Book Review: The Good Son by You-jeong Jeong

~ Janel (Keeper of Pages)

The Good Son - You-jeong Jeong

The bestselling Korean thriller of the year!

 bookdescription

YOU WAKE UP COVERED IN BLOOD
THERE’S A BODY DOWNSTAIRS
YOUR MOTHER’S BODY

YOU DIDN’T DO IT. DID YOU?
HOW COULD YOU, YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN THE GOOD SON

THE INTERNATIONAL SENSATION FROM KOREA’S MILLION-COPY BESTSELLING AUTHOR YOU-JEONG JEONG.

When Yu-jin wakes up covered in blood, and finds the body of his mother downstairs, he decides to hide the evidence and pursue the killer himself.

Then young women start disappearing in his South Korean town. Who is he hunting? And why does the answer take him back to his brother and father who lost their lives many years ago.

The Good Son is inspired by a true story.

mythoughts

This slow-burning novel has the most intriguing opening, and what follows is a compelling tale of self-exploration. Through the situation Yu-jin finds himself in, he takes the reader on a journey as he tries to piece together the events in his life that led to this moment, the moment he wakes covered in blood, and equally important, how to survive this moment. The Good Son is dubbed as a thriller, but the thrills aren’t found in the pacing, as this one is of a slower pace, the thrills come in the sinister revelations.

The tension in this novel is created through Yu-jin’s faulty memory, it created a heightened anxiety around our main protagonist because you’re unsure whether you can trust him – how much of what he says is truth and how much is lies – we know Yu-Jin experiences a manic state, brought on by not taking his medication, what we don’t know is how much he pushes the boundaries on reality during his memory recall.

As the plot thickens, you’re constantly wondering how Yu-jin is going to survive this. What’s quite incredible about this book is how much of the time it’s just you and Yu-jin, with very limited characters, you really get to know Yu-jin, and be prepared because he’s walking a dark path. Not only is this book limited in characters, it’s also limited in location, with much of the story taking place inside Yu-Jin’s apartment, which he shares with his brother and mother. This creates an intense setting for this drama to play out, there is no reprieve from the tormented mind of Yu-Jin.

As the narration switches between the past and the present, The Good Son provides an in-depth character study of Yu-jin, exploring his own psyche and his complex family relations. It’s cleverly told, sharp [and bloody] in descriptive detail, made all the more chilling as it’s inspired by a true story.

This book is available to buy from: Amazon UK / Book Depository

*My thanks to the publisher (Little, Brown Book Group UK) for granting me access to a digital copy of this title via Netgalley*

Published by Janel (Keeper of Pages)

Blogging about books and other bookish ramblings

33 thoughts on “Book Review: The Good Son by You-jeong Jeong”

    1. I’ve googled like crazy trying to find the true event that inspired it but no luck, and as I read an arc, there’s no authors note that could possibly hint at it. So frustrating lol

      Like

      Reply
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  11. Fantastic review my friend! I was meant to review this yesterday as well but I was so shattered I couldn’t do it. It will have to wait until next week. You’ve summed it up beautifully, hope I can do the same. So worried about spoilers though! 🤔

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
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