A collection of short stories by Pak Kyongni, who was born in 1926 in South Gyeongsang Province and started writing right after the end of the Korean War in 1955. Pak Kyongni is best known as the author of the 21-volume T’oji (Earth) novel, which she worked on for 25 years, but she also wrote wonderful short stories.
The eponymous story The Age of Doubt describes a woman who lost her fortune, a husband (who died during the war) and a son (who died of illness). The only remaining member of her family is her mother, towards whom the protagonist becomes suspicious. She also begins to have doubts about the temple her mother attends and the people there.
In other stories, the theme of poverty and suffering after the war repeats many times. What struck me the most was how Pak Kyongni describes emotions: hatred, regret, hopelessness, jealousy, anger … And doubts: “why did my child die and not me?” The perfect choice for fans of Korean literature and anyone looking for something a little sadder for those cold and dark days.
