the book much justice, far from a murder mystery Kwon Yeo-Sun gives us chapters from the viewpoint of various characters responding to the high school murder of Ha-on.
Plastic surgery, Christianity and other coping mechanisms come back, while also social class is very much present. For some people the events just lead to going to the USA for study while for others literally their whole lives are upended by the ripple effect of the event. While reading I recalled Astral Season, Beastly Season by a Japanese author, another recently translated book, that deals with the same kind of topic.
Briefly summarised the chapters have 1) the sister narrating the witness statement of a chicken restaurant delivery driver, who saw her sister for the last time alive, 2) a classmate of the sister meeting her after a long time, 3) the sister herself, narrating years of grief, 4) fiancé Taerim, engaged to another suspect of the crime, Shin Jeongjun, calling a mental health hotline, 5) Da-on visiting the chicken restaurant delivery driver who is now disabled, 6) Taerim again, in a rather constructed info dump and 7) the classmate from chapter two who recounts another meeting with Da-on, with 8) very shortly recounting a reaction from Da-on to the death of one of the aforementioned characters.
Quite early the perpetrator and motif are pretty much knowable to the reader, but again that is far from the core of the story. I found the language in the translation quite plain, and sometimes inadequate against the deep emotion especially Da-on tries to express in response to the events that occur. Overall an interesting and quick read, with a truly gorgeous cover, but slightly disappointing in pay-off.
Like those who had no idea their youth was gone, I’d lost myself without realizing it.
Sisters Da-on, bright, bubbly and beautiful Ha-on, are at the centre of Lemon.
I don't think the blurb does the book much justice, far from a murder mystery Kwon Yeo-Sun gives us chapters from the viewpoint of various characters responding to the high school murder of Ha-on.
Plastic surgery, Christianity and other coping mechanisms come back, while also social class is very much present. For some people the events just lead to going to the USA for study while for others literally their whole lives are upended by the ripple effect of the event. While reading I recalled Astral Season, Beastly Season by a Japanese author, another recently translated book, that deals with the same kind of topic.
Briefly summarised the chapters have 1) the sister narrating the witness statement of a chicken restaurant delivery driver, who saw her sister for the last time alive, 2) a classmate of the sister meeting her after a long time, 3) the sister herself, narrating years of grief, 4) fiancé Taerim, engaged to another suspect of the crime, Shin Jeongjun, calling a mental health hotline, 5) Da-on visiting the chicken restaurant delivery driver who is now disabled, 6) Taerim again, in a rather constructed info dump and 7) the classmate from chapter two who recounts another meeting with Da-on, with 8) very shortly recounting a reaction from Da-on to the death of one of the aforementioned characters.
Quite early the perpetrator and motif are pretty much knowable to the reader, but again that is far from the core of the story. I found the language in the translation quite plain, and sometimes inadequate against the deep emotion especially Da-on tries to express in response to the events that occur. Overall an interesting and quick read, with a truly gorgeous cover, but slightly disappointing in pay-off.
September 11, 2021
Kwon Yeo-sun ’s Lemon completely subverted my expectations. At first it seemed to be exploring the emotional aftermath of a schoolgirl’s murder. It was only at the half-way mark I realised it was also an intricate puzzle pointing to a very different crime. Kwon pulls this off through her inventive use of well-worn techniques like bait-and-switch, misdirection and unreliable narrators, further obscured by an unusually minimalist approach. She makes few concessions to her readers, scattering elliptical clues ranging from the murder’s timing during South Korea’s hosting of the 2002 World Cup - and the ensuing controversy - to the opening of James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Her narrative’s episodic, voiced by women intimately connected to victim Kim Hae-on, prominent’s younger sister Da-on. Kwon knits sections together partly by borrowing from Joyce’s colour symbolism from her title, and the yellow dress Hae-on was wearing when she died, onwards – not that’s it’s necessary to read Joyce to work out what she’s doing. Yellow’s shifting meanings clearly mirror her characters’ psychological states, hinting at what actions these might conceal.
Kwon has a reputation for biting, social critique and, although genre fiction’s a recent departure, Lemon’s themes fit with her earlier work. Through Lemon Kwon highlights fault lines in South Korean society, privilege and inequality, corruption, and the damage inflicted on women by living in an intensely patriarchal society. I was gripped by a lot of Kwon’s material and I liked her clever use of crime conventions but I was uncertain about other aspects of her novel. I found the writing heavy-handed, jarring and out of step with the apparent subtlety of the underlying concepts - it’s impossible to tell what tracks back to Kwon’s original prose and what might be a translation issue. I was uncomfortable too with the portrayal of Hae-on, her behaviour and choices. It wasn’t clear what these represented - some interpretations are highly problematic - and I wish Kwon had decided to fill in these particular gaps.
Translated by Janet Hong
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Head of Zeus for an advance review copy.
Rating: 2.5/3
Kwon has a reputation for biting, social critique and, although genre fiction’s a recent departure, Lemon’s themes fit with her earlier work. Through Lemon Kwon highlights fault lines in South Korean society, privilege and inequality, corruption, and the damage inflicted on women by living in an intensely patriarchal society. I was gripped by a lot of Kwon’s material and I liked her clever use of crime conventions but I was uncertain about other aspects of her novel. I found the writing heavy-handed, jarring and out of step with the apparent subtlety of the underlying concepts - it’s impossible to tell what tracks back to Kwon’s original prose and what might be a translation issue. I was uncomfortable too with the portrayal of Hae-on, her behaviour and choices. It wasn’t clear what these represented - some interpretations are highly problematic - and I wish Kwon had decided to fill in these particular gaps.
Translated by Janet Hong
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Head of Zeus for an advance review copy.
Rating: 2.5/3
November 23, 2021
While in the middle of reading another book —“The Five Wounds”, by Kirsten Valdez Quade —
and listening to another book,
“Three Girls From Bronzeville”, by Dawn Turner
a library ebook came in…
I curiously started reading the 160 page novella …and didn’t stop until finishing it.
“Lemon” [a Korean translated psychological literary crime thriller] is the strangest-odd-intriguing….slowly affecting book …
It’s actually ‘grueling affecting’ …. sneaking up on us as to just how much so.
When the entangling power hits - it felt like a brick-to-the head.
The first chapter (an interrogation of a boy named Han Manu), grabs hold of your shirt - rips it off - wets it - drys it - irons it - puts it on to wear - then walks off —leaving us to wonder ‘WTF’?
The dialogue in the first chapter, “Shorts”, is continuously twisted. Kwon Yeo-sun brilliantly knows how to spin-a-yard.
A detective told the boy—Han Manu—(the perceived prime witness)
to listen carefully. He needed him think carefully before answering and if not things would not go well for him.
“You we’re on your scooter on the way to a chicken delivery when you passed a car being driven by Shin Jeongjun. Correct?”
“No”
“No?”
“The detective’s gaze skimmed the document and shot back up. Well, that’s what your statement says”.
“I wasn’t on my way to a delivery. I was on my way back”.
“An inconsequential detail”….
which gets funnier, weirder, then more haunting—
and becomes lyrically more and more beguiling and tantalizing.
Lots of discrepancies keep showing up in Manu’s story for years.
The entire book has the most bizarre inflextion—
The stream-of-consciousness style-writing is mesmerizing.
I couldn’t stop reading.
The entire experience of an unfathomable and baffling murder is puzzling —but contextually - other aspects explored outranks and outweighs the crime itself.
Lies, truth, assumptions, fear, grief, revenge, resentment, trauma, depression, humiliation, and the mysterious injustice are mussed—muddled-and messy. The prose is intentionally disarrayed and incongruous….
A high School Beauty, Kim Hae, is found dead….sitting in a passenger seat of Shin Jeongjun’s car…..
opening up questions like
“Are cold-blooded people born like that or is it
something that’s learned as they grow up? It can be both? It can be caused by a combination of factors?”
The yarn is still spinning to the end of the story.
Manu is poor. Jeongjun is wealthy.
It’s an unsolved murder crime case.
Years later a sister, Da-on, who never recovered from her sister’s death, is still obsessed in finding out the truth; she wants no details spared.
Kwon explores class, gender, and the privilege.
Divided into eight chapters
….a seventeen year spread
Shorts 2002 [Korea was hosting the FIFA World Cup
Poem 2006
Lemon 2010
Rope 2010
Knees 2010
God 2015
Sarcoma 2017
Dusk 2019
This next except hints at the painstaking inquiries — letting us in on the fact that bigger issues are being explored:
“The life is full of misery, as the lyrics say. Then I start wondering if this miserable life has any meaning.
I don’t mean life in an abstract or general sense, but the life of an actual person.
Did the pages of his life hold any meaning? Probably not. At least that’s what I believe. Life has no special meaning. Not his, not my sister’s, not mine. Even if you tried desperately to find it, to contrive some kind of meaning, what’s not there isn’t there. Life begins without reason and ends without reason”.
By the end … I felt enraged…
“an unknown terror was always lurking”….
making this an eerie (obviously) experience.
I admired the beautiful-geometric-type-precision…
from Kwon Yeo-sun.
I thought of the Rubik’s cube….with all it’s complexity, difficulties, intelligence, and elegance it takes to problem solve.
‘Lemon’ is a brilliantly fascinating novella -both due to the prose itself and the issues examined.
and listening to another book,
“Three Girls From Bronzeville”, by Dawn Turner
a library ebook came in…
I curiously started reading the 160 page novella …and didn’t stop until finishing it.
“Lemon” [a Korean translated psychological literary crime thriller] is the strangest-odd-intriguing….slowly affecting book …
It’s actually ‘grueling affecting’ …. sneaking up on us as to just how much so.
When the entangling power hits - it felt like a brick-to-the head.
The first chapter (an interrogation of a boy named Han Manu), grabs hold of your shirt - rips it off - wets it - drys it - irons it - puts it on to wear - then walks off —leaving us to wonder ‘WTF’?
The dialogue in the first chapter, “Shorts”, is continuously twisted. Kwon Yeo-sun brilliantly knows how to spin-a-yard.
A detective told the boy—Han Manu—(the perceived prime witness)
to listen carefully. He needed him think carefully before answering and if not things would not go well for him.
“You we’re on your scooter on the way to a chicken delivery when you passed a car being driven by Shin Jeongjun. Correct?”
“No”
“No?”
“The detective’s gaze skimmed the document and shot back up. Well, that’s what your statement says”.
“I wasn’t on my way to a delivery. I was on my way back”.
“An inconsequential detail”….
which gets funnier, weirder, then more haunting—
and becomes lyrically more and more beguiling and tantalizing.
Lots of discrepancies keep showing up in Manu’s story for years.
The entire book has the most bizarre inflextion—
The stream-of-consciousness style-writing is mesmerizing.
I couldn’t stop reading.
The entire experience of an unfathomable and baffling murder is puzzling —but contextually - other aspects explored outranks and outweighs the crime itself.
Lies, truth, assumptions, fear, grief, revenge, resentment, trauma, depression, humiliation, and the mysterious injustice are mussed—muddled-and messy. The prose is intentionally disarrayed and incongruous….
A high School Beauty, Kim Hae, is found dead….sitting in a passenger seat of Shin Jeongjun’s car…..
opening up questions like
“Are cold-blooded people born like that or is it
something that’s learned as they grow up? It can be both? It can be caused by a combination of factors?”
The yarn is still spinning to the end of the story.
Manu is poor. Jeongjun is wealthy.
It’s an unsolved murder crime case.
Years later a sister, Da-on, who never recovered from her sister’s death, is still obsessed in finding out the truth; she wants no details spared.
Kwon explores class, gender, and the privilege.
Divided into eight chapters
….a seventeen year spread
Shorts 2002 [Korea was hosting the FIFA World Cup
Poem 2006
Lemon 2010
Rope 2010
Knees 2010
God 2015
Sarcoma 2017
Dusk 2019
This next except hints at the painstaking inquiries — letting us in on the fact that bigger issues are being explored:
“The life is full of misery, as the lyrics say. Then I start wondering if this miserable life has any meaning.
I don’t mean life in an abstract or general sense, but the life of an actual person.
Did the pages of his life hold any meaning? Probably not. At least that’s what I believe. Life has no special meaning. Not his, not my sister’s, not mine. Even if you tried desperately to find it, to contrive some kind of meaning, what’s not there isn’t there. Life begins without reason and ends without reason”.
By the end … I felt enraged…
“an unknown terror was always lurking”….
making this an eerie (obviously) experience.
I admired the beautiful-geometric-type-precision…
from Kwon Yeo-sun.
I thought of the Rubik’s cube….with all it’s complexity, difficulties, intelligence, and elegance it takes to problem solve.
‘Lemon’ is a brilliantly fascinating novella -both due to the prose itself and the issues examined.
August 27, 2021
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I read Lemon only a few days ago and yet I can barely recall what it was about. Which isn’t a good sign. According to the summary, this was meant to be a suspenseful work exploring trauma, grief, and guilt but to be perfectly honest, it was anything but suspenseful and its themes felt barely touched upon. This short narrative consists of various chapters narrated by different characters connected to Kim Hae-on, a beautiful young girl killed during the summer of 2002. The story opens with Hae-on being interrogated by a detective in what seems to be a poor take on a police procedural. The remainder of Lemon consists of other characters talking about this murder. They all seem to have way too much information about the investigation and other events (events they did not witness first-hand) and that resulted in me feeling relatively disengaged and disbelieving of their words/accounts. We don’t know who’s speaking as each chapter doesn’t specify who’s pov we are reading and that quickly became annoying, especially since their voices sounded suspiciously similarly. There were two chapters that are meant to be one side of a phone conversation and these ones were so over the top. The way the person we were ‘hearing’ just happens to repeat the questions of the person at the end of the line ("Pardon me? What did you say, Doctor? What am I doing right now? Talking to you, of course.")...why just not include both ends of this conversation?
I’m afraid I found this novel’s execution lacking. The characters, if we can call them such, are barely there, the narrative more intent on impressing readers through the way these various accounts are structured than on presenting us with an intriguing mystery.
Many of the phrases struck as me clichèd (here the translation may be to blame) and/or banal "Life begins without reason and ends without reason", "her beauty seemed not of this world", "What kind of life is this? Is this living?". Then there were the odd phrases that I found really annoying in that they". Some of the descriptions also rubbed me the wrong way because they were going for an edgy tone ("the hairy black patch between my legs") or were simply a bit antiquated (call me a snowflake or whatever but i wish this expression ceased existing: "joined together like a set of Siamese twins").
If you are interested in Lemon I recommend you check out more positive reviews as I have 0 positive things to say about this.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I read Lemon only a few days ago and yet I can barely recall what it was about. Which isn’t a good sign. According to the summary, this was meant to be a suspenseful work exploring trauma, grief, and guilt but to be perfectly honest, it was anything but suspenseful and its themes felt barely touched upon. This short narrative consists of various chapters narrated by different characters connected to Kim Hae-on, a beautiful young girl killed during the summer of 2002. The story opens with Hae-on being interrogated by a detective in what seems to be a poor take on a police procedural. The remainder of Lemon consists of other characters talking about this murder. They all seem to have way too much information about the investigation and other events (events they did not witness first-hand) and that resulted in me feeling relatively disengaged and disbelieving of their words/accounts. We don’t know who’s speaking as each chapter doesn’t specify who’s pov we are reading and that quickly became annoying, especially since their voices sounded suspiciously similarly. There were two chapters that are meant to be one side of a phone conversation and these ones were so over the top. The way the person we were ‘hearing’ just happens to repeat the questions of the person at the end of the line ("Pardon me? What did you say, Doctor? What am I doing right now? Talking to you, of course.")...why just not include both ends of this conversation?
I’m afraid I found this novel’s execution lacking. The characters, if we can call them such, are barely there, the narrative more intent on impressing readers through the way these various accounts are structured than on presenting us with an intriguing mystery.
Many of the phrases struck as me clichèd (here the translation may be to blame) and/or banal "Life begins without reason and ends without reason", "her beauty seemed not of this world", "What kind of life is this? Is this living?". Then there were the odd phrases that I found really annoying in that they". Some of the descriptions also rubbed me the wrong way because they were going for an edgy tone ("the hairy black patch between my legs") or were simply a bit antiquated (call me a snowflake or whatever but i wish this expression ceased existing: "joined together like a set of Siamese twins").
If you are interested in Lemon I recommend you check out more positive reviews as I have 0 positive things to say about this.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2024
Un roman que j’aurais dû mal à définir en lisant le résumé on se dit que c’est un policier et en fait non c’est plus une réflexion sur la perte sur le deuil et aussi sur l’identité. Dae huon essaye de comprendre ce qui est réellement arrivé à sa sœur Hue huon qui a été assassinée. On a différents points de vue c’est un roman choral qui est assez intrigant.
August 2, 2022
"Life has no special meaning. Not his, not my sister's, not even mine. Even if you try desperately to find it, to contrive some kind of meaning, what's not there isn't there. Life begins without reason and ends without reason."
Almost 20 years after the brutal murder of her then 19-year old sister, Da-on is still living with the consequences. Kwon Yeo-Sun's Lemon explores the long-term effect of this trauma. With no one ever arrested for the crime, Da-on continues to look for suspects and answers. In the meantime, she changes in fundamental ways. Not only does she gain weight, but she wears clothes that make her look inconspicuous, has mental health problems and becomes devoutly religious.
Near the end of the book, another character observes that "Da-on was avoiding me. Not just me, but anyone who knew about the incident from long ago. As she should, she would want to be cut off from the rest of the world, forgotten...If my hunch turned out to be true, what had happened in the summer of the Korea Japan World Cup wasn't over, and it never will be. It will go on endlessly until the end of Da-on's life...I couldn't begin to imagine that kind of weight on a life." To me, that's what Lemon is about, Da-on's inability to move forward. It wasn't about finding answers to her sister's death the way a detective would find answers. While this work was somewhat slow-moving, it found its footing and made more sense in the final third of the book. 3.5 stars
Almost 20 years after the brutal murder of her then 19-year old sister, Da-on is still living with the consequences. Kwon Yeo-Sun's Lemon explores the long-term effect of this trauma. With no one ever arrested for the crime, Da-on continues to look for suspects and answers. In the meantime, she changes in fundamental ways. Not only does she gain weight, but she wears clothes that make her look inconspicuous, has mental health problems and becomes devoutly religious.
Near the end of the book, another character observes that "Da-on was avoiding me. Not just me, but anyone who knew about the incident from long ago. As she should, she would want to be cut off from the rest of the world, forgotten...If my hunch turned out to be true, what had happened in the summer of the Korea Japan World Cup wasn't over, and it never will be. It will go on endlessly until the end of Da-on's life...I couldn't begin to imagine that kind of weight on a life." To me, that's what Lemon is about, Da-on's inability to move forward. It wasn't about finding answers to her sister's death the way a detective would find answers. While this work was somewhat slow-moving, it found its footing and made more sense in the final third of the book. 3.5 stars
November 30, 2021
It's the summer of 2002 and 18 year old Kim Hae-on is found dead, the victim of blunt force trauma to the head. The High School Beauty Murder, as it is come to be known, vacillated between two possible suspects; the wealthy Shin Jeongjun who was seen driving Hae-on that fateful day and Han Manu, an awkward delivery boy who had seen them both in their fancy SUV. It's Serial by way of Parasite.
The book spans 27 years over its 8 chapters moving between 3 narrators caught in the aftershocks of that tragic event. Kim Da-on, Hae-on's sister, has "pondered, prodded, and worked every detail" in the ensuing years. Consumed by her death she even undergoes surgery to appear more like her beautiful sister. Yum Taerim, a witness on that fateful day, is a woman unravelling as we eavesdrop into her conversations with helplines and doctors. And finally Sanghui, a friend of Da-on who offers her own unique insight as the years go on.
It's a slight book that prompted a quick second reading that revealed additional layers to the story. It defies genre categorization and like so much of the translated Korean works that make its way here, is a disquieting, open-ended read that flirts with the surreal. It's a whole vibe that I'm only just starting to get the hang of.
The book spans 27 years over its 8 chapters moving between 3 narrators caught in the aftershocks of that tragic event. Kim Da-on, Hae-on's sister, has "pondered, prodded, and worked every detail" in the ensuing years. Consumed by her death she even undergoes surgery to appear more like her beautiful sister. Yum Taerim, a witness on that fateful day, is a woman unravelling as we eavesdrop into her conversations with helplines and doctors. And finally Sanghui, a friend of Da-on who offers her own unique insight as the years go on.
It's a slight book that prompted a quick second reading that revealed additional layers to the story. It defies genre categorization and like so much of the translated Korean works that make its way here, is a disquieting, open-ended read that flirts with the surreal. It's a whole vibe that I'm only just starting to get the hang of.
July 23, 2023
devastating & understated novella about the aftermath of violence. .
November 22, 2021
Did the pages of his life hold any meaning? Probably not. At least that’s what I believe. Just like how I believe life has no special meaning. Not his, not my sister’s, not even mine. Even if you try desperately to find it, to contrive some kind of meaning, what’s not there isn’t there. Life begins without reason and ends without reason.
그의 삶의 갈피갈피에도 의미 같은 것이 있었을까. 아니, 없었겠지. 없었다고 나는 생각한다. 어떤 삶에도 특별한 의미 같은 건 없다고 생각한다. 그의 삶에도, 언니의 삶에도, 내 삶에도. 아무리 찾으려 해도, 지어내려 해도 없는 건 없는 거라고. 무턱대고 시작되었다 무턱대고 끝나는 게 삶이라고.
Lemon is Janet Hong's translation of the 2019 novel 레몬 by 권여선 (Kwon Yeo-Sun)
Hong has previously translated the unsettling short stories of 하성란 (Ha Seong-nan) and the offbeat works of 한유주 (Han Yujoo), her translation of the latter's The Impossible Fairy Tale winning the First Translation Prize from the Society of Authors, for translations into English from any language, and the LTI Korea Translation Award for translations from Korean into any language. See here for an interview: https://booksandbao.com/meet-the-tran...
권여선 is a multi-award-winning writer, winning, among others, the 32nd annual Yi Sang Literary Award (이상문학상) in 2008, the 15th annual Oh Yeong Su Literary Award (오영수문학상) in 2007 and, in 2012, the 45th annual Hankook Ilbo Literary Award (한국일보문학상).
Lemon opens with a flashback of sorts, actually more an imagined reconstruction, to July 2002, the day after the World Cup Final:
I imagine what happened inside one police interrogation room so many years ago. By imagine, I don’t mean invent. But it’s not like I was actually there, so I don’t know what else to call it. I picture the scene from that day, based on what he told me and some other clues, my own experience and conclusions. It’s not just this scene I imagine. For over sixteen years, I’ve pondered, prodded, and worked every detail embroiled in the case known as “The High School Beauty Murder”—to the point I often fool myself into thinking I’d personally witnessed the circumstances now stamped on my mind’s eye. The imagination is just as painful as reality. No, it’s more painful. After all, what you imagine has no limit or end.
The speaker is Da-on (다언). Her stunningly beautiful but oddly naive older sister Ha-on (해언), aged 18, had been found in a park, murdered in the early hours of that day. The police investigation focused on two suspects Shin Jeong-jun (신정준), from a wealthy background - Ha-on was seen driving with him in his new car the previous evening - and Han Manu (한만우), ineloquent and from a disadvantaged background, who was also seen in the area.
That day, the detective would have weighed Han Manu’s narrow, pinched face against Shin Jeongjun’s clean features, the former’s cheap World Cup T-shirt against the latter’s IVYclub button-down shirt, a single mother against an accountant father, and the twentieth rank in class against the top ten of the entire grade, as well as the credibility of the witnesses providing the alibis. Rather than try to find the real culprit, the detective would have considered whom he could—or should—crush and turn into the culprit. And that’s exactly what he tried to do.
But in practice both have alibis, and there is little evidence, and the case remains unsolved.
The novel(la) is told in chapters sets over the years from 2002 to the present day (2019) and the narration switches between three narrators, Da-on, and two of the sister's schoolmates, Taerim (태림), a rival for Jeong-jun's affections, and who was with Han Manu on the day, and Sanghui (상희), who was in a literary club with Da-on, and whose poem, inspired by Joyce's Portrait of The Artist as a Young Man (and the line: The moocow came down the road where Betty Byrne lived: she sold lemon platt) gives the novel it's title:
I asked myself: Did I want to go back to that time, too? When I’d been so wild about Joyce that I’d written my poem “Betty Byrne, Maker of Lemon Platt”? If we could actually go back to that time, would I? I didn’t know.
나는 자문했다. 나 또한 그때로 돌아가고 싶은가. 조이스에 빠져 「레몬과자를 파는 베티 번 씨」라는 시를 쓰던 그 시절로. 그럴 수 있다면 그렇게 할 것인가. 나는 대답할 수 없었다.
Lemon also refers to the colour of the dress worn by Ha-on when she was murdered, and as part of her psychological reaction to the murder of her sister, Da-on undertakes plastic surgery to look more like her sister, and takes to wearing a similar dress.
Ha-on's mother also has an troubling reaction. She had originally intended to name her first child Hye-eun (혜은), but her husband's regional accent mangled the name to Ha-on. After her death she attempts to retrospectively change the name, and then Da-on comes up with a disturbing solution of her own:
After she died, Mother began to obsess over the name Hye-eun. She seemed to think my sister’s life had gone wrong because of the name change. In the end, my dead sister returned to my mother as Hye-eun. This isn’t a metaphor; it’s a fact. Ten years after my sister’s death, my mother held in her arms a live baby named Hye-eun. This baby was my gift to her.
This very much isn't a standard crime novel. While Ha-on, seventeen years later, still wants to know who killed her sister, the novel is more interested in tracing the psychological impact on all those involved, the impact of grief, guilt and revenge, as well as highlighting social questions of class.
3.5 stars
Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the ARC.
그의 삶의 갈피갈피에도 의미 같은 것이 있었을까. 아니, 없었겠지. 없었다고 나는 생각한다. 어떤 삶에도 특별한 의미 같은 건 없다고 생각한다. 그의 삶에도, 언니의 삶에도, 내 삶에도. 아무리 찾으려 해도, 지어내려 해도 없는 건 없는 거라고. 무턱대고 시작되었다 무턱대고 끝나는 게 삶이라고.
Lemon is Janet Hong's translation of the 2019 novel 레몬 by 권여선 (Kwon Yeo-Sun)
Hong has previously translated the unsettling short stories of 하성란 (Ha Seong-nan) and the offbeat works of 한유주 (Han Yujoo), her translation of the latter's The Impossible Fairy Tale winning the First Translation Prize from the Society of Authors, for translations into English from any language, and the LTI Korea Translation Award for translations from Korean into any language. See here for an interview: https://booksandbao.com/meet-the-tran...
권여선 is a multi-award-winning writer, winning, among others, the 32nd annual Yi Sang Literary Award (이상문학상) in 2008, the 15th annual Oh Yeong Su Literary Award (오영수문학상) in 2007 and, in 2012, the 45th annual Hankook Ilbo Literary Award (한국일보문학상).
Lemon opens with a flashback of sorts, actually more an imagined reconstruction, to July 2002, the day after the World Cup Final:
I imagine what happened inside one police interrogation room so many years ago. By imagine, I don’t mean invent. But it’s not like I was actually there, so I don’t know what else to call it. I picture the scene from that day, based on what he told me and some other clues, my own experience and conclusions. It’s not just this scene I imagine. For over sixteen years, I’ve pondered, prodded, and worked every detail embroiled in the case known as “The High School Beauty Murder”—to the point I often fool myself into thinking I’d personally witnessed the circumstances now stamped on my mind’s eye. The imagination is just as painful as reality. No, it’s more painful. After all, what you imagine has no limit or end.
The speaker is Da-on (다언). Her stunningly beautiful but oddly naive older sister Ha-on (해언), aged 18, had been found in a park, murdered in the early hours of that day. The police investigation focused on two suspects Shin Jeong-jun (신정준), from a wealthy background - Ha-on was seen driving with him in his new car the previous evening - and Han Manu (한만우), ineloquent and from a disadvantaged background, who was also seen in the area.
That day, the detective would have weighed Han Manu’s narrow, pinched face against Shin Jeongjun’s clean features, the former’s cheap World Cup T-shirt against the latter’s IVYclub button-down shirt, a single mother against an accountant father, and the twentieth rank in class against the top ten of the entire grade, as well as the credibility of the witnesses providing the alibis. Rather than try to find the real culprit, the detective would have considered whom he could—or should—crush and turn into the culprit. And that’s exactly what he tried to do.
But in practice both have alibis, and there is little evidence, and the case remains unsolved.
The novel(la) is told in chapters sets over the years from 2002 to the present day (2019) and the narration switches between three narrators, Da-on, and two of the sister's schoolmates, Taerim (태림), a rival for Jeong-jun's affections, and who was with Han Manu on the day, and Sanghui (상희), who was in a literary club with Da-on, and whose poem, inspired by Joyce's Portrait of The Artist as a Young Man (and the line: The moocow came down the road where Betty Byrne lived: she sold lemon platt) gives the novel it's title:
I asked myself: Did I want to go back to that time, too? When I’d been so wild about Joyce that I’d written my poem “Betty Byrne, Maker of Lemon Platt”? If we could actually go back to that time, would I? I didn’t know.
나는 자문했다. 나 또한 그때로 돌아가고 싶은가. 조이스에 빠져 「레몬과자를 파는 베티 번 씨」라는 시를 쓰던 그 시절로. 그럴 수 있다면 그렇게 할 것인가. 나는 대답할 수 없었다.
Lemon also refers to the colour of the dress worn by Ha-on when she was murdered, and as part of her psychological reaction to the murder of her sister, Da-on undertakes plastic surgery to look more like her sister, and takes to wearing a similar dress.
Ha-on's mother also has an troubling reaction. She had originally intended to name her first child Hye-eun (혜은), but her husband's regional accent mangled the name to Ha-on. After her death she attempts to retrospectively change the name, and then Da-on comes up with a disturbing solution of her own:
After she died, Mother began to obsess over the name Hye-eun. She seemed to think my sister’s life had gone wrong because of the name change. In the end, my dead sister returned to my mother as Hye-eun. This isn’t a metaphor; it’s a fact. Ten years after my sister’s death, my mother held in her arms a live baby named Hye-eun. This baby was my gift to her.
This very much isn't a standard crime novel. While Ha-on, seventeen years later, still wants to know who killed her sister, the novel is more interested in tracing the psychological impact on all those involved, the impact of grief, guilt and revenge, as well as highlighting social questions of class.
3.5 stars
Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the ARC.
December 5, 2021
An interesting look at the long shadow of a terrible crime. It has an unusual structure, hopping around to a few different characters and taking big leaps through time, but ultimately it reveals a surprising plot, slyly revealing the murderer and how the victim's family takes revenge.
This is the perfect length, with short chapters that give you just enough time in each one to figure out who is narrating and what has happened since the last chapter. There are moments of beauty and philosophical reflection and a surprising amount of character development squeezed into these small chapters, but it really works.
Recommended for readers who enjoy a nontraditional mystery or are looking for more in translation.
This is the perfect length, with short chapters that give you just enough time in each one to figure out who is narrating and what has happened since the last chapter. There are moments of beauty and philosophical reflection and a surprising amount of character development squeezed into these small chapters, but it really works.
Recommended for readers who enjoy a nontraditional mystery or are looking for more in translation.
August 8, 2023
Did the pages of his life hold any meaning? Probably not. At least that’s what I believe. Just like how I believe life has no special meaning. Not his, not my sister’s, not even mine. Even if you try desperately to find it, to contrive some kind of meaning, what’s not there isn’t there. Life begins without reason and ends without reason.
This one crept up on me: it's not unusual to find books which hang a story on the bones of crime fiction, almost always choosing the violent killing of a woman so that it's written, literally, 'over her dead body'- but this develops in more complex directions and gains meaning as it probes larger questions of life and death.
The narrative is nicely enigmatic as we keep being directed down well-established lines, only to find those expectations subverted expertly. I like the way this poses challenges to the reader (listener in my case) by not spoon-feeding us information (the strange phone calls to a psychiatrist) or telling us what to make of the narrative and the characters it contains.
In the end, it's the confluence of sparse styling and almost existential depth that made this work so well for me.
January 31, 2024
3.75 ⭐
Devo ammettere che questo non è un libro facile da recensire!
L'inizio della storia è convenzionale: un personaggio muore e l'indagine inizia e...fine! Dopo il primo capitolo la storia si fa più intricata e tentacolare diventando un romanzo corale in cui più personaggi raccontano il loro punto di vista in un arco temporale molto vasto.
Il libro in sé alla fine lascia che sia tu a risolvere il mistero che ci accompagna dall'inizio. Sarai tu che, basandoti su ciò che hai letto, svelerai la verità.
Devo ammettere che questo non è un libro facile da recensire!
L'inizio della storia è convenzionale: un personaggio muore e l'indagine inizia e...fine! Dopo il primo capitolo la storia si fa più intricata e tentacolare diventando un romanzo corale in cui più personaggi raccontano il loro punto di vista in un arco temporale molto vasto.
Il libro in sé alla fine lascia che sia tu a risolvere il mistero che ci accompagna dall'inizio. Sarai tu che, basandoti su ciò che hai letto, svelerai la verità.
July 11, 2021
1.5 rounded up
I have to admit that I struggled with Lemon. Going into this book the blurb gave me the impression that it would be much more of a thriller than it turned out to be.
Kwon Yeo-Sun's novel is set in 2002, when World Cup fever has hit Korea. (I would say here that the setting of 2002 felt totally incidental to proceedings - a pet peeve of mine in books.) Kim Hae-on, a 19 year old high school student is murdered in a crime dubbed the "high school beauty murder". We don't get to know Ha-on from her own perspective but from that of her younger sister, Da-on, looking back on the incident some 17 years later.
Lemon is far from a detective novel, being more interested in those who were caught up in the aftermath of Hae-on's death and the impact it has had on the rest of their lives. I would have been receptive to this as different a way of approaching a mystery/thriller, however the execution felt lacking. My impression was that the book wasn't quite sure what it was trying to be or to achieve, with this resulting in a muddled story with no stakes; I didn't feel that I knew or understood the motivations behind anyone involved enough to care about the outcome at the end of the book.
Thank you Netgalley and Head of Zeus for the advance copy, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.
I have to admit that I struggled with Lemon. Going into this book the blurb gave me the impression that it would be much more of a thriller than it turned out to be.
Kwon Yeo-Sun's novel is set in 2002, when World Cup fever has hit Korea. (I would say here that the setting of 2002 felt totally incidental to proceedings - a pet peeve of mine in books.) Kim Hae-on, a 19 year old high school student is murdered in a crime dubbed the "high school beauty murder". We don't get to know Ha-on from her own perspective but from that of her younger sister, Da-on, looking back on the incident some 17 years later.
Lemon is far from a detective novel, being more interested in those who were caught up in the aftermath of Hae-on's death and the impact it has had on the rest of their lives. I would have been receptive to this as different a way of approaching a mystery/thriller, however the execution felt lacking. My impression was that the book wasn't quite sure what it was trying to be or to achieve, with this resulting in a muddled story with no stakes; I didn't feel that I knew or understood the motivations behind anyone involved enough to care about the outcome at the end of the book.
Thank you Netgalley and Head of Zeus for the advance copy, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2022
It was OK. I look forward to reading the reviews so I can hopefully understand 'whodunnit'.
It was confusing at the beginning of each of the eight chapters to figure out who was the narrator.
Other authors who liked the book (their positive comments on the front or back cover of the book included Tami Hoag and Frances Cha (If I Had Your Face).
Synopsis from back of the book:
• In the summer of 2002, when Korea is abuzz over hosting the FIFA World Cup, eighteen-year-old Kim Hae-on is killed in what becomes known as the High School Beauty Murder. Two suspects quickly emerge: rich kid Shin Jeongjun, whose car Hae-on was last seen in, and delivery boy Han Manu, who witnessed her there just a few hours before her death. But when Jeongjun’s alibi checks out, and no evidence can be pinned on Manu, the case goes cold.
• Seventeen years pass without any resolution for those close to Hae-on, and the grief and uncertainty take a cruel toll on her younger sister, Da-on, in particular. Unable to move on with her life, Da-on tries in her own twisted way to recover some of what she’s lost, ultimately setting out to find the truth of what happened.
• Shifting between the perspectives of Da-on and two of Hae-on’s classmates struck in different ways by her otherworldly beauty, Lemon ostensibly takes the shape of a crime novel. But identifying the perpetrator is not the main objective here: Kwon Yeo-sun uses this well-worn form to craft a searing, timely exploration of privilege, jealousy, trauma, and how we live with the wrongs we have endured and inflicted in turn.
Reviews:
• https://www.complete-review.com/revie...
• https://asianreviewofbooks.com/conten...
It was confusing at the beginning of each of the eight chapters to figure out who was the narrator.
Other authors who liked the book (their positive comments on the front or back cover of the book included Tami Hoag and Frances Cha (If I Had Your Face).
Synopsis from back of the book:
• In the summer of 2002, when Korea is abuzz over hosting the FIFA World Cup, eighteen-year-old Kim Hae-on is killed in what becomes known as the High School Beauty Murder. Two suspects quickly emerge: rich kid Shin Jeongjun, whose car Hae-on was last seen in, and delivery boy Han Manu, who witnessed her there just a few hours before her death. But when Jeongjun’s alibi checks out, and no evidence can be pinned on Manu, the case goes cold.
• Seventeen years pass without any resolution for those close to Hae-on, and the grief and uncertainty take a cruel toll on her younger sister, Da-on, in particular. Unable to move on with her life, Da-on tries in her own twisted way to recover some of what she’s lost, ultimately setting out to find the truth of what happened.
• Shifting between the perspectives of Da-on and two of Hae-on’s classmates struck in different ways by her otherworldly beauty, Lemon ostensibly takes the shape of a crime novel. But identifying the perpetrator is not the main objective here: Kwon Yeo-sun uses this well-worn form to craft a searing, timely exploration of privilege, jealousy, trauma, and how we live with the wrongs we have endured and inflicted in turn.
Reviews:
• https://www.complete-review.com/revie...
• https://asianreviewofbooks.com/conten...
August 24, 2022
Clever, originally structured korean crime thriller that packs an incredible punch in only 120 pages. Some reviewers said “you shouldn’t work so hard to identify the narrator of each chapter”. No, I found that to be one of its greatest qualities. Especially because it’s tight and it doesn’t leave much room to ambiguity. Readers who like ambiguity in crime thrillers tend to forget that it’s much easier to leave things open and vague and ambiguous vs. writing a tightly plotted story.
The only thing I didn’t understand is the title. Yes, a lemon is mentioned during the book, and some hints of yellow objects, but … why? Is there some korean symbolism attached to the color yellow?
The only thing I didn’t understand is the title. Yes, a lemon is mentioned during the book, and some hints of yellow objects, but … why? Is there some korean symbolism attached to the color yellow?
April 21, 2023
Lemon, by Korean novelist Kwon Yeo-Sun, is ostensibly a thriller in which Da-on, the protagonist (and one of the novel’s three narrators), tries to solve the mystery of the brutal murder of her nineteen-year-old sister Kim Hae-on during the heady days of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by Korea and Japan.
It is no spoiler to reveal that by the end of the book we do not really get a tidy solution to the whodunnit, although there are enough clues to invite us to reach our own conclusions. What we do get is a darkly humorous and often unexpectedly moving exploration of loss and grief. We learn of the long-lasting ripples which the murder has on the life of the individuals closest to the tragedy, particularly Kim Hae-on’s family (especially Da-on, who feels she must honour her sister’s memory and fill the void left by her death) and delivery boy Han Manu, who is one of the last persons to see Hae-on alive and is long considered to be the prime suspect. Da-on’s narrative alternates with that of two Hae-on’s and Da-on’s ex-schoolmates.
At just under two hundred pages, Lemon is a quick and often entertaining read, even if it does not flinch from staring into the face of death, illness and injustice. Janet Hong’s translation is crisp and flowing.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
It is no spoiler to reveal that by the end of the book we do not really get a tidy solution to the whodunnit, although there are enough clues to invite us to reach our own conclusions. What we do get is a darkly humorous and often unexpectedly moving exploration of loss and grief. We learn of the long-lasting ripples which the murder has on the life of the individuals closest to the tragedy, particularly Kim Hae-on’s family (especially Da-on, who feels she must honour her sister’s memory and fill the void left by her death) and delivery boy Han Manu, who is one of the last persons to see Hae-on alive and is long considered to be the prime suspect. Da-on’s narrative alternates with that of two Hae-on’s and Da-on’s ex-schoolmates.
At just under two hundred pages, Lemon is a quick and often entertaining read, even if it does not flinch from staring into the face of death, illness and injustice. Janet Hong’s translation is crisp and flowing.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
December 2, 2021
The murder, the accused, the emotions, the residual
“Lemon” is the story of a murder of a young girl, still unsolved after many years but not forgotten. This is not a traditional crime fiction search for the perpetrator; it is the story of those who remain -- those accused, traumatized, and transformed by this one terrible act. The novel is organized as a hodgepodge of first-person narratives, mostly by the main character, Kim Da-on; other points of view appear as well. Some chapters are structured as detached observations of events and individuals while others are full of personal and intimate details. The title of each chapter reflects both the date of the events and the concerns of each narrator at that point in time. There are casual conversations and ordinary events, as well as the disclosure of deep fears and doubts.
“Lemon” is a short book, quick to read, but hard to forget. It is filled with little snippets in time that reflect the big picture of life; what happened in the past never goes away. It is emotional, intense, and often just creepy. I received a review copy of “Lemon” from Kwon Yeo-Son, and Other Press. The translation by Janet Hong is clear and consistent, however, my own unfamiliarity with Korean names made me work a little to keep track of the characters. “Lemon” is an unforgettable journey with an emotional punch.
“Lemon” is the story of a murder of a young girl, still unsolved after many years but not forgotten. This is not a traditional crime fiction search for the perpetrator; it is the story of those who remain -- those accused, traumatized, and transformed by this one terrible act. The novel is organized as a hodgepodge of first-person narratives, mostly by the main character, Kim Da-on; other points of view appear as well. Some chapters are structured as detached observations of events and individuals while others are full of personal and intimate details. The title of each chapter reflects both the date of the events and the concerns of each narrator at that point in time. There are casual conversations and ordinary events, as well as the disclosure of deep fears and doubts.
“Lemon” is a short book, quick to read, but hard to forget. It is filled with little snippets in time that reflect the big picture of life; what happened in the past never goes away. It is emotional, intense, and often just creepy. I received a review copy of “Lemon” from Kwon Yeo-Son, and Other Press. The translation by Janet Hong is clear and consistent, however, my own unfamiliarity with Korean names made me work a little to keep track of the characters. “Lemon” is an unforgettable journey with an emotional punch.
November 23, 2021
(2.5) An odd story. Purportedly about the murder of a teenage girl and how her death impacts those who knew her, particularly her sister, it has some good ideas (time jumps, different voices and narrative formats, including a police interview and phone calls to a therapist) but consistent problems (the dialogue throughout feels implausible, and in general the translation doesn’t seem up to scratch). Reminded me of
Pull Me Under
in more ways than one: the victim’s fate is not of importance in the narrative, and the plot, such as it is, is unsatisfying.
TinyLetter | Linktree
TinyLetter | Linktree
July 4, 2021
Kwon Yeo-sun's novel 'Lemon' is less that two hundred pages long, yet it an absolutely gripping exploration of life, death, gender and privilege in modern-day Seoul. In 2002, Kim Hae-on was murdered, her endearing beauty blemished by a killer who, to this day, remains free. The novella follows Da-on, Hae-on's younger sister, as she attempts to unravel the events of Hae-on's last moments. Alongside this portrayal of a broken family, we also hear from two of Hae-on's classmates at the time and in the years which follow.
This is not a simple, chronological narrative. We discover fragments of the story in fits and starts, never knowing which is the most reliable lens from our three narrators. Many elements of this are skilfully written, the subtle revelations making it more chilling the deeper you read - it is not the identity of the murderer which drives this reading experience, rather the lasting impact this death has had on these lives as we follow them through to 2019.
Fragmented confessions to a therapist, memories of a traumatic and neglectful childhood, a man grappling with poverty and a cancer diagnosis - these lives are woven as disparate experiences which occasionally intersect, circling around the echo of memories of Hae-on's death all those years ago. It is a stunning read and will stay with you long beyond the open possibilities of the final pages.
Do not enter into this story looking for closure or a simple tale of a beautiful high school girl whose life was snuffed out. Read carefully to pick up the clues, and see whether you can identify the true villains and victims - it is not as simple as you might think. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is not a simple, chronological narrative. We discover fragments of the story in fits and starts, never knowing which is the most reliable lens from our three narrators. Many elements of this are skilfully written, the subtle revelations making it more chilling the deeper you read - it is not the identity of the murderer which drives this reading experience, rather the lasting impact this death has had on these lives as we follow them through to 2019.
Fragmented confessions to a therapist, memories of a traumatic and neglectful childhood, a man grappling with poverty and a cancer diagnosis - these lives are woven as disparate experiences which occasionally intersect, circling around the echo of memories of Hae-on's death all those years ago. It is a stunning read and will stay with you long beyond the open possibilities of the final pages.
Do not enter into this story looking for closure or a simple tale of a beautiful high school girl whose life was snuffed out. Read carefully to pick up the clues, and see whether you can identify the true villains and victims - it is not as simple as you might think. 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2022
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this book and I’m kind of glad I didn’t have any expectations. This book follows one route at the start as a ‘who done it’ and then morphs into a ‘life after the fact’ style story. I still have questions I want answered. But I did really enjoy the writing in this book with some truly stunning life affirming quotes and beautiful depictions as well as some harsh reality striking moments. This is a book of jealously, murder, grief, loss of self and change.
February 11, 2024
Lemon - Kwon Yeo-Sun
تجمع قضية قتل غير محلولة ثلاث نساء ونرافقهن لما يزيد على 17 عامًا، وهنَّ شقيقة القتيلة الصغيرة واثنتين من معارف وزميلات الدراسة للأختين.
في صيف 2002 ووسط انشغال كوريا الجنوبية بنهائي كأس العالم الذي استضافته رفقة اليابان، قتلت كيم هاي أون طالبة المدرسة الثانوية خارقة الجمال، ولم تحلَّ القضية قط، رغم وجود اثنين من المشتبه بهما.
هذه قصة دا أون شقيقة هاي أون الصغيرة بالدرجة الأولى والبقية يدورون في فلكها، يسيطر الحزن والشك على حياتها وحياة أمها، وتغدو مهووسة بالقضية وتتفحصها من كل النواحي، وتلتقي بواحد من المشتبه بهما، وتحاول تحقيق العدالة بطريقتها الخاصة.
رواية مجنونة ومحيّرة ومتعددة الأصوات وتروى على فترات زمنية متباعدة وهي عمل قصير عمّا يحلُّ بكل من كان على علاقة بجريمة القتل، قصة عن تأثير الفاجعة والبحث عن حلّ وعاقبة وختام.
~
فجر الأحد غرّة شعبان - 1445 هـ.
تجمع قضية قتل غير محلولة ثلاث نساء ونرافقهن لما يزيد على 17 عامًا، وهنَّ شقيقة القتيلة الصغيرة واثنتين من معارف وزميلات الدراسة للأختين.
في صيف 2002 ووسط انشغال كوريا الجنوبية بنهائي كأس العالم الذي استضافته رفقة اليابان، قتلت كيم هاي أون طالبة المدرسة الثانوية خارقة الجمال، ولم تحلَّ القضية قط، رغم وجود اثنين من المشتبه بهما.
هذه قصة دا أون شقيقة هاي أون الصغيرة بالدرجة الأولى والبقية يدورون في فلكها، يسيطر الحزن والشك على حياتها وحياة أمها، وتغدو مهووسة بالقضية وتتفحصها من كل النواحي، وتلتقي بواحد من المشتبه بهما، وتحاول تحقيق العدالة بطريقتها الخاصة.
رواية مجنونة ومحيّرة ومتعددة الأصوات وتروى على فترات زمنية متباعدة وهي عمل قصير عمّا يحلُّ بكل من كان على علاقة بجريمة القتل، قصة عن تأثير الفاجعة والبحث عن حلّ وعاقبة وختام.
~
فجر الأحد غرّة شعبان - 1445 هـ.
January 11, 2022
This is an interesting book. I picked it as the quotes on it said it was a thriller- but it isn't.
It's psychological and touching, exploring many themes: growing up, grieving, inequality, guilt.
A woman has lost a sister many years ago, in a brutal crime and the story is her viewpoint mixed with four or five other people's throughout years. Who has done it doesn't really become important. The story minds what these people who were involved has been going through.
Please don't pick it up as a "page turner" as it says on the back cover. It's a book that could effortlessly hop on Booker International list. Something to digest, not keep turning its pages for leisure.
It's psychological and touching, exploring many themes: growing up, grieving, inequality, guilt.
A woman has lost a sister many years ago, in a brutal crime and the story is her viewpoint mixed with four or five other people's throughout years. Who has done it doesn't really become important. The story minds what these people who were involved has been going through.
Please don't pick it up as a "page turner" as it says on the back cover. It's a book that could effortlessly hop on Booker International list. Something to digest, not keep turning its pages for leisure.
Read
January 18, 2022Lemon is an intriguing, quick read exploring the aftermath of tragedy and those still processing it years later. It touches upon class, privilege, beauty standards in South Korea, and the expectations of family through the lens of those affected by the crime committed.
A good read, overall.
A good read, overall.
May 1, 2022
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First of all, I want to say thank you to the team at Head of Zeus for sending me a copy of Lemon by Kwon Yeo-sun for me to read and review. This book was truly a unique reading experience.
Synopsis:
There were a few reasons why I was interested in this book. The vivid colours on the cover shouted radiance and mystery. The title is intriguing and I was wondering how it connected to the story. The synopsis starts off as a thriller, but dives into the unknown. And finally, I love exploring translated works because I always learn something new.
Lemon is a story that features the murder of a 19-year-old Kim Hae-on. Known as the High School Beauty Murder, there are instantly two suspects: Shin Jeongjun, a rich kid in whose car Hae-on was last seen, and Han Manu, a delivery boy who witnessed Hae-on in Shin Jeongjun’s passenger seat. When no evidence can be pinned on both boys, the case goes cold.
My Thoughts:
If you are looking for a mystery thriller, I’m afraid this book is not it. We may or may not find out the truth behind the murder. It doesn’t even matter. What we will definitely see though, is the aftermath. The lives this murder impacted and how they are getting on seventeen years after the murder.
Although this murder is the big event that drives everything, Lemon actually focuses on the people that survived. 17 years after the murder, the grief takes a big toll on Hae-on’s little sister, Da-on. Da-on is struggling to move on with her life. She lives more in the past than she does in the present. She even does some very dramatic things, all in the hope to be able to find out what happened to her older sister and move on.
“Death carves a clear line between the dead and the living,’ she said in a solemn tone. ‘The dead are over there and the rest of us are over here. When someone dies, no matter how great they were, it’s like drawing a permanent line between that person and the rest of humanity. If birth means begging to join the side of the living, then death has the power to kick everyone out. That’s why I think death, with its power to sever things forever, is far more objective, more dignified, than birth, which is the starting point of everything.”
I felt for Da-on. She felt she had a responsibility all her life. And she feels like she failed to protect her sister. I also felt for their mum. It was interesting to find out about her believing in bad omens. When Hae-on was a baby, she was supposed to be called Hye-eun. But the dad called her Hae-on due to his accent and this name stayed. Because of this, the mother thinks her daughter’s destiny has also changed. After Hae-on dies, the mum tries to change her name, but they won’t allow it. That scene was very heartbreaking. But it also made me wonder. I’ve never thought to ask that question before. Can you actually change a deceased person’s name? I tried to find information on this (specifically for the UK), but I wasn’t able to find anything, so I am assuming it’s not possible.
Aside from Hae-on’s family, we get to know more about the lives of the two suspects at that time. And also some of Hae-on’s classmates. It is very notable that this murder has a huge impact on a lot of people, and they all deal with it very differently. In some of the scenes where Da-on meets with these people, you can notice the awkwardness and rawness is still present, even after years have passed.
Even though it’s not the most suspenseful fiction novel, I still recommend it. I read it in a day and it did keep me intrigued. It was a different take on an aftermath of a murder, and I enjoyed it. I also learned a few new things, which I always cherish in my reading adventures!
First of all, I want to say thank you to the team at Head of Zeus for sending me a copy of Lemon by Kwon Yeo-sun for me to read and review. This book was truly a unique reading experience.
Synopsis:
There were a few reasons why I was interested in this book. The vivid colours on the cover shouted radiance and mystery. The title is intriguing and I was wondering how it connected to the story. The synopsis starts off as a thriller, but dives into the unknown. And finally, I love exploring translated works because I always learn something new.
Lemon is a story that features the murder of a 19-year-old Kim Hae-on. Known as the High School Beauty Murder, there are instantly two suspects: Shin Jeongjun, a rich kid in whose car Hae-on was last seen, and Han Manu, a delivery boy who witnessed Hae-on in Shin Jeongjun’s passenger seat. When no evidence can be pinned on both boys, the case goes cold.
My Thoughts:
If you are looking for a mystery thriller, I’m afraid this book is not it. We may or may not find out the truth behind the murder. It doesn’t even matter. What we will definitely see though, is the aftermath. The lives this murder impacted and how they are getting on seventeen years after the murder.
Although this murder is the big event that drives everything, Lemon actually focuses on the people that survived. 17 years after the murder, the grief takes a big toll on Hae-on’s little sister, Da-on. Da-on is struggling to move on with her life. She lives more in the past than she does in the present. She even does some very dramatic things, all in the hope to be able to find out what happened to her older sister and move on.
“Death carves a clear line between the dead and the living,’ she said in a solemn tone. ‘The dead are over there and the rest of us are over here. When someone dies, no matter how great they were, it’s like drawing a permanent line between that person and the rest of humanity. If birth means begging to join the side of the living, then death has the power to kick everyone out. That’s why I think death, with its power to sever things forever, is far more objective, more dignified, than birth, which is the starting point of everything.”
I felt for Da-on. She felt she had a responsibility all her life. And she feels like she failed to protect her sister. I also felt for their mum. It was interesting to find out about her believing in bad omens. When Hae-on was a baby, she was supposed to be called Hye-eun. But the dad called her Hae-on due to his accent and this name stayed. Because of this, the mother thinks her daughter’s destiny has also changed. After Hae-on dies, the mum tries to change her name, but they won’t allow it. That scene was very heartbreaking. But it also made me wonder. I’ve never thought to ask that question before. Can you actually change a deceased person’s name? I tried to find information on this (specifically for the UK), but I wasn’t able to find anything, so I am assuming it’s not possible.
Aside from Hae-on’s family, we get to know more about the lives of the two suspects at that time. And also some of Hae-on’s classmates. It is very notable that this murder has a huge impact on a lot of people, and they all deal with it very differently. In some of the scenes where Da-on meets with these people, you can notice the awkwardness and rawness is still present, even after years have passed.
Even though it’s not the most suspenseful fiction novel, I still recommend it. I read it in a day and it did keep me intrigued. It was a different take on an aftermath of a murder, and I enjoyed it. I also learned a few new things, which I always cherish in my reading adventures!
August 19, 2022
Lemon is tagged as a thriller/mystery and it really isn’t. Rather, it reminded me of Human Acts by Han Kang - rather than following the death of one kid during the Gwangju Uprising and how it affected other people, Kwon’s book follows the death of a girl and how it impacts the lives of those who knew her. Even though the book starts with the police interrogating one of the suspects, the whole ‘whodunit’ bit ends quickly to just focus on her death’s aftermath.
I really liked the writing and Da-on’s (the little sister) perspective. I don’t have much else to say, but I highly recommend it to anybody who likes reading about grief and the meaning of a life.
I really liked the writing and Da-on’s (the little sister) perspective. I don’t have much else to say, but I highly recommend it to anybody who likes reading about grief and the meaning of a life.
March 1, 2022
the bitter questions and debates raised by lemon's alluring mystique and deliberate detachment from the story's key event, have cemented its status as one deeply divisive novel. kwon yeo-sun raises uncomfortable questions that the relationship between authors and readers have delicately balanced for centuries. how much do storytellers owe to their audience? are they justified in leaving us in the dark? does this make us want more or push us further from the page? at just under 150 pages, kwon yeo-sun conceals these metaphysical inquiries under a murder-mystery allegory that stages a confrontation of grief, loss, trauma, class debate and justice upon our psyche.
the murder of kim hae-on lays shrouded in a veil of peculiarity. two suspects, one rich, flash and with a fierce temper, the other poor, meek and struggling to convey his truth to the police, face intense scrutiny almost seventeen years after her murder - despite having both been cleared of any involvement. in the present day, hae-on's younger, yet more mature sister da-on attempts uncover the truth behind her sister's murder. what begins as a quest for justice soon veers into an abnormal and unhealthily symbiotic relationship between da-on and the ghosts of her past.
kwon yeo-sun's narrative objective does not provide us with resolution nor her characters with restitution. instead, she keeps us at arms length from da-on's fragmented thoughts. her writing makes clear that da-on is deeply traumatised by not only the murder itself, but the case around it. the truth it seems, is outside of her peripheral thought and instead she is attempting to heal from the impact the tragic loss has had on her life. hae-on's shadow lurks in the crevices of the sister's past and da-on's present and although very little of her voice is ever heard, her spectral form seeps into every conversation, action and thought.
i can understand why lemon has left reader's frustrated. at times the narrative voices are barely distinguishable from the other and the story lacks development or proper characterisation. however, in very few words or pages, kwon yeo-sun has managed to craft a novel that defies expectation and leaves us haunted by questions. i feel much of the animosity towards the novel is its fault. marketed as a murder-mystery of thriller proportions does the emotion behind lemon a huge disservice. a sharp and tormented glance at grief, legacy and the insidious callousness of human nature, lemon is a provocative read no matter which side of the debate you lie on.
the murder of kim hae-on lays shrouded in a veil of peculiarity. two suspects, one rich, flash and with a fierce temper, the other poor, meek and struggling to convey his truth to the police, face intense scrutiny almost seventeen years after her murder - despite having both been cleared of any involvement. in the present day, hae-on's younger, yet more mature sister da-on attempts uncover the truth behind her sister's murder. what begins as a quest for justice soon veers into an abnormal and unhealthily symbiotic relationship between da-on and the ghosts of her past.
kwon yeo-sun's narrative objective does not provide us with resolution nor her characters with restitution. instead, she keeps us at arms length from da-on's fragmented thoughts. her writing makes clear that da-on is deeply traumatised by not only the murder itself, but the case around it. the truth it seems, is outside of her peripheral thought and instead she is attempting to heal from the impact the tragic loss has had on her life. hae-on's shadow lurks in the crevices of the sister's past and da-on's present and although very little of her voice is ever heard, her spectral form seeps into every conversation, action and thought.
i can understand why lemon has left reader's frustrated. at times the narrative voices are barely distinguishable from the other and the story lacks development or proper characterisation. however, in very few words or pages, kwon yeo-sun has managed to craft a novel that defies expectation and leaves us haunted by questions. i feel much of the animosity towards the novel is its fault. marketed as a murder-mystery of thriller proportions does the emotion behind lemon a huge disservice. a sharp and tormented glance at grief, legacy and the insidious callousness of human nature, lemon is a provocative read no matter which side of the debate you lie on.
December 12, 2022
Lemon, limone.
Color limone, come il colore del vestito indossato da Kim Hae-on, il giorno in cui è stata vista viva per l'ultima volta.
L'omicidio di Kim Hae-on, la tenacia della sorella Da-on a non darsi per vinta e a voler scoprire ad ogni costo la verità.
Un romanzo breve, ricco di colpi di scena, dalla trama complessa e avvincente, che abbraccia un arco temporale lungo diciannove anni.
La scrittura di Kwon Yeo-Sun è molto particolare, tanto che questo romanzo pur collocandosi nel filone dei thriller, se ne discosta, perché non si investiga solo sulla ricerca dell'assassino, ma anche sulle pieghe del dolore di una donna che non si rassegna per la morte cruenta della sorella. E se in alcuni punti è estremamente crudo, in altri è introspettivo, quando si mettono in evidenza le sfumature dei traumi vissuti da tutti i soggetti coinvolti.
La protagonista Da-on esplora l'intera gamma di emozioni che va dall'angoscia opprimente alla vendetta, fino ad arrivare infine all'accettazione.
La scrittrice Kwon Yeo-Sun invita il lettore ad abbandonarsi alle varie voci narranti, a farsi assorbire nelle pieghe dei non detti, delle zone d'ombra, dei passaggi oscuri, imparando a convivere con l'incertezza, perché è stata proprio l'incertezza a guidare tutti i personaggi nell'arco dei diciannove anni.
Color limone, come il colore del vestito indossato da Kim Hae-on, il giorno in cui è stata vista viva per l'ultima volta.
L'omicidio di Kim Hae-on, la tenacia della sorella Da-on a non darsi per vinta e a voler scoprire ad ogni costo la verità.
Un romanzo breve, ricco di colpi di scena, dalla trama complessa e avvincente, che abbraccia un arco temporale lungo diciannove anni.
La scrittura di Kwon Yeo-Sun è molto particolare, tanto che questo romanzo pur collocandosi nel filone dei thriller, se ne discosta, perché non si investiga solo sulla ricerca dell'assassino, ma anche sulle pieghe del dolore di una donna che non si rassegna per la morte cruenta della sorella. E se in alcuni punti è estremamente crudo, in altri è introspettivo, quando si mettono in evidenza le sfumature dei traumi vissuti da tutti i soggetti coinvolti.
La protagonista Da-on esplora l'intera gamma di emozioni che va dall'angoscia opprimente alla vendetta, fino ad arrivare infine all'accettazione.
La scrittrice Kwon Yeo-Sun invita il lettore ad abbandonarsi alle varie voci narranti, a farsi assorbire nelle pieghe dei non detti, delle zone d'ombra, dei passaggi oscuri, imparando a convivere con l'incertezza, perché è stata proprio l'incertezza a guidare tutti i personaggi nell'arco dei diciannove anni.
September 20, 2021
In the summer of 2002, when Korea is abuzz over hosting the FIFA World Cup. nineteen year old Kim Hae-on is killed in what becomes known as the High School Beauty Murder. Two suspects quickly emerge: rich kid Shin Jeongjum, whose car Hae-on was last seen in, and delivery boy Han Manu, who witnesses Hae-on in the passenger seat of Jeongjum's car just a few hours before her death. But when Jeongjum's alibi turns out to be solid and no evidence can be pinned on Manu, the case goes cold. Seventeen years pass without any resolution for those who loved Hae-on.
In this novella, we learn how life and death can affect people. We follow the before and after the death of Kim Hae-on. Hae-on's sister Da-on, her mother and Hae-on's classmates find they can't get over the emotional impact that Hae-on's death brought. The story is told from multiple perspectives. You have no idea who is telling the story most of the time. I could not put this novella down. It was quite an addictive read.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HeadOfZeus and the author #KownYeosun for my ARC of #Lemon in exchange for an honest review.
In this novella, we learn how life and death can affect people. We follow the before and after the death of Kim Hae-on. Hae-on's sister Da-on, her mother and Hae-on's classmates find they can't get over the emotional impact that Hae-on's death brought. The story is told from multiple perspectives. You have no idea who is telling the story most of the time. I could not put this novella down. It was quite an addictive read.
I would like to thank #NetGalley #HeadOfZeus and the author #KownYeosun for my ARC of #Lemon in exchange for an honest review.
August 1, 2021
Honestly I wasn't at all impressed with this one.
My rating is all for the first little bit of this rather disjointed story when I thought it was going to be clever. Unfortunately it soon descended into barely comprehensible madness.
A girl is murdered and Lemon includes several points of view of those both involved in the case and on the periphery of it, including the girl's sister. Unfortunately half the time you have no idea who is telling the story all the character voices are static and the same so you find yourself getting irritated at all of them
I finished it simply because it was short in the hope that the end might justify the means but it just sort of fell off into nothing. The promise of the blurb was not met on any level for this reader and the only really good thing I can say is its over fast.
Shame. Seek out some more positive reviews. Perhaps I just didnt get it.
My rating is all for the first little bit of this rather disjointed story when I thought it was going to be clever. Unfortunately it soon descended into barely comprehensible madness.
A girl is murdered and Lemon includes several points of view of those both involved in the case and on the periphery of it, including the girl's sister. Unfortunately half the time you have no idea who is telling the story all the character voices are static and the same so you find yourself getting irritated at all of them
I finished it simply because it was short in the hope that the end might justify the means but it just sort of fell off into nothing. The promise of the blurb was not met on any level for this reader and the only really good thing I can say is its over fast.
Shame. Seek out some more positive reviews. Perhaps I just didnt get it.
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