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Seven Years of Darkness
The truth always rises to the surface…
When a young girl is found dead in Seryong Lake, a reservoir in a remote South Korean village, the police immediately begin their investigation. At the same time, three men–Yongje, the girl’s father, and two security guards at the nearby dam, each of whom has something to hide about the night of her death–find themselves in an elaborate game of cat and mouse as they race to uncover what happened to her, without revealing their own closely guarded secrets.
After a final showdown at the dam results in a mass tragedy, one of the guards is convicted of murder and sent to prison. For seven years, his son, Sowon, lives in the shadow of his father’s shocking and inexplicable crime; everywhere he goes, a seemingly concerted effort to reveal his identity as the reviled mass murderer’s son follows him. When he receives a package that promises to reveal at last what really happened at Seryong Lake, Sowon must confront a present danger he never knew existed.
Dark, disturbing, and full of twists and turns, Seven Years of Darkness is the riveting new novel from the internationally celebrated author of The Good Son.
When a young girl is found dead in Seryong Lake, a reservoir in a remote South Korean village, the police immediately begin their investigation. At the same time, three men–Yongje, the girl’s father, and two security guards at the nearby dam, each of whom has something to hide about the night of her death–find themselves in an elaborate game of cat and mouse as they race to uncover what happened to her, without revealing their own closely guarded secrets.
After a final showdown at the dam results in a mass tragedy, one of the guards is convicted of murder and sent to prison. For seven years, his son, Sowon, lives in the shadow of his father’s shocking and inexplicable crime; everywhere he goes, a seemingly concerted effort to reveal his identity as the reviled mass murderer’s son follows him. When he receives a package that promises to reveal at last what really happened at Seryong Lake, Sowon must confront a present danger he never knew existed.
Dark, disturbing, and full of twists and turns, Seven Years of Darkness is the riveting new novel from the internationally celebrated author of The Good Son.
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 23, 2011
385 people are currently reading
9152 people want to read
About the author
You-Jeong Jeong
11 books498 followersSee also 정유정 .
You-jeong Jeong was born in Hampyeong, South Korea. She initially trained and worked as a nurse. She is now South Korea's leading writer of psychological crime and thriller fiction and is often compared to Stephen King and Raymond Chandler.
You-jeong is the author of four novels including Seven Years of Darkness, which was named one of the top ten crime novels of 2015 by the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Her work has been translated into Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Thai and Vietnamese. The Good Son is the first of her books to be translated into English.
You-jeong Jeong was born in Hampyeong, South Korea. She initially trained and worked as a nurse. She is now South Korea's leading writer of psychological crime and thriller fiction and is often compared to Stephen King and Raymond Chandler.
You-jeong is the author of four novels including Seven Years of Darkness, which was named one of the top ten crime novels of 2015 by the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Her work has been translated into Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Thai and Vietnamese. The Good Son is the first of her books to be translated into English.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 643 reviews
May 12, 2022
Bardzo mi się podobało
May 19, 2020
Seven Years.
It has been seven years since a young girl was found dead in Seryong Lake. Seven years since a young teenager, Sowon, has seen his father in person. For seven years Sowon has been ostracized for being the son of a murderer. It has been seven years since his father has gone to jail for murder. Seven years ago, Yongje's daughter died.
When Sowon receives a package, he learns more about this past, the truth about the night the young girl died, and he will learn about the danger he now faces. The truth does not always set you free.
In this book, we are given the information on who died and who was responsible, but there are many layers here. There are many who have secrets, there is son who does not have all the answers, there is a man hellbent on vengeance, a man who is responsible for the girl's death, and a man with a secret. Another interesting aspect of this book is the Author's ability to evoke emotion - will you feel bad for the man responsible for the young girl's death? will you detest her father? Will you root for Sowon as he is passed from one family member to the next? How much can your heart break for the young girl who dies in the book?
Bad judgement is a killer, folks. That's all I'm saying....
Seven Years of Darkness has some brief scenes that will not be for everyone - animal abuse, child abuse, domestic violence. The scenes are brief, but they are there. They show the cruelness and evilness of one character. The book also shows how power can be abused, how people often change their narrative to fit their needs, and how errors in judgement can be a person's downfall.
This was a thought-provoking book that started strong, floundered a little in the middle and ended on a strong note. I enjoyed how the Author had both Sowon and the reader, learning about past events through the "package" he received. I found this book to be thought provoking, evoking emotion, and well thought out.
I received a copy of this book from Penguin Publishing and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
August 5, 2024
Little Seryong, not having any close friends, celebrates her eleventh birthday on her own, and later her dead body is found in Seryong Lake, a South Korean reservoir. One of the guards of the dam is convicted of her murder and his son, Sowon, has to live in the shadow of his father's incomprehensible crime, being excluded and stigmatized. He one day receives a bundle of manuscripts which promise to shed light on what really happened at Seryong Lake, but is it really a real account, an important piece of evidence or just fiction?
This book, although not terribly thrilling, keeps you reading compulsively and jumps from one sad life to another. I feel more melancholy in front of all the unfairness than the satisfaction of a good mystery resolved, but it's a good feeling too, not everything has to be written the same way.
It is written within a "story within story" frame and resorts to frequent time jumps in order to explain background and clarify why a character acts the way it does.
A very worthwhile book all in all, I enjoyed it.
This book, although not terribly thrilling, keeps you reading compulsively and jumps from one sad life to another. I feel more melancholy in front of all the unfairness than the satisfaction of a good mystery resolved, but it's a good feeling too, not everything has to be written the same way.
It is written within a "story within story" frame and resorts to frequent time jumps in order to explain background and clarify why a character acts the way it does.
A very worthwhile book all in all, I enjoyed it.
August 28, 2021
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2 ½ stars
Well, that was kind of ridiculous...
The title and summary of this novel gave me the impression that the story would be very much focused on Sowon, the son of mass murder, who seven years after his father's crimes receives a mysterious package that forces him to confront his past. And in some ways, we are given that. Sadly, the narrative is less concerned with Sowon piecing together these past events than with simply retelling everything that happened in one go. The majority of this novel details the event that occurred seven years prior, without any insights from the present, but in a blow-by-blow type of account. See, the package Sowon receives contains a manuscript. The manuscript, penned by Sowon's guardian, recounts what happened at Seryong Lake, giving us the perspective of most of the people involved. Sowon's guardian, Ahn Sungwhan, had until that morning been sharing his living spaces with him. All of a sudden, he disappears, and Sowon receives this manuscript.
The story in the manuscript primarily follows Sungwhan, who was working as a security guard at Seryong Lake, a 'first-tier' reservoir located in a remote village; Dr. Oh Yongje, who owns the arboretum on the reservoir; and Sowon's father, Hyonsu, a former baseball player who has just been hired as the new head of security at Seryong Dam (making him Sungwhan's boss).
A tragic night leads to the lives of these men to become inexorably entwined. The inciting incident happens early on, and what follows are pages and pages of a kind of 'cat and mouse' game. The 'baddie' is revealed early on, and he seems to posses only vices. He's a mastermind and brilliant gas-lighter who missed out on a career as a detective. The two others characters are far more hapless, and their attempts to escape the baddie's clutches inevitably fail.
The novel jumps back to 'seven years later' briefly in the middle, and only for a few pages, and at the very end. The rest of the narrative treats these past events as if they are just occurring, so no new insights or even foreshadowing is offered. Two of the men are seemingly unsympathetic, prone to anger and brutish, even druknkunly, behaviour. The other one seems to become loyal to one of them for no reason whatsoever. The wives of Hyonsu and Yongje are portrayed as somewhat hysterical. Hyonsu's wife in particular is made into a huge 'nag', and her character is restricted to that role.
The two children, Sowon, who was 11 at the time, and Yongje's daughter are very much secondary to the mind-games between the adults. Yongje's daughter dies early on and we never learn anything substantial about her, although the author does attempt to create a connection between her and Sowon.
The whole thing was cheesy. The characters were caricatures, the plot was surprisingly boring (just these three men try to outsmart each other), and I'm not sure why the novel was titled what it was. 'Present' Sowon doesn't have to investigate anything, he simply reads this manuscript.
That Sungwhan was able to narrate the events from Yongje's perspective wasn't very convincing.
As thrillers go, this left me feeling kind of flat. Maybe readers who don't expect there to be more of a conversation between past and present may find this to be a gripping read...
2 ½ stars
Well, that was kind of ridiculous...
The title and summary of this novel gave me the impression that the story would be very much focused on Sowon, the son of mass murder, who seven years after his father's crimes receives a mysterious package that forces him to confront his past. And in some ways, we are given that. Sadly, the narrative is less concerned with Sowon piecing together these past events than with simply retelling everything that happened in one go. The majority of this novel details the event that occurred seven years prior, without any insights from the present, but in a blow-by-blow type of account. See, the package Sowon receives contains a manuscript. The manuscript, penned by Sowon's guardian, recounts what happened at Seryong Lake, giving us the perspective of most of the people involved. Sowon's guardian, Ahn Sungwhan, had until that morning been sharing his living spaces with him. All of a sudden, he disappears, and Sowon receives this manuscript.
The story in the manuscript primarily follows Sungwhan, who was working as a security guard at Seryong Lake, a 'first-tier' reservoir located in a remote village; Dr. Oh Yongje, who owns the arboretum on the reservoir; and Sowon's father, Hyonsu, a former baseball player who has just been hired as the new head of security at Seryong Dam (making him Sungwhan's boss).
A tragic night leads to the lives of these men to become inexorably entwined. The inciting incident happens early on, and what follows are pages and pages of a kind of 'cat and mouse' game. The 'baddie' is revealed early on, and he seems to posses only vices. He's a mastermind and brilliant gas-lighter who missed out on a career as a detective. The two others characters are far more hapless, and their attempts to escape the baddie's clutches inevitably fail.
The novel jumps back to 'seven years later' briefly in the middle, and only for a few pages, and at the very end. The rest of the narrative treats these past events as if they are just occurring, so no new insights or even foreshadowing is offered. Two of the men are seemingly unsympathetic, prone to anger and brutish, even druknkunly, behaviour. The other one seems to become loyal to one of them for no reason whatsoever. The wives of Hyonsu and Yongje are portrayed as somewhat hysterical. Hyonsu's wife in particular is made into a huge 'nag', and her character is restricted to that role.
The two children, Sowon, who was 11 at the time, and Yongje's daughter are very much secondary to the mind-games between the adults. Yongje's daughter dies early on and we never learn anything substantial about her, although the author does attempt to create a connection between her and Sowon.
The whole thing was cheesy. The characters were caricatures, the plot was surprisingly boring (just these three men try to outsmart each other), and I'm not sure why the novel was titled what it was. 'Present' Sowon doesn't have to investigate anything, he simply reads this manuscript.
That Sungwhan was able to narrate the events from Yongje's perspective wasn't very convincing.
As thrillers go, this left me feeling kind of flat. Maybe readers who don't expect there to be more of a conversation between past and present may find this to be a gripping read...
May 7, 2022
2.5 ⭐️
Na początku bardzo mi się podobała — mrok, klimat, tajemnica, życie z piętnem błędów rodzica i ogromnej tragedii.
Książka jest bardzo nierówna. Są momenty, gdy staje się nieodkładalna, niepokojąca by zaraz potem akcja praktycznie zamarzła i sprowadzała się do codziennych czynności i rozterek bohaterów.
Przykro mi bardzo, bo byłam pewna, że się zakocham, a kończę książkę nieusatysfakcjonowana.
Na początku bardzo mi się podobała — mrok, klimat, tajemnica, życie z piętnem błędów rodzica i ogromnej tragedii.
Książka jest bardzo nierówna. Są momenty, gdy staje się nieodkładalna, niepokojąca by zaraz potem akcja praktycznie zamarzła i sprowadzała się do codziennych czynności i rozterek bohaterów.
Przykro mi bardzo, bo byłam pewna, że się zakocham, a kończę książkę nieusatysfakcjonowana.
June 6, 2025
Seven Years of Darkness is a fitting title for this murky and claustrophobic Korean thriller written by You-Jeong Jeong in 2015. The Prologue tells us:
“People would refer to that night’s events as the Seryong Lake Disaster. They would call Dad a crazed murderer. The story was so big that I, too, became famous, as his son. I was eleven years old.”
For seven years, Choi Sowon, now a lonely teenager, has lived in the shadow of his father’s shocking crime. For all that time he has been ostracised because his father, Choi Hyonsu is in prison for mass murder. Hyonsu used to be a professional baseball player, but after an injury he had taken to drink. Nevertheless the murder was inexplicable; a seemingly insane act which led to many deaths. Hyonsu was charged with not only We learn all this very near the beginning of the novel.
But not all is at it seems. This is a dark and disturbing novel, which is full of twists and turns.
The setting is the Seryong reservoir, Hansoldung and the small area surrounding it, on the other side of Peryong mountain from the town of Sunchon, in the Chungchong province. Those responsible for maintaining the reservoir and arboretum do not mix with the small community of about a dozen people who live nearby, and Sowon has no friends from either group. For the last seven years he has been passed from relative to relative. Everyone tries to make someone else take responsibility for the boy, as his father Hyonsu’s case weaves its way through the courts. At first Sowon thinks he can make a new start in his new home, but he is pursued by an anonymous sender of newspaper articles. The whispers start so that yet again everyone soon knows about his father’s crimes.
Now the final day of execution is nearing, and Ahn Sungwhan (Sowon’s guardian whom he calls Mr Ahn) disappears. Shortly after, Sowon receives a package Much of the novel is told this way through flashback, to enable us to piece together and make sense of what happened, and to give us the perspective of most of the people involved. As more facts and suppositions are revealed, we also see that being socially ostracised is the least of Sowon’s worries; he is actually in a great deal of danger.
Through the manuscript we learn the back story. Ahn Sungwhan, a diver, was working as a security guard at Seryong Lake, a ‘first-tier’ reservoir located in the remote Hansoldung village. Dr. Oh Yongje, a dentist owned the arboretum on the reservoir; and Sowon’s father, Choi Hyonsu had just been hired as the new head of security at Seryong Dam (making him Sungwhan’s boss).
Seven Years of Darkness concentrates on these three men, as their inner thoughts build resentments and bristling relationships between them. Two of these men are unsympathetic characters, controlled by their anger and brutish, or drunken behaviour. The third becomes a loyal and supportive friend to one of them, although no reason is given for this. Finding anyone to identify with in Seven Years of Darkness is mostly a lost cause, but this character is perhaps one we can feel empathy for. Each of the three men has something to hide about the night of the reservoir disaster. They are all trapped in an elaborate game of cat and mouse, as each tries to uncover what really happened, without revealing their own closely guarded secrets.
The females are very much secondary characters. Most prominent are the wives of Hyonsu and Yongje; the aspirational and upwardly mobile Eunju, and Hayong the cowed and bullied wife of the dentist. Each is ruled by their emotions, and lives their life as an adjunct to the males; an aspect I have noticed before in Korean literature. We see their frustrations and fears, and how this impacts on the events. There are two children of similar ages: Sowon and Yongje’s daughter Seryong. I would have liked to see more about their interactions, but they are objectified casualties, and very much secondary to the mind-games between the adults.
There is terrorising, domestic violence - some of which is vicious and graphic - and a brief episode of animal cruelty as well as ongoing child abuse (i.e. bullying and brutality, not sexual). There is little let up from this, until one night when things come to a head.
The plot is a finely worked web, with the devious spider at the centre signalled very early. We watch how the villain crafts and sets the threads carefully in place so that the designated victims are ensnared. The machinations of the plot are all told through the manuscript, so that we learn of this alongside Sowon, who is trying to fit all the pieces together. Personally I think the novel would have benefitted from exploring Sowon’s perspective rather than simply retelling these past events. I have no sense of how Sowon feels about his predicament. I also feel that the ending was rather rushed. I would have liked more to have been made of the relationship between past and present.
The novel is translated into American English by Chi-Young Kim. It is quite a careful translation, with only an occasional lapse of tense or parts of speech (“shined his torch” irked me a few times, too). For those not familiar with name order in South-East Asian names where the surname is at the beginning, the text often helpfully says something like “Dr Ahn” for Ahn Sungwhan, which serves as a reminder. (Incidentally, as you can see, the translator has chosen to switch her name Kim Chi-young (김지영) round, and arrange it using the conventional Western name order.) As another aside, at the end I was surprised to discover that You-Jeong Jeong is a female author. I always maintain that if I can tell the gender of an author, this often acts as a indicator that I will not enjoy the book. I deliberately do not read blurbs immediately before, either, so knew nothing about this one before I began. Yet all the way through, I was conscious of an erroneous feeling that this was a male author.
Am I glad I read Seven Years of Darkness? Not really. My experience of Korean literature is limited; I have only read one other book so far by a South Korean author, an eco-thriller which I much preferred. In places it reminded me of American hard-boiled crime thrillers; a genre I do not care for. However there were a few beautiful passages which hinted at an aspect I would have liked to see developed, such as this flash of memory at a critical moment for Hyonsu:
“sorghum fields swaying bloodred under the moon, the ocean breeze wafting over the stalks, the glimmer of the lighthouse beyond the mountain at the far edge of the field. A boy walking through the fields, clutching his father’s shoes and a flashlight.”
Seven Years in Darkness is very atmospheric in places, such as the description of a night dive through the underwater “drowned” village. There are places where there is a feeling of unreality about the whole thing:
“the recurring dream he’d had every night for the last three nights was not a dream; it was reality within a dream and a dream within reality.”
There is a sense all through of lost dreams, of thwarted ambitions and momentary decisions which drastically affect and wreck everything which happens afterwards. Although the plot is ostensibly about revealing the truth, we are left in no doubt that this can sometimes be a grey area. You-Jeong Jeong said that this is the core of Seven Years of Darkness:
“Fate sometimes sends your life a sweet breeze and warm sunlight, while at other times a gust of misfortune. Sometimes we make the wrong decisions. There is a gray area between fact and truth, which isn’t often talked about. Though uncomfortable and confusing, none of us can escape the gray. This novel is about that gray area, about a man who made a single mistake that ruined his life. It’s about the darkness within people, and the lightness made possible by sacrificing oneself for someone else. I am hopeful that we can say yes to life in spite of it all.”
For me though, in the end Seven Years in Darkness is about power, and not about “truth”.
Friedrich Nietzsche maintained that there is no such thing as absolute truth: that there is no eternal and unchanging truth.
“All things are subject to interpretation. Whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.”
We certainly see here that people impose their metaphorical truth on others in the pursuit of power. A strong sense of this comes through to me, rather than You-Jeong Jeong’s idea of light through self-sacrifice. I was rooting for a different ending throughout this book, although that could possibly be my cultural expectation. In some ways Seven Years of Darkness does not conform to the Western prototype for thrillers. As “Crime Time” said:
“this powerful tale of family violence, the abuse of drink and the sins of the fathers proves fascinating as it explores a way of life so different from our own and makes powerful statements about South Korean society and mores”.
The “Financial Times” calls it “an admirably tough fable about the fragile search for the truth.”
The “Los Angeles Times” calls You-Jeong Jeong a “certified international phenomenon … one among the best at writing psychological suspense”.
Germany’s “Die Zeit” has said You-Jeong Jeong is “rightly compared to Stephen King”, and named Seven Years of Darkness as one of the top ten crime novels of 2015.
You-Jeong Jeong is hugely popular in South Korea: the “Queen of Crime” who has written four best-selling psychological suspense thrillers. The author’s work has been translated into Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Thai and Vietnamese. It remains at my default of 3 stars, but depending on your taste, you may well think that Seven Years of Darkness is a gripping read.
“People would refer to that night’s events as the Seryong Lake Disaster. They would call Dad a crazed murderer. The story was so big that I, too, became famous, as his son. I was eleven years old.”
For seven years, Choi Sowon, now a lonely teenager, has lived in the shadow of his father’s shocking crime. For all that time he has been ostracised because his father, Choi Hyonsu is in prison for mass murder. Hyonsu used to be a professional baseball player, but after an injury he had taken to drink. Nevertheless the murder was inexplicable; a seemingly insane act which led to many deaths. Hyonsu was charged with not only We learn all this very near the beginning of the novel.
But not all is at it seems. This is a dark and disturbing novel, which is full of twists and turns.
The setting is the Seryong reservoir, Hansoldung and the small area surrounding it, on the other side of Peryong mountain from the town of Sunchon, in the Chungchong province. Those responsible for maintaining the reservoir and arboretum do not mix with the small community of about a dozen people who live nearby, and Sowon has no friends from either group. For the last seven years he has been passed from relative to relative. Everyone tries to make someone else take responsibility for the boy, as his father Hyonsu’s case weaves its way through the courts. At first Sowon thinks he can make a new start in his new home, but he is pursued by an anonymous sender of newspaper articles. The whispers start so that yet again everyone soon knows about his father’s crimes.
Now the final day of execution is nearing, and Ahn Sungwhan (Sowon’s guardian whom he calls Mr Ahn) disappears. Shortly after, Sowon receives a package Much of the novel is told this way through flashback, to enable us to piece together and make sense of what happened, and to give us the perspective of most of the people involved. As more facts and suppositions are revealed, we also see that being socially ostracised is the least of Sowon’s worries; he is actually in a great deal of danger.
Through the manuscript we learn the back story. Ahn Sungwhan, a diver, was working as a security guard at Seryong Lake, a ‘first-tier’ reservoir located in the remote Hansoldung village. Dr. Oh Yongje, a dentist owned the arboretum on the reservoir; and Sowon’s father, Choi Hyonsu had just been hired as the new head of security at Seryong Dam (making him Sungwhan’s boss).
Seven Years of Darkness concentrates on these three men, as their inner thoughts build resentments and bristling relationships between them. Two of these men are unsympathetic characters, controlled by their anger and brutish, or drunken behaviour. The third becomes a loyal and supportive friend to one of them, although no reason is given for this. Finding anyone to identify with in Seven Years of Darkness is mostly a lost cause, but this character is perhaps one we can feel empathy for. Each of the three men has something to hide about the night of the reservoir disaster. They are all trapped in an elaborate game of cat and mouse, as each tries to uncover what really happened, without revealing their own closely guarded secrets.
The females are very much secondary characters. Most prominent are the wives of Hyonsu and Yongje; the aspirational and upwardly mobile Eunju, and Hayong the cowed and bullied wife of the dentist. Each is ruled by their emotions, and lives their life as an adjunct to the males; an aspect I have noticed before in Korean literature. We see their frustrations and fears, and how this impacts on the events. There are two children of similar ages: Sowon and Yongje’s daughter Seryong. I would have liked to see more about their interactions, but they are objectified casualties, and very much secondary to the mind-games between the adults.
There is terrorising, domestic violence - some of which is vicious and graphic - and a brief episode of animal cruelty as well as ongoing child abuse (i.e. bullying and brutality, not sexual). There is little let up from this, until one night when things come to a head.
The plot is a finely worked web, with the devious spider at the centre signalled very early. We watch how the villain crafts and sets the threads carefully in place so that the designated victims are ensnared. The machinations of the plot are all told through the manuscript, so that we learn of this alongside Sowon, who is trying to fit all the pieces together. Personally I think the novel would have benefitted from exploring Sowon’s perspective rather than simply retelling these past events. I have no sense of how Sowon feels about his predicament. I also feel that the ending was rather rushed. I would have liked more to have been made of the relationship between past and present.
The novel is translated into American English by Chi-Young Kim. It is quite a careful translation, with only an occasional lapse of tense or parts of speech (“shined his torch” irked me a few times, too). For those not familiar with name order in South-East Asian names where the surname is at the beginning, the text often helpfully says something like “Dr Ahn” for Ahn Sungwhan, which serves as a reminder. (Incidentally, as you can see, the translator has chosen to switch her name Kim Chi-young (김지영) round, and arrange it using the conventional Western name order.) As another aside, at the end I was surprised to discover that You-Jeong Jeong is a female author. I always maintain that if I can tell the gender of an author, this often acts as a indicator that I will not enjoy the book. I deliberately do not read blurbs immediately before, either, so knew nothing about this one before I began. Yet all the way through, I was conscious of an erroneous feeling that this was a male author.
Am I glad I read Seven Years of Darkness? Not really. My experience of Korean literature is limited; I have only read one other book so far by a South Korean author, an eco-thriller which I much preferred. In places it reminded me of American hard-boiled crime thrillers; a genre I do not care for. However there were a few beautiful passages which hinted at an aspect I would have liked to see developed, such as this flash of memory at a critical moment for Hyonsu:
“sorghum fields swaying bloodred under the moon, the ocean breeze wafting over the stalks, the glimmer of the lighthouse beyond the mountain at the far edge of the field. A boy walking through the fields, clutching his father’s shoes and a flashlight.”
Seven Years in Darkness is very atmospheric in places, such as the description of a night dive through the underwater “drowned” village. There are places where there is a feeling of unreality about the whole thing:
“the recurring dream he’d had every night for the last three nights was not a dream; it was reality within a dream and a dream within reality.”
There is a sense all through of lost dreams, of thwarted ambitions and momentary decisions which drastically affect and wreck everything which happens afterwards. Although the plot is ostensibly about revealing the truth, we are left in no doubt that this can sometimes be a grey area. You-Jeong Jeong said that this is the core of Seven Years of Darkness:
“Fate sometimes sends your life a sweet breeze and warm sunlight, while at other times a gust of misfortune. Sometimes we make the wrong decisions. There is a gray area between fact and truth, which isn’t often talked about. Though uncomfortable and confusing, none of us can escape the gray. This novel is about that gray area, about a man who made a single mistake that ruined his life. It’s about the darkness within people, and the lightness made possible by sacrificing oneself for someone else. I am hopeful that we can say yes to life in spite of it all.”
For me though, in the end Seven Years in Darkness is about power, and not about “truth”.
Friedrich Nietzsche maintained that there is no such thing as absolute truth: that there is no eternal and unchanging truth.
“All things are subject to interpretation. Whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.”
We certainly see here that people impose their metaphorical truth on others in the pursuit of power. A strong sense of this comes through to me, rather than You-Jeong Jeong’s idea of light through self-sacrifice. I was rooting for a different ending throughout this book, although that could possibly be my cultural expectation. In some ways Seven Years of Darkness does not conform to the Western prototype for thrillers. As “Crime Time” said:
“this powerful tale of family violence, the abuse of drink and the sins of the fathers proves fascinating as it explores a way of life so different from our own and makes powerful statements about South Korean society and mores”.
The “Financial Times” calls it “an admirably tough fable about the fragile search for the truth.”
The “Los Angeles Times” calls You-Jeong Jeong a “certified international phenomenon … one among the best at writing psychological suspense”.
Germany’s “Die Zeit” has said You-Jeong Jeong is “rightly compared to Stephen King”, and named Seven Years of Darkness as one of the top ten crime novels of 2015.
You-Jeong Jeong is hugely popular in South Korea: the “Queen of Crime” who has written four best-selling psychological suspense thrillers. The author’s work has been translated into Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Thai and Vietnamese. It remains at my default of 3 stars, but depending on your taste, you may well think that Seven Years of Darkness is a gripping read.
August 27, 2018
As a Korean American, I wanted to get into reading some Korean novels to get in touch with the literary scene there and practice the language. I heard about this novel through some blogs and forums that gave it such praise as a crime genre novel. Korea has some great literary works, but genre novels over there were iffy at best from what I remembered. These things were generally Western products we imported and consumed, much like movies. Then, feeling adventurous, I read through some of the first pages at a library, and immediately felt a pull.
The writing was gorgeous. In my mind, the descriptive qualities of Jeong's prose could create serene watercolor scenes or dark, grotesque chiaroscuros of characters and their private lives. These characters got into my head, swam in there, and I could not put down the book anywhere, even during classes. I never could do the writing any justice if I attempted to translate them. All the passages are in original Korean. (Spoilers from here)
"다시는 고의로 잊지 않도록, 무의식이 잠시라도 진실을 누락시킬수 없도록, 아이의 눈이 그의 눈에 화인을 찍고 있었다. 당신은 사고를 낸 게 아니야. 살인을 저지른 것이지."
Vengeance tales and murder mysteries generate interest by manipulating a certain human desire to pinch out the truth in a false world and bring justice to those who deserve it. Fascination with conspiracy theories, where powerful, corrupt individuals get their due in the face of truth, stems from this desire as well. But 7년의 밤 reverts the trope on us and highlights the difference between two things we may confuse: facts and truth.
The mass murderer in this novel is in fact only a family man, trapped between his own incompetence and social apathy. Hyunsu murders a girl by accidentally running her over while drunk driving and then tossing her in the river in a fright. The father of the murdered girl is a respected member of society, with influence and wealth. It seems the murderer will get away with it as there is no real evidence of his crime. But the father knows.
"남펀은 세상에서 가족을 가장 소중히 여기는 사람입니다. 처읔엔 그것이 가족에 대한 사랑이라고 여겼습니다. 나중에야, '자기 것'에 대한 병적인 집착이라는 걸 깨달았지요. 그에게 아내와 아이는 '자기 것'의 핵입니다. 자신이 정한 자리에 있어야 하는것, 자신의 권위와 영향력과 통제력을 확인하는 대상, 자신이 주는 것만 받고 자신이 요구하는 것을 주는 존재, 자신의 방식대로 움직이는 손가락과 발가락입니다. 그것이 흔들린다는건, 자기세계의 핵심이 손상당한다는 것과 같은 의미 입니다."
It should be an open and shut case, the murderer gets punished and the father gets his vengeance. But do we, as readers, want this particular flavor of justice? Jeong's twisted telling of this crime make us empathize with the criminal more than the murdered girl's father. The father, Yungjae, is in fact a sadist sociopath who manipulates public opinion in his favor in order to cover his abusive behavior at home. The night his daughter was killed, he had beaten her so much that her teeth fell out, and she had run away to escape from him. And upon learning of the girl's death, Yungjae's grief becomes a peculiar one. He grieves the loss of his control, because his daughter never had been a person to him, but an essential tool to assure himself that he had ultimate control over the household. His vengeance is twisted and tortuous. Using his influence, he gains control over the dam facility, and tries to drown Hyunsu's son behind this village dam. The mother tries to stop him, but gets beaten to death. In a tense fight, Hyunsu tries to save his son, and opens all 5 gates of the dam, flooding the village. He is then arrested, charged with murder of a girl, his own wife, and the whole village.
The grotesque vengeance tale is resolved seven years later when this ostracized son, whom Yungjae had nearly drowned, reveals the truth behind the crimes. So a slightly "just" ending of sorts, although Hynsu had already been executed for crimes he did and did not commit. The tale poses a question. Is there a difference between certain facts, and certain truths? Did Hyunsu deserve to be executed? He killed a girl, but at the core of him there was never any sinister, lurking evil. His downfall was that he was a bumbling, irresponsible fool who roused the rage of the wrong person, and that he loved his own son over anything else. The story is far too realistically grim to be a comfortable couch reading. While values like revenge and justice may be something that we reserve for the oppressed in our fantasies, the usual going of the matter is that corruption and power always has an upper hand over even the facts, and worse yet, has the capability to sculpt these facts the way they like to see them.
The writing was gorgeous. In my mind, the descriptive qualities of Jeong's prose could create serene watercolor scenes or dark, grotesque chiaroscuros of characters and their private lives. These characters got into my head, swam in there, and I could not put down the book anywhere, even during classes. I never could do the writing any justice if I attempted to translate them. All the passages are in original Korean. (Spoilers from here)
"다시는 고의로 잊지 않도록, 무의식이 잠시라도 진실을 누락시킬수 없도록, 아이의 눈이 그의 눈에 화인을 찍고 있었다. 당신은 사고를 낸 게 아니야. 살인을 저지른 것이지."
Vengeance tales and murder mysteries generate interest by manipulating a certain human desire to pinch out the truth in a false world and bring justice to those who deserve it. Fascination with conspiracy theories, where powerful, corrupt individuals get their due in the face of truth, stems from this desire as well. But 7년의 밤 reverts the trope on us and highlights the difference between two things we may confuse: facts and truth.
The mass murderer in this novel is in fact only a family man, trapped between his own incompetence and social apathy. Hyunsu murders a girl by accidentally running her over while drunk driving and then tossing her in the river in a fright. The father of the murdered girl is a respected member of society, with influence and wealth. It seems the murderer will get away with it as there is no real evidence of his crime. But the father knows.
"남펀은 세상에서 가족을 가장 소중히 여기는 사람입니다. 처읔엔 그것이 가족에 대한 사랑이라고 여겼습니다. 나중에야, '자기 것'에 대한 병적인 집착이라는 걸 깨달았지요. 그에게 아내와 아이는 '자기 것'의 핵입니다. 자신이 정한 자리에 있어야 하는것, 자신의 권위와 영향력과 통제력을 확인하는 대상, 자신이 주는 것만 받고 자신이 요구하는 것을 주는 존재, 자신의 방식대로 움직이는 손가락과 발가락입니다. 그것이 흔들린다는건, 자기세계의 핵심이 손상당한다는 것과 같은 의미 입니다."
It should be an open and shut case, the murderer gets punished and the father gets his vengeance. But do we, as readers, want this particular flavor of justice? Jeong's twisted telling of this crime make us empathize with the criminal more than the murdered girl's father. The father, Yungjae, is in fact a sadist sociopath who manipulates public opinion in his favor in order to cover his abusive behavior at home. The night his daughter was killed, he had beaten her so much that her teeth fell out, and she had run away to escape from him. And upon learning of the girl's death, Yungjae's grief becomes a peculiar one. He grieves the loss of his control, because his daughter never had been a person to him, but an essential tool to assure himself that he had ultimate control over the household. His vengeance is twisted and tortuous. Using his influence, he gains control over the dam facility, and tries to drown Hyunsu's son behind this village dam. The mother tries to stop him, but gets beaten to death. In a tense fight, Hyunsu tries to save his son, and opens all 5 gates of the dam, flooding the village. He is then arrested, charged with murder of a girl, his own wife, and the whole village.
The grotesque vengeance tale is resolved seven years later when this ostracized son, whom Yungjae had nearly drowned, reveals the truth behind the crimes. So a slightly "just" ending of sorts, although Hynsu had already been executed for crimes he did and did not commit. The tale poses a question. Is there a difference between certain facts, and certain truths? Did Hyunsu deserve to be executed? He killed a girl, but at the core of him there was never any sinister, lurking evil. His downfall was that he was a bumbling, irresponsible fool who roused the rage of the wrong person, and that he loved his own son over anything else. The story is far too realistically grim to be a comfortable couch reading. While values like revenge and justice may be something that we reserve for the oppressed in our fantasies, the usual going of the matter is that corruption and power always has an upper hand over even the facts, and worse yet, has the capability to sculpt these facts the way they like to see them.
June 19, 2020
like a 3.8 rounded up.
full post here:
http://www.crimesegments.com/2020/06/...
For some unknown reason I chose to make this book a daytime read rather than leaving it upstairs on my nightstand, and it turns out to have been a wise decision. Seven Years of Darkness is an absolute page turner -- had I started it at bedtime, I would have had to stay up all night to finish it.
I don't usually read books that are billed as thrillers, so I was taking a big chance here. I needn't have worried -- I was hooked right away in the opening prologue, making it so I had to know what had actually happened here and the why of it all, causing pages to be turned quickly. I was also immediately enveloped in the atmospheric mists and fog which the author uses to great effect, as well as the creepiness of a submerged village complete with yellow lane-dividing lines and nameplates on the empty houses. She also managed to handle some pretty horrific scenes of violence without being gratituitous in the telling, which I appreciate these days. But what I really liked was the author's focus on broken dreams that can take their toll on a person, making this not just a thriller per se but a novel that examines different factors leading up to the moment when, as the author says in her note at the end of the book, "a man ... made a single mistake that ruined his life." The outward-rippling consequences of that moment follow throughout this story. I will also say that by the time I'd finished the book, I was thinking that there is more than one person here who could share in the blame leading up to that moment, but I'll leave the reasons why for others to discover.
Some of the text could have been reined in to make things a bit more taut in the telling, and the climactic scene at the end seemed a bit rushed. However, those are minor niggles compared to the rest of this story, which kept me on edge throughout. As the back cover says, it's "Dark, disturbing, and full of twists and turns," to which I say, what more could you possibly want?
very much recommended.
full post here:
http://www.crimesegments.com/2020/06/...
For some unknown reason I chose to make this book a daytime read rather than leaving it upstairs on my nightstand, and it turns out to have been a wise decision. Seven Years of Darkness is an absolute page turner -- had I started it at bedtime, I would have had to stay up all night to finish it.
I don't usually read books that are billed as thrillers, so I was taking a big chance here. I needn't have worried -- I was hooked right away in the opening prologue, making it so I had to know what had actually happened here and the why of it all, causing pages to be turned quickly. I was also immediately enveloped in the atmospheric mists and fog which the author uses to great effect, as well as the creepiness of a submerged village complete with yellow lane-dividing lines and nameplates on the empty houses. She also managed to handle some pretty horrific scenes of violence without being gratituitous in the telling, which I appreciate these days. But what I really liked was the author's focus on broken dreams that can take their toll on a person, making this not just a thriller per se but a novel that examines different factors leading up to the moment when, as the author says in her note at the end of the book, "a man ... made a single mistake that ruined his life." The outward-rippling consequences of that moment follow throughout this story. I will also say that by the time I'd finished the book, I was thinking that there is more than one person here who could share in the blame leading up to that moment, but I'll leave the reasons why for others to discover.
Some of the text could have been reined in to make things a bit more taut in the telling, and the climactic scene at the end seemed a bit rushed. However, those are minor niggles compared to the rest of this story, which kept me on edge throughout. As the back cover says, it's "Dark, disturbing, and full of twists and turns," to which I say, what more could you possibly want?
very much recommended.
January 7, 2022
As usual, most writer from Korean or Japan had some kind of slow and mysterious style presenting their story. This story digged slowly towards the story of wrong accused and misunderstanding between a son and his father. How society are cruel towards misdeed and sin,sadly how hard people around the sinner had to pay for their family crime.
The writer brilliantly portrayed a life of son before and after his father been accused of killing a teenage girl. How he struggle to maintain his secret but failed. Every time his cover blown he had to restart as someone new elsewhere, its really painful and hard process. You never know how long you can live peacefully. Uncertainty in live are really tough. That why he's so mad and can't forgive his father.
But turning point in this story is quite interesting when he starts to get a clue about the incident. That question whether his father are innocent or else. In a big picture the writer tried to question about how blurry the line between right or wrong in some people or class. At the end, the richer always win even in crimes. Its a bit frustrating when the poor(presented through a father character) had a better heart and bravely sacrificed for his son sake.There are also some truth that just had to been kept from justice.
This story stand for a long time in my system, I'm really touch and question the ending. Why there are always injustice in life that can't been broke? Why you find the truth just to keep it for yourself? Sadly, the innocent slowly rotten in a shadow and life keep going. I think that the writer motivation toward the reader, what ever happen, keep going on living. Sad, but that's the absolute truth we had to always remember. #fatimahmanaf #timahbacaapa
The writer brilliantly portrayed a life of son before and after his father been accused of killing a teenage girl. How he struggle to maintain his secret but failed. Every time his cover blown he had to restart as someone new elsewhere, its really painful and hard process. You never know how long you can live peacefully. Uncertainty in live are really tough. That why he's so mad and can't forgive his father.
But turning point in this story is quite interesting when he starts to get a clue about the incident. That question whether his father are innocent or else. In a big picture the writer tried to question about how blurry the line between right or wrong in some people or class. At the end, the richer always win even in crimes. Its a bit frustrating when the poor(presented through a father character) had a better heart and bravely sacrificed for his son sake.There are also some truth that just had to been kept from justice.
This story stand for a long time in my system, I'm really touch and question the ending. Why there are always injustice in life that can't been broke? Why you find the truth just to keep it for yourself? Sadly, the innocent slowly rotten in a shadow and life keep going. I think that the writer motivation toward the reader, what ever happen, keep going on living. Sad, but that's the absolute truth we had to always remember. #fatimahmanaf #timahbacaapa
February 7, 2021
A story of fate and how that little mistake could lead to a terrible outcome. A bit noir (in a good way) for me. Riveting and thrilling, kind of love the idea on how the plot disguising as a novel manuscript written by Mr. Ahn to structure the plot storytelling-- it replicates the past through fragments of the real story that had happened 7 years ago. The development was intriguing, the tension and conflict were thrilling. All those trauma and coincidences, the suffering soul and the disturbing characters, I love the two scenarios it represents about a father-child relationship-- one that would beaten and traumatized his child, and one that would give a world to his child.
Sowon is a nice character that I love his calmness even with everything happening-- being judged and loathed cause of his father, been thrown away by his relatives, had to quit school and now his only guardian might be in danger. Both Mr. Ahn and Sowon were my favorite though I think the author did great in crafting the antagonist too but honestly Yongje freaks me a lot. He's a monster, a lunatic, a dentist who needs help.
The psychological terror (I really feel bad for Seryong) and its twisty and turns were madness, how the incident actually easily expected but somehow the anxiety, the secrets and vengence making it a totally heart-wrenching.
Although the ending was a bit too easy for me I really love the epilogue a lot, chilling but satisfying. Giving it a 4.5 stars!
Sowon is a nice character that I love his calmness even with everything happening-- being judged and loathed cause of his father, been thrown away by his relatives, had to quit school and now his only guardian might be in danger. Both Mr. Ahn and Sowon were my favorite though I think the author did great in crafting the antagonist too but honestly Yongje freaks me a lot. He's a monster, a lunatic, a dentist who needs help.
The psychological terror (I really feel bad for Seryong) and its twisty and turns were madness, how the incident actually easily expected but somehow the anxiety, the secrets and vengence making it a totally heart-wrenching.
Although the ending was a bit too easy for me I really love the epilogue a lot, chilling but satisfying. Giving it a 4.5 stars!
May 5, 2025
Bir suç yalnızca failini mi etkiler yoksa masumları da peşinden sürükler mi?
Yedi Yıllık Karanlık, bu soruya etkileyici bir yanıt sunuyor. Babasının işlediği cinayet yüzünden hiçbir suçu olmadığı halde hayatı altüst olan Sovon, toplumun acımasız önyargılarıyla mücadele etmek zorunda kalır. Kitap, Sovon’un suçsuzken suçlu gibi görünmesinin yarattığı içsel çatışmaları ustalıkla işler.
Gerilim ve psikolojik çöküşün iç içe geçtiği bu hikayede, suçun yalnızca faili değil, çevresindekiler üzerindeki yıkıcı etkileri de gözler önüne serer. Olay örgüsü ilerledikçe gerilim adım adım yükselir, karakterlerin yaşadığı çelişkiler ve iç hesaplaşmalar derinleşir. Okur giderek ağırlaşan atmosfer de gerilimi içinde hisseder.
Yedi Yıllık Karanlık, sadece bir polisiye gerilim değil, aynı zamanda insanın üzerine yüklenen suçluluk duygusunun ve toplumun dışlayıcı tavrının insan ruhu üzerindeki etkilerini gözler önüne seren sarsıcı bir hikaye. Kasvetli atmosferi, derin karakter çözümlemeleri ve titizlikle işlenmiş olay örgüsüyle okunmaya değer bir eser.
https://www.instagram.com/cityreaders...
Yedi Yıllık Karanlık, bu soruya etkileyici bir yanıt sunuyor. Babasının işlediği cinayet yüzünden hiçbir suçu olmadığı halde hayatı altüst olan Sovon, toplumun acımasız önyargılarıyla mücadele etmek zorunda kalır. Kitap, Sovon’un suçsuzken suçlu gibi görünmesinin yarattığı içsel çatışmaları ustalıkla işler.
Gerilim ve psikolojik çöküşün iç içe geçtiği bu hikayede, suçun yalnızca faili değil, çevresindekiler üzerindeki yıkıcı etkileri de gözler önüne serer. Olay örgüsü ilerledikçe gerilim adım adım yükselir, karakterlerin yaşadığı çelişkiler ve iç hesaplaşmalar derinleşir. Okur giderek ağırlaşan atmosfer de gerilimi içinde hisseder.
Yedi Yıllık Karanlık, sadece bir polisiye gerilim değil, aynı zamanda insanın üzerine yüklenen suçluluk duygusunun ve toplumun dışlayıcı tavrının insan ruhu üzerindeki etkilerini gözler önüne seren sarsıcı bir hikaye. Kasvetli atmosferi, derin karakter çözümlemeleri ve titizlikle işlenmiş olay örgüsüyle okunmaya değer bir eser.
https://www.instagram.com/cityreaders...
June 14, 2020
A lovely entrant into South Korean crime fiction. I don’t know what made me turn to this dark and twisted novel in the middle of some serious stress, but well, I do funny things in life.
In a way, rather than looking at this as mere ‘crime,’ this novel can be an exploration of the inescapable consequences of our choices, and by extension, our mistakes. One man makes a mistake that defines his life and his relationships. It’s that which forms the basis of the novel. It’s not a whodunit. It’s a whydowedoit.
Note: Lots of scenes of extreme violence and abuse.
In a way, rather than looking at this as mere ‘crime,’ this novel can be an exploration of the inescapable consequences of our choices, and by extension, our mistakes. One man makes a mistake that defines his life and his relationships. It’s that which forms the basis of the novel. It’s not a whodunit. It’s a whydowedoit.
Note: Lots of scenes of extreme violence and abuse.
May 8, 2022
Może to trochę zbyt surowa ocena, bo ta książka nie była zła ani dobra - była stuprocentowo żadna. Ale próbowałam wymyślić chociaż jedną, jedyną rzecz, która mi się w niej podobała, i nie wymyśliłam niczego.
November 3, 2016
Thật kì diệu, sự thỏa mãn dành cho 7 năm bóng tối đã vượt quá dự tính ban đầu của tôi. Nó làm cho việc mua được cuốn sách này với mức giảm giá vốn dĩ đã cao mà số tiền phải trả cũng còn nhiều vẫn trở thành một món hời khá lớn.
Độ dày và khổ của cuốn sách làm tôi có phần uể oải khi bắt đầu đọc, nhưng cũng rất nhanh chóng bị cuốn vào mê cung của "bóng tối" đó. Thật ra cốt truyện không có gì độc đáo mới lạ vượt bậc, điều đó khiến tôi rất thán phục sức viết của tác giả - cả về khả năng duy trì mạch truyện và khả năng hấp dẫn hóa mạch truyện đó. Jeong You Jeong làm tôi cứ như con lừa nhỏ bị dắt mũi theo suốt từ lúc giở sách ra đến hôm nay, dù cách nói này có khiến hình tượng của bản thân hơi bị xuống cấp, hehe.
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Trong 7 năm bóng tối, một cái chết được treo lên lơ lửng ngay từ những trang đầu tiên, nhưng cái ta thắc mắc không phải là ai gây ra, bởi vì bạn chưa kịp hỏi thì hung thủ đã tự lộ diện rồi. Mà từ đó, bạn chỉ còn canh cánh trong lòng câu hỏi tại sao, thế nào mà tất cả chuyện này lại thành ra như vậy. Điều đó thậm chí còn làm tôi thấy bồn chồn bứt rứt hơn.
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Có những nhân vật điển hình cho kiểu người khiến tôi vừa thương vừa ghét. Đó là Huyn Soo và Eun Joo - hai vợ chồng và là bố mẹ của một đứa bé trẻ khi thảm kịch làng Se Ryung xảy ra. Người chồng cả ngày rượu chè bê tha và bạc nhược đến mức nhục nhã, nhưng không bao giờ đánh đập vợ con. Người vợ kiên cường lèo lái gia đình nhỏ, nhưng quá quắt và lắm lời đến độ không thể chịu nổi. Nói thật nếu quẳng tôi đến sống với 2 người này chắc rồi tôi cũng bị thần kinh luôn.
Điểm giống nhau nhất nhưng chẳng có gì phải ngạc nhiên ở 2 cá thể này là tình yêu vô điều kiện dành cho Seo Won - con trai của họ. Vì cậu bé, người cha người mẹ ấy sẵn sàng trả bất cứ cái giá nào dù có đắt đỏ, dù hình ảnh của bản thân sẽ trở nên xấu xí kinh khủng, dù phải giao dịch bằng cả mạng sống của mình... Điều đó làm nên những khoảnh khắc chuyển biến thật bất ngờ trong tình cảm của tôi. Những lúc ấy, tôi thấy yêu mến họ vô kể.
Đó là lí do tuy không thể đồng tình với hành động giết người của Huyn Soo, tôi vẫn âm thầm đứng về phía anh ta trong suốt câu chuyện.
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Có cả nhân vật điển hình cho kiểu người tôi chỉ muốn văng tục, nhổ nước bọt vào giữa cái bản mặt của hắn, một người không có tư cách làm người, là Oh Young Je. Thử tưởng tượng xem tôi đã khao khát được làm việc đó như thế nào, đồng thời cũng ghê tởm và sợ hãi con thú bệnh hoạn đó như thế nào trong suốt quá trình đọc sách!
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Cả nhân vật tuy không được xuất hiện nhiều nhưng lại tạo được mối thiện cảm và lòng tin tuyệt đối như Seung Hwan. Tôi nghĩ rằng người được anh yêu thương và bảo vệ sẽ cực kì có cảm giác an toàn và hạnh phúc.
Nếu được, hãy cho đời bớt đi một soái ca ngôn tình và thêm vào một Seung Hwan.
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Điều thú vị thứ nhất khi đọc cuốn 7 năm bóng tối là tôi bỗng dưng liên tưởng tới hiệu ứng cánh bướm; nhận ra một quyết định, lựa chọn, hành động nhỏ trong quá khứ có thể khiến tương lai rẽ sang một lối đi khác xa so với tính toán đến thế nào. Quay trở về thời điểm khi mối quan hệ giữa Huyn Soo và Eun Joo còn lãng mạn và đầy tính điện ảnh, nếu họ thay đổi cách chia sẻ, giao tiếp - một cách giản dị, tất cả rất có thể đã bước ra khỏi vùng tối kinh hoàng. Và khi đó thay vào non 600 trang sách deep tối tăm mặt mũi sẽ là một một tiểu thuyết lãng mạn khác mà chắc tôi sẽ chả bao giờ mua.
Điều thú vị thứ hai là tôi thấy con người ta khi phải đối mặt với tai ương, chuyện không thể chống đỡ nổi... thường viện tới những đấng quyền năng vô hình để tìm kiếm sự an ủi, xoa dịu nhất thời. Ở đây không, họ trực tiếp đối mặt với tất cả mọi chuyện dù chúng thật sự kinh khủng và làm tổn hại họ cả về thể chất và tinh thần. Có thể vì trọng điểm của truyện không phải là cuộc phiêu lưu tâm linh của những con chiên ngoan đạo nên tất cả những cảnh đó được lược bỏ hết rồi, nhưng vẫn làm tôi nảy ra sự để tâm bất chợt đó và tự vẽ trong đầu một bối cảnh trong đó con người bị lột trần, trực diện đối đầu với những góc tối sâu thẳm của bản thân. Thật chẳng hiểu nó có ý nghĩa gì, não bộ thần kì thật.
Điều thú vị thứ ba là tôi đã luôn nghĩ rằng Jeong You Jeong là một "ông" tác giả với cái giọng văn sắc lạnh điềm nhiên và có cái gì rất đàn ông đó, cho tới khi nhìn thấy bà vào ngày hôm nay. Có phải là hơi bị hài hước không?
Điều thắc mắc đầu tiên và duy nhất cho đến giờ là liệu con số 12 có ý nghĩa gì đối với tác giả không, mà tôi không thể không đồ rằng nó được lặp lại một cách có chủ đích?
Và cuối cùng, ơ là gì nhỉ, tự nhiên quên mất rồi. :'(
Edit: À nhớ ra rồi, đang định khen phần tâm lí nhân vật tác giả viết hay quá, tôi đọc như bị nhập ấy :3
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Thích cuốn này, cực thích. :>
Độ dày và khổ của cuốn sách làm tôi có phần uể oải khi bắt đầu đọc, nhưng cũng rất nhanh chóng bị cuốn vào mê cung của "bóng tối" đó. Thật ra cốt truyện không có gì độc đáo mới lạ vượt bậc, điều đó khiến tôi rất thán phục sức viết của tác giả - cả về khả năng duy trì mạch truyện và khả năng hấp dẫn hóa mạch truyện đó. Jeong You Jeong làm tôi cứ như con lừa nhỏ bị dắt mũi theo suốt từ lúc giở sách ra đến hôm nay, dù cách nói này có khiến hình tượng của bản thân hơi bị xuống cấp, hehe.
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Trong 7 năm bóng tối, một cái chết được treo lên lơ lửng ngay từ những trang đầu tiên, nhưng cái ta thắc mắc không phải là ai gây ra, bởi vì bạn chưa kịp hỏi thì hung thủ đã tự lộ diện rồi. Mà từ đó, bạn chỉ còn canh cánh trong lòng câu hỏi tại sao, thế nào mà tất cả chuyện này lại thành ra như vậy. Điều đó thậm chí còn làm tôi thấy bồn chồn bứt rứt hơn.
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Có những nhân vật điển hình cho kiểu người khiến tôi vừa thương vừa ghét. Đó là Huyn Soo và Eun Joo - hai vợ chồng và là bố mẹ của một đứa bé trẻ khi thảm kịch làng Se Ryung xảy ra. Người chồng cả ngày rượu chè bê tha và bạc nhược đến mức nhục nhã, nhưng không bao giờ đánh đập vợ con. Người vợ kiên cường lèo lái gia đình nhỏ, nhưng quá quắt và lắm lời đến độ không thể chịu nổi. Nói thật nếu quẳng tôi đến sống với 2 người này chắc rồi tôi cũng bị thần kinh luôn.
Điểm giống nhau nhất nhưng chẳng có gì phải ngạc nhiên ở 2 cá thể này là tình yêu vô điều kiện dành cho Seo Won - con trai của họ. Vì cậu bé, người cha người mẹ ấy sẵn sàng trả bất cứ cái giá nào dù có đắt đỏ, dù hình ảnh của bản thân sẽ trở nên xấu xí kinh khủng, dù phải giao dịch bằng cả mạng sống của mình... Điều đó làm nên những khoảnh khắc chuyển biến thật bất ngờ trong tình cảm của tôi. Những lúc ấy, tôi thấy yêu mến họ vô kể.
Đó là lí do tuy không thể đồng tình với hành động giết người của Huyn Soo, tôi vẫn âm thầm đứng về phía anh ta trong suốt câu chuyện.
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Có cả nhân vật điển hình cho kiểu người tôi chỉ muốn văng tục, nhổ nước bọt vào giữa cái bản mặt của hắn, một người không có tư cách làm người, là Oh Young Je. Thử tưởng tượng xem tôi đã khao khát được làm việc đó như thế nào, đồng thời cũng ghê tởm và sợ hãi con thú bệnh hoạn đó như thế nào trong suốt quá trình đọc sách!
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Cả nhân vật tuy không được xuất hiện nhiều nhưng lại tạo được mối thiện cảm và lòng tin tuyệt đối như Seung Hwan. Tôi nghĩ rằng người được anh yêu thương và bảo vệ sẽ cực kì có cảm giác an toàn và hạnh phúc.
Nếu được, hãy cho đời bớt đi một soái ca ngôn tình và thêm vào một Seung Hwan.
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Điều thú vị thứ nhất khi đọc cuốn 7 năm bóng tối là tôi bỗng dưng liên tưởng tới hiệu ứng cánh bướm; nhận ra một quyết định, lựa chọn, hành động nhỏ trong quá khứ có thể khiến tương lai rẽ sang một lối đi khác xa so với tính toán đến thế nào. Quay trở về thời điểm khi mối quan hệ giữa Huyn Soo và Eun Joo còn lãng mạn và đầy tính điện ảnh, nếu họ thay đổi cách chia sẻ, giao tiếp - một cách giản dị, tất cả rất có thể đã bước ra khỏi vùng tối kinh hoàng. Và khi đó thay vào non 600 trang sách deep tối tăm mặt mũi sẽ là một một tiểu thuyết lãng mạn khác mà chắc tôi sẽ chả bao giờ mua.
Điều thú vị thứ hai là tôi thấy con người ta khi phải đối mặt với tai ương, chuyện không thể chống đỡ nổi... thường viện tới những đấng quyền năng vô hình để tìm kiếm sự an ủi, xoa dịu nhất thời. Ở đây không, họ trực tiếp đối mặt với tất cả mọi chuyện dù chúng thật sự kinh khủng và làm tổn hại họ cả về thể chất và tinh thần. Có thể vì trọng điểm của truyện không phải là cuộc phiêu lưu tâm linh của những con chiên ngoan đạo nên tất cả những cảnh đó được lược bỏ hết rồi, nhưng vẫn làm tôi nảy ra sự để tâm bất chợt đó và tự vẽ trong đầu một bối cảnh trong đó con người bị lột trần, trực diện đối đầu với những góc tối sâu thẳm của bản thân. Thật chẳng hiểu nó có ý nghĩa gì, não bộ thần kì thật.
Điều thú vị thứ ba là tôi đã luôn nghĩ rằng Jeong You Jeong là một "ông" tác giả với cái giọng văn sắc lạnh điềm nhiên và có cái gì rất đàn ông đó, cho tới khi nhìn thấy bà vào ngày hôm nay. Có phải là hơi bị hài hước không?
Điều thắc mắc đầu tiên và duy nhất cho đến giờ là liệu con số 12 có ý nghĩa gì đối với tác giả không, mà tôi không thể không đồ rằng nó được lặp lại một cách có chủ đích?
Và cuối cùng, ơ là gì nhỉ, tự nhiên quên mất rồi. :'(
Edit: À nhớ ra rồi, đang định khen phần tâm lí nhân vật tác giả viết hay quá, tôi đọc như bị nhập ấy :3
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Thích cuốn này, cực thích. :>
May 25, 2022
Lektura intensywna i przejmująca, niespieszna, miejscami szokująca… Bestsellerowy thriller psychologiczny południowokoreańskiej pisarki Jeong You Jeong.
Jeong You Jeong pisze o przemocy rodzinnej, przemocy kulturowej – pisze bez lęku, pisze wprost, niemniej pozostawia też białe plamy, luki, które wypełnić musimy my czytelnicy samodzielnie. Powraca znany temat wykluczenia, osobliwego poddaństwa względem struktur społecznych i norm, które na Zachodzie wydają się być obce, czasami nawet archaiczne. Dorastający bohater jest wyrzutkiem i wyrzutkiem pozostaje, pomimo mijającego czasu. Rodzina wypiera się go, odwraca wzrok, zadaje krzywdy. Znikąd współczucia, znikąd dobrego słowa – nienawiść, obrzydzenie sączą się między słowami. Jego rodzina straciła honor, on stracił honor, czy ma jeszcze w ogóle po co żyć?
W „Siedmiu latach ciemności” próbujemy przebić się przez opowieść, powoli zrozumieć i rozwikłać zależności, które doprowadziły do tej największej tragedii na jeziorze. Jej tajemnice są mroczne i nieprzeniknione, jak same wody Seryong. Natomiast odpowiedzi, które uzyskujemy mogą okazać się nie do końca oczekiwane, chociaż więcej niż satysfakcjonujące. Powieść Jeong You Jeong to specyficzny kawał literatury gatunkowej – może zachwycić, może wymęczyć, w zależności od tego, do czego przyzwyczajony jest czytelnik. Warto jednak przygotować się na lekturę ponurą, pełną smutku i zwykłego ludzkiego nieszczęścia. Wreszcie, na samotność, która boli tak samo, niezależnie od kultury, w której zostaliśmy wychowani.
Jeong You Jeong pisze o przemocy rodzinnej, przemocy kulturowej – pisze bez lęku, pisze wprost, niemniej pozostawia też białe plamy, luki, które wypełnić musimy my czytelnicy samodzielnie. Powraca znany temat wykluczenia, osobliwego poddaństwa względem struktur społecznych i norm, które na Zachodzie wydają się być obce, czasami nawet archaiczne. Dorastający bohater jest wyrzutkiem i wyrzutkiem pozostaje, pomimo mijającego czasu. Rodzina wypiera się go, odwraca wzrok, zadaje krzywdy. Znikąd współczucia, znikąd dobrego słowa – nienawiść, obrzydzenie sączą się między słowami. Jego rodzina straciła honor, on stracił honor, czy ma jeszcze w ogóle po co żyć?
W „Siedmiu latach ciemności” próbujemy przebić się przez opowieść, powoli zrozumieć i rozwikłać zależności, które doprowadziły do tej największej tragedii na jeziorze. Jej tajemnice są mroczne i nieprzeniknione, jak same wody Seryong. Natomiast odpowiedzi, które uzyskujemy mogą okazać się nie do końca oczekiwane, chociaż więcej niż satysfakcjonujące. Powieść Jeong You Jeong to specyficzny kawał literatury gatunkowej – może zachwycić, może wymęczyć, w zależności od tego, do czego przyzwyczajony jest czytelnik. Warto jednak przygotować się na lekturę ponurą, pełną smutku i zwykłego ludzkiego nieszczęścia. Wreszcie, na samotność, która boli tak samo, niezależnie od kultury, w której zostaliśmy wychowani.
October 2, 2020
Choi Hyonsu is awaiting execution for the murder of his wife, an 11 year old girl, and her father. He would also be charged for opening the Seryong Dam floodgates which wiped out half a town and drowned 4 policemen. Ever since, his son Sowon has pinballed from place to place. Anytime he would get comfortable, magazine articles would mysteriously appear on classmates desks, on landlord's doorstops, and dropped off at places of work. Revealed as the dead-eyed son of a mass murderer, Sowon would find himself forced to move again. It seems his only ally left in the world is Mr. Ahn.
Until Mr. Ahn disappears leaving a manuscript that recount the days leading up to the Seryong Lake Disaster. There's clearly more to the story than what Sowon has already pieced together.
What little mystery promised by the setup is easily teased together and so it becomes more an examination of moving forward when everything is already lost. How one reacts to personal tragedy - from retreating inwards to lashing out. It's that Korean obsession with outsized emotions and the work of struggling through the days. An existential thriller that spirals out into an overblown, climactic summer movie nail-biter.
Until Mr. Ahn disappears leaving a manuscript that recount the days leading up to the Seryong Lake Disaster. There's clearly more to the story than what Sowon has already pieced together.
What little mystery promised by the setup is easily teased together and so it becomes more an examination of moving forward when everything is already lost. How one reacts to personal tragedy - from retreating inwards to lashing out. It's that Korean obsession with outsized emotions and the work of struggling through the days. An existential thriller that spirals out into an overblown, climactic summer movie nail-biter.
June 17, 2023
Ahn Sunghwan working out and getting drunk instead of writing had me feeling so personally attacked. Though I must say I'm glad I'm not the only chump using these procrastinating (?) methods.
Anyhow - I rarely read thrillers and I found this sliiiightly predictable, but I loved the writing and it sucked me in instantly.
Anyhow - I rarely read thrillers and I found this sliiiightly predictable, but I loved the writing and it sucked me in instantly.
August 21, 2025
4.5
Lâu lắm mới đọc một quyển tăm tối thế này, kể từ khi đọc Bóng tối giữa chúng ta của John Marrs.
Lưu ý là truyện có một số tình tiết về hành hạ động vật, bạo ngược trẻ con và tra tấn tinh thần. Những tình tiết này không miêu tả cụ thể nhưng chúng có ở đó, dù ngắn thôi, cho thấy sự ác độc một con người có thể làm lên một sinh vật/con người khác.
Cả truyện là tội lỗi, quá khứ, sang chấn tâm lý, hối hận, tình yêu thương, sự hận thù... Có rất nhiều cảm xúc khác nữa, và cũng rất nhiều danh từ trừu tượng khác nữa.
Ai là nạn nhân trong truyện này? Đó là Seo Won, cậu bé ngây thơ nhưng đủ chững chạc để biết mối quan hệ gai góc của bố mẹ mình, đủ sâu sắc để nhận ra bố mình khi bố có vấn đề, đủ thông mình để biết ai là kẻ xấu (Young Je) và ai là người đáng tin (Seung Hwan). Seo Won với sợi dây liên kết bí ẩn với cô bé đã chết, là người bạn của chú mèo Ernie... Seo Won, đủ cảm thông và hiểu biết, lại trở thành nạn nhân trong cuộc trả thù 7 năm.
Tội ác ở đây bắt nguồn từ một khoảnh khắc rất ngắn thôi, nhưng đủ để thay đổi cuộc đời của bao nhiêu người. Nhưng nguyên nhân, cái nguồn gốc gây ra tội ác đó lại bắt đầu từ rất lâu về trước, khi Young Je trở thành một kẻ thái nhân cách bạo hành gia đình, khi Huyn Soo mang trong mình bóng tối của một quá khứ bị đánh đập nơi nỗi ám ảnh cái giếng và lang thang trên cánh đồng mao lương liên tục bủa vây. 7 năm bóng tối nhưng nó còn dài hơn thế, nó là một cái hố hun hút kéo chặt số phận của bao người, không đơn giản chỉ là hung thủ và nạn nhân. Bởi vì ai cũng gây tội ác của riêng mình (có lẽ là trừ Seo Won).
Tác giả viết từ điểm nhìn của rất nhiều nhân vật, không chỉ là những người trực tiếp liên quan đến tội ác mà còn là từ những người gián tiếp ảnh hưởng lên hung thủ, nạn nhân. Những góc nhìn đó góp phần làm s��ng tỏ một bức tranh u ám về bản chất con người và động cơ của từng người trong tội ác. Xen kẽ giữa các đoạn hồi tưởng quá khứ và tường thuật hiện tại (ngay trong phiên bản cuốn sách mà Seo Won đang đọc ở mốc 7 năm sau) không có sự ngắt quãng có thể hơi khó đọc ban đầu nhưng đó là cách tạo ra sự liên tục trôi chảy trong mạch kể chuyện, vừa thể hiện nỗi lòng nhân vật lại vừa gợi lên cái cảm giác tù túng mắc kẹt của mỗi người.
Đọc truyện này xong mình chỉ cảm thấy bất lực, cảm thấy thật nặng nề khi câu chuyện quá tăm tối và ngột ngạt như vậy. Kết truyện tuy có hậu nhưng mình không thấy sự thoả mãn, chỉ càng thêm buồn vì số phận con người khi không thoát nổi nỗi đau quá khứ thì chỉ càng lún sâu vào trong bóng tối.
Phần kết truyện khi mà kế hoạch trả thù diễn tiếp thì mình chưa thực sự ưng lắm phần đặt bẫy, mình thấy có hơi cảm tính chút và việc đặt bẫy này dựa nhiều vào may rủi hơn là kế hoạch thực sự - vì vậy mà có nguy cơ cao là Seo Won có thể chết lắm.
Lâu lắm mới đọc một quyển tăm tối thế này, kể từ khi đọc Bóng tối giữa chúng ta của John Marrs.
Lưu ý là truyện có một số tình tiết về hành hạ động vật, bạo ngược trẻ con và tra tấn tinh thần. Những tình tiết này không miêu tả cụ thể nhưng chúng có ở đó, dù ngắn thôi, cho thấy sự ác độc một con người có thể làm lên một sinh vật/con người khác.
Cả truyện là tội lỗi, quá khứ, sang chấn tâm lý, hối hận, tình yêu thương, sự hận thù... Có rất nhiều cảm xúc khác nữa, và cũng rất nhiều danh từ trừu tượng khác nữa.
Ai là nạn nhân trong truyện này? Đó là Seo Won, cậu bé ngây thơ nhưng đủ chững chạc để biết mối quan hệ gai góc của bố mẹ mình, đủ sâu sắc để nhận ra bố mình khi bố có vấn đề, đủ thông mình để biết ai là kẻ xấu (Young Je) và ai là người đáng tin (Seung Hwan). Seo Won với sợi dây liên kết bí ẩn với cô bé đã chết, là người bạn của chú mèo Ernie... Seo Won, đủ cảm thông và hiểu biết, lại trở thành nạn nhân trong cuộc trả thù 7 năm.
Tội ác ở đây bắt nguồn từ một khoảnh khắc rất ngắn thôi, nhưng đủ để thay đổi cuộc đời của bao nhiêu người. Nhưng nguyên nhân, cái nguồn gốc gây ra tội ác đó lại bắt đầu từ rất lâu về trước, khi Young Je trở thành một kẻ thái nhân cách bạo hành gia đình, khi Huyn Soo mang trong mình bóng tối của một quá khứ bị đánh đập nơi nỗi ám ảnh cái giếng và lang thang trên cánh đồng mao lương liên tục bủa vây. 7 năm bóng tối nhưng nó còn dài hơn thế, nó là một cái hố hun hút kéo chặt số phận của bao người, không đơn giản chỉ là hung thủ và nạn nhân. Bởi vì ai cũng gây tội ác của riêng mình (có lẽ là trừ Seo Won).
Tác giả viết từ điểm nhìn của rất nhiều nhân vật, không chỉ là những người trực tiếp liên quan đến tội ác mà còn là từ những người gián tiếp ảnh hưởng lên hung thủ, nạn nhân. Những góc nhìn đó góp phần làm s��ng tỏ một bức tranh u ám về bản chất con người và động cơ của từng người trong tội ác. Xen kẽ giữa các đoạn hồi tưởng quá khứ và tường thuật hiện tại (ngay trong phiên bản cuốn sách mà Seo Won đang đọc ở mốc 7 năm sau) không có sự ngắt quãng có thể hơi khó đọc ban đầu nhưng đó là cách tạo ra sự liên tục trôi chảy trong mạch kể chuyện, vừa thể hiện nỗi lòng nhân vật lại vừa gợi lên cái cảm giác tù túng mắc kẹt của mỗi người.
Đọc truyện này xong mình chỉ cảm thấy bất lực, cảm thấy thật nặng nề khi câu chuyện quá tăm tối và ngột ngạt như vậy. Kết truyện tuy có hậu nhưng mình không thấy sự thoả mãn, chỉ càng thêm buồn vì số phận con người khi không thoát nổi nỗi đau quá khứ thì chỉ càng lún sâu vào trong bóng tối.
Phần kết truyện khi mà kế hoạch trả thù diễn tiếp thì mình chưa thực sự ưng lắm phần đặt bẫy, mình thấy có hơi cảm tính chút và việc đặt bẫy này dựa nhiều vào may rủi hơn là kế hoạch thực sự - vì vậy mà có nguy cơ cao là Seo Won có thể chết lắm.
February 9, 2017
This book called out to me.
I was doing my rounds at our store (I wish I was kidding), and there it was. Obviously I had seen it before, but suddenly I thought, I think I want to read this, and read the prologue. I was 99% sure at that point, and then a customer asked me about ten minutes later whether I had read it, and that sealed the deal.
So now I've read it, and it was really, really good. I'm not that into thrillers, in general, and this had the same weakness all thrillers have for me, which is a relatively weak final showdown, but the build-up towards that and the writing was great. And I don't wamt people to get the wrong idea, the ending wasn't bad. It's just that the final confrontation always feels so formulaic, and somehow that becomes even more noticeable for me with a good book.
The story is set in Korea, and it's about the son of a man responsible for a great tragedy. After seven years of doing his best to live with his past, the son is finally confronted with the truth of what happened.
Withiut spoiling anything I just want to mention that I really liked the way guilt and responsibility are handled in this novel. It's a rather dark book, for sure, but it also isn't depressing or anything. It's full of humans, with all that entails.
The Korean setting was part of what intrigued me - I wouldn't swear on it, but I don't think I ever read a book by a Korean author before. And to be honest I don't think the story would have interested me if it had been a generic American setting.
I'm really glad this book found me, and I do kind of hope the customer who asked me about it really does come back to talk to me about it because it was really awesome.
I was doing my rounds at our store (I wish I was kidding), and there it was. Obviously I had seen it before, but suddenly I thought, I think I want to read this, and read the prologue. I was 99% sure at that point, and then a customer asked me about ten minutes later whether I had read it, and that sealed the deal.
So now I've read it, and it was really, really good. I'm not that into thrillers, in general, and this had the same weakness all thrillers have for me, which is a relatively weak final showdown, but the build-up towards that and the writing was great. And I don't wamt people to get the wrong idea, the ending wasn't bad. It's just that the final confrontation always feels so formulaic, and somehow that becomes even more noticeable for me with a good book.
The story is set in Korea, and it's about the son of a man responsible for a great tragedy. After seven years of doing his best to live with his past, the son is finally confronted with the truth of what happened.
Withiut spoiling anything I just want to mention that I really liked the way guilt and responsibility are handled in this novel. It's a rather dark book, for sure, but it also isn't depressing or anything. It's full of humans, with all that entails.
The Korean setting was part of what intrigued me - I wouldn't swear on it, but I don't think I ever read a book by a Korean author before. And to be honest I don't think the story would have interested me if it had been a generic American setting.
I'm really glad this book found me, and I do kind of hope the customer who asked me about it really does come back to talk to me about it because it was really awesome.
August 10, 2025
❞ أحيانًا، يُرسل القدر إلينا نسمة عذبة، وشعاع شمس دافئ. وأحيانًا أخرى يبعث زوبعة من الحظ العاثر. وأحيانًا نتخذ قرارات خاطئة. توجد منطقة رمادية بين ما نعتقد أنها الحقيقة والواقع لا نتحدث عنها كثيرًا. ورغم أنها منطقة غير مريحة، ومُحيِّرة، فلا يمكن لأي منا الهروب منها.
هذه الرواية عن تلك المنطقة الرمادية، عن رجل ارتكب خطأ واحدًا دمَّر حياته. عن الظلام داخل البشر، والتطهُّر الذي يصير مُمكِنًا من خلال التضحية بالنفس من أجل شخص آخر. آملةً أن نتمكن من قول نعم للحياة رغم كل شيء ❝
"الهادئون أكثر من يتورطون في المشاكل"
"بدأ هذا الظلام منذ سبع سنوات و حان وقت الدخول إلي النور"
رواية من أجمل ما قرأت جريمة غير مرتبة تغير حياة عائلة كاملة إلي الأبد
٧ سنوات كاملة من أجل أن يفهم حقيقة ما حدث
جريمة ثمنها كبير جدا
رغم إن المجرم الحقيقي مش هو اللي قتلها
الشخصيات مؤثرة جدا تعاطفت معاهم و حسيت بيهم
الرواية مش بس بتتكلم عن الجريمة لكن فيها أبعاد النفس البشرية و أختلافاتها في التعامل مع المواقف الصعبة
حبيتها جدا جدا
كاتبة رائعة متمكنة من الحبكة لأقصي درجة
ترجمة أكثر من رائعة
محستش اصلا ان الرواية دي مكتوبة ب لغة تانية
محستش بلحظة واحدة بالملل و انا بقرأها
تستاهل ٥/٥
هذه الرواية عن تلك المنطقة الرمادية، عن رجل ارتكب خطأ واحدًا دمَّر حياته. عن الظلام داخل البشر، والتطهُّر الذي يصير مُمكِنًا من خلال التضحية بالنفس من أجل شخص آخر. آملةً أن نتمكن من قول نعم للحياة رغم كل شيء ❝
"الهادئون أكثر من يتورطون في المشاكل"
"بدأ هذا الظلام منذ سبع سنوات و حان وقت الدخول إلي النور"
رواية من أجمل ما قرأت جريمة غير مرتبة تغير حياة عائلة كاملة إلي الأبد
٧ سنوات كاملة من أجل أن يفهم حقيقة ما حدث
جريمة ثمنها كبير جدا
رغم إن المجرم الحقيقي مش هو اللي قتلها
الشخصيات مؤثرة جدا تعاطفت معاهم و حسيت بيهم
الرواية مش بس بتتكلم عن الجريمة لكن فيها أبعاد النفس البشرية و أختلافاتها في التعامل مع المواقف الصعبة
حبيتها جدا جدا
كاتبة رائعة متمكنة من الحبكة لأقصي درجة
ترجمة أكثر من رائعة
محستش اصلا ان الرواية دي مكتوبة ب لغة تانية
محستش بلحظة واحدة بالملل و انا بقرأها
تستاهل ٥/٥
September 22, 2025
I'm glad I persisted on with this one, even though at around a third of the way through it was starting to feel as though there would never be any real animation or connection coming through to me from the author. I carried on reading purely because I hate the idea of a book getting the better of me and there was a glimmer of hope in the initial story outline that I'd read up until that point.
So to anyone who is thinking of giving this book a go, you definitely should. If you feel like I did, at around a third of the way through that it's just not working, please persevere. It's well worth the effort. I found myself working my way through the other two-thirds of the book much quicker, once certain story elements had been set in place and the pace began to pick up.
There isn't much I can share about the story without giving too much away, and that would be a shame because whilst some of what I thought would come to pass did indeed happen, I was a long way off anticipating the whole tale. Which was great because I got both the satisfaction at having figured part of it out, as well as the enjoyment of the much more surprising elements. I don't remember why I bought this book, but it was after reading someone else's review on here that something sounded vaguely familiar and a quick search through my Kindle showed that I had in fact purchased it and then promptly forgotten all about it. That's not because the book didn't sound interesting; that was because I am a lifelong purchaser of books that go unread for weeks/months/years, with my Kindles helping to enable this weakness of mine (and allowing the digital tsundoku to mount up out of sight, and out of mind). I'm just glad that I happened upon the review of 'Seven Years Of Darkness' when I did, and that I pushed on past that first third, to what ended up being a wild ride with a conclusion I definitely did not see coming.
I've never read anything by this author before, but based on this book would happily read more of her work. According to the bio here on Goodreads: "You-jeong Jeong was born in Hampyeong, South Korea. She initially trained and worked as a nurse. She is now South Korea's leading writer of psychological crime and thriller fiction and is often compared to Stephen King and Raymond Chandler." I can only vaguely remember having read Chandler's 'The Big Sleep' so can't really compare, but You-jeong Jeong is most definitely better at executing a somewhat fantastical story than Stephen King...and unlike King she actually knows how to write an ending! Part of me wonders if my difficulty in initially engaging with this story was because as with much translated fiction there is often an invisible barrier between the translator and the reader that is difficult to break through, as so much of what is contained within a story is often hidden beyond the surface - only peaking through in glimpses conveyed almost silently and undetected by the reader. The translator can only translate the words on the page and often have to bring their own interpretation along to help fill in the 'there' that isn't 'there'
Or maybe it was because the names of the characters were harder to get my brain to remember, because they were Korean and didn't register with me the way that familiar English sounding names do. I know I can normally read quite quickly and that often we skim as much as we focus on in the books we are reading as entertainment. That the names were not only completely alien to me, but also had some similarities with one another definitely made me have to go back and read a couple of pages or paragraphs a few times. That would definitely have caused me to falter somewhat and for the momentum to be lost at various moments during the first third of the book. (For instance, Petra and Peter are two English names that sound kind of similar, but to me are definitely easy to tell the difference between, because I'm familiar with both of them and know that one is female and one is male. Yongje and Yongji however are not names that I have any prior frame of reference for, so whenever one of them was mentioned in this book, I had to stop and think about who was speaking to whom, which prevented me from galloping on through the plot. I hope that makes sense.)
Or it might just have been that the author had to lay a lot of ground-work down first before she could ratchet the pace up to that becoming of a thriller. I'm not sure. But at around 350 pages long, this wasn't a particularly lengthy novel. Maybe it was a combination of all three things. Who knows? But if you enjoy the particular eeriness that Korean and Japanese films are able to convey, then you'll probably really enjoy the ever-so creepy 'Seryong Lake' and all the awful things that take place there. I'm glad I read it. Glad I bought it and glad I was reminded to read it because of the review that renewed my initial curiosity.
I wasn't sure how to rate this book because it was at least a 3.5 star read (the idea behind the plot and the different times & locations, and how they just emerged out of the author's imagination is pretty impressive) and I didn't feel that lowering the score to just 3 stars was doing the story justice. So consider this a 7.5/10 rating, rounded up because once I got into my stride, this story definitely became impossible to put down until the end.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
So to anyone who is thinking of giving this book a go, you definitely should. If you feel like I did, at around a third of the way through that it's just not working, please persevere. It's well worth the effort. I found myself working my way through the other two-thirds of the book much quicker, once certain story elements had been set in place and the pace began to pick up.
There isn't much I can share about the story without giving too much away, and that would be a shame because whilst some of what I thought would come to pass did indeed happen, I was a long way off anticipating the whole tale. Which was great because I got both the satisfaction at having figured part of it out, as well as the enjoyment of the much more surprising elements. I don't remember why I bought this book, but it was after reading someone else's review on here that something sounded vaguely familiar and a quick search through my Kindle showed that I had in fact purchased it and then promptly forgotten all about it. That's not because the book didn't sound interesting; that was because I am a lifelong purchaser of books that go unread for weeks/months/years, with my Kindles helping to enable this weakness of mine (and allowing the digital tsundoku to mount up out of sight, and out of mind). I'm just glad that I happened upon the review of 'Seven Years Of Darkness' when I did, and that I pushed on past that first third, to what ended up being a wild ride with a conclusion I definitely did not see coming.
I've never read anything by this author before, but based on this book would happily read more of her work. According to the bio here on Goodreads: "You-jeong Jeong was born in Hampyeong, South Korea. She initially trained and worked as a nurse. She is now South Korea's leading writer of psychological crime and thriller fiction and is often compared to Stephen King and Raymond Chandler." I can only vaguely remember having read Chandler's 'The Big Sleep' so can't really compare, but You-jeong Jeong is most definitely better at executing a somewhat fantastical story than Stephen King...and unlike King she actually knows how to write an ending! Part of me wonders if my difficulty in initially engaging with this story was because as with much translated fiction there is often an invisible barrier between the translator and the reader that is difficult to break through, as so much of what is contained within a story is often hidden beyond the surface - only peaking through in glimpses conveyed almost silently and undetected by the reader. The translator can only translate the words on the page and often have to bring their own interpretation along to help fill in the 'there' that isn't 'there'
Or maybe it was because the names of the characters were harder to get my brain to remember, because they were Korean and didn't register with me the way that familiar English sounding names do. I know I can normally read quite quickly and that often we skim as much as we focus on in the books we are reading as entertainment. That the names were not only completely alien to me, but also had some similarities with one another definitely made me have to go back and read a couple of pages or paragraphs a few times. That would definitely have caused me to falter somewhat and for the momentum to be lost at various moments during the first third of the book. (For instance, Petra and Peter are two English names that sound kind of similar, but to me are definitely easy to tell the difference between, because I'm familiar with both of them and know that one is female and one is male. Yongje and Yongji however are not names that I have any prior frame of reference for, so whenever one of them was mentioned in this book, I had to stop and think about who was speaking to whom, which prevented me from galloping on through the plot. I hope that makes sense.)
Or it might just have been that the author had to lay a lot of ground-work down first before she could ratchet the pace up to that becoming of a thriller. I'm not sure. But at around 350 pages long, this wasn't a particularly lengthy novel. Maybe it was a combination of all three things. Who knows? But if you enjoy the particular eeriness that Korean and Japanese films are able to convey, then you'll probably really enjoy the ever-so creepy 'Seryong Lake' and all the awful things that take place there. I'm glad I read it. Glad I bought it and glad I was reminded to read it because of the review that renewed my initial curiosity.
I wasn't sure how to rate this book because it was at least a 3.5 star read (the idea behind the plot and the different times & locations, and how they just emerged out of the author's imagination is pretty impressive) and I didn't feel that lowering the score to just 3 stars was doing the story justice. So consider this a 7.5/10 rating, rounded up because once I got into my stride, this story definitely became impossible to put down until the end.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
October 3, 2025
أحياناً يُرسل القدر إلينا نسمة عذبة وشعاع شمس دافئ ، وأحياناً أخري يبعث زوبعة من الحظ العاثر وأحياناً نتخذ قرارات خاطئة، توجد منطقة رمادية بين ما نعتقد أنها الحقيقة والواقع لا نتحدث عنها كثيراً رغم أنها منطقة غير مريحة ومحيرة فلا يمكن لأي منا الهروب منها..
December 4, 2015
7 năm bóng tối
Tác giả: Jeong You Jeong
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Tôi là một con bé giỏi tưởng tượng. Khi đọc hay nghe, bối cảnh mà tôi tưởng tượng ra có liên quan mật thiết đến cảm xúc của tôi lúc đó. Bảy năm bóng tối đem đến cho tôi một màu xám xịt. Màu xám của sự tiêu điều và bất lực, đại diện cho tâm trạng tồi tệ cùng cực của con người. Giống như màu của trời đất khi nhá nhem tối ấy. Tôi rất ghét khoảng thời gian trời nhá nhem, vì lúc đó không khí cứ kiểu cô đặc lại, rất tù túng. Tôi thì lại ghét sự tù túng.
*
Có một điểm đặc biệt là có hai giọng kể được phân biệt rõ ràng trong cuốn sách này. Một giọng kể chuyện quá khứ và một giọng kể chuyện hiện tại.
Giọng quá khứ là một cái giọng vật vã. Nhưng nó còn có chút sắc thái. Còn cái giọng kể hiện tại là một cái giọng vô cảm nhất tôi từng biết. Đến huỷ hoại bản thân*** tôi còn thấy có tí nhịp điệu. Nhưng tôi lại bị cuốn hút bởi cái giọng văn vô cảm này chứ. Cái giọng kể đang cố nhắn với tôi rằng "Tôi chỉ là người kể chuyện thôi nhé, tôi không có liên hệ gì nhé, tôi hoàn toàn khách quan nhé." Mà rõ ràng ngôi kể là ngôi thứ nhất cơ đấy.
Có khi nào là tại cậu bé Seo Won lúc đó đang mất dần các cảm xúc của một con người không?
Vô cảm vậy mà vẫn làm tôi cười rần rần được. Kể cũng giỏi ghê.
*
Thời gian trong sách bị đảo lộn linh tinh cả, đang ở giờ phút này làm chuyện này, vèo phát đã thấy trở lại mấy ngày trước/mấy tháng trước hay thậm chí là mấy năm trước luôn. Là tôi mấy lần tưởng giở nhầm trang. Bù lại thì câu chuyện được kể trên nhiều phương diện, đọc rồi thấy phục bà tác giả vỡi luôn. Bả còn giải đáp cả mấy vấn đề tôi không hề để ý nữa chớ. À mà nếu không biết trước đây là một "bà" thì tôi cũng tưởng đây là một "ông". Quá nam tính đi.
Bà tác giả còn một cái tài nữa, tài làm nổi bật mỗi mỗi một nhân vật góp mặt trong cuốn sách. Đến cả hai ông cảnh sát cũng còn được tạo hình tượng Tuyển thủ với lại Lính mới cơ mà. À mà, tôi quên nói, ai cũng nổi bật trừ Seung Hwan. Không biết sao mà tôi cảm thấy anh này chìm nhất đám. Tại anh ta tốt quá chăng? Tốt đến nỗi không thấy cá tính gì cả?!
*
Chỉ có một điều tôi thắc mắc, đó là tại sao cậu bé Seo Won lại có thể mơ thấy cô bé Se Ryung dù chưa từng gặp mặt? Mối liên hệ giữa hai đ���a bé này khiến tôi rợn gáy. Nếu cô bé kia không chết thì chúng có khi lại trở thành một đôi cũng nên. Nhưng đấy là nếu như.
Tôi chẳng thấy tiếc cho nhân vật Hyun Soo, hay vợ ông ta - Eun Joo, nhưng tôi thấy tiếc cho hai đứa bé. Thật là kỳ lạ là một người cha hèn nhát và một người mẹ cay nghiệt lại có thể sinh ra một đứa bé như Seo Won - một thằng nhóc có tố chất cam đảm và khả năng hiểu chuyện bẩm sinh.
*
Oh Young Je là một thằng cha đáng khinh, nhưng tôi lại không ghét lão bằng những người họ hàng của thằng bé Seo Won. Những con người đã cho một thằng bé 12 tuổi mấy tờ một ngàn won rồi bỏ rơi nó. Chẳng biết là trong suốt bảy năm sau đó họ có được ngon giấc không, tôi mong là không.
Tuy nhiên khi đọc xong cuốn sách tôi lại nghĩ chẳng thể trách họ ��ược. Họ cũng có gia đình riêng chứ, vả lại sống với "con trai của tên sát nhân" rõ ràng không phải chuyện dễ dàng gì. Mặt khác thì nếu họ không bỏ rơi thằng nhóc thì rất có thể mãi mãi Seo Won sẽ không thể nào cởi bỏ được khúc mắc trong lòng, rồi ai mà biết được, cậu nhóc sẽ trở thành một con người giống bố cũng nên. Một người "giết mình, giết người, rồi tự biến mình thành quái vật."
Vậy thì tôi thà họ là người tham lam tuyệt tình còn hơn.
*
Không thể phủ nhận được cái thứ tình cảm cha con giữa Hyun Soo và cậu con trai Seo Won có tác động lớn tới tôi. Lớn tới mức vì tình cảm này tôi sẵn sàng bỏ qua sự hèn nhát, nát rượu, vô trách nhiệm của ông ta. Mà tôi nghĩ chẳng riêng gì tôi, ít nhất có một người nữa. Seung Hwan chắc cũng giống tôi vậy. Cài tấm ảnh hai cha con là hình nền điện thoại, trong suốt bảy năm làm cầu nối giữa hai người. Ngoài lý do này thì tôi chẳng có cái gì để giải thích vì nguyên nhân nào mà Seung Hwan lại chăm lo cho một thằng bé con trai của lão cấp trên vẻn vẹn trong hai tuần lại còn dính tội thảm sát nguyên một làng cả.
Tôi thích những đoạn mô tả hai cha con đó. Rất ấm áp cũng rất bi thương.
*
- "Nếu định mệnh ném vào đêm đen một cú đánh vô định, liệu ta sẽ đáp trả cuộc đời bị nguyền rủa ấy như thế nào?"
- Mấy nhân vật trong sách sẽ chọn cách đương đầu, sẽ cố mà sống dù phải lê lết, dù mọi chuyện không có cái nào được gọi là dễ dàng. Còn tôi? Tôi thề là tôi sẽ chui vào trong chăn trốn biệt. Mặc kệ mọi thứ muốn ra sao thì ra.
*
Không phải là thích cuốn sách nữa, mà là cực kỳ thích.
---
T12/2015.
***Cuốn sách Tôi có quyền huỷ hoại bản thân của tác giả Kim Young Ha.
Tác giả: Jeong You Jeong
---
Tôi là một con bé giỏi tưởng tượng. Khi đọc hay nghe, bối cảnh mà tôi tưởng tượng ra có liên quan mật thiết đến cảm xúc của tôi lúc đó. Bảy năm bóng tối đem đến cho tôi một màu xám xịt. Màu xám của sự tiêu điều và bất lực, đại diện cho tâm trạng tồi tệ cùng cực của con người. Giống như màu của trời đất khi nhá nhem tối ấy. Tôi rất ghét khoảng thời gian trời nhá nhem, vì lúc đó không khí cứ kiểu cô đặc lại, rất tù túng. Tôi thì lại ghét sự tù túng.
*
Có một điểm đặc biệt là có hai giọng kể được phân biệt rõ ràng trong cuốn sách này. Một giọng kể chuyện quá khứ và một giọng kể chuyện hiện tại.
Giọng quá khứ là một cái giọng vật vã. Nhưng nó còn có chút sắc thái. Còn cái giọng kể hiện tại là một cái giọng vô cảm nhất tôi từng biết. Đến huỷ hoại bản thân*** tôi còn thấy có tí nhịp điệu. Nhưng tôi lại bị cuốn hút bởi cái giọng văn vô cảm này chứ. Cái giọng kể đang cố nhắn với tôi rằng "Tôi chỉ là người kể chuyện thôi nhé, tôi không có liên hệ gì nhé, tôi hoàn toàn khách quan nhé." Mà rõ ràng ngôi kể là ngôi thứ nhất cơ đấy.
Có khi nào là tại cậu bé Seo Won lúc đó đang mất dần các cảm xúc của một con người không?
Vô cảm vậy mà vẫn làm tôi cười rần rần được. Kể cũng giỏi ghê.
*
Thời gian trong sách bị đảo lộn linh tinh cả, đang ở giờ phút này làm chuyện này, vèo phát đã thấy trở lại mấy ngày trước/mấy tháng trước hay thậm chí là mấy năm trước luôn. Là tôi mấy lần tưởng giở nhầm trang. Bù lại thì câu chuyện được kể trên nhiều phương diện, đọc rồi thấy phục bà tác giả vỡi luôn. Bả còn giải đáp cả mấy vấn đề tôi không hề để ý nữa chớ. À mà nếu không biết trước đây là một "bà" thì tôi cũng tưởng đây là một "ông". Quá nam tính đi.
Bà tác giả còn một cái tài nữa, tài làm nổi bật mỗi mỗi một nhân vật góp mặt trong cuốn sách. Đến cả hai ông cảnh sát cũng còn được tạo hình tượng Tuyển thủ với lại Lính mới cơ mà. À mà, tôi quên nói, ai cũng nổi bật trừ Seung Hwan. Không biết sao mà tôi cảm thấy anh này chìm nhất đám. Tại anh ta tốt quá chăng? Tốt đến nỗi không thấy cá tính gì cả?!
*
Chỉ có một điều tôi thắc mắc, đó là tại sao cậu bé Seo Won lại có thể mơ thấy cô bé Se Ryung dù chưa từng gặp mặt? Mối liên hệ giữa hai đ���a bé này khiến tôi rợn gáy. Nếu cô bé kia không chết thì chúng có khi lại trở thành một đôi cũng nên. Nhưng đấy là nếu như.
Tôi chẳng thấy tiếc cho nhân vật Hyun Soo, hay vợ ông ta - Eun Joo, nhưng tôi thấy tiếc cho hai đứa bé. Thật là kỳ lạ là một người cha hèn nhát và một người mẹ cay nghiệt lại có thể sinh ra một đứa bé như Seo Won - một thằng nhóc có tố chất cam đảm và khả năng hiểu chuyện bẩm sinh.
*
Oh Young Je là một thằng cha đáng khinh, nhưng tôi lại không ghét lão bằng những người họ hàng của thằng bé Seo Won. Những con người đã cho một thằng bé 12 tuổi mấy tờ một ngàn won rồi bỏ rơi nó. Chẳng biết là trong suốt bảy năm sau đó họ có được ngon giấc không, tôi mong là không.
Tuy nhiên khi đọc xong cuốn sách tôi lại nghĩ chẳng thể trách họ ��ược. Họ cũng có gia đình riêng chứ, vả lại sống với "con trai của tên sát nhân" rõ ràng không phải chuyện dễ dàng gì. Mặt khác thì nếu họ không bỏ rơi thằng nhóc thì rất có thể mãi mãi Seo Won sẽ không thể nào cởi bỏ được khúc mắc trong lòng, rồi ai mà biết được, cậu nhóc sẽ trở thành một con người giống bố cũng nên. Một người "giết mình, giết người, rồi tự biến mình thành quái vật."
Vậy thì tôi thà họ là người tham lam tuyệt tình còn hơn.
*
Không thể phủ nhận được cái thứ tình cảm cha con giữa Hyun Soo và cậu con trai Seo Won có tác động lớn tới tôi. Lớn tới mức vì tình cảm này tôi sẵn sàng bỏ qua sự hèn nhát, nát rượu, vô trách nhiệm của ông ta. Mà tôi nghĩ chẳng riêng gì tôi, ít nhất có một người nữa. Seung Hwan chắc cũng giống tôi vậy. Cài tấm ảnh hai cha con là hình nền điện thoại, trong suốt bảy năm làm cầu nối giữa hai người. Ngoài lý do này thì tôi chẳng có cái gì để giải thích vì nguyên nhân nào mà Seung Hwan lại chăm lo cho một thằng bé con trai của lão cấp trên vẻn vẹn trong hai tuần lại còn dính tội thảm sát nguyên một làng cả.
Tôi thích những đoạn mô tả hai cha con đó. Rất ấm áp cũng rất bi thương.
*
- "Nếu định mệnh ném vào đêm đen một cú đánh vô định, liệu ta sẽ đáp trả cuộc đời bị nguyền rủa ấy như thế nào?"
- Mấy nhân vật trong sách sẽ chọn cách đương đầu, sẽ cố mà sống dù phải lê lết, dù mọi chuyện không có cái nào được gọi là dễ dàng. Còn tôi? Tôi thề là tôi sẽ chui vào trong chăn trốn biệt. Mặc kệ mọi thứ muốn ra sao thì ra.
*
Không phải là thích cuốn sách nữa, mà là cực kỳ thích.
---
T12/2015.
***Cuốn sách Tôi có quyền huỷ hoại bản thân của tác giả Kim Young Ha.
September 8, 2020
Seven Years of Darkness is the translation by Chi-Young Kim (perhaps best known for Please Look After Mother) of the 2011 novel 7 년의 밤 by 정유정 (Jeong You-Jeong).
I have previously read The Good Son / 종의 기원 (the Korean title actually translates as The Origin of the Species) by the same translator/author (my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
The Korean original opens with the striking line from Choi Sowon, “나는 내 아버지의 사형 집행인이었다” – “I was my father’s executioner” – which is oddly missing from the English edition.
It continues (consistently with the English).
2004년 9월 12일 새벽은 내가 아버지 편에 서 있었던 마지막 시간이었다. 그땐 아무 것도 몰랐다.
In English:
The early morning of September 12, 2004, was the last time I was firmly on my father’s side. I didn’t know anything at the time.
On that day in 2004, seven years earlier, Sowon was 11. His father Choi Hyonsu, a former minor-league baseball player, was the newly appointed (less than two weeks earlier) head of security at Seryong Dam.
Hyonsu allegedly opened the floodgates of the dam, drowning many villagers after he had murdered his own wife and Oh Yongje, the father of a 11 year-old girl who had been discovered, murdered, in the lake reservoir by the dam two weeks earlier. Hyonsu is later also charged with, and convicted of, the girl’s murder and as the novel opens is awaiting execution.
For the next ‘seven years of darkness’, Sowon is passed from one relative to another, never lasting at any place more than a few months, as someone, unknown, always sends his new family and school copies of magazine articles about Sowon’s father’s crimes, including an infamous picture of Sowon himself taken on that day in 2004, oddly unemotional when he was told what had happened. The unemotional façade is one he maintains during the seven years.
I knew it was normal to be flustered when you were surprised, to be angry when you were humiliated—Mr. Ahn kept telling me it was okay to live like that. I disagreed: I had to live, period. And to live, I couldn’t panic or get angry or feel vulnerable. I had to withdraw further into the cold, remote core inside myself, and wait there, where I was safe. This tenacity was what kept me going—what kept me from killing myself.
Mr Ahn Sunghwan was one of the security guards working for Sowon’s father and lived in company accommodation with the family, and he eventually takes in Sowon when his birth family finally abandon him, the two of them roaming around the coasts of Korea, diving in their spare time.
Then one day Sunghwan disappears and leaves behind, for Sowon, a novelised account of what actually happened, one written from the perspective of an omniscient narrator able to impute the thoughts of those involved in the events.
Why did Mr. Ahn write this? I wondered. Did he want to publish it? Or was it for me, so I would know the truth? I had no way of knowing what was factual and what he’d guessed or imagined. I supposed he could have pieced together my parents’ sections through interviews. But Oh Yongje . . . who could have spoken to his inner thoughts?
Much of what we read is contained in this novel-within-a-novel, although Jeong doesn’t seem to do as much with this device as I had hoped – e.g. there doesn’t seem to be any suggestion the narrator is unreliable or even subjective.
As with The Good Son, the story isn’t so much interested in whodunnit (there are some revelations but no last minute twists) as whydidtheydoit, i.e. the psychological motivations of the characters, although the resulting story is rather implausible and the focus on several different characters makes this less intense and satisfying as The Good Son.
Jeong also attempts to crank up the tension with two action sequences – one set in the events of the past (even though we essentially know what happened) and one in the present day as the story turns on a cycle of revenge. This part of the novel felt more suitable for a movie than a novel, and indeed the book was made into a film.
Overall, I’m not really the right audience for this. I read it due to my interest in translated Korean literature, and not because of the publisher’s description of Jeong as “Korea’s Stephen King” as I wouldn’t read a novel by America’s version.
So my rating should be taken in this context – but I didn’t find the novel as successful even on its own terms as The Good Son.
I have previously read The Good Son / 종의 기원 (the Korean title actually translates as The Origin of the Species) by the same translator/author (my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
The Korean original opens with the striking line from Choi Sowon, “나는 내 아버지의 사형 집행인이었다” – “I was my father’s executioner” – which is oddly missing from the English edition.
It continues (consistently with the English).
2004년 9월 12일 새벽은 내가 아버지 편에 서 있었던 마지막 시간이었다. 그땐 아무 것도 몰랐다.
In English:
The early morning of September 12, 2004, was the last time I was firmly on my father’s side. I didn’t know anything at the time.
On that day in 2004, seven years earlier, Sowon was 11. His father Choi Hyonsu, a former minor-league baseball player, was the newly appointed (less than two weeks earlier) head of security at Seryong Dam.
Hyonsu allegedly opened the floodgates of the dam, drowning many villagers after he had murdered his own wife and Oh Yongje, the father of a 11 year-old girl who had been discovered, murdered, in the lake reservoir by the dam two weeks earlier. Hyonsu is later also charged with, and convicted of, the girl’s murder and as the novel opens is awaiting execution.
For the next ‘seven years of darkness’, Sowon is passed from one relative to another, never lasting at any place more than a few months, as someone, unknown, always sends his new family and school copies of magazine articles about Sowon’s father’s crimes, including an infamous picture of Sowon himself taken on that day in 2004, oddly unemotional when he was told what had happened. The unemotional façade is one he maintains during the seven years.
I knew it was normal to be flustered when you were surprised, to be angry when you were humiliated—Mr. Ahn kept telling me it was okay to live like that. I disagreed: I had to live, period. And to live, I couldn’t panic or get angry or feel vulnerable. I had to withdraw further into the cold, remote core inside myself, and wait there, where I was safe. This tenacity was what kept me going—what kept me from killing myself.
Mr Ahn Sunghwan was one of the security guards working for Sowon’s father and lived in company accommodation with the family, and he eventually takes in Sowon when his birth family finally abandon him, the two of them roaming around the coasts of Korea, diving in their spare time.
Then one day Sunghwan disappears and leaves behind, for Sowon, a novelised account of what actually happened, one written from the perspective of an omniscient narrator able to impute the thoughts of those involved in the events.
Why did Mr. Ahn write this? I wondered. Did he want to publish it? Or was it for me, so I would know the truth? I had no way of knowing what was factual and what he’d guessed or imagined. I supposed he could have pieced together my parents’ sections through interviews. But Oh Yongje . . . who could have spoken to his inner thoughts?
Much of what we read is contained in this novel-within-a-novel, although Jeong doesn’t seem to do as much with this device as I had hoped – e.g. there doesn’t seem to be any suggestion the narrator is unreliable or even subjective.
As with The Good Son, the story isn’t so much interested in whodunnit (there are some revelations but no last minute twists) as whydidtheydoit, i.e. the psychological motivations of the characters, although the resulting story is rather implausible and the focus on several different characters makes this less intense and satisfying as The Good Son.
Jeong also attempts to crank up the tension with two action sequences – one set in the events of the past (even though we essentially know what happened) and one in the present day as the story turns on a cycle of revenge. This part of the novel felt more suitable for a movie than a novel, and indeed the book was made into a film.
Overall, I’m not really the right audience for this. I read it due to my interest in translated Korean literature, and not because of the publisher’s description of Jeong as “Korea’s Stephen King” as I wouldn’t read a novel by America’s version.
So my rating should be taken in this context – but I didn’t find the novel as successful even on its own terms as The Good Son.
September 17, 2025
Watch my review on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVa9N...
Read my review on Substack here - https://barrywelsh1.substack.com/p/th...
KBS Korea 24 @KBSKorea24
19:10-20:00 KST, Mon-Fri on KBS WORLD Radio.
Download the KBS Kong / KBS WORLD Radio Mobile apps
or subscribe to the Korea 24 podcast for your daily updates!
“For this week’s #KoreaBookClub, @barrywelsh chose the long-awaited translation of the #bestseller #7년의밤, #SevenYearsofDarkness. #JeongYouJeong’s psychological #crimethriller is a tense, gripping story that makes you think about the ugly side of human nature. If you consider yourself a #thriller fan, this is the book📚 for you!”
#KBSWORLDRadio #KBS월드라디오 #Korea24 #코리아24 #책추천 #bookstagram #북스타그램 #책스타그램 #KoreanLiterature #한국문학 #스릴러 #범죄스릴러 #정유정작가
(https://world.kbs.co.kr/service/progr...)
Read my review on Substack here - https://barrywelsh1.substack.com/p/th...
KBS Korea 24 @KBSKorea24
19:10-20:00 KST, Mon-Fri on KBS WORLD Radio.
Download the KBS Kong / KBS WORLD Radio Mobile apps
or subscribe to the Korea 24 podcast for your daily updates!
“For this week’s #KoreaBookClub, @barrywelsh chose the long-awaited translation of the #bestseller #7년의밤, #SevenYearsofDarkness. #JeongYouJeong’s psychological #crimethriller is a tense, gripping story that makes you think about the ugly side of human nature. If you consider yourself a #thriller fan, this is the book📚 for you!”
#KBSWORLDRadio #KBS월드라디오 #Korea24 #코리아24 #책추천 #bookstagram #북스타그램 #책스타그램 #KoreanLiterature #한국문학 #스릴러 #범죄스릴러 #정유정작가
(https://world.kbs.co.kr/service/progr...)
November 16, 2021
Η ιστορία διαδραματίζεται στην Κορέα και αφορά τον γιο ενός άνδρα που ευθύνεται για μια μεγάλη τραγωδία, που μετά από επτά χρόνια που έκανε ό,τι καλύτερο μπορούσε για να ζήσει με το παρελθόν του, ο γιος έρχεται επιτέλους αντιμέτωπος με την αλήθεια αυτού που συνέβη.Το βιβλίο είναι καλογραμμενο και σου κρατάει το ενδιαφέρον από την αρχή μέχρι το τελος .Το χωριό, η ομίχλη, η κρυφή απειλή και πολλά αλλά κάνουν την ιστορία μας αρκετά ατμοσφαιρική . Μου άρεσε ο τροπος που η ιστορία πήγαινε πίσω στο χρόνο στο γεγονός και μετά στο παρόν από την οπτική γωνία του γιου του υποτιθέμενου δολοφόνου και στη συνέχεια πίσω ακόμα πιο πίσω πριν συμβεί το συμβάν.Το βρήκα αρκετά ενδιαφέρον αν και μεγάλο βιβλίο . Μου πήρε κάποιες μέρες να το τελειώσω αλλά πραγματικά άξιζε κάθε λεπτό.
December 5, 2022
‘Ben babamın celladıydım.’
Bu cümle ile açılıyor Yedi Yıllık Karanlık ve tam da bu cümle ile karanlık aydınlığa yaklaşıyor.
.
Bir baraj gölünde bir kızın cesedine ulaşılır. Cinayet nasıl-neden oldu anlamaya çalışırken pek çok sır açığa çıkmaya başlar.
Pişmanlık sınırındaki fedakarlık, nefrete eş sevgi belirir bir anda.
.
İyi Evlat kitabıyla tanıdığım Jeong You Jeong sonu baştan belli bir hikayeyi dahi ilgi çekici kılmayı başarıyor. Kitabın sayfalarını çevirdikçe bir dizinin bölümlerini izler gibi hissediyorsunuz. Düğüm kafanızda çözülüyor ancak yine de izlemeye devam ediyorsunuz. Psikolojik gerilim türü sevenlerin ilgisini çekecektir eminim. Sadece bazı kısımlar fazla uzatılmış ve detaylandırılmış geldi bana, onu da söylemeliyim.
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Derya Çelik çevirisi, Geray Gençer kapak tasarımıyla ~
Bu cümle ile açılıyor Yedi Yıllık Karanlık ve tam da bu cümle ile karanlık aydınlığa yaklaşıyor.
.
Bir baraj gölünde bir kızın cesedine ulaşılır. Cinayet nasıl-neden oldu anlamaya çalışırken pek çok sır açığa çıkmaya başlar.
Pişmanlık sınırındaki fedakarlık, nefrete eş sevgi belirir bir anda.
.
İyi Evlat kitabıyla tanıdığım Jeong You Jeong sonu baştan belli bir hikayeyi dahi ilgi çekici kılmayı başarıyor. Kitabın sayfalarını çevirdikçe bir dizinin bölümlerini izler gibi hissediyorsunuz. Düğüm kafanızda çözülüyor ancak yine de izlemeye devam ediyorsunuz. Psikolojik gerilim türü sevenlerin ilgisini çekecektir eminim. Sadece bazı kısımlar fazla uzatılmış ve detaylandırılmış geldi bana, onu da söylemeliyim.
.
Derya Çelik çevirisi, Geray Gençer kapak tasarımıyla ~
July 17, 2024
❞ هذه الرواية عن تلك المنطقة الرمادية، عن رجل ارتكب خطأ واحدًا دمَّر حياته. عن الظلام داخل البشر، ❝
#سبع_سنوات_في_الظلام
#سبع_سنوات_في_الظلام
December 17, 2024
Δυνατό - σε σημεία αρκετά μπερδεμένο-, δυστυχώς δεν συγκρίνεται με το προηγούμενο της "Ο Καλός Γιος".
June 6, 2021
The novel is monstrously depressing, but the intrigue is tightly twisted, the psychologism is deep and complex, the emotional involvement is great, and everything is so whimsically braided that it is impossible to flip through a few pages to quickly find out how it will end. And it is not a detective spectrum of problems: social inequality, corruption, bullying. domestic violence, alcoholism, family disunity. The book is fire. And then just "The Good Son " came out. I know I'll be reading soon.
Глубоководные колодцы
Что из того?
Я мог бы наконец
Не получать проклятого наследства!
Апухтин " Сумасшедший"
Юго-восточная Азия теперь в тренде, в том числе литературном. Еще года три назад мы знали лишь не вполне японского японца Харуки Мураками (особо продвинутые могли вспомнить еще Рю и Кобо Абэ), да Китай неожиданно воздвигся на горизонте нобелиантом Мо Янем со "Страной вина" и "Красным гаоляном". Сегодня читаем даже китайских фантастов и детективщиков, не говоря о близлежащих "Безумно богатых азиатах" (взгляд из Америки) и "Павле Чжане" с его речными тварями (из России).
Страна утренней свежести дольше всего оставалась белым пятном на литературной карте, пока не появилась сначала "Вегетарианка" от Хан Ган, взявшая Букера, п��том еще что-то мы читали о непростой доле корейских женщин и сложностях тамошнего образовательного процесса, потом р-раз! - кино "Паразиты" в прошлом году, которое все, кто есть кто-то посмотрели. порадовавшись - слава Богу, не в Корее живем.
В ожидании "Хорошего сына или происхождения видов" от Чон Ючжон - книги, произведшей фурор на мировом литературном рынке, о которой с начала года говорили как об одной из самых ожидаемых переводных новинок, я решила прочесть предыдущий роман писательницы. И, в общем - это круто, ребята.
Хрупкая женщина, которой родители настрого запрещали писать, потому что дядя, выбравший литературную стезю, окончил дни в нищете, которая однако упорно писала и отправляла рукописи на все литературные конкурсы, и третий ее роман мгновенно стал мировым бестселлером, переведен на многие языки, фильм, снятый по нему, довольно популярен. Вот как раз та "Семилетняя ночь", о которой хочу рассказать.
Итак, это случилось семь лет назад, двенадцатилетний Совон переехал с родителями к озеру Серёнхо, где его отец, бывший профессиональный бейсболист, получил должность начальника охраны на дамбе. Озеро снабжает питьевой водой одиннадцать соседних районов, важный стратегический объект. Вау, начальник, вы скажете, неплохо. Но сам Чхве Хёнсу так не считает. После крушения карьеры (а бейсбол в Южной Корее очень популярен и лучшие игроки статусом и гонорарами, сопоставимы с нашими топовыми футболистами) он живет ни шатко, ни валко. Женат на хорошей, но прижимистой до скаредности женщине, ездит на Матиссе (это при росте 191 см), начал попивать
Одна отрада в жизни, сынишка, у них с отцом подлинная внутренняя связь. Как-то он не думает, при этом, насколько славному мальчишке Совону тяжела и горька его пьянка, постоянные скандалы с мамой и вот это вот все. Переезжают они, стоит объяснить, почему. В Корее существует практика долгосрочного съема жилья, при котором арендатор живет, не платя за аренду ни копейки, лишь оплачивая коммуналку. Владелец, при этом, тоже не внакладе, потому что при заселении вносится залог, равный примерно половине рыночной стоимости квартиры. Деньги можно положить в банк и жить на проценты, оставаясь владельцем.
Теперь смотрите, мама, которая выбилась из черной нищеты исключительно трудолюбием и целеустремленностью, всегда была одержима стремлением иметь свое жилье, у Совона должно быть будущее, которого он достоин. И она таки скопила нужную для покупки квартиры сумму (там еще удачное стечение обстоятельств, очень дешево). Они, по ее схеме, забирают у своего домовладельца залог, прилагают к ее сбережениям, а сами - та-дамм! - переезжают из Сеула в бесплатную служебную квартиру, в этой приозерной деревне.
У Хёнсу особо как-то и не спрашивается, хочет ли он того. А он, в основном, хочет, чтобы его оставили в покое и дали спокойно прибухивать, раз уж жизнь так печально не удалась. И тут, доложу вам, девочки, всякая женщина, которой приходилось вызванивать мужа по стопицот раз с гаражных посиделок: сначала "У-уже иду", потом трубка перестает отвечать, после вовсе отключается - так вот, каждая опознает ситуацию. Один-в-один, и никаких, блин, различий менталитета.
В деревне, меж тем, идет своя жизнь с непростыми перекрестными связями. Крупный землевладелец, которому принадлежит тут практически все, и еще супермаркет, стоматологическая клиника в соседнем городке. Он, в общем, маньяк. Реальная такая тварь, одержимая манием порядка и исправления, регулярно прилагающая свои стандарты, вместе с розгами и кулаками, к жене и дочери.
Не так давно во время семейной увеселительной поездки, попросту вышвырнул полуодетую жену из машины на горном перевале - доберется как-нибудь до дома, а пока хорошенько подумает о своем поведении. Против ожидания, женщина не вернулась, а вскоре появился ее адвокат по бракоразводным процессам. Вот же сучка!Она и прежде дважды пыталась бежать, всякий раз беря с собой дочку, но тогда Ёнчже находил и возвращал обеих. Не теперь Ох, и поплатится же она, когда он ее отыщет. А пока, надо исправить дочку, чтобы не стала такой, как мамаша.
Истязания девочки, которые продолжатся преследованием на протяжении семи лет мальчика Совона просто какая-то немыслимо достоевская глубина страдания и "знаете ли вы, знаете ли вы, милостивый государь, что такое значит, когда человеку некуда больше пойти?" Мармеладова. И это тоже совсем интернациональное, хотя чисто корейской депрессивности, которая у них называется косэнь (трудности, тяготы, страдания) будет вдоволь.
Роман чудовищно депрессивен, но интрига туго закручена, психологизм глубок и сложен, эмоциональная вовлеченность велика, и так прихотливо все заплетено, что пролистнуть несколько страниц, чтобы уже поскорее выяснить, чем дело кончится, никакой возможности. И совсем не детективный спектр проблем: социальное неравенство, коррупция, буллинг. домашнее насилие, алкоголизм, семейная разобщенность. Книга - огонь. А тут как раз "Хороший сын" от Чон Ючжон вышел. Я знаю, что буду читать в ближайшее время.
Глубоководные колодцы
Что из того?
Я мог бы наконец
Не получать проклятого наследства!
Апухтин " Сумасшедший"
Юго-восточная Азия теперь в тренде, в том числе литературном. Еще года три назад мы знали лишь не вполне японского японца Харуки Мураками (особо продвинутые могли вспомнить еще Рю и Кобо Абэ), да Китай неожиданно воздвигся на горизонте нобелиантом Мо Янем со "Страной вина" и "Красным гаоляном". Сегодня читаем даже китайских фантастов и детективщиков, не говоря о близлежащих "Безумно богатых азиатах" (взгляд из Америки) и "Павле Чжане" с его речными тварями (из России).
Страна утренней свежести дольше всего оставалась белым пятном на литературной карте, пока не появилась сначала "Вегетарианка" от Хан Ган, взявшая Букера, п��том еще что-то мы читали о непростой доле корейских женщин и сложностях тамошнего образовательного процесса, потом р-раз! - кино "Паразиты" в прошлом году, которое все, кто есть кто-то посмотрели. порадовавшись - слава Богу, не в Корее живем.
В ожидании "Хорошего сына или происхождения видов" от Чон Ючжон - книги, произведшей фурор на мировом литературном рынке, о которой с начала года говорили как об одной из самых ожидаемых переводных новинок, я решила прочесть предыдущий роман писательницы. И, в общем - это круто, ребята.
Хрупкая женщина, которой родители настрого запрещали писать, потому что дядя, выбравший литературную стезю, окончил дни в нищете, которая однако упорно писала и отправляла рукописи на все литературные конкурсы, и третий ее роман мгновенно стал мировым бестселлером, переведен на многие языки, фильм, снятый по нему, довольно популярен. Вот как раз та "Семилетняя ночь", о которой хочу рассказать.
Итак, это случилось семь лет назад, двенадцатилетний Совон переехал с родителями к озеру Серёнхо, где его отец, бывший профессиональный бейсболист, получил должность начальника охраны на дамбе. Озеро снабжает питьевой водой одиннадцать соседних районов, важный стратегический объект. Вау, начальник, вы скажете, неплохо. Но сам Чхве Хёнсу так не считает. После крушения карьеры (а бейсбол в Южной Корее очень популярен и лучшие игроки статусом и гонорарами, сопоставимы с нашими топовыми футболистами) он живет ни шатко, ни валко. Женат на хорошей, но прижимистой до скаредности женщине, ездит на Матиссе (это при росте 191 см), начал попивать
Одна отрада в жизни, сынишка, у них с отцом подлинная внутренняя связь. Как-то он не думает, при этом, насколько славному мальчишке Совону тяжела и горька его пьянка, постоянные скандалы с мамой и вот это вот все. Переезжают они, стоит объяснить, почему. В Корее существует практика долгосрочного съема жилья, при котором арендатор живет, не платя за аренду ни копейки, лишь оплачивая коммуналку. Владелец, при этом, тоже не внакладе, потому что при заселении вносится залог, равный примерно половине рыночной стоимости квартиры. Деньги можно положить в банк и жить на проценты, оставаясь владельцем.
Теперь смотрите, мама, которая выбилась из черной нищеты исключительно трудолюбием и целеустремленностью, всегда была одержима стремлением иметь свое жилье, у Совона должно быть будущее, которого он достоин. И она таки скопила нужную для покупки квартиры сумму (там еще удачное стечение обстоятельств, очень дешево). Они, по ее схеме, забирают у своего домовладельца залог, прилагают к ее сбережениям, а сами - та-дамм! - переезжают из Сеула в бесплатную служебную квартиру, в этой приозерной деревне.
У Хёнсу особо как-то и не спрашивается, хочет ли он того. А он, в основном, хочет, чтобы его оставили в покое и дали спокойно прибухивать, раз уж жизнь так печально не удалась. И тут, доложу вам, девочки, всякая женщина, которой приходилось вызванивать мужа по стопицот раз с гаражных посиделок: сначала "У-уже иду", потом трубка перестает отвечать, после вовсе отключается - так вот, каждая опознает ситуацию. Один-в-один, и никаких, блин, различий менталитета.
В деревне, меж тем, идет своя жизнь с непростыми перекрестными связями. Крупный землевладелец, которому принадлежит тут практически все, и еще супермаркет, стоматологическая клиника в соседнем городке. Он, в общем, маньяк. Реальная такая тварь, одержимая манием порядка и исправления, регулярно прилагающая свои стандарты, вместе с розгами и кулаками, к жене и дочери.
Не так давно во время семейной увеселительной поездки, попросту вышвырнул полуодетую жену из машины на горном перевале - доберется как-нибудь до дома, а пока хорошенько подумает о своем поведении. Против ожидания, женщина не вернулась, а вскоре появился ее адвокат по бракоразводным процессам. Вот же сучка!Она и прежде дважды пыталась бежать, всякий раз беря с собой дочку, но тогда Ёнчже находил и возвращал обеих. Не теперь Ох, и поплатится же она, когда он ее отыщет. А пока, надо исправить дочку, чтобы не стала такой, как мамаша.
Истязания девочки, которые продолжатся преследованием на протяжении семи лет мальчика Совона просто какая-то немыслимо достоевская глубина страдания и "знаете ли вы, знаете ли вы, милостивый государь, что такое значит, когда человеку некуда больше пойти?" Мармеладова. И это тоже совсем интернациональное, хотя чисто корейской депрессивности, которая у них называется косэнь (трудности, тяготы, страдания) будет вдоволь.
Роман чудовищно депрессивен, но интрига туго закручена, психологизм глубок и сложен, эмоциональная вовлеченность велика, и так прихотливо все заплетено, что пролистнуть несколько страниц, чтобы уже поскорее выяснить, чем дело кончится, никакой возможности. И совсем не детективный спектр проблем: социальное неравенство, коррупция, буллинг. домашнее насилие, алкоголизм, семейная разобщенность. Книга - огонь. А тут как раз "Хороший сын" от Чон Ючжон вышел. Я знаю, что буду читать в ближайшее время.
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