Human Acts - Novels (English Edition (UK Edition))

A novel that transcends Han Kang herself: A Song of May, Speaking for Unjust Souls

This is the sixth novel by Han Kang, an author who has explored the essence of human existence with delicate sensitivity and precise prose. The story of a fifteen-year-old boy set in May 1980 in Gwangju drew readers' attention as it sheds new light on that time through a 'narrative deeply probing the structure of wounds' in a way only Han Kang can.

With heartfelt prose, Han Kang seems to speak for innocent souls, posing weighty questions to those of us who have forgotten that time and live indifferently after May 18, and offering comfort to those who continue to struggle under the trauma of that event.

'Human Acts' vividly depicts the inner pain of Dong-ho, a middle schooler who fought against martial law forces during the Gwangju Uprising, and those left behind afterward, portraying the harrowing scenes of that time. This work urgently reminds us of the 'historical memory we must hold onto,' as noted by critic Baek Ji-yeon. As the author herself confessed, 'I couldn’t avoid this novel, and I felt I couldn’t go anywhere without passing through it.' 'Human Acts' represents a bold step forward in Han Kang's body of work, and, as critic Shin Hyeong-cheol aptly puts it, is 'a novel in which Han Kang surpasses herself.'

• TITLE : Human Acts | 소년이 온다
• AUTHOR : HAN KANG
• PUBLISHER : Granta Books
• LANGUAGE : English
• COUNTRY OF ORIGIN : South Korea
• PUBLICATION DATE : 2016-11-03
• ISBN13 : 9781846275975
• ISBN10 : 1846275970
• PAGE : 224p