Spoilers below... (the first paragraph should be able to be seen by everyone) Be warned, this is not for everyone. If you are new to dark themes or don't like heavy/very graphic depictions of self harm and worse, you might wanna skip this one. I'm not new to dark themes and psychological stuff, but the ending caught me off guard (and shook me to my core). The art is insane and the story is captivating. I was practically breathing in every chapter and was looking forward to every free minute I could spent to read a few chapters. It's really good, but its also really scary and unnerving. . . . . . Now onto the spoiler territory: I was planning on heading to bed, decided to read a little and found myself so immersed in the story, that 10 chapters had passed and the final showdown to the end began. I am kinda used to dark themes(?), I've read my fair share of thriller books and tend to kinda catch myself reading the mafia, red flag themed BL even when I plan to read something wholesome once in a while. Roses&Champagne is unnerving an low-key scary sometimes, Waterside Night had really rough moments, Ouroboros managed to show a realistic view of dealing with trauma, A Room without Window, Control Time, hell I'd even throw in Pearl Boy for good measure. All af these handle trauma in one way or another, some of them have comedic relief, others are just dark and unnerving but end well (or at least try to) and I did have my moments being/feeling immersed in the storys. But this... Hwang Young's Misery reminds me of a book that handled the topic of SA, guilt and shame, the legal situations, victim blaming and all that stuff - I felt seen, even though I couldn't relate to the MC. At least I could to some extend relate to what happened to her ("Asking for it" from Louise O'Neill, read at your own risk). This Book made me feel things... It's a solid 10/10 story, even though I felt uneasy through every page, hated it sometimes, it was unnerving and unpleasant, uncomfortable, but so so immersive and I barely managed to put the book away every now and then to get some fresh air or eat something. It was really good, even though the book handled heavy topics that where even tangible. This on the other hand wasn't very tangible for me personally. I've never been kidnapped (thankfully), I'm not an author, I can't draw, there are a few things that I can't relate to. Although what I do can relate to is the fear of letting someone in, just for them to leave and be alone again - so in turn I push them away to prevent them from ever getting close enough to make the walls tremble I carefully build. But the art, the pacing, the story and development of their relationship... it kept me on edge, all the time. I was looking forward to every chapter, without knowing what awaits me at the end. For the last 15 chapters I couldn't put my phone away, I was holding my breath, my heart was racing. I was hoping so, so much this would end well. I was hoping for the MC to snap out of it and run away or letting him be saved by Won-Il, but no. I was also hoping for Jaehyuk to pave the road for a better future (?), them overcoming their trauma, figuring out how they want to continue, if they want to continue or ultimately letting each other go, but no... No, he invites Won-Il to their little celebration, knocks him out and planning on killing both of them while Won-Il watches. I know... "viewer discretion is advised" but this was my first time seeing suicide be depicted so graphically. And since I have been deeply immersed for over 10 chapters now instead of snapping me out of it, I felt breathless. Holy shit this deeply shook me to my core. It felt like a gut punch. I'm relieved that the MC was able to safe himself and sad that he also chose to safe his captor. But I can recognize why. And being able to explain to myself/know how and why the brain makes people do what they do in highly traumatic situations like this, it makes total sense. It makes sense that the MC reacted the way he did, especially with the baggage he already had before he got kidnapped. Its crazy the author chose to keep Jaehyuk alive, even if he is jailed. And seeing the MC still struggle as a shell of his former self... all this makes me wonder if it would have been better with Jaehyuk succeeding in his suicide plans, or if it would have been better for them to work through this and build a future together, or if the MC would have been freed from his demons if Jaehyuk would have died in that fall. This story broke me. Metaphorically. I just wanted to flee my own reality and procrastinate so I don't think about all that I still have to do/handle/finish/whatever - instead I found myself in a story so dark and graphic, sickly sweet and ensnaring like a trap with a lure that promised salvation but ended in hell. I am moved. And just like the book I mentioned, this is a solid 10/10 even with its dark theme, graphic depiction of self harm and suicide and the conclusion. This is a masterpiece. Now onto a palette cleanser... I need to breath again...
Spoilers below... (the first paragraph should be able to be seen by everyone)
Be warned, this is not for everyone. If you are new to dark themes or don't like heavy/very graphic depictions of self harm and worse, you might wanna skip this one.
I'm not new to dark themes and psychological stuff, but the ending caught me off guard (and shook me to my core).
The art is insane and the story is captivating. I was practically breathing in every chapter and was looking forward to every free minute I could spent to read a few chapters. It's really good, but its also really scary and unnerving.
.
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Now onto the spoiler territory:
I was planning on heading to bed, decided to read a little and found myself so immersed in the story, that 10 chapters had passed and the final showdown to the end began. I am kinda used to dark themes(?), I've read my fair share of thriller books and tend to kinda catch myself reading the mafia, red flag themed BL even when I plan to read something wholesome once in a while. Roses&Champagne is unnerving an low-key scary sometimes, Waterside Night had really rough moments, Ouroboros managed to show a realistic view of dealing with trauma, A Room without Window, Control Time, hell I'd even throw in Pearl Boy for good measure. All af these handle trauma in one way or another, some of them have comedic relief, others are just dark and unnerving but end well (or at least try to) and I did have my moments being/feeling immersed in the storys.
But this... Hwang Young's Misery reminds me of a book that handled the topic of SA, guilt and shame, the legal situations, victim blaming and all that stuff - I felt seen, even though I couldn't relate to the MC. At least I could to some extend relate to what happened to her ("Asking for it" from Louise O'Neill, read at your own risk). This Book made me feel things... It's a solid 10/10 story, even though I felt uneasy through every page, hated it sometimes, it was unnerving and unpleasant, uncomfortable, but so so immersive and I barely managed to put the book away every now and then to get some fresh air or eat something. It was really good, even though the book handled heavy topics that where even tangible.
This on the other hand wasn't very tangible for me personally. I've never been kidnapped (thankfully), I'm not an author, I can't draw, there are a few things that I can't relate to. Although what I do can relate to is the fear of letting someone in, just for them to leave and be alone again - so in turn I push them away to prevent them from ever getting close enough to make the walls tremble I carefully build.
But the art, the pacing, the story and development of their relationship... it kept me on edge, all the time. I was looking forward to every chapter, without knowing what awaits me at the end. For the last 15 chapters I couldn't put my phone away, I was holding my breath, my heart was racing. I was hoping so, so much this would end well. I was hoping for the MC to snap out of it and run away or letting him be saved by Won-Il, but no. I was also hoping for Jaehyuk to pave the road for a better future (?), them overcoming their trauma, figuring out how they want to continue, if they want to continue or ultimately letting each other go, but no...
No, he invites Won-Il to their little celebration, knocks him out and planning on killing both of them while Won-Il watches. I know... "viewer discretion is advised" but this was my first time seeing suicide be depicted so graphically. And since I have been deeply immersed for over 10 chapters now instead of snapping me out of it, I felt breathless. Holy shit this deeply shook me to my core. It felt like a gut punch. I'm relieved that the MC was able to safe himself and sad that he also chose to safe his captor. But I can recognize why. And being able to explain to myself/know how and why the brain makes people do what they do in highly traumatic situations like this, it makes total sense. It makes sense that the MC reacted the way he did, especially with the baggage he already had before he got kidnapped. Its crazy the author chose to keep Jaehyuk alive, even if he is jailed. And seeing the MC still struggle as a shell of his former self... all this makes me wonder if it would have been better with Jaehyuk succeeding in his suicide plans, or if it would have been better for them to work through this and build a future together, or if the MC would have been freed from his demons if Jaehyuk would have died in that fall.
This story broke me. Metaphorically. I just wanted to flee my own reality and procrastinate so I don't think about all that I still have to do/handle/finish/whatever - instead I found myself in a story so dark and graphic, sickly sweet and ensnaring like a trap with a lure that promised salvation but ended in hell. I am moved. And just like the book I mentioned, this is a solid 10/10 even with its dark theme, graphic depiction of self harm and suicide and the conclusion. This is a masterpiece.
Now onto a palette cleanser... I need to breath again...