Red Thread of Fate

by Woo Ae Yi

Do you believe in destiny? Destiny, meaning the universe has everything planned out for you? That everything is predetermined and predestined right from our birth? Times when you come across events that seem too strange or too strong to be mere coincidence? There are times when coincidences are so powerful that they don't really seem like coincidences anymore. Like our life is a series of random accidents or coincidences that are leading us to a predestined path. This book is a companion to the movie Red Thread of Fate , a store that is interracial, long-distance, and has an age gap. It is filled with romance, tragedies, and conflicting emotions of having two loves. The main character, Zarah, is already in a relationship, but someone else comes along who can change everything. Will she let go of her current relationship and take the chance on someone new? Are twin souls the person we marry, the person we learn from, or both? Can she change her fate or is it too late?

186 pages, Paperback

Published July 14, 2021

About the author

Winner of the Literary Titan Silver Award: "The Silver Award is bestowed on books that expertly deliver complex characters, intricate worlds, and thought provoking themes. The ease with which the story is told is a reflection of the author’s talent in exercising fluent, powerful, and appropriate language."
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Reviews

[Jessica Reads It · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can love hold on by a thread?

The Red Thread of Fate is a tragic age-gap romance between Zarah, a half Korean/half-black woman, and Yue Lao, a Vietnamese War veteran.

Zarah is quite the character as she was adopted by a white father and suffers from the occasional identity crisis. This insecurity bleeds into her relationship with white boyfriend Perez who mentally and emotionally abuses her. In comes Yue Lao who she meets by a chance of fate. Their love story is tumultuous and fraught with obstacles but somehow, their love perseveres and they find a way.

I appreciated the awareness for issues such as emotional abuse, interracial coupling which is sometimes swept under the carpet. The author has a very poetic style of writing that shone through with her various verses interspersed throughout. The essence of the characters held honesty and a desperate need to be understood. The writing style is much darker than typical romance novels and centers around family discord, desire, love, and second chances. I enjoyed how fate was incorporated, the thought that perhaps something in your past could affect your future.

My only qualm with the book stems from the writing- it is very difficult to follow along with the narrative as there are flashbacks throughout that seem disconnected. The story seems to be a series of memories stringed together without a central theme.

I will say this is quite different from the usual romance novels and may not be palatable for all audiences. My advice would be to read the triggers before jumping in.

Thank you to the author and Reedsy Discovery for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.