The Silence Of Bones - June Hur

There's a lot to unpack in this novel and synthesizing all of it made me realize how much work the author put into this.

"I have a mouth, but I mustn't speak; Ears, but I mustn't hear; Eyes, but I mustn't see."

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The Silence Of Bones by June Hur provides profound commentary on the cruelty of heriarchy. Her compelling voice offers moving dialogue and well-developed characters from the start. In this historical mystery, readers view the Joseon Dynasty through sixteen-year-old, overly curious Seol, an indentured servent girl trained as a "police damo": "I was an extension of the officers, my hands used by the to arrest female criminals and to examine female victims. An inconvience for the police, and yet men were forbidden from touching women who  were not directly related to them. It was the law, Confucius's law."  At the Police Bureau, Seol works under Inspector Han (an aristocrat and military officer). Together, they try solving the murders of catholic converts, connecting abstract pieces of a mystery steeped in family drama and political strife.

First off, the protagonist Seol is belittled as a servant, facing demeaning words that make her feel less than human. She is surviving a patriarchal society while subverting "normal" female roles in order to solve a murder. This novel is immersive and grim, allowing readers to glimpse into the past and experience brutal slavery and harsh prejudice that dares to break Seol. Although Seol is ment to be invisible (given her status), she bravely pushes through dilemmas. Her deductions and questions about the case also felt realistic. She wasn't "dumb" to keep the plot rolling or a know-it-all that's too perfect. She was original, adept, and clever. Not to mention bold.

In addition, the motifs in this story took The Silence Of Bones to a cerebral level of depth. (I thought it easiest to list them out):

Truth: to solve a mystery, you need truth and honesty. Seol values truth and works to find it by questioning those who may have connections to the murder. however, she ends up telling lies to protect herself and trick suspects into giving up answers.

Freedom - servitude - social status: Seol has the hanja character for "female servant" branded on her cheek, marking her as a lowly, invisible slave in the world. Seol talks about wanting to be free, wanting kindness, love and appreciation. But, life seems to steal these from her: "life as a servent should have taught me that the world was cruel."

Sociopolitics and religion: the book comments on sociopolitical strife as well as the patriarchy, enabling men to hone more power than women in Joseon society. The society works to keep the lower class invisible whole noble families benefit from their labor. Even then, those born out of wedlock are seen as a disgrace, which officer shim struggles with. And the murderer is scraping the barrel for significance and ways to make his father proud - even murdering people, including his own mother.

The harsh social system has individuals clamoring for importance leading to contemplations about morals and ethics; if you aren't directly involved in an incident but your decsions allowed it to happen, how guilty are you?

Sociopolitics tie into religion and the tension between the north and south factions. In 1800s Korea, the northern queen's goal to monopolize political power resulted in hundreds of deaths from catholics residing in the south. The book drops us into the middle of this strife, where Seol is sleuthing to find a murderer who's taken it upon themself to kill innocent catholic people.

Trust and loyalty: without knowing who's done it, Seol struggles with who she can trust and it sometimes sways her loyalty, which she prided herself on. Trust and loyalty are major themes that are expressed through her relationship with inspector Han and Lady Kang (a noble woman and friend).

Curiosity: Seol rejects expectations placed on women and servents. she's overly curious when she shouldn't wonder about what her "masters" say. Seol is also a fighter who is brave enough to wander the streets at night, tailing a serial killer.

Han: "Korean feeling of sorrow, oppression, unavenged injustice, and isolation...It’s sorrow, regret, grief, resentment, a dull ache of the soul. Yet han is passive; not seeking revenge but instead waiting patiently and hoping that the injustice will be righted."

Finally, June Hur's writing is simplistic, clear, and compelling. There's no fluff to fill out the story as every sentence has a purpose. To point out, the author was conscious that Seol refers to her siblings as 'older sister' and 'older brother' instead of using their names. In the Korean language, it's polite to address people using titles and honorifics. Plus, romanized Korean was sprinkled throughout.

The author provides clear detail that richly builds the world, so readers can easily conceptualize the events and characters. No overexaggerated prose; just clean, smooth sentences that keep you reading. Similarly, author knows what story she wants to tell and does not overload the book with unneeded subplots. In addition, the plot beats are well placed, keeping the story's pace fast but consistent, yet doesn't feel rushed. Hur is to the point without forgetting the imagery that makes this a lush narrative.