Diary of a Murderer by Kim Young-ha, Paperback, 9781838950040 | Buy online at The Nile
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Diary of a Murderer

And Other Stories

Author: Kim Young-ha  

Paperback

A collection of wild, dark, erotic stories, including the blackly funny tale of a former serial killer suffering from memory loss, who sets his sights on one final target: his daughter's boyfriend.

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PRODUCT INFORMATION

Summary

A collection of wild, dark, erotic stories, including the blackly funny tale of a former serial killer suffering from memory loss, who sets his sights on one final target: his daughter's boyfriend.

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Description

It's been twenty-five years since I last murdered someone, or has it been twenty-six?

Diary of a Murderer captivates and provokes in equal measure, exploring what it means to be on the edge - between life and death, good and evil. In the titular novella, a former serial killer suffering from memory loss sets his sights on one final target: his daughter's boyfriend, who he suspects is also a serial killer.

In the other stories we witness an affair between two childhood friends that questions the limits of loyalty and love; a family's disintegration after a baby son is kidnapped and recovered years later; and a wild, erotic ride about pursuing creativity at the expense of everything else.

'Filled with the kind of sublime, galvanizing stories that strike like a lightning bolt, searing your nerves' - Nylon

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Critic Reviews

Filled with the kind of sublime, galvanizing stories that strike like a lightning bolt, searing your nerves ... It's easy enough to see why Kim is acclaimed as the best writer of his generation; pick up this book and find out for yourself. Nylon
Kim employs a wry, detached style throughout this collection. There's much dark humour, which spills into absurd comedy in his final tale... Emotional displacement is the heart of the matter and Kim reminds us of the peril, in our personal lives as well as in society at large, of forgetting our history. Guardian
This dark, innovative story collection from Kim is rife with grim plots and unreliable narrators ... The best stories are engrossing and disturbing, and are excellent showcases of Kim's talent. Publishers Weekly
Kim is expert at finding the humanity inside the other, the comedy inside the tragedy, and the twisted within the seemingly normal. CrimeReads
These tales of obsession reverberate with the hard, cool, and dryly comic voice of one of South Korea's most versatile writers ... Creeping anxiety and Kafkaesque humor meld in [the] deceptively intricate novella...The other three stories retain the first one's chilliness (sustained nicely with help from Lee's translation) ... A lively, enthralling introduction to [Kim's] eclectic artistry. Kirkus Reviews
Needless to say, I'm already beguiled. Huffington Post
Explosive stories in which fathers are serial killers, the kidnapped find their way back home and more. Paperback Paris
Kim delicately weaves philosophical debates on the nature of happiness and morality into his characters' inner narrations. Both jarring and atmospheric, this is a cerebrally satisfying collection. Booklist
Spiky, quirky reading for all short story fans, whether of literary or pop bent. Library Journal
Quirky... draws readers deeply into the protagonist's voice... a compelling narrator Alana Mohamed, The Atlantic
Diary of a Murderer and Other Stories is a brilliant collection... [A] visceral gut punch...Young-ha Kim is exceedingly good... Young-ha Kim is an author who deserves to be very famous. New York Journal of Books
Darkly humorous AM New York
This collection from the award-winning South Korean novelist [Kim Young-ha] has unsurprisingly won rave reviews. Split into four tales, 'Missing Child' charts the emotional toll of a couple losing their child only to be reunited a decade later while, the titular 'Diary of a Murder', charting a relapsed serial killer, is as chilling as it is captivating. AnOther Magazine Online
Dark and twisted Daily Mail
Satisfyingly versatile... spiked with mordant humor and surrealism. Book Riot
Diary of a Murderer is a powerful piece of writing, a breath of fresh air in a pretty breezy field of fiction anyway. It strides the gap of contemporary fiction and literary crime writing... A perfect example of original writing that combines fine character, psychological insight and radical storytelling... Brilliant writing, gripping drama, exotic locations, a real winner of a book. New Books Magazine

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About the Author

Kim Young-ha is the author of seven novels, including the acclaimed I Have the Right to Destroy Myself and Black Flower. He has won every major Korean literature award, and his works have been translated into more than a dozen languages.

Krys Lee was born in Seoul, South Korea, raised in California and Washington, and studied in the United States and England. She was a finalist for Best New American Voices in 2006, and her fiction, journalism, and literary translations have appeared in Granta, San Francisco Chronicle and the Guardian, among others. She divides her time between South Korea and the United States.

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More on this Book

A collection of wild, dark, erotic stories, including the blackly funny tale of a former serial killer suffering from memory loss, who sets his sights on one final target: his daughter's boyfriend. It's been twenty-five years since I last murdered someone, or has it been twenty-six? Diary of a Murderer captivates and provokes in equal measure, exploring what it means to be on the edge - between life and death, good and evil. In the titular novella, a former serial killer suffering from memory loss sets his sights on one final target: his daughter's boyfriend, who he suspects is also a serial killer. In the other stories we witness an affair between two childhood friends that questions the limits of loyalty and love; a family's disintegration after a baby son is kidnapped and recovered years later; and a wild, erotic ride about pursuing creativity at the expense of everything else. 'Filled with the kind of sublime, galvanizing stories that strike like a lightning bolt, searing your nerves' - Nylon

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Product Details

Publisher
Atlantic Books
Published
2nd January 2020
Pages
208
ISBN
9781838950040

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23%
RRP $25.00
$19.25
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