The Red Palace by June Hur- Review | Blog Tour

An excellent book.

WHAT’S THE BOOK ABOUT

Joseon (Korea), 1758. There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse. All she wants is to keep her head down, do a good job, and perhaps finally win her estranged father’s approval.

But Hyeon is suddenly thrust into the dark and dangerous world of court politics when someone murders four women in a single night, and the prime suspect is Hyeon’s closest friend and mentor. Determined to prove her beloved teacher’s innocence, Hyeon launches her own secret investigation.

In her hunt for the truth, she encounters Eojin, a young police inspector also searching for the killer. When evidence begins to point to the Crown Prince himself as the murderer, Hyeon and Eojin must work together to search the darkest corners of the palace to uncover the deadly secrets behind the bloodshed.

June Hur, critically acclaimed author of The Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls, returns with The Red Palace—a third evocative, atmospheric historical mystery perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and Kerri Maniscalco. 

The Red Palace by June Hur- Review | Blog Tour

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK

The Red Palace by June Hur is an excellent historical mystery. It features an engaging plot, three-dimensional characters, and beautiful writing resulting in an absorbing tale.

It’s a book that slowly but steadily sneaks into your heart. Now you might be wondering this is an odd thing to say about a murder mystery. However, this book is set in Korea in 1758 during the reign of the Joseon dynasty. That period is wholly unlike the present day where a fast-paced life is a norm. June Hur’s writing made me fall in love with the beautiful countryside of Korea with its lush green paddy fields as well as the imposing Changdeok Palace with its distinct architecture.

Moreover, I was intrigued by both the court politics and the killer’s identity. All through these, Hur spins a delicate tale of innocent love. While the romance is not the centerpiece of this novel, the novel would have been incomplete without the romance between the quiet Palace Nurse of extremely humble origins and the young, handsome, accomplished Inspector.

Further, all the characters added depth to the story. Hyeon and Eojin were my favorites, however, the other characters also deeply impressed me. Hyeon is a resilient girl who deals with the blows of life with incredible grace. We get glimpses of her grief upon being neglected by both her parents. However, she accepts her fate and instead channeled her grief into becoming a palace nurse, a position that is highly difficult to obtain for an illegitimate girl child.

Due to its consistent pacing and atmospheric writing, I enjoyed reading The Red Palace by June Hur and would highly recommend it to lovers of historical mysteries. Thank you, June Hur, for gifting me such a satisfying tale to begin my New Year with.

The Red Palace by June Hur

BOOK DETAILS

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery || Pages: 336 || Published on January 25th 2022 by Feiwel & Friends

Many thanks to Colored Pages Blog Tours for organizing this blog tour. Many thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book. This does not affect my opinion on the book. I opted to provide an honest review on my blog.

AUTHOR BIO

June Hur

June Hur was born in South Korea and raised in Canada, except for the time when she moved back to Korea and attended high school there. She studied History and Literature at the University of Toronto. She began writing her debut novel after obsessing over books about Joseon Korea. When she’s not writing, she can be found wandering through nature or journaling at a coffee shop. She is the author of The Silence of Bones, The Forest of Stolen Girls, The Red Palace, and A Crane Among Wolves published by Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, and she currently lives in Toronto with her husband and daughter.

Author Link: Website

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