Five Preludes and a Fugue is a story for people who like mysteries and family dramas, but also for those looking for literary representations of full-blown and uncompromising femininity. Take, for example, the enigmatic Sonsengni, which is a reference point for Hyoju. How often does literature come across a character unstereotypical and determined to satisfy his desires?
The structure of Cheon Heerahn’s book refers to musical works, keeping the turning point of the whole story for the very end. So when reading Five Preludes and a Fugue watch out for spoilers! The protagonists of the story are two writers, Sonsengni and Hyoju, who are connected by dramatic events from years ago. You learn about their relationship and common history through letters, each of which turns our previous ideas upside down. Without revealing too much about the story itself, expect interesting female characters, complicated family relationships and LGBTQ+ theme of no small importance for the final solution to the death of young Hyoju’s mother.
The Yeoyu series is a collection of mini books featuring short stories and novellas. Yeoyu (여유) means a place or space, and in this case, the space of free self-discovery, a place where you can breathe and feel at ease. True to its name, the series presents the texts of some of the most interesting Korean writers, often experimental, surprising and unusual. Its counterpart presenting writers from Japan is Keshiki.
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