-
Access Our
Best Book Club
Books of 2025!
Summary | Excerpt | Reviews | Beyond the book | Read-Alikes | Genres & Themes | Author Bio
A Novel
by R O. Kwon
Book Reviewed by:From bestselling author R. O. Kwon, an exhilarating, blazing-hot novel about a woman caught between her desires and her life.
At a lavish party in the hills outside of San Francisco, Jin Han meets Lidija Jung and nothing will ever be the same for either woman. A brilliant young photographer, Jin is at a crossroads in her work, in her marriage to her college love Philip, and in who she is and who she wants to be. Lidija is an alluring, injured world-class ballerina on hiatus from her ballet company under mysterious circumstances. Drawn to each other by their intense artistic drives, the two women talk all night.
Cracked open, Jin finds herself telling Lidija about an old familial curse, breaking a lifelong promise. She's been told that if she doesn't keep the curse a secret, she risks losing everything; death and ruin could lie ahead. As Jin and Lidija become more entangled, they realize they share more than the ferocity of their ambition, and begin to explore hidden desires. Something is ignited in Jin: her art, her body, and her sense of self irrevocably changed. But can she avoid the specter of the curse? Vital, bold, powerful, and deeply moving, Exhibit asks: how brightly can you burn before you light your life on fire?
After a stunningly successful photographic exhibition, Jin has been unable to take a single "good" photo in the months since, even as the deadline for her next show approaches. At the height of Jin's discontent, she meets a fellow Korean American at a party. The two form an almost instant connection, and Jin finds herself telling Lidija about her dissatisfaction with her work, her husband, and even her sex life. They agree to meet again with the excuse of Jin taking headshots of Lidija that she can use for publicity, and after a few such rendezvous they begin a sadomasochistic affair. The author mixes narrative formats throughout. She inserts the story of a vengeful kisaeng (a Korean courtesan) in between chapters, and elsewhere, Jin and Lidija compare the Korean legends they grew up with. Included are letters a younger Jin wrote to God, seeking help from the divine while denying its existence ("Dear made-up Lord, I live in pursuit of You. Put me to use…"). Start to finish, the text is sensuous, imbued with color and texture, sound, smells, and taste...continued
Full Review
(672 words)
(Reviewed by Kim Kovacs).
During a pivotal scene in R.O. Kwon's novel Exhibit, a character mentions a short film he's viewed. In it, a ballerina performs atop a piano lid in customized pointe shoes; long kitchen knives have been attached to them, so she is literally dancing on points. This real-life film is the video-installation piece En Puntas ("on tips"), created by multimedia artist Javier Pérez.
Pérez was born in 1968 in Bilbao, Spain and currently lives in Barcelona. According to Wilde Gallery:
"His masterful works embody a distinctive blend of methods and materials, crafting a captivating visual language rich in potent metaphors and enigmatic symbolism. Pérez's art offers profound insights into the human condition and the ...
If you liked Exhibit, try these:
by Nicole Cuffy
Published 2024
A provocative and lyrical debut novel follows a trailblazing Black ballerina who must reconcile the ever-rising stakes of her grueling career with difficult questions of love, loss, and her journey to self-liberation, from a sensuous new voice in fiction.
by Meg Howrey
Published 2023
A magnetic tale of betrayal, art, and ambition, set in the world of professional ballet, New York City during the AIDS crisis, and present-day Los Angeles.
.gif)
Being slightly paranoid is like being slightly pregnant – it tends to get worse.
Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!
Bryan Washington, bestselling author of Family Meal and Memorial 
