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القصر الأحمر
إذا دخلت هذا القصر فإما الموت وإما النجاة التي تجعلك شبحًا آخر يعيش داخل جدرانه...
مملكة جوسون، كوريا عام 1758..
الخيارات المتاحة للبنات غير الشرعيات في العاصمة قليلة، لكن بمثابرتها على العمل الجاد والدراسة، حصلت هيون ذات الأعوام السبعة عشر على منصب ممرضة في القصر. كل ما يتطلبه الأمر هو أن تُبقي رأسها منخفضًا، وتمارس عملها بشكل جيد، لعلها تنال في النهاية رضا والدها المنفصل عنها.
لكن هيون تجد نفسها منخرطة فجأة في عالم سياسة البلاط الحاكم المظلم والخطِر. عندما يقتل شخصٌ ما أربع نساء في ليلة واحدة، يتضح أن المشتبه فيه الرئيسي في هذه الجريمة هو أقرب صديقاتها ومعلمتها، فتبدأ هيون تحقيقها السري الخاص عاقدة العزم على إثبات براءة معلمتها.
في أثناء رحلتها للبحث عن الحقيقة، تلتقي إيوجين، مفتش شرطة شاب يبحث بدوره عن القاتل. تبدأ الأدلة في الظهور وتتجه أصابع الاتهام إلى ولي العهد نفسه، فتتعاون هيون مع إيوجين لسبر أغوار زوايا القصر المظلمة وكشف الأسرار المميتة وراء إراقة كل هذه الدماء.
مملكة جوسون، كوريا عام 1758..
الخيارات المتاحة للبنات غير الشرعيات في العاصمة قليلة، لكن بمثابرتها على العمل الجاد والدراسة، حصلت هيون ذات الأعوام السبعة عشر على منصب ممرضة في القصر. كل ما يتطلبه الأمر هو أن تُبقي رأسها منخفضًا، وتمارس عملها بشكل جيد، لعلها تنال في النهاية رضا والدها المنفصل عنها.
لكن هيون تجد نفسها منخرطة فجأة في عالم سياسة البلاط الحاكم المظلم والخطِر. عندما يقتل شخصٌ ما أربع نساء في ليلة واحدة، يتضح أن المشتبه فيه الرئيسي في هذه الجريمة هو أقرب صديقاتها ومعلمتها، فتبدأ هيون تحقيقها السري الخاص عاقدة العزم على إثبات براءة معلمتها.
في أثناء رحلتها للبحث عن الحقيقة، تلتقي إيوجين، مفتش شرطة شاب يبحث بدوره عن القاتل. تبدأ الأدلة في الظهور وتتجه أصابع الاتهام إلى ولي العهد نفسه، فتتعاون هيون مع إيوجين لسبر أغوار زوايا القصر المظلمة وكشف الأسرار المميتة وراء إراقة كل هذه الدماء.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2022
962 people are currently reading
48894 people want to read
About the author
June Hur
6 books3,971 followersJUNE HUR (허주은) is a New York Times and Indie bestselling, Edgar Award-winning author of YA historical mysteries and romances, including The Silence of Bones, The Forest of Stolen Girls, The Red Palace , and A Crane Among Wolves . Born in South Korea, June spent her formative years in the USA, Canada, and South Korea before studying History and Literature at the University of Toronto and working at the Toronto Public Library. Her work has been featured in Forbes, NPR, The New York Times, CBC, KBS and more. June's next release, Adoration, a Jane Austen homage set during the Joseon dynasty, is slated for spring 2026. She resides in Toronto with her family and can be spotted writing in coffee shops.
You can find her on Instagram and Tiktok @junehwrites
You can find her on Instagram and Tiktok @junehwrites
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,350 reviews
January 19, 2022
This book said I'm going to give you an intricately plotted mystery AND a superbly realized main character with such longing to be seen AND complicated parental relationships where not everything is what it seems because care manifests in different ways AND the most tender slow-burn love story with a love interest that made me scream into a pillow, I'm in sheer awe
January 10, 2022
reading this feels like walking straight into a historical k-drama. one thats filled with murder, secrets and spies, court politics and a tragic crown prince, a mysterious investigator, and a palace nurse just trying to make a life for herself.
while there were times this feels like its a modern story, i am still in awe at JHs ability to create such a moment in time. especially when it comes to the police investigation and seeing basic principles of observation and interviewing put to good use. i also loved reading the authors note and seeing the influence of history throughout this in the form of prince sado, who is such an interesting figure.
and with multi-dimensional characters, easy-going writing, an engaging plot, and consistent pacing, it wasnt hard to enjoy to enjoy this. JH not only continues to deliver great historical stories, but has further developed her storytelling with this latest novel!
thank you so much for the ARC macmillan/feiwel & friends!
↠ 4.5 stars
while there were times this feels like its a modern story, i am still in awe at JHs ability to create such a moment in time. especially when it comes to the police investigation and seeing basic principles of observation and interviewing put to good use. i also loved reading the authors note and seeing the influence of history throughout this in the form of prince sado, who is such an interesting figure.
and with multi-dimensional characters, easy-going writing, an engaging plot, and consistent pacing, it wasnt hard to enjoy to enjoy this. JH not only continues to deliver great historical stories, but has further developed her storytelling with this latest novel!
thank you so much for the ARC macmillan/feiwel & friends!
↠ 4.5 stars
November 27, 2022
"To enter the palace means to walk a path stained in blood, our medical teachers had whispered. There will be bloodshed. I only hope it will not be yours."
I decided to quietly start The Red Palace on a whim after a friend told me how wonderful it was, and it's the best reading decision I've made in January. Historical fiction is definitely not my go to genre, but something about the premise involving a murder mystery drew me in. I've determined that I'm indeed not averse to historical fiction, I just wasn't finding the right books for me in this genre. After reading many similar WWII historical romances, it felt like that was all I was seeing promoted on my feeds. While there's nothing wrong with them, I'm just happy to branch out and explore HF that features ancient Eastern cultures, rather than solely Anglo-Saxon and American history that is relatively new compared to the rest of the world.
Hyeon is a palace nurse, the highest station that she can achieve as a common born female in 1700's Korea. She has studied and worked hard to become someone her higher born father, Lord Shin, will hopefully be proud of. She lives with her mother and younger brother when she's not working at the palace, and while she has become close with her little sibling over time, her relationship with her mother is strained due to her abandoning Hyeon one night when she was a young girl.
One night, Hyeon and her friend/fellow palace nurse Jieun are summoned to the Crown Prince's quarters to tend to his illness, and discover that they are being sworn into keeping a grave secret. During the same night, a mass murder of nurses at the local hospital outside the royal gates invokes an investigation that the King and Commander Song would like to wrap up as soon as possible. The only remaining nurse present, Hyeon's mentor and maternal figurehead, is arrested and will be tortured and executed if she cannot get to the bottom of things quickly. But how can she investigate on the sly while also keeping up with her palace duties?
"Revenge begets revenge; the anger is unquenchable. We become the monsters we are trying to punish. Justice, however, brings closure, and that is what I want."
Enter Eojin, police inspector extraordinaire and cousin to Jieun. He has his own reasons for wanting to investigate discreetly, as these murders are directly linked to the murder of someone close to him. Eojin is upperclass, but sees all humans as equals due to being raised by a progressive thinking family, and watching his and Hyeon's bond grow over the course of their investigation is both organic and delightful. The increasing devotion between them is subtle, but in the best of ways, and by the end of the book I felt their relationship had greater strength than most YA romantic couples we have seen over the years combined altogether. I would DIE for these characters, and would absolutely love to revisit this crime solving duo in future books, as the mystery was well crafted and believable, which was further cemented by the author's note at the end of the book.
Please note that this story has a great deal of graphic violence, gore, murder, and discussions involving classism (always challenged) that may be disturbing to some readers. This may have been my first read by June Hur, but it certainly won't be my last. What a delight it is to find one of my favorite books of the year as early as January! I loved it so much that I pre-ordered a finished copy for my favorites shelf. Highly recommend this one to everyone who is burned out on the same old over-hyped reads.
I decided to quietly start The Red Palace on a whim after a friend told me how wonderful it was, and it's the best reading decision I've made in January. Historical fiction is definitely not my go to genre, but something about the premise involving a murder mystery drew me in. I've determined that I'm indeed not averse to historical fiction, I just wasn't finding the right books for me in this genre. After reading many similar WWII historical romances, it felt like that was all I was seeing promoted on my feeds. While there's nothing wrong with them, I'm just happy to branch out and explore HF that features ancient Eastern cultures, rather than solely Anglo-Saxon and American history that is relatively new compared to the rest of the world.
Hyeon is a palace nurse, the highest station that she can achieve as a common born female in 1700's Korea. She has studied and worked hard to become someone her higher born father, Lord Shin, will hopefully be proud of. She lives with her mother and younger brother when she's not working at the palace, and while she has become close with her little sibling over time, her relationship with her mother is strained due to her abandoning Hyeon one night when she was a young girl.
One night, Hyeon and her friend/fellow palace nurse Jieun are summoned to the Crown Prince's quarters to tend to his illness, and discover that they are being sworn into keeping a grave secret. During the same night, a mass murder of nurses at the local hospital outside the royal gates invokes an investigation that the King and Commander Song would like to wrap up as soon as possible. The only remaining nurse present, Hyeon's mentor and maternal figurehead, is arrested and will be tortured and executed if she cannot get to the bottom of things quickly. But how can she investigate on the sly while also keeping up with her palace duties?
"Revenge begets revenge; the anger is unquenchable. We become the monsters we are trying to punish. Justice, however, brings closure, and that is what I want."
Enter Eojin, police inspector extraordinaire and cousin to Jieun. He has his own reasons for wanting to investigate discreetly, as these murders are directly linked to the murder of someone close to him. Eojin is upperclass, but sees all humans as equals due to being raised by a progressive thinking family, and watching his and Hyeon's bond grow over the course of their investigation is both organic and delightful. The increasing devotion between them is subtle, but in the best of ways, and by the end of the book I felt their relationship had greater strength than most YA romantic couples we have seen over the years combined altogether. I would DIE for these characters, and would absolutely love to revisit this crime solving duo in future books, as the mystery was well crafted and believable, which was further cemented by the author's note at the end of the book.
Please note that this story has a great deal of graphic violence, gore, murder, and discussions involving classism (always challenged) that may be disturbing to some readers. This may have been my first read by June Hur, but it certainly won't be my last. What a delight it is to find one of my favorite books of the year as early as January! I loved it so much that I pre-ordered a finished copy for my favorites shelf. Highly recommend this one to everyone who is burned out on the same old over-hyped reads.
October 24, 2024
In 1758, Joseon-era Korea, 18-year old, Hyeon works as a palace nurse, a position she has worked very hard to attain.
As the illegitimate daughter of a powerful man, Hyeon was limited in her options. She does enjoy her profession, however, and hopes that through it she may one day earn her estranged father's approval.
Hyeon keeps her head down, does her job and tries to avoid any conflicts that would reflect negatively on her, but when she and a fellow nurse are called to the bedside of the Crown Prince Jangheon late one night, Hyeon is suddenly thrust into a wicked web of palace intrigue that she cannot avoid.
That very same night, at the same time she is in the Prince's chambers, a viscous attack occurs at the Hyeminseo that Hyeon used to attend. The attack leaves four women brutally murdered.
When Hyeon's beloved mentor, Nurse Jeongsu, gets arrested for the crime, Hyeon knows there's been a mistake. There is no way her caring teacher, a woman who has dedicated her life to helping others, could possibly be capable of the callous brutality of this massacre.
Hyeon's desperate to save Jeongsu from the clutches of the police force, known for their brutal interrogations, and she doesn't have much time. Therefore, Hyeon decides she needs to begin her own secret investigation into the murders.
Along the way she meets Eojin, a young police inspector, who teams up with her to uncover the truth behind the Hyeminseo Massacre, but will anything they find actually make a difference?
In the face of the dark secrets they begin to uncover involving every level of palace politics, Hyeon and Eojin seem so small, young and inconsequential. They're both willing to take incredible risks in the pursuit of justice though and that should count for something.
The Red Palace grabbed me and never let go. This was such a surprising read for me, a little outside of my comfort zone, but such a delightful way to spend the weekend.
Hur 100% succeeded at sweeping me away to another time and place. I felt transported!
There are so many things to love about this book that I fear I may just begin swooning here. Let's start with Hyeon. She had such incredible depth of character. I felt like I knew her. I had such empathy for her and her situation.
In spite of her challenging family life though, Hyeon showed such strength and dedication to task, even in the face of terrible danger. It was admirable.
Then there is Eojin, speaking of swooning. Calm, quiet, strong and respectful of Hyeon, he made a great partner for her during the investigation.
Eojin had his own complex backstory and motivation for wanting to get to the bottom of these crimes, which added to the general mystery. I enjoyed his steadfast nature and the evolution of their relationship was so satisfying.
Lastly, let's talk about the atmosphere. I can't even describe how great it was for me. The dark, dangerous streets. The secrets of the royal family hidden around every corner.
As I said earlier, I was transported. When I was reading this, I could picture it all playing out in my mind. Granted, I'm no cinematographer, but I think Hur did an incredible job leading me on my imaginative journey into the heart of this story.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Feiwel & Friends, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I enjoyed this so much and cannot wait to pick up Hur's other two novels. Apparently, YA Historical Mysteries are now my thing!
As the illegitimate daughter of a powerful man, Hyeon was limited in her options. She does enjoy her profession, however, and hopes that through it she may one day earn her estranged father's approval.
Hyeon keeps her head down, does her job and tries to avoid any conflicts that would reflect negatively on her, but when she and a fellow nurse are called to the bedside of the Crown Prince Jangheon late one night, Hyeon is suddenly thrust into a wicked web of palace intrigue that she cannot avoid.
That very same night, at the same time she is in the Prince's chambers, a viscous attack occurs at the Hyeminseo that Hyeon used to attend. The attack leaves four women brutally murdered.
When Hyeon's beloved mentor, Nurse Jeongsu, gets arrested for the crime, Hyeon knows there's been a mistake. There is no way her caring teacher, a woman who has dedicated her life to helping others, could possibly be capable of the callous brutality of this massacre.
Hyeon's desperate to save Jeongsu from the clutches of the police force, known for their brutal interrogations, and she doesn't have much time. Therefore, Hyeon decides she needs to begin her own secret investigation into the murders.
Along the way she meets Eojin, a young police inspector, who teams up with her to uncover the truth behind the Hyeminseo Massacre, but will anything they find actually make a difference?
In the face of the dark secrets they begin to uncover involving every level of palace politics, Hyeon and Eojin seem so small, young and inconsequential. They're both willing to take incredible risks in the pursuit of justice though and that should count for something.
The Red Palace grabbed me and never let go. This was such a surprising read for me, a little outside of my comfort zone, but such a delightful way to spend the weekend.
Hur 100% succeeded at sweeping me away to another time and place. I felt transported!
There are so many things to love about this book that I fear I may just begin swooning here. Let's start with Hyeon. She had such incredible depth of character. I felt like I knew her. I had such empathy for her and her situation.
In spite of her challenging family life though, Hyeon showed such strength and dedication to task, even in the face of terrible danger. It was admirable.
Then there is Eojin, speaking of swooning. Calm, quiet, strong and respectful of Hyeon, he made a great partner for her during the investigation.
Eojin had his own complex backstory and motivation for wanting to get to the bottom of these crimes, which added to the general mystery. I enjoyed his steadfast nature and the evolution of their relationship was so satisfying.
Lastly, let's talk about the atmosphere. I can't even describe how great it was for me. The dark, dangerous streets. The secrets of the royal family hidden around every corner.
As I said earlier, I was transported. When I was reading this, I could picture it all playing out in my mind. Granted, I'm no cinematographer, but I think Hur did an incredible job leading me on my imaginative journey into the heart of this story.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Feiwel & Friends, for providing me with a copy to read and review.
I enjoyed this so much and cannot wait to pick up Hur's other two novels. Apparently, YA Historical Mysteries are now my thing!
January 26, 2022
Decided to take a break from reading bloody historical fantasies by reading this bloody historical thriller. 🗡🩸
June Hur is one of those authors I’ve heard nothing but great things about, but I still had never gotten around to reading before. And maybe it’s because the phrase ‘YA historical mystery’ doesn’t quite do her books justice. Absolutely all of those descriptors are true in this case—The Red Palace is a novel from a YA imprint set in 18th century Korea centered around multiple murders, and yet it felt like so much more than that while I was reading.
A driven young nurse, Baek-Hyeon, has finally achieved her dream position working in the palace. After overcoming a difficult childhood, she’s accomplished more than anyone expected a girl from her background would do. But all that Hyeon has done is threatened one night when she’s summoned to watch over a member of the royal household, then sworn to secrecy. Upon leaving the palace that same day she learns that a massacre has taken place at her former nursing school, and her beloved mentor, Nurse Jeongsu, has been arrested for the crime.
Not believing her caretaker and teacher could have ever done something so heinous, Hyeon devotes herself to clearing Nurse Jeongsu’s name by investigating the killings herself. Her persistence and meddling draw the attention of a young police inspector, Seo Eojin. And despite early mistrust and disagreement, they begin to work together to unravel the web of secrets at the heart of this violent crime.
I think the most surprising thing to me while reading was how engaging and exciting The Red Palace was. Other historical fiction I’ve read, even ones centered around similar deadly events, have the tendency to drag or slow down intermittently. It’s not a particularly long book at 336 pages, but it’s jam-packed with action and suspense. June Hur also allows those tender, quiet moments for the characters to be explored on a deeper level. You can definitely try to solve the mystery by tracking the clues and evidence, but these are crime(s) best understood by following the motives.
I also loved the balance between historical record and the portions invented by the author and how they were seamlessly blended together. Some may or may not know this, but The Red Palace is actually based on the story of Prince Sado, a famous Korean figure from history. I’m not going to write too much about him, because I don’t want to potentially spoil anything for other people who are going in blind like I did, but also because though a lot of the story references the Crown Prince, he’s not the main focus. We are primarily following Hyeon and Eojin’s investigation, wherever that may go, and how their lives are impacted by interfering in various political maneuvers.
I really recommend reading June’s Author’s Note at the end of the book once you’ve finished. It’s so enlightening in addition to the novel, plus it demonstrates how deliberate and well thought-out her writing is. If you’re a sucker for crime shows “based on a true story” or historical dramas pieced together through old documents and court gossip or maybe are just looking for a break from a formulaic YA thriller set in a high school, I’d recommend giving The Red Palace a shot!
Now the only question is do I read The Silence of Bones or The Forest of Stolen Girls next?? 🤔
*Thanks to Fierce Reads for an advance review copy!
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
June Hur is one of those authors I’ve heard nothing but great things about, but I still had never gotten around to reading before. And maybe it’s because the phrase ‘YA historical mystery’ doesn’t quite do her books justice. Absolutely all of those descriptors are true in this case—The Red Palace is a novel from a YA imprint set in 18th century Korea centered around multiple murders, and yet it felt like so much more than that while I was reading.
A driven young nurse, Baek-Hyeon, has finally achieved her dream position working in the palace. After overcoming a difficult childhood, she’s accomplished more than anyone expected a girl from her background would do. But all that Hyeon has done is threatened one night when she’s summoned to watch over a member of the royal household, then sworn to secrecy. Upon leaving the palace that same day she learns that a massacre has taken place at her former nursing school, and her beloved mentor, Nurse Jeongsu, has been arrested for the crime.
Not believing her caretaker and teacher could have ever done something so heinous, Hyeon devotes herself to clearing Nurse Jeongsu’s name by investigating the killings herself. Her persistence and meddling draw the attention of a young police inspector, Seo Eojin. And despite early mistrust and disagreement, they begin to work together to unravel the web of secrets at the heart of this violent crime.
I think the most surprising thing to me while reading was how engaging and exciting The Red Palace was. Other historical fiction I’ve read, even ones centered around similar deadly events, have the tendency to drag or slow down intermittently. It’s not a particularly long book at 336 pages, but it’s jam-packed with action and suspense. June Hur also allows those tender, quiet moments for the characters to be explored on a deeper level. You can definitely try to solve the mystery by tracking the clues and evidence, but these are crime(s) best understood by following the motives.
I also loved the balance between historical record and the portions invented by the author and how they were seamlessly blended together. Some may or may not know this, but The Red Palace is actually based on the story of Prince Sado, a famous Korean figure from history. I’m not going to write too much about him, because I don’t want to potentially spoil anything for other people who are going in blind like I did, but also because though a lot of the story references the Crown Prince, he’s not the main focus. We are primarily following Hyeon and Eojin’s investigation, wherever that may go, and how their lives are impacted by interfering in various political maneuvers.
I really recommend reading June’s Author’s Note at the end of the book once you’ve finished. It’s so enlightening in addition to the novel, plus it demonstrates how deliberate and well thought-out her writing is. If you’re a sucker for crime shows “based on a true story” or historical dramas pieced together through old documents and court gossip or maybe are just looking for a break from a formulaic YA thriller set in a high school, I’d recommend giving The Red Palace a shot!
Now the only question is do I read The Silence of Bones or The Forest of Stolen Girls next?? 🤔
*Thanks to Fierce Reads for an advance review copy!
**For more book talk & reviews, follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks!
January 23, 2022
I'm jieun ok? squeed at every hyeon/eojin interaction. a beautiful and visually drawn story that warms your soul
March 12, 2022
It delivered the cozy non-western and non-european mystery story that I wanted but I wish the twists surprised me more given that it’s a mystery.
The romance was so wholesome, sweet, and lowkey. Even though I was mostly in it for the atmosphere, the couple charmed me. The saving grace of this book was the ending of the book because I love the way it ended and it got a lot more intense. I don’t think it’s badly written but my problem with June Hur books is that the main plot always feels a little too linear for my liking. But of course, if that’s something you want a little more, this might be perfect for you. The twists just never surprise me, which for a mystery/thriller, I feel like should be needed?
Themes are on authority and family, which I am always so soft for. I especially how everything played out in the end and the feelings that it pulled out of me as I closed the book.
This wasn’t particularly ground breaking for me but I wanted a cozy historical mystery that wasn’t western or european set and I loved it for that. We hardly get any stories like this and I hope we do get more in the future... hopefully I read ones that wreck my mind more.
↣ This read largely like a historical korean mystery drama (complete with a female mc that goes against the patriarchy in her own way) so if that sounds appealing to you, like it does to me, I definitely think you should give this a try! Especially when you want a main character that goes against the patriarchy in her own way. So cozy, atmospheric, and unflinchingly Korean. ↢
— 3.25 —
⇢ content warnings// Blood, Human Trafficking, Misogyny/Sexism, Murder, Violence
————————
keep the korean historical mysteries coming
The romance was so wholesome, sweet, and lowkey. Even though I was mostly in it for the atmosphere, the couple charmed me. The saving grace of this book was the ending of the book because I love the way it ended and it got a lot more intense. I don’t think it’s badly written but my problem with June Hur books is that the main plot always feels a little too linear for my liking. But of course, if that’s something you want a little more, this might be perfect for you. The twists just never surprise me, which for a mystery/thriller, I feel like should be needed?
Themes are on authority and family, which I am always so soft for. I especially how everything played out in the end and the feelings that it pulled out of me as I closed the book.
This wasn’t particularly ground breaking for me but I wanted a cozy historical mystery that wasn’t western or european set and I loved it for that. We hardly get any stories like this and I hope we do get more in the future... hopefully I read ones that wreck my mind more.
↣ This read largely like a historical korean mystery drama (complete with a female mc that goes against the patriarchy in her own way) so if that sounds appealing to you, like it does to me, I definitely think you should give this a try! Especially when you want a main character that goes against the patriarchy in her own way. So cozy, atmospheric, and unflinchingly Korean. ↢
— 3.25 —
⇢ content warnings// Blood, Human Trafficking, Misogyny/Sexism, Murder, Violence
————————
keep the korean historical mysteries coming
May 28, 2025
Enjoyable
This was a pleasant surprise. I really loved the story and really appreciate the characters' depth and development.
This was written in a very smooth way, it's one of those murder mysteries that's so chilling that you just enjoy the vibes of the book instead of being so tense throughout the book and just keep on trying to make a list of suspects.
I'm really digging the fact that this was set in a completely different era; it gives it a sort of historical vibe.
The complications, the tension, the treasons, and the plots inside the royal palace were just the cherry on top.
Regardless of how good or bad the royal prince was, it was so awful what he went through and how his father treated him.
It was heartbreaking hearing him say that he didn't want to be a king; he just wanted to have a father like a normal person.
That was just sad.
I have great respect for the author's delicate handling of the prince's tragic story.
She skillfully presented his actions while hinting at the difficult environment he was raised in and his mental health issues, avoiding any sense of stigma.
This was a remarkable achievement, especially that the prince's character was based on a real historical figure.
The entire story was filled with a spectrum of emotions: disappointment, fear, cowardice, weakness, strength, determination and hope.
I love the wisdom touch in the book as well, and one of the things that I really admired the most was the complicated relationship that our FMC had with her father and how she was able to break free from that.
Really enjoyed this one.
This was a pleasant surprise. I really loved the story and really appreciate the characters' depth and development.
This was written in a very smooth way, it's one of those murder mysteries that's so chilling that you just enjoy the vibes of the book instead of being so tense throughout the book and just keep on trying to make a list of suspects.
I'm really digging the fact that this was set in a completely different era; it gives it a sort of historical vibe.
The complications, the tension, the treasons, and the plots inside the royal palace were just the cherry on top.
Regardless of how good or bad the royal prince was, it was so awful what he went through and how his father treated him.
It was heartbreaking hearing him say that he didn't want to be a king; he just wanted to have a father like a normal person.
That was just sad.
I have great respect for the author's delicate handling of the prince's tragic story.
She skillfully presented his actions while hinting at the difficult environment he was raised in and his mental health issues, avoiding any sense of stigma.
This was a remarkable achievement, especially that the prince's character was based on a real historical figure.
The entire story was filled with a spectrum of emotions: disappointment, fear, cowardice, weakness, strength, determination and hope.
I love the wisdom touch in the book as well, and one of the things that I really admired the most was the complicated relationship that our FMC had with her father and how she was able to break free from that.
Really enjoyed this one.
January 28, 2022
ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my rating or review.
4 EXCITING STARS
Three Minute Thoughts:
The Red Palace was a fast-paced, exciting, adventurous mystery, and I loved every moment of it! The setting of 1758 Korea was fascinating to read about and thankfully free of any info-dumping, and the mystery was captivating and surprising, leaving readers with dawning expressions of understanding as the powerful main characters unravelled the intricate murder mystery. A soft romance just added a sweet touch to the novel overall, and all-round the book was an absolute pleasure to read – I’m certain I’ll now have to read the author’s other books!
The Extended, Long, and Very-Probably-Messy Review:
This book was such a pleasure to read! Fast-paced and reasonably short, I flew through most of this in one sitting, and was left satisfied and content at the end. I forgot what a pleasure it is to read standalones that don’t leave me with cliffhangers at the end!
A good book requires many different components, but the main ingredient to a captivating story is always the characters (for me), and The Red Palace definitely did not let me down here! Hur’s characters were easy to fall in love with and easier to relate to, from the harsh parental expectations that Hyeon was constantly trying to meet, to the loneliness that filled Eojin, even when surrounded by people. Hyeon was a powerful and brave protagonist, kickass despite being untrained in any martial arts, and a true example to women everywhere that there is more to strength than physical ability.
“We are women… and nothing short of death stops us from doing precisely what we wish to do. That is what the laws and restrictons binding our lives breed: determination and cunning.”
(This quote may not be in the published version of this novel, it was copied from the advanced reader’s copy.)
Eojin was a similarly captivating character, and I loved him from our first introduction – he’s an absolute cinnamon bun, and I will accept no other label for that cutie pie. I honestly wish we got more of him, he was such a sweetheart! And the slowburn, delicate romance that blossomed between the two MCs… positively heartbreaking. So precious and pure, I loved each minimal moment of it, and for once I actually don’t believe more romance was necessary – Hur sprinkled just the right amount in, so as to not draw attention from the mystery but still add some heart-fluttering moments.
“When the time comes…You watch out for me. And I will always watch out for you.”
(This quote may not be in the published version of this novel, it was copied from the advanced reader’s copy.)
Another strong and incredibly well-written section of The Red Palace was the mystery and action itself, heavily emphasised by the beautiful setting of Korea in the Joseon Period. I won’t say too much about the mystery – though let it be known that I was most certainly shocked by the ending – but I will say that I really, really loved the 1700’s Korea setting. I found the historical titbits fascinating and wonderfully interesting to read about, from the honourifics and the class system to the clothing and jobs, and when I read that the story was loosely based on a real Korean Crown Prince, I admired the historical accuracy even more! Jane Hur definitely has a stunning way of blending fact and fiction, and I will be sure to keep an eye out for more of her books.
Thank you so much to the author, publisher and Colored Pages Tours for the free copy of this splendid book in exchange for an honest review! A special thanks to Colored Pages Tours for organising the book blog tour❤.
4 EXCITING STARS
Three Minute Thoughts:
The Red Palace was a fast-paced, exciting, adventurous mystery, and I loved every moment of it! The setting of 1758 Korea was fascinating to read about and thankfully free of any info-dumping, and the mystery was captivating and surprising, leaving readers with dawning expressions of understanding as the powerful main characters unravelled the intricate murder mystery. A soft romance just added a sweet touch to the novel overall, and all-round the book was an absolute pleasure to read – I’m certain I’ll now have to read the author’s other books!
The Extended, Long, and Very-Probably-Messy Review:
This book was such a pleasure to read! Fast-paced and reasonably short, I flew through most of this in one sitting, and was left satisfied and content at the end. I forgot what a pleasure it is to read standalones that don’t leave me with cliffhangers at the end!
A good book requires many different components, but the main ingredient to a captivating story is always the characters (for me), and The Red Palace definitely did not let me down here! Hur’s characters were easy to fall in love with and easier to relate to, from the harsh parental expectations that Hyeon was constantly trying to meet, to the loneliness that filled Eojin, even when surrounded by people. Hyeon was a powerful and brave protagonist, kickass despite being untrained in any martial arts, and a true example to women everywhere that there is more to strength than physical ability.
“We are women… and nothing short of death stops us from doing precisely what we wish to do. That is what the laws and restrictons binding our lives breed: determination and cunning.”
(This quote may not be in the published version of this novel, it was copied from the advanced reader’s copy.)
Eojin was a similarly captivating character, and I loved him from our first introduction – he’s an absolute cinnamon bun, and I will accept no other label for that cutie pie. I honestly wish we got more of him, he was such a sweetheart! And the slowburn, delicate romance that blossomed between the two MCs… positively heartbreaking. So precious and pure, I loved each minimal moment of it, and for once I actually don’t believe more romance was necessary – Hur sprinkled just the right amount in, so as to not draw attention from the mystery but still add some heart-fluttering moments.
“When the time comes…You watch out for me. And I will always watch out for you.”
(This quote may not be in the published version of this novel, it was copied from the advanced reader’s copy.)
Another strong and incredibly well-written section of The Red Palace was the mystery and action itself, heavily emphasised by the beautiful setting of Korea in the Joseon Period. I won’t say too much about the mystery – though let it be known that I was most certainly shocked by the ending – but I will say that I really, really loved the 1700’s Korea setting. I found the historical titbits fascinating and wonderfully interesting to read about, from the honourifics and the class system to the clothing and jobs, and when I read that the story was loosely based on a real Korean Crown Prince, I admired the historical accuracy even more! Jane Hur definitely has a stunning way of blending fact and fiction, and I will be sure to keep an eye out for more of her books.
Thank you so much to the author, publisher and Colored Pages Tours for the free copy of this splendid book in exchange for an honest review! A special thanks to Colored Pages Tours for organising the book blog tour❤.
August 22, 2024
3.5 stars
This review was first posted on Mystery and Suspense. Check it out for features, interviews, and reviews. https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/th...
It's 1758 and Joseon dynasty Korea is a difficult place for illegitimate daughters. Eighteen-year-old Hyeon was born to Lord Shin and one of his concubines, but the girl is considered a vulgar commoner. Hyeon's father has no use for her, and - when Hyeon was eight-years-old - her mother abandoned her in front of a geisha house, hoping the girl would be taken in and trained to be an entertainer.
Shivering and frightened, little Hyeon was rescued by a passing woman, Nurse Jeongsu, who said, "I am an uinyeo (medical woman). You aren't alone now."
Nurse Jeongsu took Hyeon to the Hyeminseo (medical clinic), and over the following years, trained her to be a nurse.
Between caring for commoners and assiduously studying, Hyeon received the best marks, and now, having just turned eighteen, she's achieved the high rank of palace nurse.
In Joseon era Korea males are forbidden to touch women unrelated to them, so nurses examine female patients and report their findings to male doctors.
As the story opens, night is approaching and Hyeon and her fellow nurse Jieun.....
are summoned by Physician Nanshin.....
Phycisian Nanshin leads them to the palace of Crown Prince Jangheon.
When the healers enter the royal's bedchamber, the Crown Prince's wife Lady Hyegyoung loudly announces - so the servants and court ladies can hear - that His Highness has been ill for two days and is getting worse.
While Physician Nanshin examines the patient Hyeon is shocked to see that it isn't the Crown Prince at all. Instead, the royal's bed is occupied by an old man dressed in the Crown Prince's nightgown. The healers remain in the palace all night, pretending to care for Crown Prince Jangheon.
At one point Lady Hyegyoung summons Nurse Hyeon and Nurse Jieun. Lady Hyegyoung prevails on the nurses' discretion and asks them, if the King summons the Crown Prince, to say he's indisposed. Lying to the King is a death penalty offense, but Hyeon agrees, all the time wondering where Crown Prince Jangheon disappeared to.
The next morning, as Hyeon and Jieun are leaving the palace, they hear a servant tell Lady Hyegyoung that four women were murdered at the Hyeminseo. The nurses rush to the medical facility and see four bodies laid out in the courtyard, under straw mats. Hyeon pretends she was summoned to view the bodies and quickly examines the four corpses, who turn out to be a head nurse, two student nurses, and a court lady. Police Commander Song arrests Hyeon's mentor, Nurse Jeongsu, for the murders, but Hyeon is certain her teacher is innocent. So Hyeon decides to look for the real killer herself.
Hyeon's astute observations about the corpses impress a young police inspector called Eojin, who allows Hyeon to join his investigation.
Meanwhile, handbills are going up around the city, claiming the Crown Prince killed the women at the Hyeminseo. Eojin tells Hyeon that his superior, Police Commander Song, will be even more determined to blame Nurse Jeongsu now, to protect the royal family.
According to the law a verdict must be passed on Nurse Jeongsu within ten days of her interrogation, so Hyeon and Eojin have to hustle to solve the crimes. They look for the murder weapon and travel around the region to speak to witnesses and search for the truth. As the duo work together, romantic sparks ignite, but the situation is complicated by Eojin's much higher social status. A man of his class would normally take a commoner like Hyeons as a concubine rather than a wife, and Hyeon would never agree to that.
A highlight of the book is the peek at customs, laws, and palace politics of 18th century Korea, which was a paternalistic society with rigid social stratification, strict rules for men and women, and domestic spies everywhere. The novel also presents an informative picture of nursing in 1700s Korea, which was divided into three specialties: pulse reading to determine the level of balance in the body and mind; diagnosing illnesses and concocting and administering medicines; and acupuncture to alleviate illness and pains using the body's pressure points.
Acupuncture Chart
In an author's note at the end of the book, Hur explains that the story is loosely based on the real life of Crown Prince Sado (1735 - 1762). Crown Prince Sado was a murderer who allegedly killed a hundred people in his lifetime. To punish Sado, his father King Yeongjo had the prince enclosed in a rice chest, where Sado died of starvation eight days later. However, that doesn't mean Crown Prince Jangheon is the culprit in this book.
Crown Prince Sado
King Yeongjo
This is a compelling historical mystery in a unique and interesting setting.
Thanks to Netgalley, Jane Hur, and Macmillan Publishers for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
January 28, 2022
check out the full review along with an aesthetic on my blog!
read my interview with the author here!
"Everyone is listening in the palace. Everyone is spying for someone.”
This is my first time reading a June Hur book and while I’m kicking myself for not picking up her works from earlier, I’m so so glad I loved The Red Palace. Like come on, this book pushed me out of my reading slump and made me a June Hur fan, I can now proceed to read her other two Korean historical mysteries!!
The Red Palace follows Baek-hyeon, a palace nurse whose mentor is wrongly accused of a massacre and to clear her name she teams up with the police inspector Seo Eojin. Together they work to get to the root of it all and discover dark secrets, even when the evidence points to the Crown Prince himself. I was really excited for this ever since it was announced, and when the cover dropped I knew I had to read it. And well, you can see what my I liked so much about it below!
page turning mystery
Usually, mysteries are a hit or miss for me. I would need shocking reveals, relevant themes or simply a good mysterious atmosphere for me to end up loving it. There’s something about Hur’s writing that kept me turning pages, as Hyeon and Eojin start to investigate, and I was transported to that time in Joseon, figuring out the murderer, sneaking into places or travelling through fields and the palace. Its simple enough to draw you into Hyeon’s POV and then keeps you invested in the action, the depth of the historical mystery as well as the cruel reveals. I might have had my suspicions of the real murderer but the satisfaction of seeing it play out through Hur’s writing as well as the bittersweet epilogue that concludes Hyeon’s character arc seals the deal.
all the historical kdrama feels
As someone who has loved the historical kdramas such as Mr. Sunshine, My Country: The New Age, Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung and Kingdom, reading The Red Palace was almost like seeing a kdrama come to life. The politics, the setting (1758 Joseon Korea!!), the cultural descriptions and the character motivations, they’re brought to life SO well I couldn’t help but be hooked. Even the prevalence of class system in those times, the glaring mistreatment of the lower born by the higher class, is efficiently incorporated.
I really loved reading about the inspiration behind this book —which is Crown Prince Sado and his tragic downward spiral and death. I found myself down the rabbit hole of reading articles about him and I could see how Hur stayed true to the known facts—an abusive father, psychological stress and the violent behaviour. His story isn’t the main focus here because as Hur specifies in her newsletter as well as the Author’s Note that she doesn’t plan to suggest people with mental health issues as dangerous but I think she portrayed the instances of his life authentically, forming the perfect backdrop to the story. Its as if we’re seeing him through a lens that’s close enough to show us his dire circumstances but far enough to not know the complications, which is through Hyeon’s character.
compelling main characters
Nurse Hyeon, the main character, is a determined and brilliant character. I loved her relentless pursuit of and her skill in the profession, despite being faced with the hardships of being from a lower class in a patriarchal society. I could very much relate to her desperate attempts of pleasing her father and being good enough for her family. But at the same time she was attached to her sense of justice and love for her mentor and mother figure. And so she hunts for the truth, despite being reminded of the risks and unfairness of the justice system. Its incredible how her character is developed in such less pages. I also really loved the complex relations she has with her parents, and the easy friendship with her fellow nurse Jieun.
And then of course, there’s my sunshine (with a sad past), flustered boy Seo Eojin, also striving for justice. I just really love how he doesn’t overshadow Hyeon but steps up as an equally intellectual partner. He’s a comforting character to be honest.
royal inspector x palace nurse pairing
Though the romance is very subtle, almost a back burner, their dynamic was highlighted so well. Their teamwork is excellent—both have guts and brains, Eojin being from a higher class and Hyeon being the eyes and ears of the palace, their slow descent from strangers solving a crime to becoming genuine partners—you can tell I love them both dearly. It didn’t take away the attention from the main mystery at all but served as a perfect subplot to further the story and the stakes.
Did I mention a slow burn romance?? Oh boy their ship was so gentle and slowly but sweetly developed over the course of them pursuing answers. I’m a total sucker for the lovers from different classes trope and the trope where the characters only team up for personal benefits but grow to enjoy each other’s company. Hur employed some great tropes to build the relationship between these two!!
The Red Palace also deals with grief and loss and how people react to it. There are multiple instances where characters have lost something or someone important to them and their reactions are brought forward validly—be it as vengeance, as fuel to not lose anything else further or simply grieving. Its a really great plot point, as it brings out the traits in Hyeon as well as our culprit.
So, in case if it wasn’t already clear, you all have to be excited for and love The Red Palace when it releases in 2(!!) months. Fans of historicals, murder mysteries with a dash of romance, palace intrigue will definitely enjoy this engagingly written standalone. I’m so eager to reread this one day and experience Hyeon and Eojin’s story again.
thank you to the author and the publisher for the arc!
read my interview with the author here!
"Everyone is listening in the palace. Everyone is spying for someone.”
This is my first time reading a June Hur book and while I’m kicking myself for not picking up her works from earlier, I’m so so glad I loved The Red Palace. Like come on, this book pushed me out of my reading slump and made me a June Hur fan, I can now proceed to read her other two Korean historical mysteries!!
The Red Palace follows Baek-hyeon, a palace nurse whose mentor is wrongly accused of a massacre and to clear her name she teams up with the police inspector Seo Eojin. Together they work to get to the root of it all and discover dark secrets, even when the evidence points to the Crown Prince himself. I was really excited for this ever since it was announced, and when the cover dropped I knew I had to read it. And well, you can see what my I liked so much about it below!
page turning mystery
Usually, mysteries are a hit or miss for me. I would need shocking reveals, relevant themes or simply a good mysterious atmosphere for me to end up loving it. There’s something about Hur’s writing that kept me turning pages, as Hyeon and Eojin start to investigate, and I was transported to that time in Joseon, figuring out the murderer, sneaking into places or travelling through fields and the palace. Its simple enough to draw you into Hyeon’s POV and then keeps you invested in the action, the depth of the historical mystery as well as the cruel reveals. I might have had my suspicions of the real murderer but the satisfaction of seeing it play out through Hur’s writing as well as the bittersweet epilogue that concludes Hyeon’s character arc seals the deal.
all the historical kdrama feels
As someone who has loved the historical kdramas such as Mr. Sunshine, My Country: The New Age, Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung and Kingdom, reading The Red Palace was almost like seeing a kdrama come to life. The politics, the setting (1758 Joseon Korea!!), the cultural descriptions and the character motivations, they’re brought to life SO well I couldn’t help but be hooked. Even the prevalence of class system in those times, the glaring mistreatment of the lower born by the higher class, is efficiently incorporated.
I really loved reading about the inspiration behind this book —which is Crown Prince Sado and his tragic downward spiral and death. I found myself down the rabbit hole of reading articles about him and I could see how Hur stayed true to the known facts—an abusive father, psychological stress and the violent behaviour. His story isn’t the main focus here because as Hur specifies in her newsletter as well as the Author’s Note that she doesn’t plan to suggest people with mental health issues as dangerous but I think she portrayed the instances of his life authentically, forming the perfect backdrop to the story. Its as if we’re seeing him through a lens that’s close enough to show us his dire circumstances but far enough to not know the complications, which is through Hyeon’s character.
compelling main characters
Nurse Hyeon, the main character, is a determined and brilliant character. I loved her relentless pursuit of and her skill in the profession, despite being faced with the hardships of being from a lower class in a patriarchal society. I could very much relate to her desperate attempts of pleasing her father and being good enough for her family. But at the same time she was attached to her sense of justice and love for her mentor and mother figure. And so she hunts for the truth, despite being reminded of the risks and unfairness of the justice system. Its incredible how her character is developed in such less pages. I also really loved the complex relations she has with her parents, and the easy friendship with her fellow nurse Jieun.
And then of course, there’s my sunshine (with a sad past), flustered boy Seo Eojin, also striving for justice. I just really love how he doesn’t overshadow Hyeon but steps up as an equally intellectual partner. He’s a comforting character to be honest.
royal inspector x palace nurse pairing
Though the romance is very subtle, almost a back burner, their dynamic was highlighted so well. Their teamwork is excellent—both have guts and brains, Eojin being from a higher class and Hyeon being the eyes and ears of the palace, their slow descent from strangers solving a crime to becoming genuine partners—you can tell I love them both dearly. It didn’t take away the attention from the main mystery at all but served as a perfect subplot to further the story and the stakes.
Did I mention a slow burn romance?? Oh boy their ship was so gentle and slowly but sweetly developed over the course of them pursuing answers. I’m a total sucker for the lovers from different classes trope and the trope where the characters only team up for personal benefits but grow to enjoy each other’s company. Hur employed some great tropes to build the relationship between these two!!
The Red Palace also deals with grief and loss and how people react to it. There are multiple instances where characters have lost something or someone important to them and their reactions are brought forward validly—be it as vengeance, as fuel to not lose anything else further or simply grieving. Its a really great plot point, as it brings out the traits in Hyeon as well as our culprit.
So, in case if it wasn’t already clear, you all have to be excited for and love The Red Palace when it releases in 2(!!) months. Fans of historicals, murder mysteries with a dash of romance, palace intrigue will definitely enjoy this engagingly written standalone. I’m so eager to reread this one day and experience Hyeon and Eojin’s story again.
thank you to the author and the publisher for the arc!
March 29, 2024
⊹ ˚. ✦ ╮
pre review: 22/03/24
live footage of iso gnawing on the bars of her enclosure any time asian fantasy exists. that moment when your mutual is a just a little bit strange and you don't know what to say whenever her pre reviews come up on your tl so you just scroll away
⊹ ˚. ✦ ╮ finished: 22/03/24
hm.... many thoughts. rtc ^-^
live footage of iso gnawing on the bars of her enclosure any time asian fantasy exists. that moment when your mutual is a just a little bit strange and you don't know what to say whenever her pre reviews come up on your tl so you just scroll away
⊹ ˚. ✦ ╮ finished: 22/03/24
hm.... many thoughts. rtc ^-^
May 24, 2024
I would like to thank Edelweiss and Square Fish for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
The Red Palace was an absolutely stunning story! Compulsively readable prose, great pacing, chokehold gripping mystery and 1000% more blood than i expected, this was a MEGA gold star win for my reading year!
from the first word to the last, i was hooked on everything that unfolded for Hyeon, who is hands down this year's winner of FMCs-i-did-not-hate-and-in-fact-loved award! Gahhh everything from her name, her background, her origin story, was perfection...my gawd Sis had me from the second she lied to the guard to get in on the crime scene! And from then on she was just competent and brave as all hell, and stg she's probably the only literary muggle (U20) (since prob Jude in Queen of Nothing) who's ever earned this much praise!
Now let's just take a moment to LOOK at the gorgeousness that is @park_sunga's illustration of Eojin! I fkin died! Baby girl had no chance, because even my scaredy cat ass would be compelled into solving a murder mystery if this man asked me to! #incentivizewith love #workromanceforhigherproductivity
And OFC i must celebrate that JH lives in Toronto and went to UofT!!!
I loved everything about this historical murder mystery! this was a well-crafted reading pleasure and it was thrilling from beginning to end!
I cannot wait to read everything June Hur has ever written, now that I know what i've been missing! Super excited to devour A Crane Among Wolves next, and happy to look forward to whatever else June Hur has in store for the future!
The Red Palace was an absolutely stunning story! Compulsively readable prose, great pacing, chokehold gripping mystery and 1000% more blood than i expected, this was a MEGA gold star win for my reading year!
from the first word to the last, i was hooked on everything that unfolded for Hyeon, who is hands down this year's winner of FMCs-i-did-not-hate-and-in-fact-loved award! Gahhh everything from her name, her background, her origin story, was perfection...my gawd Sis had me from the second she lied to the guard to get in on the crime scene! And from then on she was just competent and brave as all hell, and stg she's probably the only literary muggle (U20) (since prob Jude in Queen of Nothing) who's ever earned this much praise!
Now let's just take a moment to LOOK at the gorgeousness that is @park_sunga's illustration of Eojin! I fkin died! Baby girl had no chance, because even my scaredy cat ass would be compelled into solving a murder mystery if this man asked me to! #incentivizewith love #workromanceforhigherproductivity
And OFC i must celebrate that JH lives in Toronto and went to UofT!!!
I loved everything about this historical murder mystery! this was a well-crafted reading pleasure and it was thrilling from beginning to end!
I cannot wait to read everything June Hur has ever written, now that I know what i've been missing! Super excited to devour A Crane Among Wolves next, and happy to look forward to whatever else June Hur has in store for the future!
August 8, 2025
The romance here was cute (especially the ending), but it mostly left me cold about the characters and the murder mystery. 2.5 stars
March 5, 2022
Another fascinating and nicely paced YA mystery from this incredibly talented author. I love well researched historical Asian novels. They are rich, beautiful and complex tales. Traditional Asian cultures are often driven by honour systems that I thoroughly enjoy learning about. This one is set in 18th century Korea and our main character is intelligent and loyal but constantly aware of her low standing in this very hierarchical society. June has a talent for writing relationships that the Reader can become fully invested in but all written with a delicacy that seems appropriate for this time period and culture. Back when a glance or gesture held so much meaning and had characters all a flutter. The courtly intrigue was also fascinating as people plotted and manoeuvred themselves to win favour. Well worth a read if you, like me, are a fan of Asian historical fiction.
Also, I spent ages on the Googs after as this story is based on a real Korean Crown Prince.
Lastly, the cover is stunning!
CW: bloody and violent murders
Also, I spent ages on the Googs after as this story is based on a real Korean Crown Prince.
Lastly, the cover is stunning!
CW: bloody and violent murders
exile
February 25, 2024⊹ 💒 𓏲࣪ dnf at page 100 𓄹 ࣪ .
⤹ first dnf of 2024
i tried, but unfortunately i don't think i can go through another 200 pages of redundant writing, info dumping, telling instead of showing, a passive protagonist, and feeling disconnected to the characters. i feel that in another headspace i would enjoy this better, so i do hope to pick this up again sometime.
sad this is a dnf but oh well, we live and we laugh 😭
꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ pre-read ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱
⤹ starting this earlier than usual........bc i've been conflicted on what to read for the past 3 hours 👹 and i feel like reading 2 books rn will be good for me, maybe.
⤹ first dnf of 2024
i tried, but unfortunately i don't think i can go through another 200 pages of redundant writing, info dumping, telling instead of showing, a passive protagonist, and feeling disconnected to the characters. i feel that in another headspace i would enjoy this better, so i do hope to pick this up again sometime.
sad this is a dnf but oh well, we live and we laugh 😭
꒰ ִ ֺ ⊹ pre-read ⊹ ֺ ִ ꒱
⤹ starting this earlier than usual........bc i've been conflicted on what to read for the past 3 hours 👹 and i feel like reading 2 books rn will be good for me, maybe.
February 20, 2024
3.5
There is a saying among us who work there: Palace secrets must never get out, or else inevitably there will be blood.
January 20, 2022
This was the story of all lives, and I felt its dearness so deeply, so painfully, as one faded beneath my touch. Fading, fading, like the pulse of the murdered victims, whose cold wrists I had read. Too many had died, their lives gone like a flash of lightning, consumed by another's rage.
Two-time Edgar nominee June Hur returns to Joseon (Korea) for an 18th century mystery seeped in palace intrigue. The inspiration for this tale was the life and death of Crown Prince Jangheon. Hyeon, our narrator, is a palace nurse and the daughter of a concubine. As in the previous books by June Hur, the oppression of the caste system is juxtaposed against a respect for human life. After an early morning massacre at the Hyeminseo (medical authority), Hyeon discovers that her mentor Nurse Jeongsu has been arrested and wrongfully accused of the murders. She finds herself partnering with a young police inspector (Eojin) to discover who is behind the murders. There are some who believe it is the crown prince and Hyeon's palace connections will be helpful in getting to the truth. Along the way family relationships are motivational and transformational. I love the way June Hur's heroines grow as they persist in their own particular mission.
Thank you to Feiwel & Friends and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Two-time Edgar nominee June Hur returns to Joseon (Korea) for an 18th century mystery seeped in palace intrigue. The inspiration for this tale was the life and death of Crown Prince Jangheon. Hyeon, our narrator, is a palace nurse and the daughter of a concubine. As in the previous books by June Hur, the oppression of the caste system is juxtaposed against a respect for human life. After an early morning massacre at the Hyeminseo (medical authority), Hyeon discovers that her mentor Nurse Jeongsu has been arrested and wrongfully accused of the murders. She finds herself partnering with a young police inspector (Eojin) to discover who is behind the murders. There are some who believe it is the crown prince and Hyeon's palace connections will be helpful in getting to the truth. Along the way family relationships are motivational and transformational. I love the way June Hur's heroines grow as they persist in their own particular mission.
Thank you to Feiwel & Friends and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
May 27, 2021whoever the girl on the cover is, she needs to drop the skincare routine STAT
May 26, 2022
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The Red Palace makes for a fairly suspenseful read, one that will definitely appeal to fans of YA mysteries where the lead girl goes all Nancy Drew trying to figure out who the culprit is. And of course, given the setting, Korea in 1758, The Red Palace will likely appeal to fans of historical K-dramas. Personally, I think The Red Palace is the kind of book I would have loved 10 years or so ago. Now, I am a bit more nitpicky and there are a few things that prevented me from being fully immersed in Hyeon’s story.
Hyeon is the illegitimate daughter of Lord Shin, who refuses to acknowledge her as his daughter. In their kingdom, Hyeon is seen as ‘belonging’ only to her mother, one of Lord Shin’s concubines, and therefore belongs to the ‘cheonmin class’ which she describes as ‘the lowest of the low’. Hyeon refuses to grow up into her mother however and dedicates herself to the study of medicine, eventually earning the coveted position of palace nurse. Hyeon hopes that her hard-work and ambition will result in her father’s approval but he continues to largely ignore her existence.
Hyeon’s life is upended when four women are murdered at the palace, most of whom were nurses like her. After her beloved mentor is accused and arrested for these murders Hyeon is determined to clear her name. Concerning rumours around the city claim that the Crown Prince is the killer, and Hyeon has no choice but to pursue this lead, even if doing so could potentially result in her ruin. Thankfully, Hyeon doesn’t have to navigate this world of dangerous court intrigues alone as she is aided by Eojin, an actual police officer. Eojin has some personal reasons for wanting to find the real killer so the two decide to combine their efforts. As they confront various people of interest they slowly begin to untangle the truth…of course, not everyone is happy with that and Hyeon risks losing what she’s worked so hard for.
The stakes were certainly high in this novel so I found myself reading this in quite a short amount of time, wanting to find out how our leads would manage to bring the real killer to justice.
The historical setting is the most well-developed aspect of the narrative. While there were some interactions that had slightly ‘modern’ dynamics (especially between the two leads), overall I liked the amount of detail that went into the setting. The author does use Hyeon as an ‘intermediary’ to the Joseon period (she sometimes forget certain key factors of her society, and asks someone to fill her in, other times she explains about Confucianism or other things that she would not really need to ‘explain’ to herself) but it kind of works as Hyeon does function as an extension of the reader. Her Daddy Issues™ and her role as a nurse are her main defining characteristic, which didn’t make for a truly fleshed out and fully dimensional character. All of the characters, in general, were fairly one-note, even Eojin. The story was more interested in establishing and exploring the setting and the mystery than in developing its characters. I am the type of reader who prefers character-driven stories (rather than plot-driven) so I wasn’t quite able to love this as much as I hoped I would. The mystery itself was a bit predictable, but that’s probably because I have read a ton of thrillers and whodunnits…(and watched one too many scooby-doo episodes/movies). Still, even if the storyline was vaguely formulaic I liked learning more about the Joseon era and I appreciated that the story isn’t romance heavy. Hyeong struggle for self-worth and self-actualization in a society that sees her as ‘less than’ was compelling, and the author also does a good job in regards to her conflicted feelings towards her father (wanting his love and respect while at the same time resenting what he stands for and the way he has treated her and his mother). The writing was at times a bit too dramatic and cheesy for my tastes (“silence fell, as chilling as the shadows enveloping us”, “a thought lurked in the far shadows of my mind”, “we seemed to have, in that moment, merged into one mind with one purpose: find the killer, find the truth”, “revenge begets revenge […] we become the monsters we are trying to punish”, “[her] mouth parted as though in a silent scream”). Still, I recognize that this type of style may very well work for other readers.
The romance was surprisingly cute. In fact, the ‘partnership’ between our leads was one of the most enjoyable things about the story. During their shared scenes Hyeon character became a bit more rounded and interesting.
All in all, I liked The Red Palace well enough! I would definitely recommend you check this one out for yourself and make up your own mind about it.
“I wanted to love and be loved. I wanted to be known. I wanted to be understood and accepted.”
The Red Palace makes for a fairly suspenseful read, one that will definitely appeal to fans of YA mysteries where the lead girl goes all Nancy Drew trying to figure out who the culprit is. And of course, given the setting, Korea in 1758, The Red Palace will likely appeal to fans of historical K-dramas. Personally, I think The Red Palace is the kind of book I would have loved 10 years or so ago. Now, I am a bit more nitpicky and there are a few things that prevented me from being fully immersed in Hyeon’s story.
“We are women,” she continued, “and nothing short of death stops us from doing precisely what we wish to do. That is what the laws and restrictions binding our lives breed: determination and cunning. The likes of you will not obey me. You will tell me that you intend to be as still as a rock, and yet I know you will dart from shadow to shadow like a fish.”
Hyeon is the illegitimate daughter of Lord Shin, who refuses to acknowledge her as his daughter. In their kingdom, Hyeon is seen as ‘belonging’ only to her mother, one of Lord Shin’s concubines, and therefore belongs to the ‘cheonmin class’ which she describes as ‘the lowest of the low’. Hyeon refuses to grow up into her mother however and dedicates herself to the study of medicine, eventually earning the coveted position of palace nurse. Hyeon hopes that her hard-work and ambition will result in her father’s approval but he continues to largely ignore her existence.
Hyeon’s life is upended when four women are murdered at the palace, most of whom were nurses like her. After her beloved mentor is accused and arrested for these murders Hyeon is determined to clear her name. Concerning rumours around the city claim that the Crown Prince is the killer, and Hyeon has no choice but to pursue this lead, even if doing so could potentially result in her ruin. Thankfully, Hyeon doesn’t have to navigate this world of dangerous court intrigues alone as she is aided by Eojin, an actual police officer. Eojin has some personal reasons for wanting to find the real killer so the two decide to combine their efforts. As they confront various people of interest they slowly begin to untangle the truth…of course, not everyone is happy with that and Hyeon risks losing what she’s worked so hard for.
The stakes were certainly high in this novel so I found myself reading this in quite a short amount of time, wanting to find out how our leads would manage to bring the real killer to justice.
The historical setting is the most well-developed aspect of the narrative. While there were some interactions that had slightly ‘modern’ dynamics (especially between the two leads), overall I liked the amount of detail that went into the setting. The author does use Hyeon as an ‘intermediary’ to the Joseon period (she sometimes forget certain key factors of her society, and asks someone to fill her in, other times she explains about Confucianism or other things that she would not really need to ‘explain’ to herself) but it kind of works as Hyeon does function as an extension of the reader. Her Daddy Issues™ and her role as a nurse are her main defining characteristic, which didn’t make for a truly fleshed out and fully dimensional character. All of the characters, in general, were fairly one-note, even Eojin. The story was more interested in establishing and exploring the setting and the mystery than in developing its characters. I am the type of reader who prefers character-driven stories (rather than plot-driven) so I wasn’t quite able to love this as much as I hoped I would. The mystery itself was a bit predictable, but that’s probably because I have read a ton of thrillers and whodunnits…(and watched one too many scooby-doo episodes/movies). Still, even if the storyline was vaguely formulaic I liked learning more about the Joseon era and I appreciated that the story isn’t romance heavy. Hyeong struggle for self-worth and self-actualization in a society that sees her as ‘less than’ was compelling, and the author also does a good job in regards to her conflicted feelings towards her father (wanting his love and respect while at the same time resenting what he stands for and the way he has treated her and his mother). The writing was at times a bit too dramatic and cheesy for my tastes (“silence fell, as chilling as the shadows enveloping us”, “a thought lurked in the far shadows of my mind”, “we seemed to have, in that moment, merged into one mind with one purpose: find the killer, find the truth”, “revenge begets revenge […] we become the monsters we are trying to punish”, “[her] mouth parted as though in a silent scream”). Still, I recognize that this type of style may very well work for other readers.
The romance was surprisingly cute. In fact, the ‘partnership’ between our leads was one of the most enjoyable things about the story. During their shared scenes Hyeon character became a bit more rounded and interesting.
All in all, I liked The Red Palace well enough! I would definitely recommend you check this one out for yourself and make up your own mind about it.
April 30, 2023
I honestly wasn't sure what to expect going into this but I really enjoyed it!! 🤩🤩 Such an interesting unique read that I just had sm fun with 💜💜
“I would not love, unless I was loved first and loved the most. I would be nothing at all, if I could not be first.”
Set in Korea in 1758, The Red Palace follows our mc Hyeon, who works as a palace nurse. Living as an illegitimate daughter of a wealthy lord has always been difficult for her but she has achieved her dream throughout lots of hard work. She just wants to keep her head down, do a good job and maybe finally earn her father's approval- but then the mutilated bodies of four women are discovered in one night and everything changes. Determined to find the culprit, Hyeon teams up with police inspector Eojin to solve the crimes, but this case is a lot more dangerous than she ever could've imagined...
“He moved my hand into his, and as our fingers intertwined, it occurred to me that love wasn’t all that I’d feared it to be. I had imagined that it was a wildfire that incinerated everything in its path. Instead, it felt as ordinary and extraordinary as waking up to a new day.”
I picked this up on a whim after getting interested by the blurb, but this actually turned out to be soo good!! It's very different from my usual reads but so so entertaining 🥰🥰
Starting with the characters- they were pretty good!! ✨ They definitely weren't my favorite but it's a murder mystery- you don't typically pick one up looking for incredible characters. It's not the main focus of the book. However, they were still decently well-developed and I really liked our mc Hyeon. She's had a very difficult life trying to prove herself but refuses to back down and fights for what she believes is right 🙌 I also really liked Eojin, he was super sweet 💕
The writing was really good! 🤩 It had a very good flow and feel to it and was super easy to read- i flew through this book. I also loved the vibes of the setting, which was developed so well. 1700s Korea was BRUTAL, but it was sooo interesting to read about 😍😍😍
The plot was definitely the best part of the book tho!! 💜💜 I used to love murder mysteries but it's been a while since i read a really good one, so I enjoyed this sm. The mystery was really well done, with lots of twists and turns, and soo many juicy secrets!! 🤩🤩 The reveal wasn't the best one i've ever read but it still surprised me and felt quite satisfying. ugh I just had such a good time reading it! 🙌
There was also a little romance subplot, which I really liked 💕 Eojin and Hyeon were so cute together and they felt so wholesome despite what was going on around them. Investigating 4+ murders together- definitely a great way to fall in love!! 😉 So yeah, not the best romance ever but i still really liked it 🥰🥰
“When we’re together … it’s as though we are like water in the river, my thoughts flowing through yours, yours through mine. And when we are silent”—a faint smile tugged at his lips—“I forget you are even there sometimes.”
“I’m flattered, nauri,” I said drily.
“It is the greatest compliment. I dislike being around people for too long. But when I am with you … I never feel the need to be someone I am not.”
Overall, this was such a good read!! 🤩🤩 Would definitely recommend if you want:
✔ Great setting
✔ Such a good mystery!
✔ Enjoyable writing and characters
✔ Cute mini romance subplot
I would definitely read more by this author! 💜💜
~ 4 stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was really good!! 🤩🤩 Loved the mystery and historical setting and the romance was super cute! 🥰🥰💗💗
RTC!
“I would not love, unless I was loved first and loved the most. I would be nothing at all, if I could not be first.”
Set in Korea in 1758, The Red Palace follows our mc Hyeon, who works as a palace nurse. Living as an illegitimate daughter of a wealthy lord has always been difficult for her but she has achieved her dream throughout lots of hard work. She just wants to keep her head down, do a good job and maybe finally earn her father's approval- but then the mutilated bodies of four women are discovered in one night and everything changes. Determined to find the culprit, Hyeon teams up with police inspector Eojin to solve the crimes, but this case is a lot more dangerous than she ever could've imagined...
“He moved my hand into his, and as our fingers intertwined, it occurred to me that love wasn’t all that I’d feared it to be. I had imagined that it was a wildfire that incinerated everything in its path. Instead, it felt as ordinary and extraordinary as waking up to a new day.”
I picked this up on a whim after getting interested by the blurb, but this actually turned out to be soo good!! It's very different from my usual reads but so so entertaining 🥰🥰
Starting with the characters- they were pretty good!! ✨ They definitely weren't my favorite but it's a murder mystery- you don't typically pick one up looking for incredible characters. It's not the main focus of the book. However, they were still decently well-developed and I really liked our mc Hyeon. She's had a very difficult life trying to prove herself but refuses to back down and fights for what she believes is right 🙌 I also really liked Eojin, he was super sweet 💕
The writing was really good! 🤩 It had a very good flow and feel to it and was super easy to read- i flew through this book. I also loved the vibes of the setting, which was developed so well. 1700s Korea was BRUTAL, but it was sooo interesting to read about 😍😍😍
The plot was definitely the best part of the book tho!! 💜💜 I used to love murder mysteries but it's been a while since i read a really good one, so I enjoyed this sm. The mystery was really well done, with lots of twists and turns, and soo many juicy secrets!! 🤩🤩 The reveal wasn't the best one i've ever read but it still surprised me and felt quite satisfying. ugh I just had such a good time reading it! 🙌
There was also a little romance subplot, which I really liked 💕 Eojin and Hyeon were so cute together and they felt so wholesome despite what was going on around them. Investigating 4+ murders together- definitely a great way to fall in love!! 😉 So yeah, not the best romance ever but i still really liked it 🥰🥰
“When we’re together … it’s as though we are like water in the river, my thoughts flowing through yours, yours through mine. And when we are silent”—a faint smile tugged at his lips—“I forget you are even there sometimes.”
“I’m flattered, nauri,” I said drily.
“It is the greatest compliment. I dislike being around people for too long. But when I am with you … I never feel the need to be someone I am not.”
Overall, this was such a good read!! 🤩🤩 Would definitely recommend if you want:
✔ Great setting
✔ Such a good mystery!
✔ Enjoyable writing and characters
✔ Cute mini romance subplot
I would definitely read more by this author! 💜💜
~ 4 stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was really good!! 🤩🤩 Loved the mystery and historical setting and the romance was super cute! 🥰🥰💗💗
RTC!
August 14, 2024
When her mentor is accused of multiple murders and the police chief seems uninterested, palace nurse Hyeon realizes she must find the real killer. This historical fiction book set in 18th century Korea has everything – coming of age, romance, court intrigue, and a mystery. – Stacy M.
February 7, 2022
I went into this really not expecting a lot but I at least expected to be entertained but sadly I guess that was asking too much. Had I read this book when I was younger, I feel like I would've liked it. It's definitely more of a younger side of YA. I don't hate this book despite the fact I gave it 1 star, I just feel like so many things could still be improved and I'm extremely disappointed (I was supposed to say something else but while editing this part of the review, I completely forgot what it was lmao so I might edit this review when I eventually remember, if I do at least (⊙_◎))
Also warning, minor spoilers ahead.
The best way I can describe my problem with this book is that it feels very underdeveloped. For example, the character of Madam Mun. She was one of the suspects but I never really understood why because she didn't have enough of a convincing motivation that made sense to me. And then her whole plotline got abandoned all together and you never heard of her again. The suspicion around her too, I found to be very shallow. Also the whole Old Doctrine Faction, which I found out from the Author's Note was the ruling group (idk if that's the word) at the time or whatever. But I never actually got explained what it was going into the story, so if you didn't know Korean history, you wouldn't know what that is. Which is weird because this book involves the royal family and the characters get accused of being with the Old Doctrine Faction quite a lot as a motivation to go for the royal family?? So I felt like I was really missing something here.
Another one is that the characters just do not have any personality at all. They're like moving, talking, and breathing motivations. They're given enough motive for them to have a connection to why they wanna solve the murder but not enough personality outside of the investigation. Added to what this makes this worse is that there's a romance between them.
The romance, which i would categorize, falls under the Reluctant Allies to Lovers trope. Which is HANDS DOWN my FAVORITE trope of all time. That trope has me on such a chokehold with Newt and Tina from Fantastic Beasts, Kell and Lila from Shades of Magic, and more recently Arisu and Usagi from Alice in Borderland (go watch it, it's great!) But it sadly didn't work for me this time, because of the lack of personalities from the characters. Which sadly left them to not have any chemistry at all. And I thought this trope was unbeatable ಥ‿ಥ
Last thing I just wanna mention is the fact that everyone just kept info dumping what they knew to the mc. Like whenever they need to talk to someone for information, they get it so easily. Which 1) I didn't get because, like I said, the massacre involved royalty and I would think people would be wary of letting go such crucial information and 2) Just really annoyed me and didn't present any type of struggle for the main character at all.
Anyway, I have other problems like the mcs dad suddenly becoming a good guy towards the end despite being a known corrupt person just because of the power of family ig? among other things. However negative this review sounds, I'm not mad nor hate this book or author, I would still very much recommend this especially if you're younger or not very critical of books and just want to be entertained. I just felt like so many things could be developed more and that's why I bothered writing this whole review.
Time for me to go read fanfiction now (~￣³￣)~
Also warning, minor spoilers ahead.
The best way I can describe my problem with this book is that it feels very underdeveloped. For example, the character of Madam Mun. She was one of the suspects but I never really understood why because she didn't have enough of a convincing motivation that made sense to me. And then her whole plotline got abandoned all together and you never heard of her again. The suspicion around her too, I found to be very shallow. Also the whole Old Doctrine Faction, which I found out from the Author's Note was the ruling group (idk if that's the word) at the time or whatever. But I never actually got explained what it was going into the story, so if you didn't know Korean history, you wouldn't know what that is. Which is weird because this book involves the royal family and the characters get accused of being with the Old Doctrine Faction quite a lot as a motivation to go for the royal family?? So I felt like I was really missing something here.
Another one is that the characters just do not have any personality at all. They're like moving, talking, and breathing motivations. They're given enough motive for them to have a connection to why they wanna solve the murder but not enough personality outside of the investigation. Added to what this makes this worse is that there's a romance between them.
The romance, which i would categorize, falls under the Reluctant Allies to Lovers trope. Which is HANDS DOWN my FAVORITE trope of all time. That trope has me on such a chokehold with Newt and Tina from Fantastic Beasts, Kell and Lila from Shades of Magic, and more recently Arisu and Usagi from Alice in Borderland (go watch it, it's great!) But it sadly didn't work for me this time, because of the lack of personalities from the characters. Which sadly left them to not have any chemistry at all. And I thought this trope was unbeatable ಥ‿ಥ
Last thing I just wanna mention is the fact that everyone just kept info dumping what they knew to the mc. Like whenever they need to talk to someone for information, they get it so easily. Which 1) I didn't get because, like I said, the massacre involved royalty and I would think people would be wary of letting go such crucial information and 2) Just really annoyed me and didn't present any type of struggle for the main character at all.
Anyway, I have other problems like the mcs dad suddenly becoming a good guy towards the end despite being a known corrupt person just because of the power of family ig? among other things. However negative this review sounds, I'm not mad nor hate this book or author, I would still very much recommend this especially if you're younger or not very critical of books and just want to be entertained. I just felt like so many things could be developed more and that's why I bothered writing this whole review.
Time for me to go read fanfiction now (~￣³￣)~
March 4, 2025
⟢ 3 stars
i have been feeling very disconnected with ya recently. i can't even remember the last time i read a ya novel and enjoyed it, but this was cute. it's one of those books where you finish reading it and go, "oh ok!" it didn't elicit any strong emotions but it was fine.
the red palace is a very historical kdrama - like mystery that follows hyeon, a palace nurse, who gets caught up in a murder investigation to save her teacher, who was named the main suspect. this investigation proves to be more trouble than it's worth as palace secrets unfold and so do her feelings for a certain police investigator.
like previously said, this was cute. it's very fast-paced and june hur really captures the historical setting in her writing. however, there are some things that i didn't particularly enjoy. for one, the killer/murderer was very obvious. kind of "at your face" obvious. second, i found both the main characters to be quite bland. this is honestly just a me problem but i thought they were just too nice which led to the romance feeling awkward. in their defence, the romance did have that first love awkwardness charm that most k-dramas have, but it's not as well received on paper. and lastly, it is very cliche. which isn't necessarily bad, but let's retire the weird nonsensical "critical-but-not-really" injuries so that the two main characters get closer trope, it's redundant.
that being said, i did like the progression with hyeon and her mother. i thought that was very cute and not just thrown in there. the writing style was also a big hit. it felt atmospheric and fit the whole historical mystery setting.
⤿ bottomline. i wanted a quick read and that was exactly what i got so i can't really complain. june hur's writing shows great promise, so i'm excited to read more of her work (totally on my own accord and not because iris is making me do it.) most of my complaints are due to personal preferences so please don't let that steer you away from this book because you might end up liking it !!
𖥻 “ i would not love, unless i was loved first and loved the most. i would be nothing at all, if i could not be first. ”
i have been feeling very disconnected with ya recently. i can't even remember the last time i read a ya novel and enjoyed it, but this was cute. it's one of those books where you finish reading it and go, "oh ok!" it didn't elicit any strong emotions but it was fine.
the red palace is a very historical kdrama - like mystery that follows hyeon, a palace nurse, who gets caught up in a murder investigation to save her teacher, who was named the main suspect. this investigation proves to be more trouble than it's worth as palace secrets unfold and so do her feelings for a certain police investigator.
⊹ "everyone must choose the paths they will walk on. and when you choose, remember to count the cost.”
like previously said, this was cute. it's very fast-paced and june hur really captures the historical setting in her writing. however, there are some things that i didn't particularly enjoy. for one, the killer/murderer was very obvious. kind of "at your face" obvious. second, i found both the main characters to be quite bland. this is honestly just a me problem but i thought they were just too nice which led to the romance feeling awkward. in their defence, the romance did have that first love awkwardness charm that most k-dramas have, but it's not as well received on paper. and lastly, it is very cliche. which isn't necessarily bad, but let's retire the weird nonsensical "critical-but-not-really" injuries so that the two main characters get closer trope, it's redundant.
that being said, i did like the progression with hyeon and her mother. i thought that was very cute and not just thrown in there. the writing style was also a big hit. it felt atmospheric and fit the whole historical mystery setting.
⤿ bottomline. i wanted a quick read and that was exactly what i got so i can't really complain. june hur's writing shows great promise, so i'm excited to read more of her work (totally on my own accord and not because iris is making me do it.) most of my complaints are due to personal preferences so please don't let that steer you away from this book because you might end up liking it !!
June 15, 2025
“To enter the palace means to walk a path stained in blood, our medical teachers had whispered. There will be bloodshed. I only hope it will not be yours.”
The above line and the fact this is based on real life events is all I knew before stretching up on my couch and jumping straight into the book. And the whole time I could see this historical drama playing infront of my eyes! June hur's descriptions, especially in the sword fighting scenes were so fleshed out that I could almost feel the cold metal, grazing my neck. The interaction between the charecters, the settings and plot devices were well planned out and the little easter eggs that she hid along the way (for her next book: A Crane Among Wolves) were truly delectable!
However the ending was what threw me off a bit. I saw it all coming and was a bit disappointed that my predictions were right...I was soo hoping for the book to prove me wrong (I love when mysteries do that)...but unfortunately that never happened. But will I reread this book again... Absolutely!
The author's note at the end was what brought me to tears. June's thoughts on Prince Sado was what I needed to put my mind at rest. The prince was most certainly a murderer and him being executed was definitely what was best for the country but couldn't things have been different? A father who wanted to live as a king and a prince who wanted to be his son... eventually leading to the king executing the prince... the father executing his son. It's only human for us to wonder if a little kindness, a little appreciation could've changed that fate and saved the lives of hundreds of Joseon citizens and the prince himself. Neglect, what must have that felt like...
Tysm Ququ for joining me on this one (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)...I honestly had such a fantastic time... I'd love to buddy read something together again
4.35 stars~
Pre-read~
I'm so excited to dive into this one. It's based on real Korean events about Crown Prince Sado and that was what initially drew me into adding this to my tbr. Apparently it's filled with court drama, a groundbreaking mystery and a sweeping romance 😤...like a historical kdrama...kyaaaah!!!
Buddy read with my soulmate, ~MasterDaoistQuqu~!!!
(P.S: This is my first ever buddy read!!!)
The above line and the fact this is based on real life events is all I knew before stretching up on my couch and jumping straight into the book. And the whole time I could see this historical drama playing infront of my eyes! June hur's descriptions, especially in the sword fighting scenes were so fleshed out that I could almost feel the cold metal, grazing my neck. The interaction between the charecters, the settings and plot devices were well planned out and the little easter eggs that she hid along the way (for her next book: A Crane Among Wolves) were truly delectable!
However the ending was what threw me off a bit. I saw it all coming and was a bit disappointed that my predictions were right...I was soo hoping for the book to prove me wrong (I love when mysteries do that)...but unfortunately that never happened. But will I reread this book again... Absolutely!
The author's note at the end was what brought me to tears. June's thoughts on Prince Sado was what I needed to put my mind at rest. The prince was most certainly a murderer and him being executed was definitely what was best for the country but couldn't things have been different? A father who wanted to live as a king and a prince who wanted to be his son... eventually leading to the king executing the prince... the father executing his son. It's only human for us to wonder if a little kindness, a little appreciation could've changed that fate and saved the lives of hundreds of Joseon citizens and the prince himself. Neglect, what must have that felt like...
Tysm Ququ for joining me on this one (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)...I honestly had such a fantastic time... I'd love to buddy read something together again
4.35 stars~
Pre-read~
I'm so excited to dive into this one. It's based on real Korean events about Crown Prince Sado and that was what initially drew me into adding this to my tbr. Apparently it's filled with court drama, a groundbreaking mystery and a sweeping romance 😤...like a historical kdrama...kyaaaah!!!
Buddy read with my soulmate, ~MasterDaoistQuqu~!!!
(P.S: This is my first ever buddy read!!!)
May 15, 2022
no wait this was really really good and i didnt expect the way the story unfolded but i genuinely loved it. im not a huge fan of mysteries and thrillers because i cant handle the suspense but this was so well done PLUS I REALLY LOVED THE LIGHT ROMANCE. a very good and quick read!
March 19, 2024
i really didn't expect it but this book has become one of my favorites 🎀
September 6, 2023
امتیازم بهش 4.5 ئه
فکر کنم نزدیک به یه ماه یا شایدم بیشتر بود که هر کتابی میخوندم جذبم نمیکرد یا روی مود خوندنش نبودم.
تا اینکه این کتاب رو خوندم.
خوندنش واقعا چسبید
بعد این یه ماه که کلافه کننده شده بود واسم
بالاخره یه کتابی رو یافتم که جذبش شدم و توی یه نشست خوندمش.
اگه علاقمند به داستان های تاریخی هستین پیشنهاد میکنم بخونینش.
فکر کنم نزدیک به یه ماه یا شایدم بیشتر بود که هر کتابی میخوندم جذبم نمیکرد یا روی مود خوندنش نبودم.
تا اینکه این کتاب رو خوندم.
خوندنش واقعا چسبید
بعد این یه ماه که کلافه کننده شده بود واسم
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اگه علاقمند به داستان های تاریخی هستین پیشنهاد میکنم بخونینش.
November 9, 2025
“Everyone must choose the paths they will walk on. And when you choose, remember to count the cost.”
"The Red Palace" transports you right into the heart of Joseon-era Korea and it feels like you are right in the middle of an historical K-drama. This was an amazing book!
It is an atmospheric and intriguing story, filled with court intrigue, political plots, spies and secrets and cover-ups, a tragic and perturbed Crown Prince... and, eventually, murder.
But it is also the story of two people, an investigator and a palace nurse, who try to do right by the palace's victims and bring them the justice they deserve.
I loved reading this book! It is my second time reading a book by June Hur and it is very likely her books will become must reads for me. I love historical fiction and I truly appreciate how much research the author put into this story, for it created a close representation of 1700's Korea and how life was like, at that time. There is also the aspect relating to the Crown Prince, an historical figure that existed and whose real story is both tragic and frightening. The glimpses of his life, seen through the eyes of Hyeon, were some of my favorite moments in the narrative.
The author note, after the final chapters, also includes accurate information about this time period of Korean history and I would recommend everyone who picks up this book to read it as well!
Now, one of the aspects that made me love this book so much was definitely the dynamic between Hyeon and Eojin. They were absolutely amazing together and I loved every page I got to spend with them. I also believe they were so good together because the author took the time to create two layered and complex characters, with their own struggles and reasons for despair, but who were able to put justice and fairness above their sadness and grief. Their resilience, their intelligence, their ability to combine forces to bring solution to heinous crimes and a false judgement... They were simply amazing!
I believe both Hyeon and Eojin were very well written, so it is not surprising that their relationship also evolved in such a satisfactory way! They were fierce and strong, but also gentle and sweet, almost always tentative with their affection, and it was lovely to see them become such a great support system for each other. I adore them both to pieces!
“I would not love, unless I was loved first and loved the most. I would be nothing at all, if I could not be first.”
Finally, I also really enjoyed to read Hyeon's interactions with her parents, figures who had such a huge impact in her life, but who are not exactly who she believed them to be (in different ways).
The development of her relationship with her mother was everything I hoped for and her ability to free herself from her father's opinion was also something I was truly rooting for. This aspect of the story was also very well achieved, in my opinion!
All in all, this was definitely one of my favorite reads of the year and I will, for sure, do my best to read more of June Hur's novels! Not only are the plots she creates engaging and atmospheric, they also have a very well researched historical context and quality writing, making these perfect books for historical fiction enjoyers!
Still, I would also like to add that there are very violent scenes in this book, with vivid descriptions of murder scenes and wounds, so I would also advise caution in case you pick it up and these scenes could be triggering.
“Some dreams, I'd learned, were meant to fade away. And to let go of them didn't mean to let go of myself, but to release the life I'd imagined I wanted. The loss had grieved me at first, but in its fading away-slowly, very slowly-a new dream had bloomed.”
P.S. OMG Hyeon and Eojin both had their won epilogues and they were so sweet and they are together forever, I will scream about these two always!!! 🩷
"The Red Palace" transports you right into the heart of Joseon-era Korea and it feels like you are right in the middle of an historical K-drama. This was an amazing book!
It is an atmospheric and intriguing story, filled with court intrigue, political plots, spies and secrets and cover-ups, a tragic and perturbed Crown Prince... and, eventually, murder.
But it is also the story of two people, an investigator and a palace nurse, who try to do right by the palace's victims and bring them the justice they deserve.
I loved reading this book! It is my second time reading a book by June Hur and it is very likely her books will become must reads for me. I love historical fiction and I truly appreciate how much research the author put into this story, for it created a close representation of 1700's Korea and how life was like, at that time. There is also the aspect relating to the Crown Prince, an historical figure that existed and whose real story is both tragic and frightening. The glimpses of his life, seen through the eyes of Hyeon, were some of my favorite moments in the narrative.
The author note, after the final chapters, also includes accurate information about this time period of Korean history and I would recommend everyone who picks up this book to read it as well!
Now, one of the aspects that made me love this book so much was definitely the dynamic between Hyeon and Eojin. They were absolutely amazing together and I loved every page I got to spend with them. I also believe they were so good together because the author took the time to create two layered and complex characters, with their own struggles and reasons for despair, but who were able to put justice and fairness above their sadness and grief. Their resilience, their intelligence, their ability to combine forces to bring solution to heinous crimes and a false judgement... They were simply amazing!
I believe both Hyeon and Eojin were very well written, so it is not surprising that their relationship also evolved in such a satisfactory way! They were fierce and strong, but also gentle and sweet, almost always tentative with their affection, and it was lovely to see them become such a great support system for each other. I adore them both to pieces!
“I would not love, unless I was loved first and loved the most. I would be nothing at all, if I could not be first.”
Finally, I also really enjoyed to read Hyeon's interactions with her parents, figures who had such a huge impact in her life, but who are not exactly who she believed them to be (in different ways).
The development of her relationship with her mother was everything I hoped for and her ability to free herself from her father's opinion was also something I was truly rooting for. This aspect of the story was also very well achieved, in my opinion!
All in all, this was definitely one of my favorite reads of the year and I will, for sure, do my best to read more of June Hur's novels! Not only are the plots she creates engaging and atmospheric, they also have a very well researched historical context and quality writing, making these perfect books for historical fiction enjoyers!
Still, I would also like to add that there are very violent scenes in this book, with vivid descriptions of murder scenes and wounds, so I would also advise caution in case you pick it up and these scenes could be triggering.
“Some dreams, I'd learned, were meant to fade away. And to let go of them didn't mean to let go of myself, but to release the life I'd imagined I wanted. The loss had grieved me at first, but in its fading away-slowly, very slowly-a new dream had bloomed.”
P.S. OMG Hyeon and Eojin both had their won epilogues and they were so sweet and they are together forever, I will scream about these two always!!! 🩷
January 18, 2022
There's so much good about this book, I wish I loved it more than I actually did! The Red Palace is a historical murder mystery set in 1758 Korea. From the author's note, I know that this story is actually drawing on real historical events and it's clear that the author did a ton of research. I love what this book is trying to do, but it tended to drag in the reading experience.
We get so many details in the text on the period from clothing and titles to food and social norms, you really do learn a lot about historical Korea. Our main character is a palace nurse helping investigate a series of murders, in a society where men and women who aren't family can't touch and there are intense social and class hierarchies. We get a look at various swathes of society, but while that can be interesting, the amount of historical detail, combined with a more formal style of writing (both description and dialogue) do make what could be a page-turning mystery feel like more of a slog to get through. Specific scenes were sometimes riveting and if I think back to all the major plot points in solving the murders, it's really interesting. But I didn't find myself wanting to keep reading and it was easy to put down.
I think the author is doing really important work in a subgenre that doesn't have a lot of this representation. I don't know that I've seen anyone else do murder mysteries in historical Korea and a lot of what she's doing is very cool! So I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in the historical details, just know that if you're looking for a fast-paced mystery, that's not really what you're getting here. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
We get so many details in the text on the period from clothing and titles to food and social norms, you really do learn a lot about historical Korea. Our main character is a palace nurse helping investigate a series of murders, in a society where men and women who aren't family can't touch and there are intense social and class hierarchies. We get a look at various swathes of society, but while that can be interesting, the amount of historical detail, combined with a more formal style of writing (both description and dialogue) do make what could be a page-turning mystery feel like more of a slog to get through. Specific scenes were sometimes riveting and if I think back to all the major plot points in solving the murders, it's really interesting. But I didn't find myself wanting to keep reading and it was easy to put down.
I think the author is doing really important work in a subgenre that doesn't have a lot of this representation. I don't know that I've seen anyone else do murder mysteries in historical Korea and a lot of what she's doing is very cool! So I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in the historical details, just know that if you're looking for a fast-paced mystery, that's not really what you're getting here. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
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