Social critique of Korean society plotted around the murder of a high school girl. The murder officially remains unresolved after almost 2 decades, even though we are given plenty of hints to solve the puzzle by ourselves. Rather than focusing on that, we are pulled towards understanding how the murder affects each of the individuals involved, and how their environment affects the way they react to the tragedy, whether the main difference lies in social class, the previous death of a parent, financial struggles, religion, misogyny and the conservatism of the elder Korean generation. Quick read, cozy mystery.

a whole bunch of nothing but entertaining ig

Lemon was an unexpected hidden gem of a book that's got a little of everything I love. But most importantly, it's a murder mystery. One of the most untraditionally structured murder mysteries ever.

For starters, it's set many many years after the murder of a school girl. At the time both suspects got away, but for the characters in the book it's impossible for them to move on. The death is all consuming and these disparate people's lives still revolve around the murder, many years later.

Despite the case going cold, this book heats it right back up with an exciting an tense reveal that unfolds over multiple narratives weaving throughout the book. Nothing is quite what it seems.

An easy 5* book, and a joy to read.

i think im too dumb to understand this

a little disoriented between the chapter/narrator shifts, i wish their names were noted with the chapter titles

i liked how the story focused on the 3 perspectives of this unsolved crime & how it impacted those 3 peoples' lives years later. the way grief & coping showed up was very raw & sad. there definitely wasn't a happy ending for anyone based on their own coping, guilt, trauma, etc.

I enjoyed this book, strangely. It’s hard to imagine myself enjoying a book with confusing narration and structural elements at times but I think I’ve managed the essence of it so I’m not disappointed.

Lemon is the story of grief. It depicts the brutal murder of the beautiful teenager Hae-on and examines the aftermath of her family and friends that are left behind. The story is told through snippets of events, contemplations and interactions between characters which are interchangeably weaved between past and present.

I found the profound writing interesting and challenging: not only to read but to contemplate. The idea of grief as abstract and individualistic is portrayed with beautifully written prose while questioning the essence of life and death. It is not a book for everyone. But I have a feeling I will reflect on this book often and for some time, it seems to have a lingering essence that one cannot escape from; easily.

If you are looking to read something different: culturally, compository and compelling, this book is for you.