Shelter: A Novel

This was a very compelling read for me, and certainly made me think and want to talk about it afterwards.This is a psychological study of a layer of themes - (the impact of) domestic violence, filial duty, parenting, class, racism, immigration, identity (and probably more) - that also reads like a thriller. I was very impressed at how nuanced and precise the author was at identifying and exposing the most subtle complexities in human emotions. I found her writing fluid and well-paced for the most part, minus some (just a few) scenes and details that were a bit too drawn out in my opinion. I also appreciated that the book was written in a traditional format - no jumping around in time or in different characters' perspectives. The story is told chronologically and in the third person.The book is constantly moving but you can feel the despair heavily, and about 60% of the way through I began to wonder if this was a place I wanted to inhabit; you get into Kyung's mind and there is so much anger and anguish there (understandably so). (Some readers complained about the main character but I think his inertia and anger come with the territory - he would be more likable if he were mentally healthier, but then there would be no point to the book...) I also found some of the events of the book a bit over the top, not saying this doesn't happen in real life... Having said all this, the merits overall well outweigh my 'complaints' and I found this one of the most personally worthwhile books I've read. While the events in the book are extreme compared to what I have gone through, the themes of parenting legacies and filial duty are ones that resonate with me deeply, and I appreciate a book that has captured so well these universal struggles. This book found me at the right time in my life as I am caring for aging parents with whom I've had an up and down relationship.

This was a really interesting book, due to the different layers to the story and the unreliable narrator.The novel follows Kyung, a Korean-American professor in a small college town, married to a white woman who is a policeman's daughter. They have a young son, who is the apple of his eye. His parents live nearby, and they are super rich but cold. When they are the victims of a horrific crime, Kyung must deal with family tensions and secrets, as well as his own rather troubled psyche. Themes include the rigidity and expectations of Asian parents, forgiveness, biracial marriage, and families in general.It isn't easy to review this book. The prose is beautiful. (Ex: Kyung's first impression when he meets a realtor: "He distrusts her immediately, the way she screams 'sales'." Another: "Kyung feels like a bullet sitting in a chamber. Compressed and powerful, ready to inflict damage.") The insights into a shy and self-deprecating person are great. However, the main character is not very likeable. You keep wanting to shake him and tell him to wake up (or perhaps grow up). I also wasn't entirely comfortable with a woman writing from a man's perspective. I wondered why the author chose to do that.I also didn't feel like the author had personally experienced domestic violence -- or at least of the magnitude she was writing about. Her descriptions lacked nuance, in my opinion, and range. I found some of Kyung's decisions to be unbelievable. Nevertheless, it was an intriguing read and the plotting was terrific.

3.5 Stars.This complex family drama unfolds like a domino-effect of grief, guilt, and violence—each event snowballing into the next with a sense of doomed fatalism.Kyung is a young father living beyond his means, and the financial burden is finally starting to catch up with him and his wife, Gillian. In the midst of this anxiety, Kyung learns that his semi-estranged parents Jin and Mae have fallen victim to a shocking act of violence. Now, he and Gillian have no choice but to take Jin and Mae into their home while they recover.This close proximity to his parents forces Kyung to come face to face with the uncomfortable truths of his childhood and his inadequacy as a father and husband.Can anyone truly escape from a legacy of violence and abuse? Can people who have committed horrible acts ever really change? Is it possible to empathize with someone without condoning their actions?These are some of the difficult questions that Kyung must confront.There's a lot of complexity here, and the themes are unquestionably profound. That said, it was clear to me throughout that this was a debut novel. The dialogue is at times stilted and the story plays out as a straightforward telling of events, leaving me at an emotional distance. This is a novel that tells rather than shows, which makes for a fast, engaging read, but doesn't entirely do justice to the heavy, nuanced themes.Criticism aside, I enjoyed reading this and look forward to seeing what Yun writes next.

This book deals with serious issues in a very real and honest way. It is well written, with characters the reader can identify and empathize with. I would highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this debut book by Jung Yun.

This book held my attention and shows the far reaching effects of domestic violence.

Loved the story line. Will definitely look forward to future novels.

Not sure what all the fuss is over this book. It started out strong, the description of what happened to Jin and Mea conjured up so many emotions in me, as both a person and as a reader. Then it flatlined. Throughout the rest of the story, where the characters should have been experiencing myriad of emotions, I didn't feel anything coming from them. I didn't live in their pain. the husband is an immature manboy and comes across as a teenager rather than a man in his 30s. I didn't get a feel for why his wife married him, what their connection was. The theme of the story is not new and I didn't feel the author added anything profound or different. The storytelling was slow to arrive at an unsatisfying and inauthentic ending IMO. I've just finished reading this and I already can't recall the main characters' names!