Lemon

By: Yeo-sun Kwon

Narrated by: Greta Jung, Jaine Ye, Greg Chun

Named a Most Anticipated Read of the Year by Ms. Magazine 

In this piercing psychological portrait of obsession, privilege, and justice, a woman haunted by her sister’s unsolved murder transforms herself in order to cope with the pain of absence and unknowing.   

In the summer of 2002, when Korea is abuzz over hosting the FIFA World Cup, 18-year-old Kim Hae-on is killed in what becomes known as the High School Beauty Murder. Two suspects quickly emerge: rich kid Shin Jeongjun, whose car Hae-on was last seen in, and delivery boy Han Manu, who witnesses Hae-on in the passenger seat of Jeongjun’s car just a few hours before her death. But when Jeongjun’s alibi checks out, and no evidence can be pinned on Manu, the case goes cold.   

Seventeen years pass without any resolution for those close to Hae-on, and the grief and uncertainty take a cruel toll on her younger sister, Da-on, in particular. Unable to move on with her life, Da-on tries in her own twisted way to recover some of what she’s lost, ultimately setting out to find the truth of what happened.   

Shifting between the perspectives of Da-on and two of Hae-on’s classmates struck in different ways by her otherworldly beauty, Lemon ostensibly takes the shape of a crime novel. But identifying the perpetrator is not the main objective here: Kwon Yeo-sun uses this well-worn form to craft a searing, timely exploration of class, jealousy, trauma, and how we live with the wrongs we have endured and inflicted in turn.   

Story Locale: 2002-2019 South Korea 

Contributor Bio(s)

 Kwon Yeo-sun was born in Andong, South Korea, and now lives in Seoul. In 1996, she received the Sangsang Literary Award for her debut novel, Niche of Green. Her subsequent novels and short stories have received numerous literary awards, including the Hankook Ilbo Literary Award, Yi Sang Literary Prize, and the Oh Yeong-su Literature Award, among others. Lemon is her first novel to be published in English.   

Janet Hong is a writer and translator based in Vancouver, Canada. She received the 2018 TA First Translation Prize and the 16th LTI Korea Translation Award for her translation of Han Yujoo’s The Impossible Fairy Tale, which was also a finalist for both the 2018 PEN Translation Prize and the 2018 National Translation Award. Her recent translations include Ha Seong-nan’s Bluebeard’s First Wife, Ancco’s Nineteen, and Keum Suk Gendry-Kim’s Grass.   

Author Residence: Seoul, South Korea   

Author Hometown: Andong, South Korea

©2021 Yeo-sun Kwon (P)2021 Recorded Books

Interesting story, poor narrator choice

I enjoyed this book ‘s and it’s look at youth and grief. Unfortunately, using a male narrator to tell one of the main character’s story was extremely confusing. I only realized that the character was female after hearing her referred to as Unnie late in the book.

calling1

LEMON IS A HAUNTING, EMOTIONALLY RESONANT NOVELLA THAT LEANS INTO AMBIGUITY RATHER THAN RESOLUTION. IT'S NOT A COVENTIONAL CRIME THRILLER THIS IS A COPELLING READ

really unusual, feels like I'm traveling

I had to speed this one up a little for it to sound good (1.15x), but when I did, it felt really immersive and I was drawn in. Very mysterious. I'd listen to more from this author.

Excellent

Interesting well told story. I listened to it twice. It does a great job of being vague enough to make you think but providing so many details! I highly recommend this one!

Sorry I didn't particular understand this book.

I kept waiting for understanding to dawn on me. I am still waiting. Maybe you have to be a lot smarter than I am to understand .