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sumatra_squall's review against another edition
4.0
On one level, Lemon is a tale about the aftermath when 19-year old Kim Hae On, a breathtaking beauty, is found with her head bashed in in the local park in the summer of 2002. Told from the perspectives of her sister, Da-On, and two of Hae-On's classmates, Yun Taerim and Sanghui, Lemon shows how these characters, in their own way, grapple with Hae-On's murder and their own (unreliable) recollections of the circumstances surrounding her death. On another level, Lemon is a crime novel, where the crime in question isn't Hae-On's murder but was precipitated by her death. I confess I almost missed it and when I did see it, was blown away. You can also read this book as a commentary on gender and class inequality.
xo_georgiarose_ox's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
meenusure's review against another edition
4.0
a lot of reviews i read about the book surprised me after i had finished it because a few of them faulted the author's style of writing and use of multiple narrators. i instead found this one of the narrative's strengths and a testimony to Kwon's talents - i really liked how they were able to portray a dark, and grief-ridden story in such a few pages and words. this is more of a story that deals with grief and guilty rather than a murder mystery - instead it looks a bit into what happens to people who are left behind after tragedy happens.
pookiee's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Understated (too much so?) story of the aftermath of a violent loss. It’s told in 3 different POVs but they’re not labeled; you figure them out. I like the implied mystery - it unfolds like a flower.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
beth_books_123's review against another edition
dark
3.0
Frustratingly short - 3*
I don't think I truly understand this. No, it's not that I don't understand it but there are so many layers of this novel that I can't even comprehend. I picked up this book thinking that it was a murder mystery - yes, the murder mystery is there but it's more of a springboard. There's another crime hidden in this novel, never explicitly told and it requires you truly to take a moment to find the clues somewhere.
Then, there's the focus of the motif lemon and whilst I was reading this, I was thinking of lemons and the colour yellow.
This book is also a reflection of grief, sorrow and women in society. I feel I'd need to actually read this rather than audiobook it so I don't miss any form of clues or deep reflection in it. I found this book frustratingly short because I was desperate to learn more...
I don't think I truly understand this. No, it's not that I don't understand it but there are so many layers of this novel that I can't even comprehend. I picked up this book thinking that it was a murder mystery - yes, the murder mystery is there but it's more of a springboard. There's another crime hidden in this novel, never explicitly told and it requires you truly to take a moment to find the clues somewhere.
Then, there's the focus of the motif lemon and whilst I was reading this, I was thinking of lemons and the colour yellow.
This book is also a reflection of grief, sorrow and women in society. I feel I'd need to actually read this rather than audiobook it so I don't miss any form of clues or deep reflection in it. I found this book frustratingly short because I was desperate to learn more...
mangotreats's review against another edition
3.0
I think this book is more of a character study about grief and also a subtle take at class difference in society rather than a mystery because it was kind of obvious who the murderer was in the first 20 pages itself.
k_reads_too_many_spooky_books's review against another edition
3.75
This wasn't really what I thought it would be from the blurb on the back of the book. It wasn't about solving what happened to the sister. Instead, it was way more a medication on grief and the way it changes people. There was a lot of potential here, and the prose is executed well, but I don't know that it really did much. This seems to be quite vibes-based as opposed to having a strong plot.
mzynda's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Grief, and Murder
punchneedles's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5