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There are currently 28 member reviews
for Shelter
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Helen S. (Sun City, AZ)
Unraveling the Past
I was immediately drawn into the troubled story of Kyung and Gillian who were struggling financially but refused to ask for help from his wealthy parents Jin and Mae. When Kyung was confronted with the kitchen disposal clogged with gunky grease but didn't know how to fix it, I thought that situation was symbolic of his life—he had stuffed too much of his painful childhood inside but never cleared it away and didn't know how to fix it. The family secrets of Jin and Mae and Kyung were hidden behind the façade of the parents' wealthy suburban lifestyle that later unraveled to reveal a shameful past.
The book is so well-written that I couldn't put it down. I would recommend this book for a book group discussion of hidden family secrets which have profound life-long effects on each person. Although author Jung Yum has written about a Korean family, abuse is a universal problem that is found among many families around the world, regardless of their occupation, education, or income. But the resolution of the unraveled past comes from the author's unique perspective.
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Pamela H. (Winston Salem, NC)
Compelling Read
Given the subject matter, I was prepared to not like this book. However, part way in, I became fascinated by this journey through Kyung's psyche, which Jung Yun deftly reveals as she explores the relationships between the Korean-American Kyung and his Korean immigrant parents, after an incident which presses them to interact.
SHELTER is part mystery, and part psychological drama in a compelling read.
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Laura E. (El Cajon, CA)
Shelter by Jung Yun
If you are looking for a very real story that takes you on a roller coaster ride, this is the book for you. This book kept me interested and engaged the entire time I was reading it. The author, Jung Yun, has written a powerful story with many twists and unexpected turns. All of the characters grab you and become very real very quickly. The main character, Kyung is such an emotional mess and you learn why as the story unfolds. Great story telling and very heartbreaking at times. Once you begin this book, you will not want to put it down.
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Alice S. (East Haven, Ct)
Engrossing story
This is a family saga that illustrates the repercussions of what a violent act can do to a family.The dynamics of the Cho's and the lack of communication are always there in Kyung's life as hard as he tries to get past it. I enjoyed this book and thought the characters were well thought out. When finished reading it, I was still thinking about the story.
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Lauren T. (Orlando, FL)
Shelter by Jung Yun
Kyung Cho, Shelter's main character, is a South Korean American who struggles with what happened during his childhood. The ways in which he deals with this and how his life, and the lives of those around him, change after a traumatic event in his parents' lives provide the focus of this book. As with real people, no one is all good or all bad. The dialogue is believable, and the descriptions produce a vivid picture of each character in our minds. Jung Yun is a talented writer. I eagerly look forward to her next book.
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Alice S. (Sun City, AZ)
Dramatic events - unsympathetic characters
From its gripping opening chapter to its quiet conclusion, Yun's book is full of brutal and emotional conflict.
The main characters battle cultural and financial differences, family wars, and personal conflicts.
I found the characters overwhelmed by circumstances and difficult to know, understand, and like.
However, the plot carried me, and the descriptions were vivid and well-written.
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Jennifer G. (Arlington, VA)
Interesting read
I was quickly engaged in the story and characters in this book. I came away appreciating that the experiences passed down from one generation to the next are impossible to escape. I would read the next book Jung Yun writes.
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