Human Acts
Han Kang, Alba Cunill Fulquet
4.19 · 26 ratings · Published: 19 May 2014
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.
- Asia 3
- East Asia 3
- South Korea 3
- historical 3
- historical fiction 3
- literary fiction 3
- political 3
- protagonists of colour 3
- on the move 2
- war/big battles 2
- dark 2
- drama 2
- horror 2
- magical realism 2
- 20th century 2
- realistic 2
- family 1
- friendship 1
- grief 1
- asian mc 1
- epic 1
- psychological 1
- action / adventure 1
- military, war & conflict 1
- Add topics
- format - reader age
- audiobook 3
- book 1
- adult fiction 1
- content warnings
- death / grief 2