A brutal read. Interesting to read a book with such an unusual manner of expression. That is probably partly due to the fact that it is written i Korean, but I assume that this book would strike regular Koreans as unusual as well. I like the conceit of letting each part of the book be narrated by a different character. There is a Canadian book about a marriage that is made with the same concept, only it is comprised of only two sides. It is about the two perspectives of a failing marriage, that of the man and that of the woman. If I recall correctly, I think it was also read from each sides of the codex, so that the woman’s version is read from one side and the man’s from the other side. But don’t let this slight digression dissuade you from continuing to take in my well-crafted review. I would sa that this book is not suitable for reading aloud. It is quite extreme in the opening chapter with the description of the wife as “ordinary” and “ugly” and so on. The premise of the book is that the wife decides not to eat meat, a kind of “grand refus” or Bartlebyeian protest. Her immedaite surroundings react to this decision with disdain. Later on in the book, it is revealed that she wants to become a tree, which is her idea of the ultimate form of existance. The whole story of wanting to become a tree is strongly reminiscent of the book Solange by finnish raconteur Willy Kyrklund. But, it seems upon closer reflection that mrs. Kang in this choice of story is inspired by Korean poet Yi Sang (1910-1937), rather than Kyrklund.
I wish also to point out that Kang succeeds in portraying the peculiar tensions of a psych ward, and also with the description of the main character’s mental instability. I stil don’t understand what a Mongolian mark is, though.
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Kinship of all Species 