Review: The Red Palace by June Hur

The Red Palace

by June Hur

January 25, 2022

Goodreads Summary:

Joseon (Korea), 1758. There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, eighteen-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.

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.

Review

I love a good historical fiction novel and enjoy a nice historical Korean drama so The Red Palace was totally up my alley. It's a fantastic read that had me thoroughly invested in the wellbeing of the characters and the truth to the killings.

With an enticing mystery, The Red Palace had me engrossed. Be warned that the murder investigation is interwoven with some pretty cruel and graphic descriptions. However, it's not all guts and blood as June Hur's writing is full of noteworthy quotes that will make you nod in appreciation: "I realized that everything we hold dear can be taken from us, except for one thing: the lessons we learned." (p. 173) Every bit of the story was thought-provoking and gripping.

I cannot help but admire Hyeon. Despite her low station in society not allowing her much freedom to act, she found the strength in herself to help others. "I did not want to be like this, a girl too afraid to do what was right for fear of what others would think." (p. 88) As a nurse, her skills proved invaluable towards absolving her mentor and catching the real murderer.

The goriness of the massacre was offset by the sweet and subtle romance between Hyeon and Eojin. I love how naturally it blossomed. "It is those you love that make a wretched life worth living." (p. 130) They faced numerous obstacles together so the honesty and tenderness between the two really stood out in The Red Palace.

With steady pacing, many memorable moments and an intriguing mystery, The Red Palace reminded me why I love a good historical fiction/drama. I very much enjoyed June Hur's writing and will definitely be checking out her backlist titles and future works!

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the copy I received.