The Water Stricken
by Rina Olsen
Style: Fantasy / Historic
ISBN: 9798891324350
Print Size: 394 pages
Writer: Ambiance Press
Reviewed by Lauren Hayataka
One lady’s seek for justice unravels the threads of destiny and custom.
Rina Olsen’s The Water Stricken weaves folklore, historical past, and fantasy into this prequel of Third Moon Passing, immersing readers within the wealthy, turbulent world of Nineteenth-century Joseon Korea.
Set in opposition to the backdrop of a nation getting ready to chaos, the place the unfold of Catholicism threatens conventional perception, the novel follows Hwangbo Pyori, a younger concubine whose demise on her wedding ceremony night time sparks a haunting story of homicide, political stress, and supernatural intrigue. This gripping narrative unfolds by means of Pyori’s perspective as she navigates the overlap —the boundary between the dwelling and the useless—whereas looking for solutions for her demise.
Amidst escalating violence and concern, Pyori, the daughter of a farmer and a mudang (shaman), turns into a tragic determine caught in a political and non secular wrestle past her management. As a stressed ghost, Pyori’s journey is heartbreaking and fascinating as she slowly uncovers the thriller of her demise whereas wandering a world the place the dwelling not see her. Her journey takes an surprising flip when she encounters Geum Narae, a daring damo (feminine police officer) and secret Catholic, who’s the one particular person in a position to see her. Tasked with investigating Pyori’s demise, Narae is essential to serving to her uncover the reality behind her homicide.
Collectively, Pyori and Narae embody a society getting ready to change, as Korea clings to isolationist beliefs whereas Western affect continues to seep in. Narae, embracing the long run, asserts her proper to worship freely and challenges the societal constraints of gender and sophistication, defying norms that restrict ladies and subordinate them to males. In distinction, Pyori life is formed by previous traditions of sacrificing her personal needs to meet familial obligations. She is given as a concubine to a nobleman in change for her mother and father’ future grandchild, whom they assume shall be a son, changing Pyori as one other mouth to feed. Gender, faith, and social standing are all on the coronary heart of The Water Stricken.
Impeccably researched, Olsen approaches a society’s complexities in transition with sensitivity and devotion, putting a exceptional stability between historic element and the combination of Korean folklore. Supernatural components, equivalent to dokkaebi (goblins) and numerous folks deities, breathe life into the narrative, including depth and mystique. These legendary beings seamlessly mix with practical depictions of Nineteenth-century Korean tradition, the place Pyori’s mom hangs a cow’s nostril ring above the door to beat back evil spirits, and shamanic rituals are carried out to launch stressed souls like Pyori from their wandering fates. But, regardless of being a shaman, Pyori’s mom neither sees her nor performs a ritual for her. The household fails to comply with conventional rites, equivalent to providing meals at her grave. In a pitiful scene, Pyori watches her mom and observes that “Not even the tears of useless ladies are sufficient to deliver them again to their moms.”
Amidst the intricate historical past and worldbuilding, Olsen all the time retains sight of the novel’s plot, skillfully balancing the gradual uncovering of Pyori’s recollections with the political intrigue surrounding France’s makes an attempt to affect Korea. Whereas the sheer quantity of political element can really feel overwhelming at occasions, it’s saved in test by the energy of the characters. Quite a few but distinct, every character is memorable, together with the gods, who’re as passionate and fallible because the people they dwell amongst.
In the end, The Water Stricken is a narrative about penalties—whether or not they come up from private decisions, societal expectations, or the desire of the gods. By its exploration of destiny, responsibility, and the collision of previous and future, the novel provides a profound reflection on how the forces that form our lives—each human and divine—demand a reckoning. Rina Olsen’s fascinating mix of historical past, folklore, and fantasy leaves readers considering the burden of choices and the far-reaching impression of custom and perception.
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