Book Review: HUMAN ACTS by Han Kang

Title: Human Acts
Author: Han Kang
Category/Genre: Adult Literary
My Star Rating: 5/5

Goodreads Blurb:
In the midst of a violent student uprising in South Korea, a young boy named Dong-ho is shockingly killed.

The story of this tragic episode unfolds in a sequence of interconnected chapters as the victims and the bereaved encounter suppression, denial, and the echoing agony of the massacre. From Dong-ho's best friend who meets his own fateful end; to an editor struggling against censorship; to a prisoner and a factory worker, each suffering from traumatic memories; and to Dong-ho's own grief-stricken mother; and through their collective heartbreak and acts of hope is the tale of a brutalized people in search of a voice.

An award-winning, controversial bestseller, Human Acts is a timeless, pointillist portrait of an historic event with reverberations still being felt today, by turns tracing the harsh reality of oppression and the resounding, extraordinary poetry of humanity.

My Review:

The brutal words printed on these pages have imprinted themselves on my heart for all time. Poignant, necessary honesty seeps through each page, painting a gruesome and exhaustive picture of war and revolt. Wounds left in the wake of horrific tragedy are pried open, left raw and festering while put on display for those brave enough to venture in and immerse themselves in the heartache. I'm left emotionally depleted after closing the book; a feat only accomplished through genuine talent, a trait clearly born to this phenomenal writer.

*I received a free copy of this book by the publisher & Blogging For Books and voluntarily reviewed*