Vanessa

What happens when a victim of the Burning Sun or the Nth Room scandals is pushed too far?

Molka follows a similar vein to Monika Kim's debut, The Eyes Are the Best Part , in that it's an unflinching glimpse into the horrors of being a woman in South Korea, and what happens when a woman is pushed far enough that she takes matters into her own hands.

This novel continues to show that the author has an uncanny ability to fill a book with oppressive psychological horror with her signature crisp writing style. I was so hooked I read the book in the space of two days. I found myself wincing at Dahye's recounting of how she met her boyfriend Hyukjoon (an archetypal chaebol playboy) and angry with all the casual misogyny and disregard from Junyoung, the authorities, parental figures.

Where I felt the book was weaker was in its exploration of Junyoung's psyche. Although his posturing as a "hero" and his self-delusion that Dahye is in love with him was interesting (in a deeply disturbing way), it almost felt superfluous. His voice was weaker than Dahye's overall, even if it served to show how some men view women purely as objects rather than human beings in South Korean society.

I would also have liked more exploration of Dahye's relationship with her sister, Eunhye. Of course, part of the novel blurs the lines, making it unclear if Eunhye really is a gwisin or just a figment of Dahye's imagination. Rather than spending more time in Junyoung's head, I would have been interested to see if Dahye would have taken revenge for Eunhye as well.

Overall, this was a strong second novel from an exciting author - I always enjoy a book where the women are angry and horrible men get their well-deserved comeuppance. I look forward to Monika Kim's next work!