For now all discussions about the book will live on this home thread (since we are a small club ), so make sure you use spoiler tags and indicate which part of the book you are going to refer to ahead of the tag to show respect to your follow-readers an any possible late-comers.
Summary
『세계를 건너 너에게 갈게』 작가 이꽃님 신작 “팩트는 중요하지 않아. 사람들이 믿는 게 더 중요하지.” 조각난 진실과 부서진 믿음에 관한 이야기 십 대들의 외롭고 불안한 내면을 따뜻하게 어루만져 주는 작품으로 주목받아 온 이꽃님 작가가 결말을 예측할 수 없는, 놀랍도록 흡인력 있는 작품으로 돌아왔다. 『죽이고 싶은 아이』는 한 여고생의 죽음이라는, 결코 평범하지 않은 이야기를 통해 독자들에게 진실과 믿음에 관한 이야기를 건넨다. 소설의 주인공인 주연과 서은은 둘도 없는 단짝 친구다. 두 사람이 크게 싸운 어느 날, 학교 건물 뒤 공터에서 서은이 시체로 발견되고 가장 유력한 용의자로 주연이 체포된다. 그런데 어찌 된 일인지 주연은 그날의 일이 도무지 기억나지 않는다. 주연은 정말 서은을 죽였을까? 이야기는 주연과 서은에 대해 증언하는 열일곱 명의 인터뷰와 주연의 주변 인물들의 이야기가 교차되는 독특한 방식으로 전개된다. 인터뷰이에 따라 주연과 서은이 어떤 아이였는지, 둘의 관계는 어땠는지가 시시각각 변모해 간다. 반전에 반전을 거듭하며 독자를 혼란에 빠뜨리는 예측 불가능한 전개는 독자들에게 끝까지 책을 손에서 놓지 못하게 하는 엄청난 몰입감을 선사한다. 『죽이고 싶은 아이』는 보이는 대로만 보고 듣고 싶은 말만 듣고 믿고 싶은 것만 믿는 사람들로 가득한 세상이 얼마나 야만적인지를 독자들의 눈앞에 생생하게 펼쳐 보인다. 이꽃님 작가의 전작들이 십 대들에게 건네는 다정한 위로였다면, 『죽이고 싶은 아이』는 십 대들의 곁에 선 작가가 진실이 멋대로 편집되고 소비되는 세상에 던지는 서늘한 경고라고 할 수 있다.
English Summary
[DeepL Translation] New book from the author of “I will cross the world to you” “Facts don’t matter, what people believe matters more.” A story about fragmented truth and shattered faith Chul Chul-nim, who has been recognized for her warm and heartwarming stories of teenage angst, returns with a surprisingly absorbing novel with an unpredictable ending. "The Child I Want to Kill tells the story of a high school girl’s death, a story that is anything but ordinary, and tells readers a story about truth and faith. The novel’s protagonists, Joo-yeon and Seo-eun, are best friends. One day, after a big fight, Seo-eun is found dead in a vacant lot behind the school building, and Joo-yeon is arrested as the prime suspect. But for some reason, Joo-yeon can’t remember anything about that day. Did Joo-yeon really kill Seo-eun? The story unfolds in a unique way, with seventeen interviews of people who testify against Joo-yeon and Seo-eun, intercut with the stories of the people around Joo-yeon. Each interview changes the picture of who Joo-yeon and Seo-eun were as children and what their relationship was like. The unpredictable development of the story, with twists and turns that confuse the reader, creates a tremendous sense of immersion that will not let the reader put the book down until the end. "The Child I Want to Kill vividly reveals the savagery of a world filled with people who see only what they see, hear only what they hear, and believe only what they believe. Whereas her previous books were a tender comfort to teenagers, The Kid I Want to Kill is a chilling warning from an author who has stood beside teenagers in a world where truth is edited and consumed at will.
I went ahead and made a very simple reading schedule. The book has 40 chapters that are all short and quite similar in length (the actual page count I do not know since I am reading with the RIDI ebook…sigh), so I thought we can do 4 chapters a week over 10 weeks. Let me know if that sounds good to you all!
I just did. For whatever reason when I posted this on desktop yesterday a full list of forums and tags didn’t pop up to select from (sometimes discourse is has difficulty with drop down menus, I’ve noticed…), but it worked just now on mobile!
I might get the physical book. I found it on this website called lifepattern. Shipping price is not that bad. Problem is, I’m a bit scared about shipping time, and possible customs costs.
Oh that does seem like a great price. Are you located in the EU…? Usually there is no customs charge for an order under ~€150, so just one book would definitely be ok. It may take a while to arrive, though.
I read chapter 1. The book is interesting so far, although I’m only getting the gist of it. I might need to reread the beginning of the book later on after I’m more used to the author’s writing style. I’m curious about the popular girl who died and how her outcast (?) friend she’s known middle school is connected to her death.
idk if it’s just because I like 이꽃님 and came in with high expectations but I’m already hooked.
Ch 1-4 spoilers:
From skimming through the chapter titles I gathered the format would be focusing on one character per chapter, but I didn’t expect the kind of talking to the camera style it opened with. Once I realised what was going on the talking-to-the-local-news format in chapters 1 and 3 was super fun to read. So far I like how they have built up the idea of everyone having a different story to tell about what happened/what Chuyeon and Seoun were like together.
Catching up on week 1 now, finished ch 1-4. So far this is a very engaging read that I am not finding too difficult! I think I will definitely check out more of these authors books, since the level is perfect for me for hitting that sweet spot of comprehension where you know most of the words, but can still puzzle out new ones.
The confessional/interview format is also interesting and I am hoping we get to see different pov/insights about 서은 and 주연. I am sure there is a lot more to her death and the mystery about than it seems, but also a lot of negative rumors that have twisted the truth.
I finished ch 5 and wow… I’m always surprised by how mean kids in Korean media can be, especially stories about bullying. I think 주연 is a bit suspicious because she can’t remember anything, but the other kids seem jealous and motivated enough to have also killed 서은. It’s too early to tell, though.
I’ve only just realised they have that audio track symbol at the top of the chapters that are transcriptions of interviews.
The end of chapter 7 my lord.
I’m really enjoying this format. It feels so dramatic even though we’re just working with the facts of the one incident over and over again. So digestible for language learners <3
also wondering this, wasn’t clear to me. also who was the conveince store owner actually talking to? didn’t seem like the police but then they recognised the other girl in the CCTV?
There was a mini twist in this chapter with the classmate saying 서은 and her boyfriend were using 주연 for money, but it turns out it was a rumor 주연 spread…that plus the boyfriend’s statement don’t show 주연 in a good light this week. It seems like this book keeps revealing info slowly and showing things from a different pov, so I am sure there are some more surprises to come.
Another fun reading this week. I’m really enjoying this book so far! It’s definitely way easier than 소리를 보는 소년.
i’m still enjoying this book a lot. I wondered if the stylistic format would get annoying but it’s been a fun way to find out information so far.
Chapters 9 and 11 really had me feeling sorry for 주연 for the first time. Her asking if there were a lot of people at 서은’s funeral really hit because up until now I feel like we’ve been so focused on the details of their past that we haven’t really considered what has come after 서은’s death and that 주연 wouldn’t have been able to go to the funeral.
Ch 11 was enjoyable storytelling, I did and didn’t sympathise with 주연 and the lawyer at different points.
주연 is being a petty jealous teen, which is pretty realistic tbh we were all a terrible teen once. but then how much do we trust her as a reliable narrator?
“서은이에 관한 소문이요. 전부 다 제가 지어낸 거지, 사실이 아니라고요.”
“무슨 소리야. 사람들이 믿으면 그게 사실이 되는 거야. 팩트는 중요한 게 아니라고.”
This part very much feels like saying the theme of the book out loud.
I like how it set the lawyer but as kind of a villain but also from her point of view 서은 is dead there’s nothing gained from telling the truth and she can only try to save 주연’s future.
Also we have a 피디님 mentioned in the interview w the bf so I guess they are talking to a tv program maybe?
I certainly agree with this! In my post I said these chapters didn’t paint her in a good light, but I could still understand her motivations. But I’m not sure I’d trust her testimony 100% yet. I don’t know if I trust 서은s boyfriend’s testimony either though. I don’t know what to think!
), so make sure you use spoiler tags and indicate which part of the book you are going to refer to ahead of the tag to show respect to your follow-readers an any possible late-comers.
so this words for me
It’s too early to tell, though. 
my lord.
It’s definitely way easier than 소리를 보는 소년.
