Un-su Kim

A mind-bending work of literary fiction from one of South Korea's hottest new novelists. Cabinet 13 looks like an old, ordinary cabinet. But it is filled with stories - peculiar, strange, eye popping, disgusting, enraging, and touching stories. The life of the man who manages cabinet 13, an ordinary office manager, is similarly filled with stories. Un-Su Kim intricately interweaves the all these stories with precise prose and in rich style, and will leave you thinking about the stories inside your own cabinet long after you turn the final page. Translated by Sean Lin Halbert

The Cabinet

캐비닛

I enjoyed this book, but my word… the ending! The last part of the book could have been a completely different book and somewhat spoilt what came before it. 

The main bulk of the book however let you into a world which had you questioning if it was real or not and the short excerpts or “files” into the lives of symptomers was at times fascinating.

I enjoyed this book, but my word… the ending! The last part of the book could have been a completely different book and somewhat spoilt what came before it. 

The main bulk of the book however let you into a world which had you questioning if it was real or not and the short excerpts or “files” into the lives of symptomers was at times fascinating.

Winner of the Munhakdongne Novel Award, South KoreaÕs most prestigious literary prize Cabinet 13 looks exactly like any normal filing cabinet. Except this cabinet is filled with files on the ÔsymptomersÕ, people whose weird abilities and bizarre experiences might just mark the emergence of a new species. But to Mr Kong, the harried office worker who spends his days looking after the cabinet, the symptomers are just a headache; from the woman whose doppelganger broke up with her boyfriend, to the man with a ginkgo tree growing from his fingertip. And then thereÕs that guy who wonÕt stop calling, asking to be turned into a catÉ A richly funny and fantastical novel about the strangeness at the heart of even the most ordinary lives, from one of South KoreaÕs most acclaimed novelists. Translated by Sean Lin Halbert File Under: Fiction [ 12,000 Cans of Beer | Memory Mosaicers | Will Execution Inc. | Monkey of All Bombs ]

Lindy

I think it's largely a comment on Korean work culture, but it read to me like a slightly less tonally grim and more quirky version of The Trial.

Expecting a collection if strange stories, the book took a strange turn. From seemingly a non fiction book it turns into a novel and then into a thriller. A great read, but a bit boring in the middle. 

ally

Fantastical with great moments that make you contemplate life and the minds of other people.

Erika 

Mirto

This book is quite the ride. It's unpredictable every step of the way, leaving the reader curious for what's gonna happen next. It's immensely gripping. The writing itself is simple, but feels like the actual monologue inside one's head, in a way I haven't seen before, which made it even more interesting. I wasn't a fan of the ending, I didn't think it fit with the rest of the book, but I'm still very glad I got the opportunity to read it!

Karl Ansell

Absolutely fantastic little story that I never knew where it was going to go next and explores human nature and the what if of evolution very cleverly. 

Joy Salo

This was an interesting read because it is very different in that the structure is presented in a unique form and therefore needs to be established. 

The chapters told from the protagonist’s view weren’t my favorite, as he was rather unlikable (although that was probably intentional). The chapters that focused more on other people were oftentimes very nuanced and contained some sort of life lesson. Again, this sharp contrast was probably intentional. Definitely a read where you may say nothing more about it than “it was interesting…”.

Linn 

When I went into this book I had no idea what to expect but woah was it a surprise. The plot is hard to explain but essentially, we follow Mr. Kong who mans the so called “Cabinet 13”, a cabinet filled with files about symptomers (people with abilities “normal” people don’t possess), as he tells us the life stories of these people and others who don’t necessarily have abilities but just chose to live life in other ways than the norm. As Mr. Kong tells us the reader these stories we follow his life story and the life experiences he has had in his life. With every chapter being told in almost short stories form with not that much plot that binds the chapters together I can see how this book might not be for everyone, but I loved it. Granted, not every chapter is as strong as the next, which is why it is not getting a 5-star rating, nonetheless it is a very engaging story that makes you think about life and the life choices we make and I would recommend everyone to check it out. 

cw: graphic depiction of torture 

Thank you to Netgalley and Angry Robot for sending me an advanced copy.

The Cabinet

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