READING UPDATE: TWO BOOK REVIEWS (HUMAN ACTS BY HAN KANG AND HOGFATHER BY TERRY PRATCHETT)

I'm back with another reading update. Today I'll be reviewing two very different novels: Human Acts  by Han Kang and Hogfather by Terry Pratchett. I've heard good things about both of these authors, but I only got to reading one of their works last month. These two books were my introduction to Pratchett and Kang, you might say. I'm happy to report I quite liked both of them and plan to read more of them. Isn't it great when you discover authors that are perfect for you? Han Kang is a South Korean writer. A daughter of a novelist herself, Han Kang writes with ease. Her writing style is beautiful, touching and almost hypnotic. Kan really has a way of bringing you inside the story. I first heard about Han Kang when her controversial novel The Vegetarian started to trend and I've been meaning to read it ever since. When I saw this beautiful cover of Human Acts in Jelsa library, I knew it is time for me to pick it up. Similarly, I've been meaning to read Terry Pratchett for quite some time. Sir Terry Pratchett was a British author who is best know for his fantasy Diskworld series consisting of 41 novels. I'm quite fond of British writers and Pratchett's writing really impressed me. It's a shame he is not with us anymore, but at least we have his brilliant works to keep us company. Scroll down to read my reviews of Human Acts and Hogfather.

HUMAN ACTS, A NOVEL  BY HANG KAN  4/5

Human Acts is a beautifully written tale of a historical tragedy. This novel is very potent and meaningful, but it is not the easiest book to read. Set in the midst of a tragically ended student uprising in South Korea, much of the novel focuses on the death of a young boy named Dong-ho and the effect his tragic death had on his family and friends. It speaks of a painful time in South Korea's history, of the brutal dictator this country lived under, the military regime it experienced and the horrible massacres committed by the army. The fact that it was based on true events makes this story even more chilling. The author did a lot of research for this novel, she studies the fates of victims in detail. You can feel this in writing. While you read the novel, it does feel real. 

“Is it true that human beings are fundamentally cruel? Is the experience of cruelty the only thing we share as a species? Is the dignity that we cling to nothing but self-delusion, masking from ourselves the single truth: that each one of us is capable of being reduced to an insect, a ravening beast, a lump of meat? To be degraded, slaughtered - is this the essential of humankind, one which history has confirmed as inevitable?”

Early in the novel, Dong-ho, a young student, is killed. He is not the only young and innocent person whose life ends suddenly. In fact, the novel opens with a massive tragedy. We meet Dong-ho as he is volunteering to help the grieving families identify their family memories killed by the army, hoping to find his school friend Jeong-dae (who we will learn was mercilessly killed as well). As Dong-ho watches over the corpses, we get to see the death in all of its horror. Dong-ho fights nausea but together with two brave young women (whose stories we will learn as well) he keeps working on standing watch over the bodies. In the end he refuses to save himself and leave. His character really grew on me. The young student who is looking for his friend was such a well crafted character. At the same time, the writer does a great job of setting the atmosphere of a tragically ended student protest, the prosecution and the horror of live under the military regime.

“...It was as that strange, vivid night was drawing to a close, as the faint blue light of dawn had begun to seep into the sky's black ink, that i suddenly thought of you, dong-ho. Yes, you'd been there with me, that day. until something like a cold cudgel had suddenly slammed into my side until I collapsed like a rag doll. Until my arms flung themselves up in mute alarm, amid the cacophony of footsteps drumming against the tarmac, ear-splitting gunfire. Until I felt the warm spread of my own blood moving up over my shoulder, the back of my neck. until then, you were with me.”

When Dong-ho is killed, the narrative switches to his friend Jeong-dae who is at that moment a rotting corpse. The description of Jeong-dae's spirit agonizing over the fact that he cannot communicate with anyone was extremely upsetting. That part of the novel was so well written and quite terrifying. It was like a whole another level of suffering, reading about this young boy's soul being linked to the body that was decaying, without being able to break free or find peace. Jeong-dae is also able to sense that his sister was killed as well and this brings him incredible pain. That whole episode of afterlife made so much sense to me. We can imagine that Dong-ho's soul goes under a similar torture and that is really horrible.

There are many tragic stories in this novel. However, the death of Dong-ho seems to connect them all. The bravery of this young boy is in many ways a connector for all the tragic and heart-breaking stories this novel shares. Dong-ho becomes a symbol of the country's collective suffering and loss. His family deals with his death in different ways but they are all greatly affected. As the novel progresses we learn more of the suffering of those who survived.

The novel offers a very detail account of this historical massacre and tragedy, it takes it very seriously and does all it can to bring it to light. I felt that it went a bit too dark at times, that it could have focused on the humanness of certain characters, on the courage they must have had. Nevertheless, on overall Human Acts it is a fantastic book. It contains quite vivid and graphic description of murders, torture and violence, so if you're sensitive, it might affect you. It is the kind of novel that can make you cry a river. It certainly made me cry, but I'm very grateful to have read it. I truly believe Human Acts is a labour of love, something close to the author's heart. I hope it might bright some peace or closure to the survivors of those horrible times. To conclude, Human Acts is a poetical, inspiring and beautiful tale but it is also incredibly sad.

“I'm fighting alone, every day. I fight with the hell that I survived. I fight with the fact of my own humanity. I fight with the idea that death is the only way of escaping this fact.” Han Kang, Human Acts

“Some memories never heal. Rather than fading with the passage of time, those memories become the only things that are left behind when all else is abraded. The world darkens, like electric bulbs going out one by one. I am aware that I am not a safe person.”

“Glass is transparent, right? And fragile. That's the fundamental nature of glass. And that's why objects that are made of glass have to be handled with care. After all, if they end up smashed or cracked or chipped, then they're good for nothing, right, you just have to chuck them away.
Before, we used to have a kind of glass that couldn't be broken. A truth so hard and clear it might as well have been made of glass. So when you think about it, it was only when we were shattered that we proved we had souls. That what we really were was humans made of glass.”

“After you died I couldn't hold a funeral,
So these eyes that once beheld you became a shrine.
These ears that once heard your voice became a shrine.
These lungs that once inhaled your breath became a shrine.”

 

“I still remember the moment when my gaze fell upon the mutilated face of a young woman, her features slashed through with a bayonet. Soundlessly, and without fuss, some tender thing deep inside me broke. Something that, until then, I hadn't realised was there.”

“I'd been mistaken when I'd thought of them as victims. They'd stayed behind precisely to avoid such a fate. When I think of those ten days in the life of that city, I think of the moment when a man who'd been lynched, almost killed, found the strength to open his eyes. The moment when, spitting out fragments of teeth along with a mouthful of blood, he held his failing eyes open with his fingers so he could look his attacker straight in the face. The moment when he appeared to remember that he has a face and a voice, to recollect his own dignity, which seemed the memory of a previous life.”

 HOGFATHER, A NOVEL BY TERRY PRATCHETT 4/5

 Hogfather might be the twentieth novel in the Disc world series but it was my first book in the series (and my first by this author). I always suspected Terry Pratchett might be my cup of tea and I wasn't wrong. I immensely enjoyed reading Hogfather. It is the perfect book to take one's mind of problems. Very imaginative and funny in its setting and world building, this novel also features a wonderful female protagonist: Susan. Death is quite an interesting character as well and an author of many memorable lines through the course of this book. The plot isn't bad either. It's all about the spirit of Christmas (or better to say Hogwatch) in this one.

One thing I especially liked about Terry Pratchett's writing is his humour. This writer has got a fantastic sense of humour. At any rate, it's the kind of humour that appeals to me. It is at times very dark (or should I say very British?). This book made me chuckle many times. It is wonderfully funny in a variety of ways. There are all kinds of humour in it, from the silly jokes (pigs relieving themselves where they shouldn't and that sort of things), clever world play, reversed logic reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland to more philosophical and satirical humour. This writer likes to make fun of everything, doesn't he? However, Terry Pratchett never goes too far for my liking, rather he shows a sense of measure in his comical scenes. Moreover, even when he makes fun of religion, education system and human society (which is all the time more or less) Terry retains a necessary dose of humility that seems to be hinting at things unknown. Terry is great at pointing out at the absurdities without growing too depressive or gloom in his writing.

...“You can't give her that!' she screamed. 'It's not safe!'

IT'S A SWORD, said the Hogfather. THEY'RE NOT MEANT TO BE SAFE.

'She's a child!' shouted Crumley.

IT'S EDUCATIONAL.

'What if she cuts herself?'

THAT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT LESSON.”

The novel opens with Susan (Death's granddaughter) working as a governess. She had a great education and now she wants a normal life. ...“She'd become a governess. It was one of the few jobs a known lady could do. And she'd taken to it well. She'd sworn that if she did indeed ever find

herself dancing on rooftops with chimney sweeps she'd beat herself to death with her own umbrella.” Despite her sarcasm, Susan gets on pretty well with kids and is able to teach them some important lessons. While the writer makes a witty remark: ...“Getting an education was a bit like a communicable sexual disease. It made you unsuitable for a lot of jobs and then you had the urge to pass it on.” , Susan's education actually proves helpful in this book and not just for her job as a governess. That doesn't mean it is really helpful, though. After all, most people don't have to save the world on regular basis. Susan makes for a charming governess and a book protagonist. Susan's matter of fact approach to life is in wonderful contrast with the world she lives in and the situations she has to deal with. Take for example her rendering of a known classic of children's literature: ...“And then Jack chopped down what was the world's last beanstalk, adding murder and ecological terrorism to the theft, enticement, and trespass charges already mentioned, and all the giant's children didn't have a daddy anymore. But he got away with it and lived happily ever after, without so much as a guilty twinge about what he had done...which proves that you can be excused for just about anything if you are a hero, because no one asks inconvenient questions.”

Soon into the novel, Susan gets involved into her grandfather's schemes. She has to solve a mystery and for once Susan cannot rely on her powers. Quite ironic given how much Susan says she only wants to be 'normal'. Apart from highly likable Susan, there is quite a cast of interesting characters in this book. The villain of this book Mr. Teatime is also a memorable character.

“Mister Teatime had a truly brilliant mind, but it was brilliant like a fractured mirror, all marvellous facets and rainbows but, ultimately, also something that was broken.”

― Terry Pratchett, Hogfather

The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it was just a tad bit too long. I felt the story could have been shorter without losing its essence. I think this book would be just as great if it was a hundred pages shorter. Not that I'm no complaining too much, for it was a wonderful read. The Death of Rats was a bit of a redundant character if you ask me, but then again he comes in pair with a rather entertaining raven, so I guess he wasn't so bad after all. I just thought these two will have a more important role to play apart from ending up dinning on a conveniently found ship that happened to die happy and of old age. Anyhow, this book has some brilliant moments and it was a truly entertaining read.

..“This is very similar to the suggestion put forward by the Quirmian philosopher Ventre, who said, "Possibly the gods exist, and possibly they do not. So why not believe in them in any case? If it's all true you'll go to a lovely place when you die, and if it isn't then you've lost nothing, right?" When he died he woke up in a circle of gods holding nasty-looking sticks and one of them said, "We're going to show you what we think of Mr Clever Dick in these parts...”

 
 
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 That would be all for today. Thank you for reading and commenting!