Name: The Red Palace
Rating: 4.151595744680851 (94 reviews)
ISBN: 9781250800558

June Hur

A palace nurse and a royal investigator team up to look into a pattern of grisly murders when the Crown Prince becomes the prime suspect in this romantic YA historical mystery from the author of The Silence of Bones.

The Red Palace

fira

Elena M.

“We are women,” she continued, “and nothing short of death stops us from doing precisely what we wish to do. That is what the laws and restrictions binding our lives breed: determination and cunning."

Everyone must choose the paths they will walk. And when you choose, remember to count the cost. Do not live with regrets.

Some dreams, I’d learned, were meant to fade away. And to let go of them didn’t mean to let go of myself, but to release the life I’d imagined I wanted.

Aku ikutan nahan napas waktu baca bagian ini. Ikutan 

ℛ.

Aku nyaris tidak bisa bernapas. Aku belum pernah menyaksikan nyawa manusia direnggut begitu tanpa perasaan, begitu cepat, bahkan tanpa sedikit pun getar penyesalan.

Autumn 

It seems there is always someone in the family determined to drive us mad.

Joseon (Korea), 1758.

Anak haram pada masa itu hanya punya sedikit pilihan hidup, terutama untuk anak perempuan. Namun, berkat kerja keras dan tekun belajar, Hyeon, gadis berusia delapan belas tahun, berhasil menjadi perawat di istana. Dengan selalu patuh dan giat bekerja, ia berharap sang ayah akhirnya mau mengakui dirinya. Namun, Hyeon tiba-tiba terjerumus ke dalam politik istana yang kelam dan berbahaya saat dalam waktu semalam, empat wanita tewas terbunuh. Tersangkanya teman dekat dan gurunya sendiri. Maka dengan tekad bulat untuk membuktikan sang guru tidak bersalah, Hyeon diam-diam melakukan penyelidikan.

Ia lalu bertemu Eojin, inspektur polisi muda yang juga memburu si pembunuh. Ketika bukti-bukti mulai mengarah pada sang Putra Mahkota, Hyeon dan Eojin harus bekerja sama membongkar berbagai rahasia mematikan di istana.

Istana Merah

Sebuah ceita yang berlatarkan Dinasti Joseon. Sejujurnya, premis yang disuguhkan sangat-sangat menarik, tapi gak tahu kenapa sepanjang baca buku ini aku menadadak menjadi siput. Gak sepenuhnya menjadi siput dari awal sampai akhir, mungkin bisa dibilang dari awal sampai pertengahan atau tiga per empat buku ini. Entah karena aku baca yang versi terjemahannya atau gimana, tapi di beberapa bagian justru bikin aku merasa sedikit jenuh.

Buku ini sendiri menceritakan kehidupan seorang perawat istana bernama Hyeon. Kehidupan yang menjadi impiannya seolah-olah jungkir balik dan berubah setelah kejadian pembunuhan para perawat serta calon perawat dan seorang dayang di Hyeminseo, terlebih kejadian itu seketika menyeret gurunya.

Hyeon pun terjun, menyelidiki tentang kasus tersebut bersama salah seorang penyidik bernama Eojin. Keduanya berkerja sama untuk menyelidiki teka-teki yang ternyata lebih rumit dibanding bayangan mereka. Melibatkan Putra Makhota dan keluarga kerajaan jelas bukan hal yang mudah.

Tapi, menjelang akhir, buku ini menurutku menyuguhkan hal yang cukup tidak terduga. Hyeon sendiri bisa dikatakan sebuah gambaran perempuan Dinasti Joseon yang tertahan akan kasta serta statusnya yang tidak lebih dari 

 meskipun ayahnya bisa dibilang merupakan orang terpandang.

Selain teka-teki mengenai kasus pembunuhan yang terjadi, buku ini juga diselingi mengenai konflik yang juga bergumul pada kehidupan Hyeon sendiri. Menjadi 

seorang perempuan yang dari kalangan vulgar

 seolah membuat Hyeon menjadi sosok pemberontak. Padahal ia hanya bergerak sesuai dengan apa yang menurutnya benar.

Selain itu, romansa tipis-tipis yang ada diantara Hyeon dan Eojin cukup buat aku senyum-senyum sendiri dan cukup puas dengan akhir keduanya. Membaca buku ini bisa dikatakan seperti menonton sebuah drama kolosal Korea dengan segala keindahannya.

Sebuah ceita yang berlatarkan Dinasti Joseon. Sejujurnya, premis yang disuguhkan sangat-sangat menarik, tapi gak tahu kenapa sepanjang baca buku ini aku menadadak menjadi siput. Gak sepenuhnya menjadi siput dari awal sampai akhir, mungkin bisa dibilang dari awal sampai pertengahan atau tiga per empat buku ini. Entah karena aku baca yang versi terjemahannya atau gimana, tapi di beberapa bagian justru bikin aku merasa sedikit jenuh.

Buku ini sendiri menceritakan kehidupan seorang perawat istana bernama Hyeon. Kehidupan yang menjadi impiannya seolah-olah jungkir balik dan berubah setelah kejadian pembunuhan para perawat serta calon perawat dan seorang dayang di Hyeminseo, terlebih kejadian itu seketika menyeret gurunya.

Hyeon pun terjun, menyelidiki tentang kasus tersebut bersama salah seorang penyidik bernama Eojin. Keduanya berkerja sama untuk menyelidiki teka-teki yang ternyata lebih rumit dibanding bayangan mereka. Melibatkan Putra Makhota dan keluarga kerajaan jelas bukan hal yang mudah.

Tapi, menjelang akhir, buku ini menurutku menyuguhkan hal yang cukup tidak terduga. Hyeon sendiri bisa dikatakan sebuah gambaran perempuan Dinasti Joseon yang tertahan akan kasta serta statusnya yang tidak lebih dari seorang perempuan dan anak dari seorang selir meskipun ayahnya bisa dibilang merupakan orang terpandang.

Selain teka-teki mengenai kasus pembunuhan yang terjadi, buku ini juga diselingi mengenai konflik yang juga bergumul pada kehidupan Hyeon sendiri. Menjadi seorang perempuan yang dari kalangan vulgar seolah membuat Hyeon menjadi sosok pemberontak. Padahal ia hanya bergerak sesuai dengan apa yang menurutnya benar.

Selain itu, romansa tipis-tipis yang ada diantara Hyeon dan Eojin cukup buat aku senyum-senyum sendiri dan cukup puas dengan akhir keduanya. Membaca buku ini bisa dikatakan seperti menonton sebuah drama kolosal Korea dengan segala keindahannya.

3.75⭐ for Hyeon and Eojin.

sani

“there is only you.” his words caressed me, winding themselves around my soul. “there will only ever be you. i promise, hyeon-ah.”

ahhh. at this point, i am barely surviving on the hyeoneojin crumbs. this book was so insanely good? and oh my god, the romance romanced here at its peak. 


“when we’re together … it’s as though we are like water in the river, my thoughts flowing through yours, yours through mine.”

HE LITERALLY SAYS STUFF LIKE THAT TO HER? strangers to friends to lovers solving a murder mystery has got to be my favourite thing from now on. the chemistry was too good, i forgot to breathe sometimes. 

and i love, love, love how hyeon's relationship with her mother developed. it was so precious as a daughter to experience it. and i love how she gave a second chance to her father, lord shin.

Ellie M.

This book is definitely perfect for fans of historical korean dramas. I’m one of the kdrama girlies, and The Red Palace has so much to offer! I finished it in one sitting because I could not put it down. June Hur is the definition of damn good writing. The mid-paced story and exhilirating prose gives us a strangers-to-friends-to-lovers story about a police investigator and a palace nurse set out to solve a conspiracy and a series of murder in which the Crown Prince is allegedly tied to. In this book, we see Hyeon and Eojin fall in love and have their sweetest, most subtle moments while traversing through a crazy maze of suspects and a killing spree with no possible end to it. I’ve always loved the thrill and action from korean historical fiction and this gave me feelings of nostalgia and longing for the thirteen year-old me who bingewatched kdramas at 3 in the morning because I was literally making up fancasts in my head reading this. Not only that, but this book will take you through the brutal realities of the older Korean dynasties. Moreso, it subtly explores the extremely complex familial relationships and forgiveness in Asian households. I would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a quick, thriller read with the barest bits of romance throughout.

➺ 
  4/5 🌟

"Revenge begets revenge; the anger is unquenchable. We become the monsters we are trying to punish. Justice, however, brings closure, and that is what I want"


There might be spoiler ahead....

This is quite a fast read for me, or maybe I was just too invested in the story that I didn't realize I already reached the end. 

The Red Palace definitely gave me a historical mystery Kdrama vibe. It served me a good amount of mystery and suspense in such a short book. I wouldn't say that this has a mind blowing plot that has mind blowing twist, but the way the author narrated the story really draws me in. 

A palace nurse, together with a young inspector, solving the murder case. But it's not just a simple murder case because it involved the Crown Prince himself as the suspect. One wrong move, just a slight mistake with their words, it can be regarded as them slandering the future ruler and their heads would probably roll. I was immersed with how the way they're solving the mystery, with outmost vigilance and secrecy, which made even the readers like myself not able to breathe too loudly. I loved the way this sometimes put me at the edge of my seat, especially in the last part. 

For the characters, nothing quite extraordinary from them, nothing too unforgettable. I actually didn't like the female protagonist at first. Her determination to find the truth for her mentor who was accused of the murder is commendable, but the way she did the work is frustrating. She sticks her nose everywhere recklessly. I mean, that was mostly the reason for having suspenseful scenes, but sometimes it doesn't make sense. Like that one time she thought of 'stealing' the murder weapon while waiting alone in the Crown Prince's chamber. For someone who's really afraid and wary of the things that are happening inside the palace, she was being impulsive. That scene though was very intense and it heightened the reading experience so much, but it was a dumb move from her. 

For the plot, I enjoyed the mystery so much. I liked that I was guessing along with the main characters as to who's the real culprit. Nothing very shocking about the revelation but I was focused more on the motive as to why the culprit did it. Surely, I've read more polished mysteries than this, but overall I enjoyed the plot and it kept me invested, so that's what matters. 

Also, I wasn't expecting this to have a hint of romance. I just picked this up without knowing anything about the genre and I was surprised because I thought it was just purely about crime solving and palace conspiracy. The book could do its job even without the romance, but I would say it added depth to the two main protagonists so I am not against it. Overall, I really really enjoyed my time with this. 

Please do take note of the trigger warnings before picking this up.

Read like a period kdrama which was fun :) but it was a bit too fast for me, I like slow suspense and relationship building

nina 

Good story. A bit naive and easy, more for younger readers I guess. 

Ilham Usman

B Sai Sushma

A fantastic historic murder mystery that explores not just an intricate plot but the heavy relationships between parents and children. One of the better female-led books I have read in a long time.

I really enjoyed 98% of this book. The ending, though, felt incredibly rushed and could have been expanded upon more. I also appreciated the revised romanization for the majority of the Korean names and words--McCune-Reischauer is my worst nightmare. When I did research for my thesis, I came across the realities of Korean women during that time more than once--and those realities appear in this book. Seeing them made me feel vindicated in a sense, as I have discussed the injustices and sexism rampant in the Joseon era (some ideas of which have continued over to Korea in the modern day) with anyone that will listen to me--which would be fine if they had any knowledge of Joseon era Korea lol

A fun historical fiction mystery that is perfect for fans of 

Holly

I really enjoyed 98% of this book. The ending, though, felt incredibly rushed and could have been expanded upon more. I also appreciated the revised romanization for the majority of the Korean names and words--McCune-Reischauer is my worst nightmare. When I did research for my thesis, I came across the realities of Korean women during that time more than once--and those realities appear in this book. Seeing them made me feel vindicated in a sense, as I have discussed the injustices and sexism rampant in the Joseon era (some ideas of which have continued over to Korea in the modern day) with anyone that will listen to me--which would be fine if they had any knowledge of Joseon era Korea lol
A fun historical fiction mystery that is perfect for fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper

Connor 

I love June Hur SO. MUCH. and this book was so good and I know she probably won’t but what I wouldn’t give for sequels!

Christine Bruce

A refreshingly new story in almost every way. I love historical fiction, but there’s not enough non western history that’s casual knowledge. I’m a bit of a true crime buff so I was shocked when I’d never heard of Prince Sado before moving to Korea. 

This book is set against the backdrop of his murders and the world that everyone else had to live in following them. A surprising twist I only put together the page before the characters did, and the added bonus of just a pure and sweet romance, too. Hyeon and Eojin deserve every happiness ever. 

A great mystery and a great story with great history and details that kept me on Wikipedia hours after reading the last page (exactly how I like my historical fictions) 

Content warning for murders, era accurate sexism, and parental abuse of a verbal/mental manner. 

💭 
9/10
Favorite book in February
A lot of Korean history
True crime of a historical nature
A romance B plot

Anna

Great YA mystery set in 1750s South Korea with subtle slow-burn romance. Very atmospheric writing, reading this book was like watching historical k-drama!

I thought the mystery was interesting, but a bit simplistic. I did like the twists and turns though.

I found the prince bit was confusing. I wish there had been more background into all of that, it seemed like the story was started in the middle, which, it kind of was.

The best writing for me, was the romance between Eojin and Hyeon. I wanted a bit more of that, especially at the end.

Still, it was an interesting and enjoyable book.

Megan Lowe

4.5 stars.

This was an interesting book.

I thought the mystery was interesting, but a bit simplistic. I did like the twists and turns though.

I found the prince bit was confusing. I wish there had been more background into all of that, it seemed like the story was started in the middle, which, it kind of was.

The best writing for me, was the romance between Eojin and Hyeon. I wanted a bit more of that, especially at the end.

Still, it was an interesting and enjoyable book.

Lia Yuliana

Update 18/11/2021

Find my reviews on :  An Ode to Fiction
Official Release Date : 25th January 2022
Buy the book :
 Amazon |  Book Depository

4/5 ⭐️

ARC provided by the publisher Feiwel & Friends through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


  
    If you enter the palace, you either die or you survive and become another monster within its walls …
  


The Red Palace is a stunning Joseon era mystery thriller that will grip you in beautiful suspense. With that I am a new June Hur stan.

Defining November as the month that I will read my pile of ARCs in ambitious notion. I recently acquired the ARC of The Red Palace after applying for it through Twitter. In all honesty, I’ve never read any book by June Hur but I have seen her books circulating around bookish friends. I trust their judgment so I picked this book as my fifth ARC to read. As reflected on my rating it is evident that June Hur didn’t disappoint at all. This books holds the title for the most gripping and fast paced ARC that I’ve ever read, I finish it within a day which never happens. Before I dive deeper into my review I would like to gush about the gorgeous cover of this book done by Park Sunga and designed by Liz Dresner. Can I just point out when June revealed the cover and back cover designed I gasped because if you watch Korean dramas you know that the woman on the cover looks like Seo Ye-ji and the man on the back looks like Woo Do-hwan. The resemblances is uncanny! The style also makes the cover stand out adding the Korean period vibes with the brush strokes.


  
    “I chose this path,” I said, my voice rising a notch.

“This is the only path I can take now, and you must let me walk it.”
  


The Red Palace is a young adult historical fiction and mystery thriller set in Joseon year of 1758. Following the success of her debut novel Silence of Bones and her recent 2021 The Forest of Stolen Girls, The Red Palace is Hur’s third highly anticipated third novel that will be released early 2022. The story revolves around an eighteen year old girl named Hyeon that works as a palace nurse. Working in the palace comes with its benefits and hardships but also the dark secrets within it’s walls. One day Hyeon and another palace nurse is called to assist the palace physician late in the night, an odd occurrence and especially dangerous as they are sworn to keep it a secret. The next day she discovers that four women were murdered on that same night she was called into the palace and that her teacher is placed as the prime suspect. Hyeon is frantic and is determined to clear her teacher’s name with the truth. On her courageous path to uncover the truth she meets a young investigator named Eojin that is tasked to solve the murders. Working together Hyeon and Eojin works together to find the real culprit behind the murders and drag the dark truth into the light of justice.


  
    “One doesn’t always need a sword to find the truth.”

“Like you,” he whispered.
  


June Hur’s writing is magnetic, highly addictive, and easily accessible in building the tension and stakes by transporting readers to the unforgivingly cruel inner palace dynamics of the Joseon era. Through the eyes of Hyeon we get to see a lot of the twists and turns of maneuvering around nobility and their scheming to gain power. Hur’s atmospheric writing accounts the vivid details of the setting that will tempt your eyes to wander seeking out any kind of hint that will break the bubble of mystery. I didn’t expect how beautiful a mystery thriller can be written, the story deals with grim topics such as death and murder but it is enticing and eloquent. The plot is well balance and flowed smoothly in between each reveal that gradually pushes readers to the edge of their seats with dread I associate with Korean period dramas. The way Hur pulls the strings of tension is slow, deliberate, and full of intent that by the end when the string is pulled taut, it snaps with a satisfying reveal. With every page I am gripped on to the page as the book gets more and more unputdownable leaving me in a frantic mess of suspense thirsting for answers. Hur’s pacing worked wonders in strengthening the grip of tension and suspense as the mystery is revealed slowly as Hyeon and Eojin draw closer to the truth.


  
    Our heads nearly touching, so lost in the moment, so consumed that I could not tell where he began and where I ended. We seemed to have, in that moment, merged into one mind with one purpose: find the killer, find the truth.
  


An aspect of The Red Palace that got me so engrossed and invested in the mystery are the characters, specifically Hyeon and Eojin. Hyeon is an ambitious nurse that has carved a path for herself to secure a position at the palace, she has worked long and hard to get where she is especially with the hardships of being the bastard child of a noble. Hur cleverly writes Hyeon’s perspective with innocent yet experienced eyes that hones her abilities and skills that she learned to its maximum potential. Hyeon is smart, feisty, and stubborn when she has set determination to clear her mentors name. Surely, Eojin has his hands full in dealing with her which makes their dynamic all the more endearing and fun to see manifest on page. Eojin is the youngest investigator from the capital that is tasked to investigate the murders. He is calculative, trust worthy, and the calm that is the perfect balance to Hyeon’s chaos. Both characters are well fleshed out with distinct personalities and believable voices proving Hur’s masterful ability with characterization. What made me enjoy The Red Palace is their dynamics and antics throughout the story. There are underlying themes of trust, righteousness, and comradery that is weaved in their relationship dynamic that I find intriguing. The romance that developed between the two manifested beautifully and it got me craving for more of their banter.


  
    Whatever awaited in the future, I had to trust that he would watch out for me, as I would always watch out for him.
  


Final thoughts, The Red Palace is an amazing stand alone mystery thriller that will transport you to the darkest depths of the Joseon dynasty filled with murder, political scheming, cover ups, and gripping crime solving. It is a story that I wish to see adapted as a drama or a movie on the big screen with the Korean actors on the cover play Hyeon and Eojin. Overall, I really enjoyed June Hur’s beautiful prose and phenomenal writing that got me addicting in a softer form of suspense that unique to Hur’s writing style. Everything is clear and crisp word for word that readers will grip readers the moment they start reading. Honestly, mystery thrillers isn’t a genre I normally would reach out towards but Hur changed that by weaving historical fiction into it that made the story the more interesting. June Hur has gained another fan as I will make sure to read her other works in 2022 such Silence of Bones and The Forest of Stolen Girls. If you haven’t please add all of June Hur’s book on to your Goodreads because you don’t want to miss out on any of her books. I highly recommend as well to read and pre-order The Red Palace if you’re looking for a fast paced gripping mystery thriller that is set in a certain period and has loose K-Drama romance vibes.

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

The Red Palace

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