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The Specters of Algeria
A group of dramatists that commit what was a subversive act during the South Korean military dictatorships of the twentieth century – distributing copies of Karl Marx’s only surviving play, The Specters of Algeria. The consequences of the brutal crackdown by the authorities would set the directions of the lives of two children of the group’s members, Yul and Jing. Despite the deep connection between them, Yul would open up an alteration shop in Seoul and Jing would move to Europe. But now, Cheolsu, a dissatisfied employee at a community theatre, is unearthing the truth about The Specters of Algeria and questioning whether the human situation is as absurd as the play asserts.
168 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2023
2 people are currently reading
673 people want to read
About the author
Hwang Yeo Jung
1 book2 followersHwang Yeo Jung was born in Seoul in 1974. Her debut novel, The Specters of Algeria, won the 2017 Munhak Dongne Novel Prize. Hwang’s next novel, Please Call My Name, was published in 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
January 25, 2025
"Why do you want to read it?"
"Well ... I …“
I couldn't tell him that the desire had come over me out of nowhere. It had in fact come over me out of nowhere, but nothing ever really happens without context. There was the forty-ninth day memorial rite, for instance, and AlphaGo, and buckwheat noodles, and the girl at the alteration shop, and the finger of the universe, and Mirae. Wait, not Mirae.
The Specters of Algeria (2023) is Jung Yewon's translation of 알제리의 유령들 (2017) by 황여정 (Hwang Yeo Jung), the original, a debut novel, winning the 23rd Munhak Dongne Novel Prize (문학동네소설상).
This is the 9th translation from Korean by the wonderful Honford Star, beginning with some classic early 20th century literature but more recently publishing newer writing:
Here this is the 7th book I've read by the talented translator (an 8th translation of Seven Samurai Swept Away in a River I've yet to read) and the cover art is by Jaemin Lee.
As for the novel itself - it's best to read it without reading the English language blurb as it rather presents the book the wrong way round, since this is a novel where effect comes first and cause, or different possible causes, after. If you want to read a blurb, an OpenAI translation of the Korean one is below.
The book begins with an enigmatic scene between two friends, Yul and Jing (both birth nicknames), whose parents are also close, looking at the mold growing on the wall of Yul's family flat and spotting patterns that looks like different countries of the world. Yul's father had one day burned all the books in their house, explaining to her that books scare him and he also claims, out of the blue, to Jing that he had an affair with his mother.
At first he was afraid of books, then he was afraid of paper with words written on it; in the end he grew afraid of paper itself.
The story that follows is told in four different narrative sections each giving a different perspective on the story of the two families, one that revolves around a mysterious play whose title in taken from the opening lines of the Communist manifesto, the last overseas destination of one of the co-authors of that work, and a bar in Daepyeong-ri, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si in the beautiful island of Jeju-do.
This is a novel where motivations aren't always straightforward (see the opening quote), identities aren't always clear (it plays on the use of Uncle/Auntie as a term for one's parents' friends, and nicknames vs. given names)
"Jing" was his birth name. My dad gave him the name "Hyeonga" later. Hyeon means string, as in a string instrument, and ga means beauty. The name "Eunjo" was something that Jing's dad gave me. Eun means silver, and jo means bird. "Yul" was the name Jing's mom gave me, and "Jing" was the name my mom gave him. Yul means shiny, and jing means clear.
And most ambiguous of all is truth:
모든 이야기에는 사실과 거짓이 섞여 있네. 같은 장소에서 같은 걸 보고 들어도 각자에게 들어보면 다들 다른 이야기를 하지. 내가 보고 듣고 겪은 일도 어떤 땐 사실이 아닐 때도 있어. 사실인지 아닌지 모른 채 겪었거나 잘못 기억하고 있거나. 거짓이 사실이 되는 경우도 있지. 누군가 그걸 사실로 믿을 때. 속았을 수도 있고 그냥 믿었을 수도 있고 속아준 것일 수도 있고 속고 싶었을 수도 있고.
Every story is a mixture of truth and lies. Even when people see and hear the same thing at the same place, they each recollect it differently. Sometimes, even what you hear and see and experience for yourself isn't true. You either experience it without realizing that it isn't true, or you just don't remember it correctly. Sometimes a lie turns into the truth, when someone believes it to be true. They could've been deceived, or they could've just believed it; they could've let themselves be deceived, or they could've wanted to be deceived.
An intriguing work, although the explaination what actually did happen a little detracted from the very message of the work. But then perhaps the explanation itself is just another version of the truth. And this is a book I immediately re-read - which is always a good sign.
The Korean blurb - and a OpenAi translation
어느덧 허구는 운명이 되었다
소설은 어느 여름날 벽지 위에 핀 곰팡이에서 세계지도를 읽어내는 어린 ‘징’과 그에게 의지해 두려움을 이겨나가는 ‘율’의 이야기로 시작한다. 하지만 율과 징의 소중한 시간들은 율의 아버지가 징의 편지와 지도는 물론이고 벽지마저 모조리 뜯어내 태워버리는 기이한 행동을 보이면서 지워지고 만다. 남다른 인연으로 얽히고설킨 듯 보이는 율의 부모와 징의 부모는 세월이 흘러 하나둘씩 그들을 떠나가고, 그들 모두를 이어주던 하나의 접점이 뒤늦게 드러난다. 누가 언제 어떻게 썼는지 알 수 없는 희곡 『알제리의 유령들』의 존재가 그것이다.
총 4부로 이루어진 이 소설은 각 부마다 서로 다른 서술자가 등장하여 자신의 이야기를 들려주는 가운데 『알제리의 유령들』을 둘러싼 비밀이 조금씩 밝혀지는 구성을 취한다. 1부에서 율은 아버지가 죽음을 맞은 제주도에서 기억의 착란을 겪는 징의 엄마를 만나는데, 징의 엄마가 멘 배낭 속엔 제본된 『알제리의 유령들』이 들어 있다. 2부에서 연극 연출 지망생 ‘철수’는 인생의 갈림길에서 해답을 구하고자 전설적인 연출가로 알려진 ‘오수’를 무작정 찾아간다. 오수는 각별히 따르던 연극계 선배의 딸인 율과 제주도로 내려가 ‘알제리’라는 술집을 꾸려나가고 있다. 3부에서 오수는 철수에게 『알제리의 유령들』에 대한 진실인지 거짓인지 모를 이야기를 들려준다.
4부에서 율과 징 가족을 둘러싼 과거의 사건이 드디어 밝혀지고, 낱낱의 이야기로 읽혔던 서사가 하나로 이어진다. 이윽고 이들의 운명을 뒤흔들었던 가장 슬프고 완벽한 아이러니가 바로 눈앞에 드러난다. 사소한 농담이 어느새 모두를 옭아매는 운명으로 탈바꿈하고, 앞 세대의 비극을 원치 않게 물려받은 율과 징은 여기에 남아 그 모든 일들을 받아들이거나, 여기를 떠남으로써 그 모든 일들에서 벗어나려 할 수밖에 없었던 것.
Fiction has become destiny.
The novel begins with the story of a young boy named 'Jing' who can read a world map from the mold that blooms on the wallpaper one summer day, and 'Yul' who overcomes fear relying on him. However, their precious moments are erased as Yul's father exhibits strange behavior, tearing down not only Jing's letters and maps but also the wallpaper, burning them all. As time goes by, Yul's parents and Jing's parents, who seem to be intertwined by a peculiar connection, gradually leave them, and a common point that connected them all is revealed belatedly. It is the existence of a play called "Ghosts of Algeria," a play whose author, time, and manner of creation are unknown.
Consisting of four parts, this novel adopts a structure in which different narrators appear in each part, telling their own stories, while gradually revealing the secret surrounding "Ghosts of Algeria." In Part 1, Yul meets Jing's mother, who is experiencing memory confusion on Jeju Island where Yul's father died, and inside her worn backpack lies a bound copy of "Ghosts of Algeria." In Part 2, an aspiring theater director named 'Cheolsu' blindly seeks answers at the crossroads of life and sets out to find 'Osu,' known as a legendary director. Osu is running a bar called "Algeria" in Jeju Island along with Yul, who happens to be the daughter of a senior colleague in the theater industry whom Osu greatly respected. In Part 3, Osu tells Cheolsu a story about "Ghosts of Algeria," whether it is true or false.
In Part 4, the past events surrounding Yul and Jing's families are finally revealed, and the fragmented narratives that were read one by one come together as one. Finally, the saddest and most perfect irony that shook their destinies is revealed right before their eyes. Petty jokes transform into a destiny that entangles everyone, and Yul and Jing, who unwillingly inherit the tragedy of the previous generation, can only accept all these events by staying here or try to escape from all these events by leaving.
"Well ... I …“
I couldn't tell him that the desire had come over me out of nowhere. It had in fact come over me out of nowhere, but nothing ever really happens without context. There was the forty-ninth day memorial rite, for instance, and AlphaGo, and buckwheat noodles, and the girl at the alteration shop, and the finger of the universe, and Mirae. Wait, not Mirae.
The Specters of Algeria (2023) is Jung Yewon's translation of 알제리의 유령들 (2017) by 황여정 (Hwang Yeo Jung), the original, a debut novel, winning the 23rd Munhak Dongne Novel Prize (문학동네소설상).
This is the 9th translation from Korean by the wonderful Honford Star, beginning with some classic early 20th century literature but more recently publishing newer writing:
Honford Star's mission is to publish exciting literature from East Asia, be it classic or contemporary. We believe there are many ground-breaking East Asian authors and books yet to be read by English-language readers, so we aim to make these works as accessible as possible. By working with talented translators and exciting local artists, we hope to see more bookshelves containing beautiful editions of East Asian literature.
Here this is the 7th book I've read by the talented translator (an 8th translation of Seven Samurai Swept Away in a River I've yet to read) and the cover art is by Jaemin Lee.
As for the novel itself - it's best to read it without reading the English language blurb as it rather presents the book the wrong way round, since this is a novel where effect comes first and cause, or different possible causes, after. If you want to read a blurb, an OpenAI translation of the Korean one is below.
The book begins with an enigmatic scene between two friends, Yul and Jing (both birth nicknames), whose parents are also close, looking at the mold growing on the wall of Yul's family flat and spotting patterns that looks like different countries of the world. Yul's father had one day burned all the books in their house, explaining to her that books scare him and he also claims, out of the blue, to Jing that he had an affair with his mother.
At first he was afraid of books, then he was afraid of paper with words written on it; in the end he grew afraid of paper itself.
The story that follows is told in four different narrative sections each giving a different perspective on the story of the two families, one that revolves around a mysterious play whose title in taken from the opening lines of the Communist manifesto, the last overseas destination of one of the co-authors of that work, and a bar in Daepyeong-ri, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si in the beautiful island of Jeju-do.
This is a novel where motivations aren't always straightforward (see the opening quote), identities aren't always clear (it plays on the use of Uncle/Auntie as a term for one's parents' friends, and nicknames vs. given names)
"Jing" was his birth name. My dad gave him the name "Hyeonga" later. Hyeon means string, as in a string instrument, and ga means beauty. The name "Eunjo" was something that Jing's dad gave me. Eun means silver, and jo means bird. "Yul" was the name Jing's mom gave me, and "Jing" was the name my mom gave him. Yul means shiny, and jing means clear.
And most ambiguous of all is truth:
모든 이야기에는 사실과 거짓이 섞여 있네. 같은 장소에서 같은 걸 보고 들어도 각자에게 들어보면 다들 다른 이야기를 하지. 내가 보고 듣고 겪은 일도 어떤 땐 사실이 아닐 때도 있어. 사실인지 아닌지 모른 채 겪었거나 잘못 기억하고 있거나. 거짓이 사실이 되는 경우도 있지. 누군가 그걸 사실로 믿을 때. 속았을 수도 있고 그냥 믿었을 수도 있고 속아준 것일 수도 있고 속고 싶었을 수도 있고.
Every story is a mixture of truth and lies. Even when people see and hear the same thing at the same place, they each recollect it differently. Sometimes, even what you hear and see and experience for yourself isn't true. You either experience it without realizing that it isn't true, or you just don't remember it correctly. Sometimes a lie turns into the truth, when someone believes it to be true. They could've been deceived, or they could've just believed it; they could've let themselves be deceived, or they could've wanted to be deceived.
An intriguing work, although the explaination what actually did happen a little detracted from the very message of the work. But then perhaps the explanation itself is just another version of the truth. And this is a book I immediately re-read - which is always a good sign.
The Korean blurb - and a OpenAi translation
어느덧 허구는 운명이 되었다
소설은 어느 여름날 벽지 위에 핀 곰팡이에서 세계지도를 읽어내는 어린 ‘징’과 그에게 의지해 두려움을 이겨나가는 ‘율’의 이야기로 시작한다. 하지만 율과 징의 소중한 시간들은 율의 아버지가 징의 편지와 지도는 물론이고 벽지마저 모조리 뜯어내 태워버리는 기이한 행동을 보이면서 지워지고 만다. 남다른 인연으로 얽히고설킨 듯 보이는 율의 부모와 징의 부모는 세월이 흘러 하나둘씩 그들을 떠나가고, 그들 모두를 이어주던 하나의 접점이 뒤늦게 드러난다. 누가 언제 어떻게 썼는지 알 수 없는 희곡 『알제리의 유령들』의 존재가 그것이다.
총 4부로 이루어진 이 소설은 각 부마다 서로 다른 서술자가 등장하여 자신의 이야기를 들려주는 가운데 『알제리의 유령들』을 둘러싼 비밀이 조금씩 밝혀지는 구성을 취한다. 1부에서 율은 아버지가 죽음을 맞은 제주도에서 기억의 착란을 겪는 징의 엄마를 만나는데, 징의 엄마가 멘 배낭 속엔 제본된 『알제리의 유령들』이 들어 있다. 2부에서 연극 연출 지망생 ‘철수’는 인생의 갈림길에서 해답을 구하고자 전설적인 연출가로 알려진 ‘오수’를 무작정 찾아간다. 오수는 각별히 따르던 연극계 선배의 딸인 율과 제주도로 내려가 ‘알제리’라는 술집을 꾸려나가고 있다. 3부에서 오수는 철수에게 『알제리의 유령들』에 대한 진실인지 거짓인지 모를 이야기를 들려준다.
4부에서 율과 징 가족을 둘러싼 과거의 사건이 드디어 밝혀지고, 낱낱의 이야기로 읽혔던 서사가 하나로 이어진다. 이윽고 이들의 운명을 뒤흔들었던 가장 슬프고 완벽한 아이러니가 바로 눈앞에 드러난다. 사소한 농담이 어느새 모두를 옭아매는 운명으로 탈바꿈하고, 앞 세대의 비극을 원치 않게 물려받은 율과 징은 여기에 남아 그 모든 일들을 받아들이거나, 여기를 떠남으로써 그 모든 일들에서 벗어나려 할 수밖에 없었던 것.
Fiction has become destiny.
The novel begins with the story of a young boy named 'Jing' who can read a world map from the mold that blooms on the wallpaper one summer day, and 'Yul' who overcomes fear relying on him. However, their precious moments are erased as Yul's father exhibits strange behavior, tearing down not only Jing's letters and maps but also the wallpaper, burning them all. As time goes by, Yul's parents and Jing's parents, who seem to be intertwined by a peculiar connection, gradually leave them, and a common point that connected them all is revealed belatedly. It is the existence of a play called "Ghosts of Algeria," a play whose author, time, and manner of creation are unknown.
Consisting of four parts, this novel adopts a structure in which different narrators appear in each part, telling their own stories, while gradually revealing the secret surrounding "Ghosts of Algeria." In Part 1, Yul meets Jing's mother, who is experiencing memory confusion on Jeju Island where Yul's father died, and inside her worn backpack lies a bound copy of "Ghosts of Algeria." In Part 2, an aspiring theater director named 'Cheolsu' blindly seeks answers at the crossroads of life and sets out to find 'Osu,' known as a legendary director. Osu is running a bar called "Algeria" in Jeju Island along with Yul, who happens to be the daughter of a senior colleague in the theater industry whom Osu greatly respected. In Part 3, Osu tells Cheolsu a story about "Ghosts of Algeria," whether it is true or false.
In Part 4, the past events surrounding Yul and Jing's families are finally revealed, and the fragmented narratives that were read one by one come together as one. Finally, the saddest and most perfect irony that shook their destinies is revealed right before their eyes. Petty jokes transform into a destiny that entangles everyone, and Yul and Jing, who unwillingly inherit the tragedy of the previous generation, can only accept all these events by staying here or try to escape from all these events by leaving.
April 25, 2023
"[The commentary] said: the four are specters because they have no past, which means they have come out of finite time and become infinite beings. Their bodies feel no pain, and they can never die. In most of the scenes of the play, they laugh as they exchange what sound like jokes to pass time, with sweet liquor and a variety of food to keep them company—as if nothing has happened. Then they realize that there are things that they don't know. They ask where they are, how they had come to be there, and give one another names. They try to put an end to their infinite rest by defining things and making an attempt to be defined, to find themselves. Because that is possible only in time, in other words, only through history. That was the way Marx loved people, the author was saying. And that it was a choice—to define and be defined—that only those who have loved could make." (129-30)
Wow, there was just so much here. I'm going to be thinking about this for a very long time. A striking opening chapter and a lot of really wonderful moments and images, and a fitting ending too. So much power packed into such few pages, simultaneously quiet and so loud; daring and ambitious and incredibly original. Authoritarianism, intergenerational trauma, the power of language & storytelling, stories-in-stories-in-stories, little freaks, general weird vibes, & a quaint apartment set partially inside a hill. Also, Marx and the idea of Marx being this powerful thing that crosses time and space and always will. I really, really thoroughly enjoyed this.
Wow, there was just so much here. I'm going to be thinking about this for a very long time. A striking opening chapter and a lot of really wonderful moments and images, and a fitting ending too. So much power packed into such few pages, simultaneously quiet and so loud; daring and ambitious and incredibly original. Authoritarianism, intergenerational trauma, the power of language & storytelling, stories-in-stories-in-stories, little freaks, general weird vibes, & a quaint apartment set partially inside a hill. Also, Marx and the idea of Marx being this powerful thing that crosses time and space and always will. I really, really thoroughly enjoyed this.
June 20, 2023
This is a 4 star book, however I gave it 3 stars because it was disorienting and I confess much of it eluded me, but I enjoyed the challenge of trying to make sense of the conflicting stories and memories. Memory is notoriously unreliable and whose version of the truth is the truth and unintended consequences can be devastating is what I took from this.
Edit: this book has me thinking so I changed by rating to 4 stars.
Edit: this book has me thinking so I changed by rating to 4 stars.
March 26, 2023
the twist in this was amazing !!!
June 21, 2023
This had left me disoriented and left me questioning a lot of things.
An experimental work that definitely deserved an applause. Its something different and it reflects closely to some traumas that will never heal, intergenerational traumas, the power of art and theatre and the strengths of youths.
Full RTC! Need to sort out my thoughts for a bit.
Edited on 21/6/2023
This is one of those books that will get you questioning every single thing you have read when you get to the last parts of the book. The questions of what is wrong and what is right and you're left there going..... huh........ that happened? And you're back to square one, trying to reconvince yourself of the things you've learnt throughout reading the book.
Translated from Korean by Yewon Jung, Spectres of Algeria is a story that revolves around a group of youths and people that later on will affect how their future generation carries themselves. Its a story that revolves deeply within the theatre scene, and showed how art can affect the political movements and the youths energy at the time in changing their lives and making their voices heard. Its a story told in 4 parts that is like the Acts in theatre, where each part showed a different story, told from different people, and everything will tie together at the end.
Honestly, I will just really highly suggest going into this book blind. The blurb... well.. really doesn't help and I don't want to give away too much in my thoughts. The best way to read this book is just to go straight ahead and enjoy the ride. Everything will literally not make any sense at first, but I assure you, keep on reading (and honestly, its impossible to put down the book), as the Writing style and proses made you want to know what even is going on.
Is it a story of a the Karl Marx and his theories and his followers?
Is it a story of a play that may or may not exist?
Is it a story of characters that may or may not live?
This book will leave you questioning everything, from political schemes to the patriarchy to even philosophical acts. Its an experimental work that somewhat seemed like a dream. Reading it made me knew the characters but also left me questioning everything that I know as well. I liked how the author somehow knew to make us, the readers, be seeking for answers and make us work for it. Its a story that looks very normal on the surface, but when you dig deeper, its a the mechanicals that is parallel to the real world in how stories plays a role in shaping a generation.
The book is a literal form of art, in where the author had shown how plays, stories and the people play every part in making it a working story that is whole. Definitely not something that I will pick up everyday, but it was something that I will actually remember for a very long time. I do highly recommend this book!
Personal Ratings : 4🌟
Biggest thank you to the publisher for the copy! I appreciate it a lot <3
An experimental work that definitely deserved an applause. Its something different and it reflects closely to some traumas that will never heal, intergenerational traumas, the power of art and theatre and the strengths of youths.
Full RTC! Need to sort out my thoughts for a bit.
Edited on 21/6/2023
This is one of those books that will get you questioning every single thing you have read when you get to the last parts of the book. The questions of what is wrong and what is right and you're left there going..... huh........ that happened? And you're back to square one, trying to reconvince yourself of the things you've learnt throughout reading the book.
"Every story is a mixture of truths and lies. Even when people see and hear the same thing at the same place, they each recollect it differently.
Translated from Korean by Yewon Jung, Spectres of Algeria is a story that revolves around a group of youths and people that later on will affect how their future generation carries themselves. Its a story that revolves deeply within the theatre scene, and showed how art can affect the political movements and the youths energy at the time in changing their lives and making their voices heard. Its a story told in 4 parts that is like the Acts in theatre, where each part showed a different story, told from different people, and everything will tie together at the end.
Honestly, I will just really highly suggest going into this book blind. The blurb... well.. really doesn't help and I don't want to give away too much in my thoughts. The best way to read this book is just to go straight ahead and enjoy the ride. Everything will literally not make any sense at first, but I assure you, keep on reading (and honestly, its impossible to put down the book), as the Writing style and proses made you want to know what even is going on.
Is it a story of a the Karl Marx and his theories and his followers?
Is it a story of a play that may or may not exist?
Is it a story of characters that may or may not live?
This book will leave you questioning everything, from political schemes to the patriarchy to even philosophical acts. Its an experimental work that somewhat seemed like a dream. Reading it made me knew the characters but also left me questioning everything that I know as well. I liked how the author somehow knew to make us, the readers, be seeking for answers and make us work for it. Its a story that looks very normal on the surface, but when you dig deeper, its a the mechanicals that is parallel to the real world in how stories plays a role in shaping a generation.
The book is a literal form of art, in where the author had shown how plays, stories and the people play every part in making it a working story that is whole. Definitely not something that I will pick up everyday, but it was something that I will actually remember for a very long time. I do highly recommend this book!
Personal Ratings : 4🌟
Biggest thank you to the publisher for the copy! I appreciate it a lot <3
June 18, 2023
"Every story is a mixture of truth and lies. Even when people see and hear the same thing at the same place, they each recollect it differently. Sometimes, even what you hear and see and experience for yourself isn't true. You either experience it without realizing that it isn't true, or you just don't remember it correctly. Sometimes a lie turns into the truth, when someone believes it to be true. They could've been deceived, or they could've just believed it; they could've let themselves be deceived, or they could've wanted to be deceived"
So here's the summary printed on the cover of the book: A group of dramatists commit a subversive act during the South Korean military dictatorships, distributing copies of Karl Marx’s only surviving play, The Specters of Algeria. The resulting crackdown by the authorities sets the direction of the lives of two children of the group’s members, Yul and Jing. Despite the deep connection between them, Yul opens up an alteration shop in Seoul and Jing moves to Europe. But now, Cheolsu, a dissatisfied employee at a community theatre, is unearthing the truth about The Specters of Algeria and the questions that remain unanswered about what really happened so long ago. The story was told in 4 parts, from 4 different perspectives pertaining to the story and the past of the 2 families. Part 4 of the story would definitely turn this summary upside down as it echoes the abovementioned quote: "Every story is a mixture of truth and lies".
I am not sure how to write this review without revealing too much of the story. Suffice to state at this juncture that the story surrounds the mysterious play entitled "The Specters of Algeria" by Karl Marx which was allegedly disseminated during the South Korean military dictatorship, which affected the lives of 2 children. Premised on this, Hwang Yeo Jung managed to inculcate a mysterious and ambiguous atmosphere throughout the novel with her prose, blurring "truth and lies" in this debut work. She managed to capture the attention of her readers as the truth (and the final plot twist) unravels at the end of the story. It further examines the power of art and literature, especially their role in response to oppression, dictatorship, and authoritarianism. There are shadows of the "story within a story" narrative device but executed with restraint and subtlety by Hwang Yeo Jung. There are also several philosophical discussions on memory, existentialism, the meaning of life, time, and freedom but consider yourself warned: do not be taken away by these philosophical discussions, as I have mentioned earlier, The Specters of Algeria is a "mixture of truth and lies". All in all, this is a very ambitious, unique, and experimental piece of work, which deserves a solid 4/5 star rating.
So here's the summary printed on the cover of the book: A group of dramatists commit a subversive act during the South Korean military dictatorships, distributing copies of Karl Marx’s only surviving play, The Specters of Algeria. The resulting crackdown by the authorities sets the direction of the lives of two children of the group’s members, Yul and Jing. Despite the deep connection between them, Yul opens up an alteration shop in Seoul and Jing moves to Europe. But now, Cheolsu, a dissatisfied employee at a community theatre, is unearthing the truth about The Specters of Algeria and the questions that remain unanswered about what really happened so long ago. The story was told in 4 parts, from 4 different perspectives pertaining to the story and the past of the 2 families. Part 4 of the story would definitely turn this summary upside down as it echoes the abovementioned quote: "Every story is a mixture of truth and lies".
I am not sure how to write this review without revealing too much of the story. Suffice to state at this juncture that the story surrounds the mysterious play entitled "The Specters of Algeria" by Karl Marx which was allegedly disseminated during the South Korean military dictatorship, which affected the lives of 2 children. Premised on this, Hwang Yeo Jung managed to inculcate a mysterious and ambiguous atmosphere throughout the novel with her prose, blurring "truth and lies" in this debut work. She managed to capture the attention of her readers as the truth (and the final plot twist) unravels at the end of the story. It further examines the power of art and literature, especially their role in response to oppression, dictatorship, and authoritarianism. There are shadows of the "story within a story" narrative device but executed with restraint and subtlety by Hwang Yeo Jung. There are also several philosophical discussions on memory, existentialism, the meaning of life, time, and freedom but consider yourself warned: do not be taken away by these philosophical discussions, as I have mentioned earlier, The Specters of Algeria is a "mixture of truth and lies". All in all, this is a very ambitious, unique, and experimental piece of work, which deserves a solid 4/5 star rating.
August 1, 2023
Bit of a confounding work. I wish I hadn’t read the blurb before reading the novel, I think it would have worked much better as a reading experience not knowing beforehand what the blurb promotes. Not knowing from whence sprang these behaviors, and then finally understanding, would have been more rewarding than being told what happened before even starting the read, and reading everything in that knowledge of what the end of the book reveals.
So in summary: avoid the blurb if at all possible before reading. 😁
So in summary: avoid the blurb if at all possible before reading. 😁
April 8, 2024
still haven’t figured out who bought and sent me this book anonymously last year, none of the exes ever admitted to it and frankly, no one else would include the (anonymous) note “from your secret lover”. even as a prank. i checked.
since i never actually told anyone i wanted to read this book when i first picked it up at the bookshop (and put it back down, because i’m on a book ban, it’s been over a year now, it’s remedial at this point) the conclusion is either a;
i have a stalker
or b;
someone from my past life knows me so well that they also looked at this book and thought “hey, this is something she would like, or bare minimum, is related to her because hello, marxist parody titled algeria written by south-korean playwright. Also, red.
idk what that says about me, or the exes, or the fact i can’t fully get over this weird event. i just hate the post now. and services that actually respect client confidentiality.
***
about the book: an actual mindfuck, just read it lightly and quickly on a return train trip of about 1.5 hours each way, while sitting sidesaddle admists many loud strangers including a fuckload of brazilian/portuguese international highschoolers. Just let the work take you there.
Actual content on/about/set in algeria the country : 0.7/10
Giving it 4 stars for originality
since i never actually told anyone i wanted to read this book when i first picked it up at the bookshop (and put it back down, because i’m on a book ban, it’s been over a year now, it’s remedial at this point) the conclusion is either a;
i have a stalker
or b;
someone from my past life knows me so well that they also looked at this book and thought “hey, this is something she would like, or bare minimum, is related to her because hello, marxist parody titled algeria written by south-korean playwright. Also, red.
idk what that says about me, or the exes, or the fact i can’t fully get over this weird event. i just hate the post now. and services that actually respect client confidentiality.
***
about the book: an actual mindfuck, just read it lightly and quickly on a return train trip of about 1.5 hours each way, while sitting sidesaddle admists many loud strangers including a fuckload of brazilian/portuguese international highschoolers. Just let the work take you there.
Actual content on/about/set in algeria the country : 0.7/10
Giving it 4 stars for originality
April 13, 2025
Incredible debut by Hwang Yeo Jung. This is one of those books that benefit from not reading the blurb and giving yourself to the journey and connecting links as you go without knowing too much (also who has written the blurb with so many spoilers????).
I have read it in one sitting and the blurriness of it mixed with a historical political side has reminded me of the new Han Kang or maybe it was the Jenju setting. Anyway great structure, great writing and the trickle of information has worked so well for me. I was very much into the whole thing (the last section!!!) I will keep an eye out for whatever she writes next.
I have read it in one sitting and the blurriness of it mixed with a historical political side has reminded me of the new Han Kang or maybe it was the Jenju setting. Anyway great structure, great writing and the trickle of information has worked so well for me. I was very much into the whole thing (the last section!!!) I will keep an eye out for whatever she writes next.
September 8, 2024
"She shuddered with thrill at the sense of danger, a possibility that he could fall to the ground and never return to where he had been, the power of concentration that arose from the sense of danger when all he had to rely on was the rope, the complete absorption into which nothing in the world, it seemed, could penetrate."
"The Specters of Algeria" takes place in a South Korean dictatorship where we first follow Yul, whose father is a part of a theatre group. Despite the circumstances, the novella describes little about the exact details regarding the dictatorship until a little bit further in, where Karl Marx's supposed play, "The Specters of Algeria" is translated and distributed across South Korea. Following the format of a play, the author divides this into three acts from the perspective of Yul, Cheol-Su, and Osu who tells the story of the titular play. The premise of the book is a bit misleading as one may expect the intricacies of a dystopian world, but instead what we get is a glimpse into two - three characters at a time. We often witness two characters engage in a pretty "useless" and repetitive conversation that mimic those of absurdist plays accompanied with simple prose, which results in challenging existentialism, one's purpose, and how everything, yet nothing is interconnected with each other. It's easy to forget that these characters live in such a state, as some of the issues they face are so "normal," yet you can see how they also impact the way they think in subtle ways.
Yul's journey in life begins with her childhood friend Jing, and their parents share a relationship through their love of theatre. As they separate and grow into adulthood, they start reflecting on their past and how it's shaped them, especially Jing's presence in Yul's life. It's as if the narrators recall ghosts of the past, and this book tells these stories through vignettes. The effects of the dictatorship are almost glossed over, but as time progresses, it's the smallest details and minute of behaviors that show us the paranoia and the survival mode that the characters undergo. The staccato dialogue somehow feels refreshing and fits the tone and themes of the book, and by the end almost comically reveals how unreliable our memories tend to be, and sometimes doing things for the sake of getting it out there in the world is what matters: "Every story is a mixture of truth and lies. Even when people see and hear the same thing at the same place, they each recollect it differently."
"The Specters of Algeria" takes place in a South Korean dictatorship where we first follow Yul, whose father is a part of a theatre group. Despite the circumstances, the novella describes little about the exact details regarding the dictatorship until a little bit further in, where Karl Marx's supposed play, "The Specters of Algeria" is translated and distributed across South Korea. Following the format of a play, the author divides this into three acts from the perspective of Yul, Cheol-Su, and Osu who tells the story of the titular play. The premise of the book is a bit misleading as one may expect the intricacies of a dystopian world, but instead what we get is a glimpse into two - three characters at a time. We often witness two characters engage in a pretty "useless" and repetitive conversation that mimic those of absurdist plays accompanied with simple prose, which results in challenging existentialism, one's purpose, and how everything, yet nothing is interconnected with each other. It's easy to forget that these characters live in such a state, as some of the issues they face are so "normal," yet you can see how they also impact the way they think in subtle ways.
Yul's journey in life begins with her childhood friend Jing, and their parents share a relationship through their love of theatre. As they separate and grow into adulthood, they start reflecting on their past and how it's shaped them, especially Jing's presence in Yul's life. It's as if the narrators recall ghosts of the past, and this book tells these stories through vignettes. The effects of the dictatorship are almost glossed over, but as time progresses, it's the smallest details and minute of behaviors that show us the paranoia and the survival mode that the characters undergo. The staccato dialogue somehow feels refreshing and fits the tone and themes of the book, and by the end almost comically reveals how unreliable our memories tend to be, and sometimes doing things for the sake of getting it out there in the world is what matters: "Every story is a mixture of truth and lies. Even when people see and hear the same thing at the same place, they each recollect it differently."
June 5, 2023
To nie był Karl Marx, to był Marcin Dubiel
April 10, 2025
The blurb for this does not do it justice. This story is about many things at once, about Yul and Jing who grew up together and how their lives turn out and about their parents and their friend Osu and in the very last few pages we realise it really is about the former oppressive regime in South Korea and how it destroyed lives over nothing. It felt like the author, who lived through much of the times she writes about, tries to indict something that isn’t there anymore for the immense harm done, with all that pain and hurt and rage pent up and ever so briefly lashing out at nothing, at a spectre that can not take responsibility anymore and even if, how useless is an apology….
I do enjoy a fragmented writing style, where you have to read through all the parts and only learn in the end how all the timelines and people come together and make sense and here it was done well and worked for me. It is not written in the most emotional way, which I enjoyed as well. And despite all the bleakness and sadness the ending is hopeful, so there is relief!
As a bonus point: My German hometown was mentioned, technically even twice!
Hammonia, oh wie so herrlich stehst du da!
I do enjoy a fragmented writing style, where you have to read through all the parts and only learn in the end how all the timelines and people come together and make sense and here it was done well and worked for me. It is not written in the most emotional way, which I enjoyed as well. And despite all the bleakness and sadness the ending is hopeful, so there is relief!
As a bonus point: My German hometown was mentioned, technically even twice!
Hammonia, oh wie so herrlich stehst du da!
Read
May 17, 2023Separated into three acts and an epilogue, The Specters of Algeria begins with a girl named Yul, born during the military dictatorship of South Korea.
Yul’s father is part of a theatre troupe, along with the father of her childhood friend Jing. We see the world through Yul’s eyes when the novel first begins.
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/korean-novels...
Yul’s father is part of a theatre troupe, along with the father of her childhood friend Jing. We see the world through Yul’s eyes when the novel first begins.
My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/korean-novels...
July 25, 2023
Other than the excercise on what Marx would've written I don't really see why I should care about anything in the novel. It's too short to develop any rapport with the characters, too terse on political and economic critique of the capitalist South and too nebulous on the work of art within society.
October 12, 2025
3.5 stars. This is a rather discombobulating read that (to some degree) all comes together in the end - but that I felt I needed to immediately reread in order to piece together how parts of the first three chapters fit in to the final narrative. Unfortunately although I did like the writing I didn’t like it enough to plunge straight back in so I probably haven’t taken away what I should. It’s definitely a clever concept and it certainly didn’t turn out as I expected (as other reviewers have said try not to read the blurb beforehand) but I did feel quite distant from the characters and almost wished we had more of the background story rather than the focus on their children. Anyway, an interesting, rather stretching, read that’ll take a lot more time to settle I think.
October 25, 2023
I think I'm giving it a 3.5 rounded up. I also kind of want to reread it, oddly enough. It's definitely confusing, but I understood the gist of it after reading a few reviews and thinking a little harder about it. Not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I think the way it's told is so interesting. This would be great buddy read or book club pick!
March 4, 2025
Baffling and delightful
June 10, 2023
Engrossing narrative that tells the story through a few perspectives, of people who’s lives are all intertwined. The moments that discuss the threads that connects Karl Marx’s time in Algeria near the end of his life, and the characters of this novel were intimate, thought-provoking, and scintillating. Overall, worth the quick read but can be confusing.
February 1, 2025
A sublime rumination. Gently crescendoing aching, a journey that iterates and nests into itself in such gentle and intriguing ways. Really perfect, I think :)
July 6, 2023
It’s all I can do to read books about the slipperiness of memories and stories that we share with others and marvel at how any of us hold on to ourselves and the people we love in our lives. It begins to feel so much more remarkable that we are able to maintain connections and relationships than have them dissolve into confusion and missed opportunities. Weird book, good read. Deep thoughts.
November 21, 2025
Oddly enough the third multi-perspective novel I've read this year by a korean author in which each subsequent perspective has been less enthralling. Not really a discernible pattern but weird that it's happened thrice...
December 16, 2023
#thespectersofalgeria 🇩🇿🇰🇷
“Every story is a mixture of truth and lies.”
Small but formidable. It's astonishing how much plot was crammed into this small book and how beautifully it was written.
Go into this blindly without reading the blurbs, it’s more fun this way.
The story is told over a number of POV’s. The characters lives are severely influenced by their histories, recollections, and other traumatic experiences.
It’s mischievous, fun and clever. Where at the end of the story, the epiphany hits. This book has piqued my attention and interest to learn more about the less discussed aspects of Korean history.
Thank you @honford_star for the e-arcs. Appreciate it. 😽
“Every story is a mixture of truth and lies.”
Small but formidable. It's astonishing how much plot was crammed into this small book and how beautifully it was written.
Go into this blindly without reading the blurbs, it’s more fun this way.
The story is told over a number of POV’s. The characters lives are severely influenced by their histories, recollections, and other traumatic experiences.
It’s mischievous, fun and clever. Where at the end of the story, the epiphany hits. This book has piqued my attention and interest to learn more about the less discussed aspects of Korean history.
Thank you @honford_star for the e-arcs. Appreciate it. 😽
October 28, 2023
I shall confess that my understanding of this novel was and still is questionable. The novel is relatively short yet it was a difficult, frustrating read. I had to reread passages, pages and even chapters to try to follow the story. I basically read it because of the reference to my beloved country Algeria. But the book is not about Algeria but about South Korea and the scars of its dictatorship. It is about the truth and lies about theater and arts about love and life.
PS: it is not possible to see Durdjudjura Mountains when standing near Algiers Port (100 miles distance)
The is no Algerian language. Algerians speak Arabic and Tamazigh.
PS: it is not possible to see Durdjudjura Mountains when standing near Algiers Port (100 miles distance)
The is no Algerian language. Algerians speak Arabic and Tamazigh.
April 16, 2023
The premise of the book isn’t introduced until two-thirds into the story and everything before that point is backstory that really only becomes relevant towards the end.
I liked the idea of the story but the way it was written made it difficult to digest and it often felt scattered and difficult to tell who was speaking or being referred to. The first part of the book doesn’t refer to the play much at all.
Thank you to Honford Star for the sending me the proof copy.
I liked the idea of the story but the way it was written made it difficult to digest and it often felt scattered and difficult to tell who was speaking or being referred to. The first part of the book doesn’t refer to the play much at all.
Thank you to Honford Star for the sending me the proof copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2025
4.5 rounding up because this small book packs so much between the lines. Clever, absurd, and sad. Better to skip the blurb and go into the book with no expectations because the blurb does not do this book justice.
*Mild spoilers: this reminded me of the Taiwanese video game/movie/show Detention. Maybe my new favorite niche subgenre is martial law in East Asia and secret book clubs in times of anti-communist sentiment. A lot to unpack here. Love a story of intergenerational trauma.
*Mild spoilers: this reminded me of the Taiwanese video game/movie/show Detention. Maybe my new favorite niche subgenre is martial law in East Asia and secret book clubs in times of anti-communist sentiment. A lot to unpack here. Love a story of intergenerational trauma.
November 7, 2024
all men do is lie
January 12, 2025
“My dad was afraid of paper. At first he was afraid of books, then he was afraid of paper with words written on them; in the end, he grew afraid of paper itself.” Hwang Yeo Jung’s novel The Specters of Algeria, translated into English by Yewon Jung, is a fascinating, multi-layered exploration of the difficulties and subjectivities of narrative and history. Set around the time of South Korea’s military dictatorship, the plot, told across characters and across time, revolves around a group of dramatists and “Karl Marx’s only surviving play”, from which the novel takes its title. The mystery of this play, and its deep implications through multiple families, multiple generations, unravels slowly, compelling, from the intertwining perspective of various, loosely connected characters, in captivating prose. “I imagined running into Jing. There he would be — on a subway, on a bus, in a bookstore, in a café, on the street — when I casually turned my steps or my head. What we would talk about, what we would do, where we would go, I couldn't say; and the scene — or the scenes — would always stop at us running into each other, because I couldn't really imagine what would happen next.” Thanks to Jordan for sending me this proof — published just last week by Honford Star!
April 20, 2023
Specters of Algeria is a story about a fictional ‘only play’ written by Karl Marx with the same name. A group of young Korean theatre folks in the era of South Korean dictatorship decided to put the play up. And this is the story about how Marx’s play ‘Specters of Algeria’ has affected them and their children.
Plot: I probably didn’t describe the plot very well because it’s hard to capture this story within a few sentences. Despite its short length, Specters of Algeria is a wonderfully bizarre and confusing story. The story is told through multiple narratives, requiring attention and patience so navigates through each chapter. The overarching themes of the book are oppression (from both society and government), isolation and grief.
Prose: While the book has a lot of potential, I find the writing a bit bland and lacking in charm. It could be a translation thing? But the language is a bit awkward and cliche at times.
I still give this book a solid 3.5 stars as the plot is quite weird and interesting.
Plot: I probably didn’t describe the plot very well because it’s hard to capture this story within a few sentences. Despite its short length, Specters of Algeria is a wonderfully bizarre and confusing story. The story is told through multiple narratives, requiring attention and patience so navigates through each chapter. The overarching themes of the book are oppression (from both society and government), isolation and grief.
Prose: While the book has a lot of potential, I find the writing a bit bland and lacking in charm. It could be a translation thing? But the language is a bit awkward and cliche at times.
I still give this book a solid 3.5 stars as the plot is quite weird and interesting.
May 19, 2023
Specters of Algeria is novel about a fictional play by Karl Marx’s with the same name.
Set in an era of South Korean dictatorship, a young theatre trope put on the play. The novel follows this group and their children, reflecting on how the play has affected them throughout their lives.
This is. slightly confusing story but poses a wonderful narrative in such a short novel. The story is told from the perspective of three multiple narratives which Creates depth in a book of such a short length. The themes presented throughout the book are weaves into a quiet, almost personal story from our
narrators.
Throughout the book the themes of oppression from societal expectations and government lead are present. Grief, isolation and complexities of relationships throughout of lives are also present.
Overall, the book is a short reflection on life through the lens of people who have experienced a different way of life. It is a quiet, reflective novel about the will to live despite its hardships.
Set in an era of South Korean dictatorship, a young theatre trope put on the play. The novel follows this group and their children, reflecting on how the play has affected them throughout their lives.
This is. slightly confusing story but poses a wonderful narrative in such a short novel. The story is told from the perspective of three multiple narratives which Creates depth in a book of such a short length. The themes presented throughout the book are weaves into a quiet, almost personal story from our
narrators.
Throughout the book the themes of oppression from societal expectations and government lead are present. Grief, isolation and complexities of relationships throughout of lives are also present.
Overall, the book is a short reflection on life through the lens of people who have experienced a different way of life. It is a quiet, reflective novel about the will to live despite its hardships.
February 17, 2024
What caught my eye was the Korean author with an African country in the title. Glad I didn't think too much into it or read the blurb before diving straight in. Thinking back, it can be really confusing since the link to whatever is there is only near the end; and doesn't feel important apart from the questions they evoked.
The first chapter touches on several issues that are actually bothering me back then so I put it down for a really long time before picking it back up. I really liked the book the second time I read.
The plot is very easy to follow and it's nice there were some twists to the standard cliche storylines! This book likes to give a lot of "truisms" and in some ways it's really nice, but seem over-engineered at others. A lot were what I needed to hear at that point in time, so I won't fault it too much, but can see someone who might not be as invested finding them trite.
I wouldn't have thought it was a translated book from how well it's structured, but would be interested to see it in the original language though!
The first chapter touches on several issues that are actually bothering me back then so I put it down for a really long time before picking it back up. I really liked the book the second time I read.
The plot is very easy to follow and it's nice there were some twists to the standard cliche storylines! This book likes to give a lot of "truisms" and in some ways it's really nice, but seem over-engineered at others. A lot were what I needed to hear at that point in time, so I won't fault it too much, but can see someone who might not be as invested finding them trite.
I wouldn't have thought it was a translated book from how well it's structured, but would be interested to see it in the original language though!
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