An enjoyable horror though i had my problems with it. The supernatural situation seemingly has no lesson or purpose. The ending is confusing and lacks in plot, we really arent given any explanation or purpose, as to what happened the entire book. It seemingly was pulled out of thin air.

The grief Macy endures is pretty overplayed in my opinion. After a year, an anniversary of a death is hard yes, but it is as if nothing at all has been processed or changed, in an entire year. She is old enough to be a functional adult yet has zero skills and it is not explained why through the story or writing. Was her father essentially a deadbeat even though Macy shows no memory of this? There are clues that things she didnt know about her father play into the two sister’s current position of being abandoned by parental figures. I feel as though he has something here but it isnt explored quite enough to make sense.

I did enjoy guessing what was happening- are the consequences of not following the rites representative of OCD intrusive thoughts? (short answer no. Even though the author directly says this is OCD in the author’s note.) Yes, Macy must follow the rites to keep everything from crashing down. These rites seem arbitrary and repetitive like an obsession someone developes to keep bad things from happening. But the lesson at the end wouldnt make sense when applied to OCD. She also doesn’t accomplish these rites leading her to ultimately experience the consequences of some unknown torturous force. This is quite the opposite of how OCD works? I was proud near the end when she must accept the rites as sort of impossible and refuses to do one, but the consequence of that is THE OPPOSITE of how it goes in therapy. The sky doesn’t fall. Thats the entire point. You just have anxiety about the sky falling and learn to live with it. So i didnt really appreciate that at all. I do not have OCD and i am not a psychologist so i cannot comment further on this really and would love to hear what they think about this representation.

It is written in a way that keeps you reading, and I do like this author. But unfortunately it doesn’t live up to the horror genre I am used to in which there is an actual point to enduring hardships of unimaginable pain, and these trials usually represent SOMETHING in literature throughout history. It feels more like a horror film than a horror book in that the campy ending is widely used (oh noes the horrors continue forever without pause.) I ended the book feeling like there was nothing behind this story other than some freaky fears most people can relate to mushed together. Also minus a golden star shaped cookie for the old woman is scary monster trope. Seriously?

Amazing writing once again, magnificent social horror with homage to Korean spirits. I appreciate Monika Kim does not shy away from a proper depiction of grotesque men and how society will victimize women. The characters are fleshed out and match what we know about the psychology of this type of man and their place in the world. There is no bs about excusing sexual predators for their crimes and abominable actions, though the accurate portrayal of society attempting to is throughout the book, through parenting, social power and money, and police force. You will not be disappointed by the revenge arc.

As for the reviews saying they are disappointed, im entirely confused as to why. What you imagine as revenge for r***, Monika’s got you covered. Its likely exactly what youre thinking. No, Dahye doesnt change the world for all women by exposing one man like a Disney movie. We are all aware how the world works, the problem is the people ok with how it currently does. That is the job for us, over countless generations, to put hard work into. Meanwhile, “All pigs die in the slaughterhouse “🤘 gets us through today.

I was hesitant to get this one because it could have been too campy given the genre and description but I am glad I got it anyway because … it… wasnt..! Definitely recommend.