Shelter: A Novel
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“Shelter is home drama at its finest, a gripping narrative of secrets and techniques and revelations that seized me from starting to finish.”―Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize-Profitable writer of The Sympathizer
Certainly one of The Thousands and thousands’ Most Anticipated Books of the 12 months (Chosen by Edan Lepucki)
Now BuzzFeed’s #1 Most Buzzed About Guide of the 12 months
Longlisted for the Middle for Fiction First Novel Prize
Named a Finest Literary Debut of the 12 months by Buzzfeed and a Finest Guide of the 12 months by MPR
Kyung Cho is a younger father burdened by a home he can’t afford. For years, he and his spouse, Gillian, have lived past their means. Now their money owed and unhealthy selections are catching up with them, and Kyung is anxious for his household’s future.
A couple of miles away, his mother and father, Jin and Mae, stay within the city’s most unique neighborhood, surrounded by the fabric comforts that Kyung needs for his spouse and son. Rising up, they gave him each potential benefit―non-public tutors, costly hobbies―however they by no means confirmed him kindness. Kyung can hardly bear to see them now, a lot much less ask for his or her assist. But when an act of violence leaves Jin and Mae unable to stay on their very own, the dynamic abruptly modifications, and he’s compelled to take them in. For the primary time in years, the Chos discover themselves residing below the identical roof. Tensions rapidly mount as Kyung’s proximity to his mother and father forces outdated emotions of guilt and anger to the floor, together with a horrible and protracted query: how can he ever be a very good husband, father, and son when he by no means knew affection as a toddler?
As Shelter veers swiftly towards its startling conclusion, Jung Yun leads us via darkish and violent territory, the place, unexpectedly, the Chos uncover hope. Shelter is a masterfully crafted debut novel that asks what it means to supply for one’s household and, in reply, delivers a narrative as riveting as it’s profound.
ASIN : 1250075610
Writer : Picador; First Version, First Printing. (March 15, 2016)
Language : English
Hardcover : 336 pages
ISBN-10 : 9781250075611
ISBN-13 : 978-1250075611
Merchandise Weight : 14.4 ounces
Dimensions : 8.1 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches
Prospects say
Prospects discover the ebook compelling and absorbing. They reward the writing high quality as well-crafted and gifted. The pacing is described as fluid and constant, with no leaping round in time or characters. Many admire the cultural range and nuanced portrayal of Korean values and tradition. Nevertheless, some readers really feel the heartfelt content material is overdone and heartbreaking. There are blended opinions on the story high quality, with some discovering it partaking and sophisticated, whereas others contemplate it troublesome and unrelenting.
AI-generated from the textual content of buyer critiques
Sarah’s Bookshelves –
A Perfectly Balanced Story…And My 3rd 5 Star Book of 2016!
Headline:This perfectly balanced (between story and style) debut novel is my third 5 star book of the year!Major Themes:Family dysfunction, appearance vs. reality, getting beneath the surface of people, maintaining your identity through motherhood, Korean culture and values (particularly relating to marriage and family)What I Loved:- I love dysfunctional family books and Shelter is certainly one of those, but in a dark and serious way. This is decidedly not the ârich siblings fighting over their trust fundâ type of family dysfunction (i.e. The Nest).- Shelter is the perfect balance between action-packed story, well-developed characters struggling with real issues, and gorgeous writing with lots of social commentary.- Shelterâs first chapter ranks among the best first chapters Iâve ever read. Within the first 18 pages, the story went somewhere I didnât expect and, by the end of the chapter, it had gone in multiple intriguing directions. Itâs dark, intense, and emotional.- Many of the themes Yun addressed in this book resonated with meâ¦particularly getting to know whatâs behind peopleâs projected facade and maintaining your identity through motherhood. I completely identified with Kyungâs frustration with his parentsâ and their church friendsâ smoke and mirrors, refusal to address the real issues, formality, and obsession with social niceties above all else.- I enjoyed the focus on cultural differences between Korean and American views of family obligations, gender roles within marriage, and parent/child dynamics. The juxtaposition of the dynamics between Kyung and his wife (Gillian, an Irish woman) with his parentsâ marriage illuminates how the American-raised children of immigrants struggle with pleasing their more traditional parents, while living Americanized lives.- The ending was exactly what I crave, but rarely find: surprising, yet completely made sense in hindsight.A Defining Quote:”Heâs not a good son; he knows this already. But heâs the best possible version of the son they raised him to be. Present, but not adoring. Helpful, but not generous. Obligated and nothing more.”Good for People Who Like:Dysfunctional families, marriage, dislikable characters, dark stories, fathers and sons, immigrant culture/valuesCheck out my blog, Sarah’s Book Shelves, for more reviews.
booksandbliss –
Thought-provoking page-turner
This was a very compelling read for me, and certainly made me think and want to talk about it afterwards.This is a psychological study of a layer of themes – (the impact of) domestic violence, filial duty, parenting, class, racism, immigration, identity (and probably more) – that also reads like a thriller. I was very impressed at how nuanced and precise the author was at identifying and exposing the most subtle complexities in human emotions. I found her writing fluid and well-paced for the most part, minus some (just a few) scenes and details that were a bit too drawn out in my opinion. I also appreciated that the book was written in a traditional format – no jumping around in time or in different characters’ perspectives. The story is told chronologically and in the third person.The book is constantly moving but you can feel the despair heavily, and about 60% of the way through I began to wonder if this was a place I wanted to inhabit; you get into Kyung’s mind and there is so much anger and anguish there (understandably so). (Some readers complained about the main character but I think his inertia and anger come with the territory – he would be more likable if he were mentally healthier, but then there would be no point to the book…) I also found some of the events of the book a bit over the top, not saying this doesn’t happen in real life… Having said all this, the merits overall well outweigh my ‘complaints’ and I found this one of the most personally worthwhile books I’ve read. While the events in the book are extreme compared to what I have gone through, the themes of parenting legacies and filial duty are ones that resonate with me deeply, and I appreciate a book that has captured so well these universal struggles. This book found me at the right time in my life as I am caring for aging parents with whom I’ve had an up and down relationship.
pml –
keeps you reading
For all its faults and limitations, this novel does keep you reading and I don’t regret reading it at all. My biggest complaint is the unlikable characters….not something I usually have a problem with but they are also not very intelligent which is frustrating. The writer keeps it going by introducing surprises on every other page so lots of credit for that.
Leah McDermott –
This book deals with serious issues in a very real and honest way. It is well written, with characters the reader can identify and empathize with. I would highly recommend this book.
Sarah –
The author is a very capable writer and draws the reader into the story. Some of the characters weren’t particularly wee-drawn, however the ones that were make this book worth it. The story itself is well written and plotted well. I would recommend this overall.
Christophe –
Un très bon roman parfaitement construit, avec une belle fin assez inattendue (ce qui est assez rare). Je le recommande vivement.
Wendy Helleren –
I really enjoyed this debut book by Jung Yun.
Amazon Customer –
This book held my attention and shows the far reaching effects of domestic violence.