Stars: 3 out of 5

This was a strangely lyrical novella about love and loss and the sense of not belonging in this world and not fitting into society. In a way, both protagonists are lonely individuals with no friends or family to speak of. They just float through life without making any ripples. Were they to disappear someday, nobody would even notice. It is nice that they found some semblance of kinship in each other.

I wouldn't call this magical realism or anything. It's more a slice-of-life kind of story. Yes, people's shadows "rise" from time to time, but apart from that description, nothing really happens. And those shadows are more of a metaphor for loneliness and absence of hope than anything else.

My biggest complaint is that the dialogues aren't well formatted, so half the time I got confused as to what was just description and what was an actual line of dialogue, or who was speaking. I don't know if this was a formatting issue or of that's how dialogues are written in the original Korean version, but they should have translated this into the English formatting.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun is an exploration of the lives of Mujae and Eungyo, set against a backdrop of the struggles faced by the working class in a capitalist society. Readers are taken on an emotional journey that highlights the complexities of love intertwined with the harsh realities of life. Hwang's writing style is undeniably poetic, reminiscent of Han Kang, and distinctly Korean. The blend of realism with fantastical elements creates this narrative where feelings and thoughts take on a life of their own as shadows. The subtlety embedded invites various interpretations, allowing readers to find their own meanings hidden.The story itself is a reflection of life’s unpredictability and struggles.

Thank you netgalley for this eARC!

One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun is an absolutely stunning novel. The story is quiet yet powerful, following Eunhui, a young woman working in a lighting store, and her complex relationship with a man named Jihyeok. Hwang’s writing is poetic and evocative, pulling you into a world where the lines between light and shadow, memory and forgetting, are beautifully blurred.

What really makes this book shine is its emotional depth. The characters feel real, their lives ordinary but profoundly moving. Through simple yet captivating prose, Hwang explores themes of identity, connection, and the things we hide from others and ourselves. It’s a story that stays with you, inviting reflection long after you’ve finished reading. Highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a deep, thoughtful read.

A bit hard to get into (mostly because the translation felt a bit fragmentary) but it was an engaging read after a while. This is not my first contact with Korean literature but it is the most profound one. Magical realism is what won me over and how much the writer focuses on little details that help us understand better the characters and the world they live in.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun!

I thought this book was very interesting, but I found it hard to connect with. It was a bit disorienting and bleak despite being easy to read. I found the characters a bit hard to connect with because they were lacking emotional depth.

Thank you Netgalley and Erewon for the EARC.

I'm sorry but this really wasn't for me, it was bleak and depressing and I struggled to finish it.

One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun left a strong impression on me. The story, set in a rundown electronics market in Seoul, follows Eungyo and Mujae, two young workers trying to make sense of their lives amidst poverty and societal neglect. The idea of shadows rising and detaching from people felt like a brilliant metaphor for the psychological struggles they face—like a physical manifestation of their despair and fear.

I did find the repetitive dialogue a bit distracting, especially with the lack of quotation marks, which made the conversations harder to follow. But once I got past that, I really appreciated how the book tackled heavy topics like gentrification and class inequality. The mix of magical realism with such grounded, raw emotions felt powerful, even though the tone was quiet and understated.

Overall, it’s a bittersweet, thought-provoking read that really stuck with me—quietly powerful and full of insight into the lives of those society often overlooks.

Thank you Netgalley and Erewon for the EARC.

This was a wonderful story and beautifully written. The creepy superstition of the shadows was well done.

One Hundred Shadows by Hwang Jungeun is a haunting and thought-provoking novel that blends surrealism with a deep exploration of loneliness and identity. The atmospheric writing creates a strong sense of place, which blurs the boundaries between reality and the supernatural element.

The story's slow pace and abstract narrative style are quite challenging, which make me feel difficult to connect with the story.

3.5 stars.
According to the publisher, Hwang Jungeun was inspired by the 2009 Yongsam Disaster to write this story of workers in a run-down Seoul industrial market slated for demolition. The mundane conversations, and sometimes stilted and repetitive dialogue echo the bleak future for these workers, while the shadows, which have taken on a life of their own, appear to be abandoning them along with everybody else. This spare and almost surreal story has moments of lightness, too, but for the most part, it's fairly bleak. Not everybody gets a happily ever after, unfortunately. Still, I recommend it.

⭐️: 2
DNF. I tried to get into it, but it didn’t hold my interest Maybe I’ll give it another chance at a later time.

One Hundred Shadows is set in a Seoul slum slated for demolition, where an eerie phenomenon begins: the residents' shadows start to rise, with no clear explanation. A mysterious warning spreads—never follow your shadow if it drifts away.

As their neighborhood is gradually destroyed, Eungyo and Mujae, who work at an electronics repair shop, can only watch as their world disappears. Their growing bond offers some solace, but with an uncaring ruling class and the inevitable rise of the shadows, their connection may not be enough to withstand the overwhelming forces at play.

Jungeon’s use of surreal imagery explores themes of resilience, identity, and the human condition, akin to the writing style of Han Kang in The Vegetarian. Both authors delve deeply into their characters' psychological struggles, exposing their battles with societal pressures and internal conflicts. In One Hundred Shadows, the characters are forced to decide whether to overcome or succumb to the difficulties surrounding them. When a shadow breaks free from its human form, following it leads only to suffering or death, highlighting the precariousness of survival in a world on the brink of collapse.

I am not sure if it is the translation or the actual story, but I cannot figure out what this book is about. It is very confusing, not in an ethereal way, but in a frustrating way. I was sad because the description looked very interesting.

While I love that stories like this are making their way into English, I found this a bit too disjointed for a higher rating. I normally love a slow, meandering story, but I think maybe that this one tries to tackle too many things at once for a novella. Some parts of this were beautiful - I have noted some quotes - but there were many times that I had to remind myself that this story wasn’t yet finished and I needed to get back to it!

One Hundred Shadows is a beautiful story of struggle and love in a capitalist society. This book tells a love story amidst increasing development and poverty in a "slum" in Seoul. As residents' shadows begin to rise, Eungyo and Mujae attempt to find hope and joy in a bleak landscape.

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended.

wanted to like this book and the synopsis had me interested, but I found the structure incredibly difficult to follow and found myself lost throughout. A devastating story set in Seoul, Eungyo and Mujae share stories as they watch the demolition of their community.

Slowly paced, although a short book, it was hard for me to get into and want to pick up to read. There was something peaceful about the slowness combined with the eerieness in setting. In addition, Eungyo and Mujae were very real characters that you get to know even within the short time span. Something is always lost in translation, but this one was not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Erewhon books for the ARC in return for an honest review.

“I wonder if they call this place a slum, because if you called it someone’s home or their livelihood that would make things awkward when it comes to tearing it down”

This was haunting yet slightly fantastical despite what inspired the author to write it.

I would suggest reading the interview with the author at the end of the book first for more context. It would have helped me understand more of the characters' experiences if I had read it in the beginning. It was an interesting way to talk about shadows but the book felt very emotionless and dry. The ending was also a bit abrupt.

*Provided a DRC (digital review copy) from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.