Apart from Japanese thrillers, I haven't tried many foreign translations lately. After The Vegetarian, I had always wanted to try another Korean translation. When one of my friends recommended this writer, I was eager to give it a try. This book seemed like a quick read, and I ended up selecting this.
Ayami works in an audio theatre for the blind in Seoul. But the theatre is closing down shortly. Ayami spends the final night with her boss searching for their common friend who went missing. The next day, she spends the day with a visiting poet. As the day and night pass, the line between dream and reality fades around Ayami.
To start with, this book was quite an experience. I had no idea of the genre of this. When I read, the magical realism took me by surprise. The story goes on a nonlinear mode, taking us on a journey through dream and reality with Ayami. There is a repetition that keeps occurring throughout the story with recurring words and lines. To be fair, I could not uncover the true meaning of the story, but the experience it gave was something magical. Life in Seoul was well depicted with references to the food, the heat, the way people dress and move around, a life of poverty during wartime and so on. The translator had done an incredible job of translating this somewhat complex book. The essence of the book is passed on exactly in the work as we are sucked into Seoul experiencing the heat, the small rooms, the bus etc.
A highly impressive read that takes us on a trip to Seoul along with Ayami along the paths of reality and dream. You might be able to fully comprehend the underlying meaning. But go with the flow and enjoy the experience. Bae Suah is a writer whose works I would like to read more of.
Wow
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