2023/09 The Silence of Bones by June Hur

[Jeshika]

This September we're reading The Silence of Bones by June Hur.

The GR synopsis reads:

I have a mouth, but I mustn't speak;
Ears, but I mustn't hear;
Eyes, but I mustn't see.

1800, Joseon (Korea). Homesick and orphaned sixteen-year-old Seol is living out the ancient curse: “May you live in interesting times.” Indentured to the police bureau, she’s been tasked with assisting a well-respected young inspector with the investigation into the politically charged murder of a noblewoman.

As they delve deeper into the dead woman's secrets, Seol forms an unlikely bond of friendship with the inspector. But her loyalty is tested when he becomes the prime suspect, and Seol may be the only one capable of discovering what truly happened on the night of the murder.

But in a land where silence and obedience are valued above all else, curiosity can be deadly.

I'm really excited to try this one and I hope we all enjoy it!

[Aki]

TRIGGER WARNING

Graphic death of dog on p. 244.

I take personal issue with violence against dogs. I don't think it ever adds anything to the story, and it certainly could have been navigated differently here. I'm adding a tag to my goodread's profile as a result of this book that specifies whether the dog lives or not.

I thought this was excellent for a debut and I'm interested in picking up her other books. I gleaned a lot of information about historical events during the Joseon period (I came in with zero knowledge.) And I thought the position of a damo indentured at a police bureau was a unique perspective to take!

It wasn't without its flaws. Being a young adult novel, it did occasionally rely on convenience to propel the plot forward, and the 16-year-old protagonist who initially seemed levelheaded suddenly began making impulsive, idiotic 16-year-old decisions. But it did a lot of things right. For example, the author avoided an unnecessary romantic subplot. Also any character or evidence that was found felt like it was given dimension.