(Amazon First Reads/August 2022) “Broken Summer” starts in leisurely, almost placid fashion。 Simple words, simple sentences bring a seemingly simple story to light。Is our protagonist, an acclaimed artist, really as superficial and as self-absorbed as he seems? (Really, doesn’t the most striking art actually come from inner pain writ large?) A wife handles all the details of his life and career, so that he can focus on art, his garden, and stray moments with their dog。 She even runs interference (Amazon First Reads/August 2022) “Broken Summer” starts in leisurely, almost placid fashion。 Simple words, simple sentences bring a seemingly simple story to light。Is our protagonist, an acclaimed artist, really as superficial and as self-absorbed as he seems? (Really, doesn’t the most striking art actually come from inner pain writ large?) A wife handles all the details of his life and career, so that he can focus on art, his garden, and stray moments with their dog。 She even runs interference between him and the public, in service to his muse。Keep reading, and J。M。 Lee builds tension and detail, patiently and almost imperceptibly。 Our protagonist-narrator ventures into memories of his past, with each anecdote building both context and subtle unease。 Layer upon layer, Lee patiently adds detail to the story arc。 Changes in sentence structure and syntax herald the arrival of startling plot points — sometimes singly, but more often several in sequence, like the dotting of oil pigment on a pointillist’s canvas。Yes, “Broken Summer” has secrets, mysteries and a crime。 But few of these elements turn out to be what you anticipate as you turn the pages。 At the end, you are left with the results of a narrative … and insights into the genesis of artistic vision and method, as well as questions about the prices paid by artists, muses and the public。A note on translation: An Seon Jae is due praise for the haunting beauty of some of the most poignant passages in this story。 Don’t be lulled by the seeming superficiality of several passages in the first third of the book。Soon enough, his subtle mind lifts the anguish that Lee crafts in the hearts of his characters and ensures that this anguish transcends setting and culture and idiom。 Phrases and sentences are crafted with a spare elegance。 Laid bare, they have the power to pierce the reader’s heart。 。。。more
Barry Welsh,
KBS Korea 24 @KBSKorea24"A renowned artist wakes up to find that his wife has vanished, leaving behind a mysterious novel that threatens to destroy his career。 Best-selling author J。M。 Lee weaves another literary thriller in BROKEN SUMMER which @barrypwelsh reviews for #KoreaBookClub。 #부서진여름 #이정명”#KBSWORLDRadio #KBS월드라디오 #Korea24 #코리아24 #책추천 #책스타그램 #북스타그램 #bookstagram #book #reading #KoreanLiterature #한국문학 19:10-20:00 KST, Mon-Fri on KBS WORLD Radio。Download the KBS Kong / KBS WORLD Radio Mobile KBS Korea 24 @KBSKorea24"A renowned artist wakes up to find that his wife has vanished, leaving behind a mysterious novel that threatens to destroy his career。 Best-selling author J。M。 Lee weaves another literary thriller in BROKEN SUMMER which @barrypwelsh reviews for #KoreaBookClub。 #부서진여름 #이정명”#KBSWORLDRadio #KBS월드라디오 #Korea24 #코리아24 #책추천 #책스타그램 #북스타그램 #bookstagram #book #reading #KoreanLiterature #한국문학 19:10-20:00 KST, Mon-Fri on KBS WORLD Radio。Download the KBS Kong / KBS WORLD Radio Mobile apps or subscribe to the Korea 24 podcast for your daily updates!http://world。kbs。co。kr/service/progra。。。 。。。more
Barbara,
I loved Broken Summer ! It's a literary drama set in the world of high art。 The protagonist is a famous painter, like Jackson Pollock, for instance and his wife, a beautiful and devoted woman who cares for his every need and supports his career in every way until one day she is missing。 Instead of finding her, the painter, to his horror, discovers an expose of his life which will surely destroy his career and life written by his wife。。 why? What? how? His incredulity at his wife's betrayal takes I loved Broken Summer ! It's a literary drama set in the world of high art。 The protagonist is a famous painter, like Jackson Pollock, for instance and his wife, a beautiful and devoted woman who cares for his every need and supports his career in every way until one day she is missing。 Instead of finding her, the painter, to his horror, discovers an expose of his life which will surely destroy his career and life written by his wife。。 why? What? how? His incredulity at his wife's betrayal takes him back to his youth when he grew up as a caretaker's son to a wealthy family。 He and his brothers and father live under the umbrella of the wealth of the employee's but he and his brother play with their rich counterparts and they fall in love with the rich daughter。。。。 the book reminds me of Remains of the Day in many ways。。 about class discrimination and it's also about family and what a father does for the love of his sons。 Secrets and lies eventually are revealed in gorgeous lush prose。 Very atmospheric and highly intelligent immersed in the life and downfall of a painter。 。。。more