I read and was deeply enamored with Without You, There Is No Us, the author's remarkable non-fiction account of her experience teaching English in North Korea. This led me to pick up this novel, which was penned much earlier, out of sheer curiosity about her other works. The story revolves around Suzy, a Korean-English translator who seems to be sleepwalking through her rather unhappy life. That is, until someone she is translating for utters something that jolts her into realizing that there might be far more to her parents' supposedly random murder five years ago than she has ever known.

I found the premise of this novel quite interesting. However, I struggled to truly get into it. The writing was decent, but it appeared to meander a great deal. I suppose this was somewhat fitting considering the main character's mental state, yet it didn't particularly draw me in. I simply couldn't establish a connection with any of the characters, and the plot took an inordinately long time to get going. Ultimately, I probably read about half of this book before setting it aside. There was indeed potential here, but it simply didn't resonate strongly enough with me to compel me to finish it.

I truly had a great time reading this book!

I randomly came across it at Fondy and was pleasantly surprised to find it so cool.

The author did an excellent job of immersing us in Suzy's mindset, showing just how lost and directionless she is.

Most of the significant "action" or revelations occur towards the end, yet the book never feels sluggish. I really liked the atmosphere that was crafted.

It has a very contemporary and moody feel, while also being a mystery. The twist on the title was really interesting.

Do I wish Suzy would make better choices in her life and in her romantic relationships? Absolutely! But those choices did a great job of highlighting her self-destructiveness.

Also, I just love books that explore complicated family and sibling relationships. It really tugs at my heartstrings.

You have to be incredibly patient to deal with this one. It is emotionally engaging throughout the page, but it is difficult to get into. I'm still disappointed that there were no more pages left to explore the dynamics between Suzy and Grace. I always dislike that kind of resolution. We are dragged all the way to the last sentence and that's it. It leads to another open ending.

"I never think about them. Not really. What I'm not sure of is if I miss them. I'm not sure if I can honestly say that. I'm not sure if guilt has much to do with love." This passage seems to express a sense of confusion and uncertainty. The narrator claims not to think about "them" often, but then questions whether they actually miss them. There is a lack of clarity about the relationship and the emotions involved. The mention of guilt and its connection to love adds another layer of complexity. It makes the reader wonder what exactly happened and how the narrator truly feels.

Overall, I had a great enjoyment from reading this book and I am definitely eager to read it again.

There is an abundance of hidden elements within it that are waiting to be discovered. The first reading provides an understanding of the overall plot, but it is through the second and third readings that one can truly uncover the subtleties and secrets that the author has artfully concealed.

The beginning of the book, although in retrospect necessary, was a bit sluggish, causing me to progress slowly in finishing it. I would say that it was only in the last 80 pages that everything started to gain momentum. I raced to the end, eager to find out what happened to Grace and the reason behind their parents' murder. However, if it weren't for the first 50 pages, I wouldn't have been able to fully understand Suzie as a character. Her mindset is truly fascinating, and at a certain point, I became completely engrossed in trying to understand how she thought and how she loved her life.

At the end, even though the story doesn't conclude in a perfectly neat and tidy manner, I am still satisfied with how it wrapped up.

I'm sure this is a great book for some readers, but unfortunately, it's not for me.

The book is entirely centered on the main character, who is extremely detached and affectless, almost as if unalive. It is, in part, an investigation into why that is. However, for me, the book itself adopted the remote feeling of the protagonist. Perhaps that was the intention - if so, well done! But it simply failed to engage me.

Also, as other readers here have commented, there is a murder mystery involved, which was initially a hook for me. But it doesn't come into play until approximately the second half of the novel, which was disappointing. And when it did, I found it rather meandering and confusing.

The value of the book for me lies in the passages that open a window into the lives and neighborhoods of Koreans and Korean Americans in New York. These were lovely, specific, interesting, and warm. They provided a unique and engaging look into a different world and culture.

Overall, while the book had its moments, it ultimately didn't meet my expectations. I can see how it might appeal to some readers, but for me, it fell short.

The Interpreter is an absolutely captivating, spine-tingling, and deeply moving read.

From the very beginning, I had no inkling of where the story was going to lead. It was like being on a mysterious journey with no map. And it wasn't until the very end that all the pieces of the puzzle finally came together.

The start of the book was a little on the slow side, but once it picked up momentum, I was completely hooked. I simply could not put the story down.

As a murder mystery novel, it was filled to the brim with suspenseful and unexpected twists and reveals that kept me on the edge of my seat. But what I loved even more was how the book masterfully highlighted the tensions, secrets, and complex family dynamics among immigrants.

It really made me think about the challenges and sacrifices that immigrants face, and how these can impact their lives and relationships.

Overall, I highly recommend The Interpreter to anyone who loves a good mystery with a deeper meaning. It's a book that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

Suki Kim's book is an outstanding portrayal of the immigrant experience.

She vividly describes the practices of Korean-Americans, delving deep into the rationality that underpins their actions.

Each character in the story is engaged in a personal struggle for 'identity'.

As the reader becomes immersed in these lives, it becomes clear that passing value judgments on any of them is inappropriate.

Everyone is simply striving to survive in the land of opportunities, namely America, with limited resources and in a society that poses significant challenges to their assimilation.

Their stories are a testament to the complex and often difficult journey that immigrants undertake in pursuit of a better life.

Kim's细腻描写 allows the reader to gain a profound understanding of the immigrant experience and the various forces that shape it.

It serves as a reminder that behind every immigrant is a unique story of hope, perseverance, and the search for belonging.

Overall, her book is a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of the immigrant experience in America.

I don't quite know how I feel about this book.

I really wanted to like it because it was a thoughtful gift.

And there were indeed parts of it that I did like.

The mystery was engaging, and the way it unfolded and untwisted itself was quite captivating.

The setting felt tangible and real, making it easy for me to immerse myself in the story.

The way in which the narrator switched from Suzy's POV to what other characters' gestures/words/etc might be saying, almost as if she was "interpreting", added an interesting layer to the narrative.

The writing, for the most part, was evocative, painting vivid pictures in my mind.

However, there were also parts that I didn't like.

The book was slow-paced and felt rather long at times.

The mystery took forever to start, and we often seemed to wander away from it, only to struggle to find our way back.

The beginning was also slow, which made it a bit of a challenge to get into the story.

There were too many information dumps on backstory, as if the author was more interested in the events that had happened before the main story she had chosen to tell.

The ending was a bit of a mixed bag. I liked it to some extent, but I also felt unsatisfied. It seemed too easy, considering the long and hard journey we had taken to get there, yet at the same time, it felt too tough.

So, I'm really on the fence about this book. That's why I gave it 3 stars.

If you're in search of a companion piece, perhaps *Kitchen* by Banana Yoshimoto could be an excellent choice. It's not necessarily due to the Asia connection. Instead, what really struck me were the concurrent themes it presents. Themes such as loneliness, being an orphan, the cold, hunger, grief, and trauma.

*The Interpreter* had such an impact on me that it left me feeling on the outside, just like Suzy Park. I'll be in a position of looking in from the outside and pondering over this one for a long time in the future.

Edit: Today, a day after reading it, I found myself desiring to go back and reread it, but as if it were the first time. I truly wish that were possible. It's as if this book has left an indelible mark on my mind, making me constantly think about the characters and their experiences. The way the story was told and the emotions it evoked have made it a memorable read for me. I can't help but wonder what new insights I might gain if I could read it again with a fresh perspective.

A riveting mystery unfolds, filled to the brim with profound sadness, heart-wrenching loss, and disorienting confusion. Kim masterfully captures the very essence of what it truly means to be trapped between two distinct worlds as the child of an immigrant.

She further crafts a stark and vivid portrait of a family that is rife with secrets and lies. In this family, the only thing that these two sisters share in common is their profound isolation and overwhelming grief. Their grief stems not only from the loss of their parents, which is a pain that cuts deep, but also from the realization of what their lives could have been, but now will never be. It is a story that delves into the complex emotions and hidden struggles of a family, leaving the reader on the edge of their seat, eager to uncover the truth and understand the full extent of their pain and longing.

This novel is insufferably melodramatic.

When the Japanese professor tells the protagonist that her white husband "can't love an Asian woman," I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

It's rather telling that the whole back cover of the book is just a picture of the young, conventionally attractive author.

I guess you've got to sell what you have, and this writer certainly doesn't seem to have much talent.

In typical Korean fashion (and lacking the toughness of the Chinese), the protagonist interprets all hardship as a devastation.

It makes for an (emotionally, not intellectually) exhausting and frustrating read.

The story seems to rely too much on over-the-top emotions and clichéd plotlines, rather than on engaging characters or a well-developed narrative.

It's a disappointment, especially considering the potential that the subject matter holds.

Perhaps with a more skilled writer, this could have been a powerful and thought-provoking novel.

As it stands, however, it's just another forgettable addition to the genre.

The book under discussion is centered around an interpreter. Here, Suki Kim takes on a dual role as a narrator.

She interprets both the daily and macro struggles of Korean American immigrant life during the 90s for her ostensibly American readers.

The common themes of shame, trauma, and repression are ever pervasive. They don't fade away even after one finishes the last page.

I regarded it as an early attempt at translating the author's experiences to a non-Korean audience. However, I felt that it was rather stagnant in its mission to reinforce stereotypical tropes.

Even more depressing were her flat characters. They were defined solely by hardship, intergenerational trauma, and alienation in the U.S.

Perhaps with a different approach, the author could have presented a more engaging and thought-provoking narrative that went beyond the typical stereotypes and clichés.