Name: The Red Palace
Rating: 4.167613636363637 (88 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.

Steph

Oh man, I can totally see this being adapted on TV. It would make such a great K-drama! Literally, that's what I thought while reading this book. This is the first historical mystery, crime book that I've read. and I absolutely adored it. I can tell that the author has done a LOT of research into writing this book because the world that she's created is so vivid. From the setting to the costume and the culture. And the mannerisms and etiquette that were practiced back in Joseon Korea. It was all well-researched and executed. The mystery behind the massacre was intriguing enough to keep me on my toes. She planted evidence and clues throughout the book and when the killer was finally revealed, I got the AH-Ha moment when everything just clicked. Also love the approach where we're all the dark like the protagonist. Trying to solve the crime while navigating the palace.

so many things to love ab this book, it just hit all the right notes for me !!

i cant say ive read many mysteries so i cant attest to how it fares in that regard but i will say that the plot wasnt too predictable and yet the conclusion felt satisfying.

i think what i particularly liked about this book was how the women were written. of course, given that many of them were key players in the plot, this shldn’t be shocking. yet i was still pleasantly surprised by the complexity they were allowed, which made them feel more real as characters. rarely were they cartoonishly evil or cruel, in fact many of them gave support or grace towards the mc in the only ways they knew how. its very clear that the author wanted to center their experiences for this story and she did a remarkable job. she makes it clear that most of the women were doing the best that they could given the circumstances they were dealt with.

i also enjoyed the romance!! i think it was the right amount for the story, and i truly think that the tropes used for their dynamic added to the overall themes and development of the characters. i genuinely loved the fact that hyeon felt a sense of jealousy over her love interest having been born a man, and of a higher class than her. she didn’t just lament these differences as an obstacle in their developing relationship— she truly resented the fact that he had access to opportunities she did not. genuinely made their dynamic all the more interesting and intriguing. 

so many things to love ab this book, it just hit all the right notes for me !!

i cant say ive read many mysteries so i cant attest to how it fares in that regard but i will say that the plot wasnt too predictable and yet the conclusion felt satisfying.

i think what i particularly liked about this book was how the women were written. of course, given that many of them were key players in the plot, this shldn’t be shocking. yet i was still pleasantly surprised by the complexity they were allowed, which made them feel more real as characters. rarely were they cartoonishly evil or cruel, in fact many of them gave support or grace towards the mc in the only ways they knew how. its very clear that the author wanted to center their experiences for this story and she did a remarkable job. she makes it clear that most of the women were doing the best that they could given the circumstances they were dealt with.

i also enjoyed the romance!! i think it was the right amount for the story, and i truly think that the tropes used for their dynamic added to the overall themes and development of the characters. i genuinely loved the fact that hyeon felt a sense of jealousy over her love interest having been born a man, and of a higher class than her. she didn’t just lament these differences as an obstacle in their developing relationship— she truly resented the fact that he had access to opportunities she did not. genuinely made their dynamic all the more interesting and intriguing. 

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.

This is another excellent mystery set in Korea's past.  The mystery is intriguing and the characters are engaging.  

shellybn

Winona

It was nice, but certainly not one of my favorites.. I loved the mystery aspect of it, but i think the characters lacked a bit of a personality? Also it was supposed to be set in the 1700s but sometimes it felt a bit modern. Its a good book and the plot was good too! 3.5 🌟

Winona Santiago

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.

Emily Wisnesky

first 5 star read of the year!!! the investigation was paced in the best way, the romance was CHEFS KISS! i love hyeon and eojin so much, hyeon is such a strong female lead character, I love how she was written. wish I didn’t read it so fast and that I could read it again for the first time ❤️

➺ 
  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.

I love a good mystery, and this was no exception. I adored Baekhyeon and Eojin’s relationship development so much - the way they grew to care for each other was tender, and quiet, and so lovely. So glad this was my first read for 2024.

ang ིྀ 

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 

Katie Guo

hyeon & eojin i want u both.. i have two hands for a reason 

jing 🐇

Laurianne

This is my second book by writer June Hur, the first one being The Forest of Stolen Girls and it became one of my most-loved books (even until now). To be honest, I still like The Forest of Stolen Girls better in comparison to this one. But it doesn't mean that The Red Palace is less good, just a matter of preference is all.
I'm relieved that Hyeon has finally found her light in darkness, because she deserves happiness and so much more, so does Eojin. I long for what they have. (let me sob in the corner)

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.

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. To enter the palace means to walk a path stained in blood... Joseon (Korea), 1758. There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, seventeen-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.

Teeeeeesha

Deliciously written with the right amount of mystery, good pacing and sweet romance that will make you smile. Reads like a historical kdrama as it is loosely based on the life and death of Prince Sado

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.

The Red Palace

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