A young gay man loves, loses and lives against the backdrop of Seoul in Love in the Big City, a wistful, moving debut in four parts by South Korean novelist Sang Young Park, translated by Anton Hur.
The narrator, a man in his early 30s, attends the wedding of his college best friend, a young woman who "could toss societal norms like used Kleenex." He reminisces about their shared apartment, the Marlboro Reds he bought for her that stood in the freezer beside the blueberries she bought for him, and their fierce support of each other, and he realizes this golden period is over. In the following three parts, he recounts his life through the lens of his romantic relationships, "love that disappeared like light rain over asphalt," longer partnerships that leave a sour aftertaste, and the possible love of his life. Along the way, he struggles to make it as a writer, contracts a life-changing STI, and becomes a carer for his cancer-stricken mother, who had him committed as a teenager for being gay.
Park's leading man will captivate readers with his blend of snarky humor, self-effacement and moments of touching vulnerability as he navigates life and love in a society still unaccepting of queer identities. His misadventures in a world of unappealing jobs, dating app hookups and the existential dread of entering adulthood should resonate especially with anyone who has come of age in the current epoch. Intimate and sharply observant, this bold confessional novel showcases a fresh, striking voice in literary fiction. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads