The Red Palace
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- Create Date：2021-12-23 07:51:09
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：June Hur
- ISBN：1250800552
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Summary
To enter the palace means to walk a path stained in blood。。。
Joseon （Korea）， 1758。 There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city， but through hard work and study， eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse。 All she wants is to keep her head down， do a good job， and perhaps finally win her estranged father's approval。
But Hyeon is suddenly thrust into the dark and dangerous world of court politics when someone murders four women in a single night， and the prime suspect is Hyeon's closest friend and mentor。 Determined to prove her beloved teacher's innocence， Hyeon launches her own secret investigation。
In her hunt for the truth， she encounters Eojin， a young police inspector also searching for the killer。 When evidence begins to point to the Crown Prince himself as the murderer， Hyeon and Eojin must work together to search the darkest corners of the palace to uncover the deadly secrets behind the bloodshed。
Joseon （Korea）， 1758。 There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city， but through hard work and study， eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse。 All she wants is to keep her head down， do a good job， and perhaps finally win her estranged father's approval。
But Hyeon is suddenly thrust into the dark and dangerous world of court politics when someone murders four women in a single night， and the prime suspect is Hyeon's closest friend and mentor。 Determined to prove her beloved teacher's innocence， Hyeon launches her own secret investigation。
In her hunt for the truth， she encounters Eojin， a young police inspector also searching for the killer。 When evidence begins to point to the Crown Prince himself as the murderer， Hyeon and Eojin must work together to search the darkest corners of the palace to uncover the deadly secrets behind the bloodshed。
Reviews
Kal ★ Reader Voracious
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buddy reading with Jayati and currently cursing the fact I have to work this weekBlog • Twitter • Instagram • Pinterest • Ko-fi • Patreon buddy reading with Jayati and currently cursing the fact I have to work this weekBlog • Twitter • Instagram • Pinterest • Ko-fi • Patreon 。。。more
BookDragon
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Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my opinion。Working as a palace nurse Hyeon who is an illegitimate daughter has made the best out of her less than desirable circumstances。 All she wants is to keep her head down and out of trouble and to make her father proud。 However， when a series of murders occur and rumors start to fly Hyeon finds herself entangled with the royals their secrets and their lies。 Hyeon with some help gets sucked into the murder investigation determined to prove h Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my opinion。Working as a palace nurse Hyeon who is an illegitimate daughter has made the best out of her less than desirable circumstances。 All she wants is to keep her head down and out of trouble and to make her father proud。 However， when a series of murders occur and rumors start to fly Hyeon finds herself entangled with the royals their secrets and their lies。 Hyeon with some help gets sucked into the murder investigation determined to prove her mentors innocence and determined not to become the next victim herself。This story takes place in Joseon Korea in 1758。 Immediately readers are sucked into massacre and from there things keep running。 I loved being immersed in a culture that I don't really know anything about。 Its mystery and intrigue which I like but with a different flavor。 I loved this book！ 。。。more
Susan
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Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley， Macmillan Children's Publishing Group， and Feiwel & Friends in exchange for an honest review。June Our does it again， this time readers find themselves in Joseon in 1758 for another Korean historical fiction。 Hur's last novel， THE FOREST OF STOLEN GIRLS was really good but took me awhile before I got into it。 This time？ I was hooked to THE RED PALACE before the first chapter was over and found myself on more than one evening reading well past my bedti Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley， Macmillan Children's Publishing Group， and Feiwel & Friends in exchange for an honest review。June Our does it again， this time readers find themselves in Joseon in 1758 for another Korean historical fiction。 Hur's last novel， THE FOREST OF STOLEN GIRLS was really good but took me awhile before I got into it。 This time？ I was hooked to THE RED PALACE before the first chapter was over and found myself on more than one evening reading well past my bedtime because I was finding it impossible to put this book down。The mystery was intriguing， and as the pieces started to fall into place， I was surprised at some of the reveals （which is a good thing）。 Hyeon is a great protagonist， she's smart and clever - and is able to be both while still being realistic as someone from the society and time period the novel is set in。 I loved the dynamic between Hyeon and Eojin and their storyline was just as engaging as the murder mystery。This is definitely my favorite Hur novel yet and even if it's a standalone - I can still hope for another novel to know what happens to Hyeon and Eojin next because I don't want their story to end！ 。。。more
Bonnie Stevens
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*I recieved an eArc of this from NetGalley。 This book was well written with an interesting and engaging mystery。 I didn't have the best time with it， it didn't really keep my attention， but I really feel like that was me not in the mood for this sort of book than any fault with the book itself。 *I recieved an eArc of this from NetGalley。 This book was well written with an interesting and engaging mystery。 I didn't have the best time with it， it didn't really keep my attention， but I really feel like that was me not in the mood for this sort of book than any fault with the book itself。 。。。more
ness
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3。75★
rain
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tw & cw: graphic description of murder， dead bodies， mentions of torture， violenceJUNE HUR DID IT AGAIN。 i have read all of her novels and this， by far， is her best。 i also mean it when i say that the red palace is one of the best mystery books i have ever read。 rtc。PRE-ORDER THIS BOOK！！！
USOM
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（Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher。 This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest。） Immediately The Red Palace hooked me with intrigue。 There's a magical blend of mystery and history all wrapped up into one。 In what I've come to associate as a signature June Hur style， The Red Palace is intriguing from the very beginning。 Hyeon is competent， clever， and compassionate。 She's instantly endearing not only in her dedication to justice， but also in the ways she's also （Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher。 This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest。） Immediately The Red Palace hooked me with intrigue。 There's a magical blend of mystery and history all wrapped up into one。 In what I've come to associate as a signature June Hur style， The Red Palace is intriguing from the very beginning。 Hyeon is competent， clever， and compassionate。 She's instantly endearing not only in her dedication to justice， but also in the ways she's also seeking approval。 At the same time， Eojin was a grumpy， caring， and fascinating side character。I was swept away and could not stop reading The Red Palace。 While it's easy to get lost in the mystery and the murder - because there are some BIG twists - what I loved was Hyeon。 She's so intelligent and caring， but at the same time also unsure of how to do what's right。 Of what she will do for the approval of her family。 I ended up reading The Red Palace in a few days I was so captivated。 。。。more
megs_bookrack
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In 1758， Joseon-era Korea， 18-year old， Hyeon works as a palace nurse， a position she has worked very hard to attain。As the illegitimate daughter of a powerful man， Hyeon was limited in her options。 She does enjoy her profession， however， and hopes that through it she may one day earn her estranged father's approval。Hyeon keeps her head down， does her job and tries to avoid any conflicts that would reflect negatively on her， but when she and a fellow nurse are called to the bedside of the Crown In 1758， Joseon-era Korea， 18-year old， Hyeon works as a palace nurse， a position she has worked very hard to attain。As the illegitimate daughter of a powerful man， Hyeon was limited in her options。 She does enjoy her profession， however， and hopes that through it she may one day earn her estranged father's approval。Hyeon keeps her head down， does her job and tries to avoid any conflicts that would reflect negatively on her， but when she and a fellow nurse are called to the bedside of the Crown Prince Jangheon late one night， Hyeon is suddenly thrust into a wicked web of palace intrigue that she cannot avoid。That very same night， at the same time she is in the Prince's chambers， a viscous attack occurs at the Hyeminseo that Hyeon used to attend。 The attack leaves four women brutally murdered。When Hyeon's beloved mentor， Nurse Jeongsu， gets arrested for the crime， Hyeon knows there's been a mistake。 There is no way her caring teacher， a woman who has dedicated her life to helping others， could possibly be capable of the callous brutality of this massacre。Hyeon's desperate to save Jeongsu from the clutches of the police force， known for their brutal interrogations， and she doesn't have much time。 Therefore， Hyeon decides she needs to begin her own secret investigation into the murders。 Along the way she meets Eojin， a young police inspector， who teams up with her to uncover the truth behind the Hyeminseo Massacre， but will anything they find actually make a difference？ In the face of the dark secrets they begin to uncover involving every level of palace politics， Hyeon and Eojin seem so small， young and inconsequential。 They're both willing to take incredible risks in the pursuit of justice though and that should count for something。The Red Palace grabbed me and never let go。 This was such a surprising read for me， a little outside of my comfort zone， but such a delightful way to spend the weekend。Hur 100% succeeded at sweeping me away to another time and place。 I felt transported！There are so many things to love about this book that I fear I may just begin swooning here。 Let's start with Hyeon。 She had such incredible depth of character。 I felt like I knew her。 I had such empathy for her and her situation。 In spite of her challenging family life though， Hyeon showed such strength and dedication to task， even in the face of terrible danger。 It was admirable。Then there is Eojin， speaking of swooning。 Calm， quiet， strong and respectful of Hyeon， he made a great partner for her during the investigation。Eojin had his own complex backstory and motivation for wanting to get to the bottom of these crimes， which added to the general mystery。 I enjoyed his steadfast nature and the evolution of their relationship was so satisfying。Lastly， let's talk about the atmosphere。 I can't even describe how great it was for me。 The dark， dangerous streets。 The secrets of the royal family hidden around every corner。As I said earlier， I was transported。 When I was reading this， I could picture it all playing out in my mind。 Granted， I'm no cinematographer， but I think Hur did an incredible job leading me on my imaginative journey into the heart of this story。Thank you so much to the publisher， Feiwel & Friends， for providing me with a copy to read and review。 I enjoyed this so much and cannot wait to pick up Hur's other two novels。 Apparently， YA Historical Mysteries are now my thing！ 。。。more
Beth
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I had a hard time getting into this book。 It had a few ally slow start and I had to “walk away” from it a couple of times。 In the end it wasn’t a book for me but is one I’d prob buy to have in my high school library。 #netgalleyarc
Lucy
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The complexity of the book was beautiful。 We see into the characters and their lives。 I loved all the characters， especially the amazing police inspector。 It really feels like you are in the world， due to her strong descriptions。 The mystery kept me guessing and I was definitely surprised by the end。 Hur had me tearing at the end。 I rarely read historical fiction， but I am so glad I read this one。 Highly recommended。
sassyspines
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So so excited to read this！！Thank you to Feiwel & Friends （Macmillan Children's Publishing） and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review。 So so excited to read this！！Thank you to Feiwel & Friends （Macmillan Children's Publishing） and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Natasha Gatti
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This book was really good！ My first mystery/thriller in a while。 This story kept me on me engaged from beginning to end。 I feel like this was reasonably paced and well written。 I didn’t think anything was obviously predictable and the MC， Hyeon， was very likable。 I also liked the duo she made with the inspector Eojin。 Hyeon and Eojin are such an innocent pair that worked well together。 Despite the grimness of the plot at times - I feel like they added a sense of innocence and lightheartedness to This book was really good！ My first mystery/thriller in a while。 This story kept me on me engaged from beginning to end。 I feel like this was reasonably paced and well written。 I didn’t think anything was obviously predictable and the MC， Hyeon， was very likable。 I also liked the duo she made with the inspector Eojin。 Hyeon and Eojin are such an innocent pair that worked well together。 Despite the grimness of the plot at times - I feel like they added a sense of innocence and lightheartedness to the story。 I also liked the insight to Korean history and palace life in that time period。 Honestly， reading this book is like watching a Kdrama but on paper。 I would read this again and would love to see more from this author。 My rating is more like a 4。2/5⭐️。I received this an ARC from Books with Friends via Netgalley and leave this review voluntarily。 。。。more
Tiffany
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*I receive an ARC from the author in exchange of honest review。 Thank you June Hur for the book！Firstly， I want to thank June Hur for writing young adult historical-fiction books set in the Joseon period。 I'm a huge fan of sageuk k-drama， and June Hur's books are the only ones （that I know of， so far） that's set in the Joseon period。 It's an absolute delight to read something that I usually watch。The Red Palace is June Hur's third book， and like her previous books， it's also a murder-mystery。 Un *I receive an ARC from the author in exchange of honest review。 Thank you June Hur for the book！Firstly， I want to thank June Hur for writing young adult historical-fiction books set in the Joseon period。 I'm a huge fan of sageuk k-drama， and June Hur's books are the only ones （that I know of， so far） that's set in the Joseon period。 It's an absolute delight to read something that I usually watch。The Red Palace is June Hur's third book， and like her previous books， it's also a murder-mystery。 Unlike her previous books though， The Red Palace revolves around a real historical-figure， Crown Prince Sado， who was known as a murderer。 In this book， we follow Baek-Hyeon， a palace nurse， and Inspector Seo Eojin， who were trying to find the truth behind the massacre。I'm not going to explain the plot in detail， but suffice to say， it doesn't go into the direction that I originally thought it'd go。 Despite knowing the history behind Crown Prince Sado， June Hur still manages to constantly surprise me。 I do recommend reading a bit about the history before diving into this book so that you'll be more familiar with the side characters。All in all， I definitely recommend The Red Palace！ If you love June Hur's previous books， I'm sure you'll love this one too。 。。。more
Elle
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Decided to take a break from reading bloody historical fantasies by reading this bloody historical thriller。 🗡🩸June Hur is one of those authors I’ve heard nothing but great things about， but I still had never gotten around to reading before。 And maybe it’s because the phrase ‘YA historical mystery’ doesn’t quite do her books justice。 Absolutely all of those descriptors are true in this case—The Red Palace is a novel from a YA imprint set in 18th century Korea centered around multiple murders， an Decided to take a break from reading bloody historical fantasies by reading this bloody historical thriller。 🗡🩸June Hur is one of those authors I’ve heard nothing but great things about， but I still had never gotten around to reading before。 And maybe it’s because the phrase ‘YA historical mystery’ doesn’t quite do her books justice。 Absolutely all of those descriptors are true in this case—The Red Palace is a novel from a YA imprint set in 18th century Korea centered around multiple murders， and yet it felt like so much more than that while I was reading。 A driven young nurse， Baek-Hyeon， has finally achieved her dream position working in the palace。 After overcoming a difficult childhood， she’s accomplished more than anyone expected a girl from her background would do。 But all that Hyeon has done is threatened one night when she’s summoned to watch over a member of the royal household， then sworn to secrecy。 Upon leaving the palace that same day she learns that a massacre has taken place at her former nursing school， and her beloved mentor， Nurse Jeongsu， has been arrested for the crime。Not believing her caretaker and teacher could have ever done something so heinous， Hyeon devotes herself to clearing Nurse Jeongsu’s name by investigating the killings herself。 Her persistence and meddling draw the attention of a young police inspector， Seo Eojin。 And despite early mistrust and disagreement， they begin to work together to unravel the web of secrets at the heart of this violent crime。I think the most surprising thing to me while reading was how engaging and exciting The Red Palace was。 Other historical fiction I’ve read， even ones centered around similar deadly events， have the tendency to drag or slow down intermittently。 It’s not a particularly long book at 336 pages， but it’s jam-packed with action and suspense。 June Hur also allows those tender， quiet moments for the characters to be explored on a deeper level。 You can definitely try to solve the mystery by tracking the clues and evidence， but these are crime（s） best understood by following the motives。 I also loved the balance between historical record and the portions invented by the author and how they were seamlessly blended together。 Some may or may not know this， but The Red Palace is actually based on the story of Prince Sado， a famous Korean figure from history。 I’m not going to write too much about him， because I don’t want to potentially spoil anything for other people who are going in blind like I did， but also because though a lot of the story references the Crown Prince， he’s not the main focus。 We are primarily following Hyeon and Eojin’s investigation， wherever that may go， and how their lives are impacted by interfering in various political maneuvers。I really recommend reading June’s Author’s Note at the end of the book once you’ve finished。 It’s so enlightening in addition to the novel， plus it demonstrates how deliberate and well thought-out her writing is。 If you’re a sucker for crime shows “based on a true story” or historical dramas pieced together through old documents and court gossip or maybe are just looking for a break from a formulaic YA thriller set in a high school， I’d recommend giving The Red Palace a shot！Now the only question is do I read The Silence of Bones or The Forest of Stolen Girls next？？ 🤔*Thanks to Fierce Reads for an advance review copy！**For more book talk & reviews， follow me on Instagram at @elle_mentbooks！ 。。。more
rina
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A historical mystery set in Korea with romantic overtones and a tangled narrative。 I haven't read many books set in this area， so it was a breath of fresh air。 The book's time period and setting were distinct and appealed to my interests， but the mystery element fell short。 It wasn't horrible per se; it simply felt like the characters were running in circles with their investigation at times， or there was a lot was left off the page。I said that there was romance， but I didn't think it was well f A historical mystery set in Korea with romantic overtones and a tangled narrative。 I haven't read many books set in this area， so it was a breath of fresh air。 The book's time period and setting were distinct and appealed to my interests， but the mystery element fell short。 It wasn't horrible per se; it simply felt like the characters were running in circles with their investigation at times， or there was a lot was left off the page。I said that there was romance， but I didn't think it was well fleshed out。 The good news is that it wasn't the main focus。 It was the book's atmosphere that created the tone and kept me turning the pages。 This was a "who done it" type of book， and I was eager to find out who was responsible for the murders and why。 I have no qualms to the writing itself， but it was simply good for me， not fantastic。 The characters were also a little superficial; there could have been so much more to them than what we saw。The Red Palace is still something to look forward to。 If you enjoy atmospheric writing， a distinct setting， and a decent short mystery， this is the book for you。Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc！ 。。。more
Sahitya
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More of a 4。5 but I’m rounding up。 I have always heard great things about June Hur’s books from my fellow blogger friends but never did pick her previous two books because mystery thriller is not my go to genre。 But I couldn’t resist adding The Red Palace to my tbr because it sounded like a mystery with a palace drama kind of backdrop and you all know how much I love my palace dramas these days。 And I’m so so happy that I got to read this book in advance。 The book is a little over 300 pages and More of a 4。5 but I’m rounding up。 I have always heard great things about June Hur’s books from my fellow blogger friends but never did pick her previous two books because mystery thriller is not my go to genre。 But I couldn’t resist adding The Red Palace to my tbr because it sounded like a mystery with a palace drama kind of backdrop and you all know how much I love my palace dramas these days。 And I’m so so happy that I got to read this book in advance。 The book is a little over 300 pages and it went by so quick that I didn’t even realize how much time had passed。 It is immediately immersive from page one and then the tension just builds up until we are swept away in its magic， not bothering with what’s happening around us。 I’m actually not a kdrama watcher nor do I listen to much kpop， so I had trouble initially to keep track of the names and other Korean terms but once I got into the story， I found it very easy to absorb it all。 The writing is perfectly descriptive， letting me feel like I was exploring the palace and hiding from the killers myself， creating a very lush and mysterious atmosphere - which definitely makes for a great setting for a multiple murder mystery。 I had also read the author’s newsletter where she mentioned her inspiration for this story， Crown Prince Sado and I was quite intrigued to see how she would incorporate his tragic life into this novel。 And I have to say， the way she seamlessly blends fiction and history is masterful and there were many times I felt this book would make for a great drama。 Hyeon is a palace nurse who has worked really hard for years to achieve that position。 It was heartbreaking to see her strive for the approval of a father who never treated her like his daughter just because of her mother’s class status。 But I was also glad to see her always try to stand up for truth and justice， even if it meant that she would lose whatever she had earned， and maybe even her life。 She is stubborn that way - once she has decided on a path， she doesn’t let anyone or anything deter her from her decisions。 I loved how competent she was at her job and so intelligent at figuring out various clues and solving mysteries。 I also enjoyed how the author showed us her various relationships - the admiration and love she had for her mentor， her complicated feelings for her mother， and a sweet friendship with Jieun。 And then there is Eojin - child prodigy extraordinaire who is a police inspector already at the age of nineteen， full of ideals about fighting for justice and never for revenge。 Also a shining light in this very hierarchical kingdom because he never lets his higher class or gender dictate his behavior and treats Hyeon with all the respect and consideration that she deserves。 Theirs is a very organically progressing friendship to romance， but the author treats it very subtly， because they are two intelligent individuals with goals in life and not the type to demonstrate their feelings in a big manner。 It’s a calm and quiet kinda love， steady and unwavering in the face of danger。 The crown prince is a very small presence in person， but he is an ever running thread across all subplots。 After having read about the historical prince， I could see how the author decided to depict his character - an only son of the emperor who can never live up to his abusive father’s expectations and takes out his anger on helpless people who can’t fight back。 We know he is on a downward spiral but we only get to see glimpses of it and I was fascinated by own reactions to him - sad at times at his tragic home and political situation but also angry at his actions。 It’s really to the author’s credit for being able to depict such a character so deftly。 There are quite a few other side characters but most of them have limited page time。 But everyone has a distinct personality that shines even through the few dialogues they have and it was impressive。 I also don’t want to giveaway any spoilers about the suspects and killers but the way the author developed their characters was very skillful， giving us enough hints that might lead us to the perpetrators but also not making it too easy to guess。 I never did and it felt nice seeing the way Hyeon and Eojin deduced it all towards the end。 To conclude， this is a great mystery novel which has the perfect combination of thriller novel tropes as well as an immersive historical setting that is absolutely adaptation worthy。 If you are in the mood for some sleuthing in Joseon era Korea with smart and competent characters who you would want to be friends with， don’t miss this one。 And I’m especially looking forward to the author’s next novel because I loved her nods to its title in this story。 。。。more
Elena L。
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Atmospheric， mysterious and suspenseful。。。 Hur is able to captivate readers into a veil of mystery， coating the plot with well-researched historical elements。 I am always passionate about her historical aspects and THE RED PALACE delivers politics， murder， conspiracies， familial intrigue and game of power。 I thought that her writing got even better and made me more invested。 Furthermore， I found the romance on point and endearing。 I am looking forward to Hur's future titles。[ I received an eARC Atmospheric， mysterious and suspenseful。。。 Hur is able to captivate readers into a veil of mystery， coating the plot with well-researched historical elements。 I am always passionate about her historical aspects and THE RED PALACE delivers politics， murder， conspiracies， familial intrigue and game of power。 I thought that her writing got even better and made me more invested。 Furthermore， I found the romance on point and endearing。 I am looking forward to Hur's future titles。[ I received an eARC from the publisher - Feiwel & Friends - in exchange for an honest review ] 。。。more
Abby
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June Hur is such a master storyteller， and I've been a follower/reader since her debut， The Silence of Bones。 The Red Palace is set in 1700s Joseon where a series of murders took place during the time of Crown Prince Sado。 Hyeon， a palace nurse， and Eojin， a young police inspector， team up to solve the murders and to save Hyeon's former mentor who is accused of the crime。 June's third book is just as immersive and atmospheric as her first and second books， packed with mystery， incredible worldbu June Hur is such a master storyteller， and I've been a follower/reader since her debut， The Silence of Bones。 The Red Palace is set in 1700s Joseon where a series of murders took place during the time of Crown Prince Sado。 Hyeon， a palace nurse， and Eojin， a young police inspector， team up to solve the murders and to save Hyeon's former mentor who is accused of the crime。 June's third book is just as immersive and atmospheric as her first and second books， packed with mystery， incredible worldbuilding， and the classic whodunnit。 I highly recommend this one。 。。。more
Jay
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The Red Palace follows Hyeon， a palace nurse which is a position of esteem for a low-born girl。 However， one night four women are murdered， and her mentor is the prime suspect。 With the help of up and coming Inspector Eojin， they work together to uncover the truth of these grisly murders。Loosely based on a true story， June Hur paints a vivid picture of mid-1700s Korea。 I am generally not a reader of historical fiction， but I have been known to like YA historical fiction。 This one does not disapp The Red Palace follows Hyeon， a palace nurse which is a position of esteem for a low-born girl。 However， one night four women are murdered， and her mentor is the prime suspect。 With the help of up and coming Inspector Eojin， they work together to uncover the truth of these grisly murders。Loosely based on a true story， June Hur paints a vivid picture of mid-1700s Korea。 I am generally not a reader of historical fiction， but I have been known to like YA historical fiction。 This one does not disappoint， The characters， especially Hyeon and Eojin come to life in the best of ways and the setting it so rich it can almost be felt， and the mystery is a good one， all while illustrating the struggles of the lower class。Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC。 I enjoyed this book。 。。。more
Kate
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Review to come！
gauri
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check out the full review along with an aesthetic on my blog！ "Everyone is listening in the palace。 Everyone is spying for someone。”This is my first time reading a June Hur book and while I’m kicking myself for not picking up her works from earlier， I’m so so glad I loved The Red Palace。 Like come on， this book pushed me out of my reading slump and made me a June Hur fan， I can now proceed to read her other two Korean historical mysteries！！The Red Palace follows Baek-hyeon， a palace nurse who check out the full review along with an aesthetic on my blog！ "Everyone is listening in the palace。 Everyone is spying for someone。”This is my first time reading a June Hur book and while I’m kicking myself for not picking up her works from earlier， I’m so so glad I loved The Red Palace。 Like come on， this book pushed me out of my reading slump and made me a June Hur fan， I can now proceed to read her other two Korean historical mysteries！！The Red Palace follows Baek-hyeon， a palace nurse whose mentor is wrongly accused of a massacre and to clear her name she teams up with the police inspector Seo Eojin。 Together they work to get to the root of it all and discover dark secrets， even when the evidence points to the Crown Prince himself。 I was really excited for this ever since it was announced， and when the cover dropped I knew I had to read it。 And well， you can see what my I liked so much about it below！page turning mysteryUsually， mysteries are a hit or miss for me。 I would need shocking reveals， relevant themes or simply a good mysterious atmosphere for me to end up loving it。 There’s something about Hur’s writing that kept me turning pages， as Hyeon and Eojin start to investigate， and I was transported to that time in Joseon， figuring out the murderer， sneaking into places or travelling through fields and the palace。 Its simple enough to draw you into Hyeon’s POV and then keeps you invested in the action， the depth of the historical mystery as well as the cruel reveals。 I might have had my suspicions of the real murderer but the satisfaction of seeing it play out through Hur’s writing as well as the bittersweet epilogue that concludes Hyeon’s character arc seals the deal。all the historical kdrama feelsAs someone who has loved the historical kdramas such as Mr。 Sunshine， My Country: The New Age， Scarlet Heart Ryeo， Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung and Kingdom， reading The Red Palace was almost like seeing a kdrama come to life。 The politics， the setting （1758 Joseon Korea！！）， the cultural descriptions and the character motivations， they’re brought to life SO well I couldn’t help but be hooked。 Even the prevalence of class system in those times， the glaring mistreatment of the lower born by the higher class， is efficiently incorporated。I really loved reading about the inspiration behind this book —which is Crown Prince Sado and his tragic downward spiral and death。 I found myself down the rabbit hole of reading articles about him and I could see how Hur stayed true to the known facts—an abusive father， psychological stress and the violent behaviour。 His story isn’t the main focus here because as Hur specifies in her newsletter as well as the Author’s Note that she doesn’t plan to suggest people with mental health issues as dangerous but I think she portrayed the instances of his life authentically， forming the perfect backdrop to the story。 Its as if we’re seeing him through a lens that’s close enough to show us his dire circumstances but far enough to not know the complications， which is through Hyeon’s character。compelling main charactersNurse Hyeon， the main character， is a determined and brilliant character。 I loved her relentless pursuit of and her skill in the profession， despite being faced with the hardships of being from a lower class in a patriarchal society。 I could very much relate to her desperate attempts of pleasing her father and being good enough for her family。 But at the same time she was attached to her sense of justice and love for her mentor and mother figure。 And so she hunts for the truth， despite being reminded of the risks and unfairness of the justice system。 Its incredible how her character is developed in such less pages。 I also really loved the complex relations she has with her parents， and the easy friendship with her fellow nurse Jieun。And then of course， there’s my sunshine （with a sad past）， flustered boy Seo Eojin， also striving for justice。 I just really love how he doesn’t overshadow Hyeon but steps up as an equally intellectual partner。 He’s a comforting character to be honest。royal inspector x palace nurse pairingThough the romance is very subtle， almost a back burner， their dynamic was highlighted so well。 Their teamwork is excellent—both have guts and brains， Eojin being from a higher class and Hyeon being the eyes and ears of the palace， their slow descent from strangers solving a crime to becoming genuine partners—you can tell I love them both dearly。 It didn’t take away the attention from the main mystery at all but served as a perfect subplot to further the story and the stakes。Did I mention a slow burn romance？？ Oh boy their ship was so gentle and slowly but sweetly developed over the course of them pursuing answers。 I’m a total sucker for the lovers from different classes trope and the trope where the characters only team up for personal benefits but grow to enjoy each other’s company。 Hur employed some great tropes to build the relationship between these two！！The Red Palace also deals with grief and loss and how people react to it。 There are multiple instances where characters have lost something or someone important to them and their reactions are brought forward validly—be it as vengeance， as fuel to not lose anything else further or simply grieving。 Its a really great plot point， as it brings out the traits in Hyeon as well as our culprit。So， in case if it wasn’t already clear， you all have to be excited for and love The Red Palace when it releases in 2（！！） months。 Fans of historicals， murder mysteries with a dash of romance， palace intrigue will definitely enjoy this engagingly written standalone。 I’m so eager to reread this one day and experience Hyeon and Eojin’s story again。thank you to the author and the publisher for the arc！ 。。。more
Mad
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**I don't have enough thank you's in the few languages I can say it in to express my gratitude to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Feiwel & Friends for sending me a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley for review。 You guys made my year。**Let's get our baduk stones on the board， shall we？ I am a huge fan of June Hur's novels。 I can't even remember how exactly I stumbled onto her Twitter page， but it is through that I discovered her other two published novels， The Silence of Bones and **I don't have enough thank you's in the few languages I can say it in to express my gratitude to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Feiwel & Friends for sending me a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley for review。 You guys made my year。**Let's get our baduk stones on the board， shall we？ I am a huge fan of June Hur's novels。 I can't even remember how exactly I stumbled onto her Twitter page， but it is through that I discovered her other two published novels， The Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls。 Reading both of those， I thanked the universe for finally blessing me with the kind of novels I'd been yearning for: sageuks， but in novel-form。 （A sageuk is a historical drama， usually in television， stage， or film format。 While I'm not sure this is official， I've noticed that， more often than not， they'll be set during the Joseon era of Korea's history。）And while I adore those other two novels。。。I think I've got to mark down The Red Palace as my favourite novel thus far by Hur。 Is it because it's the first of the three mysteries to keep me fully in the dark as to who the perpetrator was the entire time until its reveal？ Maybe。 Is it because this was， without doubt， the most stressful reading experience I've ever had with one of her novels？ Perhaps。 Or is it because I am an absolute （possibly masochistic？） sucker for anything to do with the tragic case of Crown Prince Sado （nee Jangheon）？ Yeah， that's probably it。What I found perhaps most fascinating about Hur's take on Sado -- on whom she wrote an amazing newsletter that I have absolutely saved into my email because I found it so interesting -- is not only how close she hews to historical records and accounts of the Crown Prince while crafting his character， but was in her choice to view him through the lens of a main character who is what one would call an "outsider。" Nurse Hyeon may be a Palace Nurse， but she is not what we would likely call a member of the Inner Court proper; there is a distance between her and the members of the palace that not only makes her observations of the palace perhaps more nuanced than many within that world， but also seemingly more objective。 There is that saying that: sometimes those who are not involved can better see a situation than those who are。No judgement is passed upon the Crown Prince; he is neither lauded nor loathed， and Hur makes no point of giving specificity to his behaviour beyond what is recorded in historical accounts: an emotionally abusive father， clear signs of psychological duress and distress， and （sadly） a tendency towards violent， even murderous behaviour。 As someone who came to the story of Sado through the fabulous film， Sado （English title: The Throne）， I wondered how Hur would use him as a part of the plot -- especially when that plot involved murder -- and I think the way she writes him is stunning。 It's sad， it's tense， and it's even terrifying， but all in all Sado feels like a real， complicated person whom we can and will likely never truly understand because we were not there。 In her newsletter， Hur wrote she did not want to center The Red Palace around the Crown Prince's life:"The main reason for this decision is that the prince dealt with mental health problems， and I knew I wouldn’t be able to do justice in portraying his experience without falling into the danger of suggesting that those who have mental health problems are dangerous。 This is something I absolutely do not believe nor condone。 So， in my book， you’re only given glimpses of the Crown Prince， as though you’re spying into his life through a keyhole。" Mwah！ Chef's kiss。 Well done。Okay， so enough about the Crown Prince; let's talk about our two main characters。IN THIS HOUSE WE LOVE AND SUPPORT NURSE HYEON AND INSPECTOR EOJIN！Honestly， I didn't know how Hur was going to top the tragic dynamic of Bones or the sister-team of Stolen Girls， but dang if she didn't deliver the Palace Nurse-Secret Inspector duo of my dreams that I never knew I needed。 Our POV and main character， Nurse Hyeon， is the kind of heroine I love: she's well aware of her world's flaws and injustices， but damn if she doesn't try so hard and work her butt off to achieve what she wants。 We meet her on her first day as a Palace Nurse， a position she spent years working and training for， and she very quickly proves that she is not only good at her job， but she's smart enough to have even higher or more demanding jobs。。。were it not for the fact she's living in 18th-century Joseon。 Oof， the patriarchy is in full-swing， and while I'm no stranger to such things thanks to all of the sageuk k-dramas and films I've watched， it never ceases to make me grumble when Hyeon is faced with cruel words and treatment from men in power -- including her own father！Perhaps it's just me， but the trend of "bad fathers" （for lack of a better term） is one that I've noticed in many a sageuk， so it makes me curious as to why this is so prevalent a storytelling choice with Korean writers -- whether it be for television， film， or， in Hur's case， novels。 I hope this doesn't come off as an insult in any way; I'm just a sucker for patterns in storytelling， and it usually leads me down interesting rabbit holes。 A completely unrelated example of this is how I learned about the Sampoong Department Store Collapse of 1995 because I kept seeing shopping mall/ department store collapses as a plot element in k-dramas and wondered to myself if there was some kind of real-world event（s） that would make such a thing so common in Korean tv storytelling。 Turns out there was， and I was able to gain a greater appreciation for how such an event could embed itself with the cultural zeitgeist as to then become a 'common' storytelling choice。Anyway， back on track: Nurse Hyeon！ Love her。 She gives me all the vibes of Shin Se-kyung in what is one of my favourite sageuk dramas， Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung。 I could see Hyeon right at home saying lines like: "From mouth to mouth， teacher to student， elder to child， history will be told。 That is the power of truth。" Even when faced with her potential demise （on more than one occasion！）， Hyeon never stops searching for the truth as to who committed the novels opening murders， as well as to the reasons why; the fact that she hunts for truth and justice， even while actively being aware of and suffering the pains of the inherent injustice of the current system， is what makes her all the more admirable。 The gal's got moxie， and that's putting it lightly。 If I were stuck in a Kingdom-esque zombie apocalypse， I'd 100% want her on my team。 I'd definitely have a better chance of coming out of the story alive。 She deserves the world。And let's not forget about everyone's favourite Secret Inspector Eojin！ Hello， my swoon-worthy boy， you are the perfect yin to Nurse Hyeon's yang。 Or。。。wait。。。no， technically he'd be the yang and she'd be the yin， if I'm remembering it correctly。 Regardless！ I knew I was going to like Eojin the moment he appeared （in disguise） and was like， "I don't know who this strange and very bold nurse is， but she seems to have a point。 I should team up with her。" I mean， okay， he was far more eloquent than that， but you catch my drift。 Eojin is the best choice in teammate for Hyeon for several reasons: （a） he has the rank to manoeuvre through the world with a leg-up from Hyeon， which proves useful in several situations; （b） he immediately recognizes Hyeon's talents and genuinely respects her intellect in a ways that no other person of his rank or position likely would; （c） SLOW BURN ROMANCE。Did I mention I'm a sucker for a slow-burn romance？ Hi， I'm a sucker for a slow-burn romance， and oh man。。。is this one good。 Any romance that， when it finally delivers， makes me go squee（！） is a success and I am happy to report that I absolutely squee'd in this novel's final chapter。 I consider it my reward for all the stress I endured leading up to that point。 And， boy， was there a lot of stress。What I also love about the romance between Hyeon and Eojin is not only how 'earned' it feels by the end， but also by how natural it is。 Also， it's absolutely a subplot in the story and never takes over from the main mystery; it supports it and its two leads， adding increasing emotional stakes to their partnership as their investigation grows gradually more and more dangerous。 THAT is my kind of love story。As for the mystery itself？ It is bloody and gory and full of conspiracy in a way that makes me clap my hands in vicious delight。 While I'm not entirely sure what that says about me as a person， I do know it says that Hur is absolutely my master of Joseon-era murder。 And of all three of her murders thus far， this is the one that， when she finally revealed the perpetrator， I sat back and swore at myself for not noticing the clever details within the story that suddenly felt like giant red flags I should have noticed all along。 I tip my hat to you， Hur 작가님。 Well played。So besides now anxiously sitting back and waiting for A Crane Among Wolves， my only question is。。。who's going to step up and make these into k-dramas for me？ Because I will absolutely watch the ever-living daylights out of them。 。。。more
Lia （An Ode to Fiction）
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Update 18/11/2021Find my reviews on : An Ode to FictionOfficial Release Date : 25th January 2022Buy the book : Amazon | Book Depository4/5 ⭐️ARC provided by the publisher Feiwel & Friends through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 If you enter the palace， you either die or you survive and become another monster within its walls … The Red Palace is a stunning Joseon era mystery thriller that will grip you in beautiful suspense。 With that I am a new June Hur stan。Defining Nove Update 18/11/2021Find my reviews on : An Ode to FictionOfficial Release Date : 25th January 2022Buy the book : Amazon | Book Depository4/5 ⭐️ARC provided by the publisher Feiwel & Friends through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 If you enter the palace， you either die or you survive and become another monster within its walls … The Red Palace is a stunning Joseon era mystery thriller that will grip you in beautiful suspense。 With that I am a new June Hur stan。Defining November as the month that I will read my pile of ARCs in ambitious notion。 I recently acquired the ARC of The Red Palace after applying for it through Twitter。 In all honesty， I’ve never read any book by June Hur but I have seen her books circulating around bookish friends。 I trust their judgment so I picked this book as my fifth ARC to read。 As reflected on my rating it is evident that June Hur didn’t disappoint at all。 This books holds the title for the most gripping and fast paced ARC that I’ve ever read， I finish it within a day which never happens。 Before I dive deeper into my review I would like to gush about the gorgeous cover of this book done by Park Sunga and designed by Liz Dresner。 Can I just point out when June revealed the cover and back cover designed I gasped because if you watch Korean dramas you know that the woman on the cover looks like Seo Ye-ji and the man on the back looks like Woo Do-hwan。 The resemblances is uncanny！ The style also makes the cover stand out adding the Korean period vibes with the brush strokes。 “I chose this path，” I said， my voice rising a notch。“This is the only path I can take now， and you must let me walk it。” The Red Palace is a young adult historical fiction and mystery thriller set in Joseon year of 1758。 Following the success of her debut novel Silence of Bones and her recent 2021 The Forest of Stolen Girls， The Red Palace is Hur’s third highly anticipated third novel that will be released early 2022。 The story revolves around an eighteen year old girl named Hyeon that works as a palace nurse。 Working in the palace comes with its benefits and hardships but also the dark secrets within it’s walls。 One day Hyeon and another palace nurse is called to assist the palace physician late in the night， an odd occurrence and especially dangerous as they are sworn to keep it a secret。 The next day she discovers that four women were murdered on that same night she was called into the palace and that her teacher is placed as the prime suspect。 Hyeon is frantic and is determined to clear her teacher’s name with the truth。 On her courageous path to uncover the truth she meets a young investigator named Eojin that is tasked to solve the murders。 Working together Hyeon and Eojin works together to find the real culprit behind the murders and drag the dark truth into the light of justice。 “One doesn’t always need a sword to find the truth。”“Like you，” he whispered。 June Hur’s writing is magnetic， highly addictive， and easily accessible in building the tension and stakes by transporting readers to the unforgivingly cruel inner palace dynamics of the Joseon era。 Through the eyes of Hyeon we get to see a lot of the twists and turns of maneuvering around nobility and their scheming to gain power。 Hur’s atmospheric writing accounts the vivid details of the setting that will tempt your eyes to wander seeking out any kind of hint that will break the bubble of mystery。 I didn’t expect how beautiful a mystery thriller can be written， the story deals with grim topics such as death and murder but it is enticing and eloquent。 The plot is well balance and flowed smoothly in between each reveal that gradually pushes readers to the edge of their seats with dread I associate with Korean period dramas。 The way Hur pulls the strings of tension is slow， deliberate， and full of intent that by the end when the string is pulled taut， it snaps with a satisfying reveal。 With every page I am gripped on to the page as the book gets more and more unputdownable leaving me in a frantic mess of suspense thirsting for answers。 Hur’s pacing worked wonders in strengthening the grip of tension and suspense as the mystery is revealed slowly as Hyeon and Eojin draw closer to the truth。 Our heads nearly touching， so lost in the moment， so consumed that I could not tell where he began and where I ended。 We seemed to have， in that moment， merged into one mind with one purpose: find the killer， find the truth。 An aspect of The Red Palace that got me so engrossed and invested in the mystery are the characters， specifically Hyeon and Eojin。 Hyeon is an ambitious nurse that has carved a path for herself to secure a position at the palace， she has worked long and hard to get where she is especially with the hardships of being the bastard child of a noble。 Hur cleverly writes Hyeon’s perspective with innocent yet experienced eyes that hones her abilities and skills that she learned to its maximum potential。 Hyeon is smart， feisty， and stubborn when she has set determination to clear her mentors name。 Surely， Eojin has his hands full in dealing with her which makes their dynamic all the more endearing and fun to see manifest on page。 Eojin is the youngest investigator from the capital that is tasked to investigate the murders。 He is calculative， trust worthy， and the calm that is the perfect balance to Hyeon’s chaos。 Both characters are well fleshed out with distinct personalities and believable voices proving Hur’s masterful ability with characterization。 What made me enjoy The Red Palace is their dynamics and antics throughout the story。 There are underlying themes of trust， righteousness， and comradery that is weaved in their relationship dynamic that I find intriguing。 The romance that developed between the two manifested beautifully and it got me craving for more of their banter。 Whatever awaited in the future， I had to trust that he would watch out for me， as I would always watch out for him。 Final thoughts， The Red Palace is an amazing stand alone mystery thriller that will transport you to the darkest depths of the Joseon dynasty filled with murder， political scheming， cover ups， and gripping crime solving。 It is a story that I wish to see adapted as a drama or a movie on the big screen with the Korean actors on the cover play Hyeon and Eojin。 Overall， I really enjoyed June Hur’s beautiful prose and phenomenal writing that got me addicting in a softer form of suspense that unique to Hur’s writing style。 Everything is clear and crisp word for word that readers will grip readers the moment they start reading。 Honestly， mystery thrillers isn’t a genre I normally would reach out towards but Hur changed that by weaving historical fiction into it that made the story the more interesting。 June Hur has gained another fan as I will make sure to read her other works in 2022 such Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls。 If you haven’t please add all of June Hur’s book on to your Goodreads because you don’t want to miss out on any of her books。 I highly recommend as well to read and pre-order The Red Palace if you’re looking for a fast paced gripping mystery thriller that is set in a certain period and has loose K-Drama romance vibes。The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication。 。。。more
Soleil
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What would you do if the people around you could be the murderer？ For eighteen-year-old Hyeon her predicament is exactly that。 After years of working hard for a position in the palace， everything seems to be going as she’d hoped， until the murders begin。 Unclear evidence could point to anyone and everyone， and being thrust in a political game of court spies and witnesses makes it all the more difficult。 What is the truth？ And what will happen when the truth could cost her life？ Hur’s writing mad What would you do if the people around you could be the murderer？ For eighteen-year-old Hyeon her predicament is exactly that。 After years of working hard for a position in the palace， everything seems to be going as she’d hoped， until the murders begin。 Unclear evidence could point to anyone and everyone， and being thrust in a political game of court spies and witnesses makes it all the more difficult。 What is the truth？ And what will happen when the truth could cost her life？ Hur’s writing made you feel like you were right there in the palace， traveling through with her vivid descriptions。 Hyeon and Eojin were characters I quickly fell in love with||The Red Palace brings you into a realm of unforeseen plots and revenge that can last generations。 It shows a world where passivity holds consequences and justice is desired no matter the challenges it may bring。 With fiction and reality swept together in the Joseon Dynasty， Hur brings to life ‘what ifs’ in a mystery of missing people， murders， and a dash of chemistry between characters。 It reminded me of a couple Kdramas， but especially Lovers of the Red Sky where the main leads are caught up in a political game that they are unknowingly drawn into。It was a super fun and enjoyable read， and if you like historical fiction， mystery， Kdramas， then you'll enjoy this read。Notes: Historical FictionMurder MysteryCourt PoliticsPolice InspectorPalace Nurse 。。。more
nick （the infinite limits of love）
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Historical mystery is one of my favorite historical fiction subgenre and The Red Palace， set in 1758 Korea， presented something more unique and unexplored。 I couldn't wait to dive into the book but I did not anticipate wanting to immerse myself entirely in June Hur's gorgeous prose。 I'm writing this review in 2021 and I already know that The Red Palace is a contender for one of my favorite YA books of 2022。The book opens up with a massacre of four women。 Our protagonist， Hyeon， a palace nurse， i Historical mystery is one of my favorite historical fiction subgenre and The Red Palace， set in 1758 Korea， presented something more unique and unexplored。 I couldn't wait to dive into the book but I did not anticipate wanting to immerse myself entirely in June Hur's gorgeous prose。 I'm writing this review in 2021 and I already know that The Red Palace is a contender for one of my favorite YA books of 2022。The book opens up with a massacre of four women。 Our protagonist， Hyeon， a palace nurse， is forced into the face of danger when she begins a solo investigation to clear the prime suspect's name， her old mentor。 Along the way， she teams up with a palace inspector， Eojin， who is also on the lookout for the killer。 The two find themselves on a treacherous path that is neither is willing to abandon。Reading The Red Palace was a mesmerizing experience for many reasons but primarily because of the historical Korean setting。 I consume a lot of Korean media （HELLLO， k-drama addict here！）， but sadly， I am ignorant when it comes to knowledge of Korean history - or any history， come to think of it。 I've always been somebody who LOVES learning （which explains why I'm still in school a bazillion years later）， and though I read to escape the learning， it's always brings me genuine pleasure to learn even a tidbit of something through books。 June Hur mentions in her author's note how one of the characters in this book， Crown Prince Sado， is a real historical figure。 Of course， she took artistic liberties with the characterization here （ones that I thought were respectful）， but I still felt like I learned something because most of is grounded in reality。I also loved how the mystery aspect of the book progressed。 It's hard to speak about it because I think it would be very easy to spoil， so I'll just let you know that it wasn't what I predicted。 Kudos to June Hur for throwing me off my scent！ It progresses at a decent pace and add in the political intrigue and drama， the book ends up serving exactly what it promises。 I was eager to get to the end and for once， I did not cheat and read the last page first！Finally， I want to touch on the characters here in The Red Palace。 Hyeon and Eojin are both terrific。 They are both quietly strong characters and I could see why they worked so well as a team。 There is a romance between the two and I would describe it as gentle。 It's not the focus of the book but it simmers in the background and June Hur does not disappoint with the tender and romantic moments between the two。The Red Palace is my first book from June Hur and what a stellar introduction that was。 I will certainly have to dive back into her backlist！ For now， I highly recommend this one to readers who enjoy a good historical mystery！Content notes: graphic descriptions of murder， violenceRelationship disclosure: None 。。。more
Kristin
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Stunning。 Page turning。 Immersive。 AMAZING。 Exactly what I’ve come to expect from June。 ❤️
Trigger Warning Database
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Trigger & Content WarningsTorture
lily reads and other things
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THIS BOOK IS AMAZING EOJIN IS MY EVERYTHING I absolutely loved this book， the complex mystery， the characters you either want to die for or the characters you want to die。 I love the character dynamic between Hyeon and Eojin。 Learning about their backgrounds and solving these murders with them was so much fun！ Eojin is my Bae I love him so much😍 The slow burn romance was my everything and if you like slow burn romances and Murder this is the book for you。 I also love all the different kinds of THIS BOOK IS AMAZING EOJIN IS MY EVERYTHING I absolutely loved this book， the complex mystery， the characters you either want to die for or the characters you want to die。 I love the character dynamic between Hyeon and Eojin。 Learning about their backgrounds and solving these murders with them was so much fun！ Eojin is my Bae I love him so much😍 The slow burn romance was my everything and if you like slow burn romances and Murder this is the book for you。 I also love all the different kinds of relationships between all the different characters。 Seeing Hyeon and her mother's relationship develop over the book was amazing。 Hyeon lost everything yet she kept going， she was so strong and amazing and she's one of my favorite characters I've ever read。 （Eojin is too he's just perfect） If you love a hint of romance with so much murder I highly highly recommend you preorder this and read it when it comes out！ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 。。。more
Tommy Delk
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This is by far one of the best books I’ve read in 2021。 From the very beginning I was hooked into the story and the intrigue of palace life。 Hur builds tensions excellently， propelling the story forward at a lightning pace。 The loving attention to historical detail was impressive and immense in scope and never felt jarring or out of place。 The interpersonal conflicts of the story drive it forward just as much as the mystery， if not more。 If you love chilling mystery stories， historicals， and k-d This is by far one of the best books I’ve read in 2021。 From the very beginning I was hooked into the story and the intrigue of palace life。 Hur builds tensions excellently， propelling the story forward at a lightning pace。 The loving attention to historical detail was impressive and immense in scope and never felt jarring or out of place。 The interpersonal conflicts of the story drive it forward just as much as the mystery， if not more。 If you love chilling mystery stories， historicals， and k-drama- hot leading men， then this is absolutely the story for you。 I gasped aloud several times as we careened toward the conclusion at breakneck speed。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Red Palace
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Red Palace&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Red Palace&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0