Two sisters in Joseon-era Korea investigate their detective father's disappearance and a slew of missing girls in this evocative historical thriller. Engaging and full of so many fascinating historical details. Elder sister Min Hwani holds the memory of her father dear and has traveled all the way from mainland Korea to her childhood island home to discover what happened to him. She's been estranged from her younger sister Min Maewol ever since she and her father left for his new job as a detective on the mainland. And the father Hwani remembers isn't the father Maewol knew at all. But if they want to find out what really happened to their father and survive their increasingly dangerous search for answers, the two sisters will have to find some middle ground.

A really interesting book from a historical period I know very little about. Definitely has me eager to read Hur's first book, too, since it also explores detective work in Joseon Korea. The Forest of Stolen Girls is also decidedly one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen. Not the only reason to buy a book, but, hey, when it's good too? Doesn't hurt.

TW: sex trafficking, kidnapping, murder

Absolutely LOVED this gorgeous, atmospheric mystery featuring a sister story and set against the back drop of rich Korean history. Devoured this and immediately read all of June Hur's other works!

Wow. Just wow. This story is so captivating. A historical mystery novel set in 1400s Korea was something so out of my genre comfort zone I had to read it. I don’t want to make this a summary review, but rather what I loved about the writing. Hur immerses you into the Korean landscape. The details are lush and vivid and I can easily imagine what it was like. The characters are so multi faceted. I love a good cast that isn’t always what they seem. The sister dynamic was well developed, I experienced all the emotions Hwani and Maewol went through. It was heartbreaking, distressing, unsettling, and yet it resolved itself at a perfect pace. Nothing felt rushed, it was an all around engrossing read.

June Hur did a truly fantastic job with this book. It is such a well-paced and well plotted mystery, and the author did such a good job of scattering clues all throughout the book without giving away too much. It was so much fun following all the clues and trying to piece them together.
Also this book deals with such heavy topics like corruption of people in power and the historical difficulties women faced during the Ming dynasty.
June Hur also did a fantastic job exploring and highlighting family dynamics, it was so interesting to see the sister's relationship to one another and how the family dealt with the father's disappearance.

June Hur expertly weaves a tale of suspense, politics, familial relationships, and emotions with immaculate historical accuracy. Her poignant commentary on the sufferings of women in the era makes you feel a sense of horror and inexplicable sadness as you read. The mystery itself is well crafted, and keeps you on your toes, as you try to piece together the scattered clues while waiting for the reveal.

It is a surreal feeling to see the corruption, crime and problems that existed in Joseon era Korea and feel a connection despite living in another country and century. But that’s exactly what happened to me as I read the story. I found myself empathizing with not only the girls, but also to some extent the officials who turned to a life of greed and self-service after being disappointed by the system numerous times.

Hwani and Maewol, as characters are so natural. They bicker a lot and don't see eye to eye on many matters, but they have each others’ backs, like any other siblings. It is a delight to see so many girls and women working together, using the best that circumstances have handed them to survive and be the epitome of Chaotic good. The supporting characters are also well developed in the minimal amount of the story they appear in, but it’s the sisters’ show all the way.

TW: Murder, suicide, death of a loved one, abduction, confinement, trafficking

In one line: a suspenseful historical detective story that provokes you to ponder about society and its treatment of women

At the center of this thrilling mystery is a complex story of sisterhood, and what it means to each of them to be a woman during the Korean Joseon Dynasty. I don't read too many historical fiction or thrillers/mysteries but I am SO happy that I decided to pick this book up. It was enchanting from the very first page down to the last. I felt the loss and grief from everyone in this story that I even cried.. It's definitely a tough book to get through so please beware of all the TWs for it.. But if you're looking for a good mystery or enjoy historical fiction then do yourself a favor and read this amazing story!

"The world is dangerous out there. More so when you are trying to do what is right. But if anything goes wrong, don't go back to Jeju. And never, Hwani-yah, never enter the woods alone."

It's been five years since Hwani was on Jeju. Five years since the Forest Incident - when she and her younger sister Maewol were found unconscious in the forest, close to the body of Seohyun, another girl from the area. Hwani only remembers that her sister ran off and she got lost trying to find her. Maewol reported that she saw a man with a white mask. But the case remained unsolved. The girls' father, Detective Min, was offered a position as chief inspector, and the family left Jeju - and they left Maewol, ten years old at the time, to be the apprentice to the local shaman.

But now it's 1426. Hwani's father went back to Jeju to investigate the disappearance of a number of girls there, but vanished himself. He went missing a year ago, and now they've closed the case, declaring him dead. They claim he was the victim of a bear attack after finding a sleeve of his robe. But Hwani isn't convinced. A stranger sent her one of her father's notebooks, half burned, and with this information of what her father was investigating when he vanished, she returns to Jeju, claiming to be the detective's nephew. She finds many people unwilling to talk, including her sister, still working with Shaman Nokyung, and not interested in finding out what happened to their father. Someone in the village does mention that a man wearing a white mask was seen taking one of the girls. And just before she arrived, one of the missing girls was spotted, running through the woods. The girl's family searches and finds her body, but this provides Hwani some evidence - maybe she can find the answer to the case of the 13 missing girls, as well as finding her father.

A really solid mystery! Really well written - sometimes the solution to a mystery is a little obvious, but this isn't the case here. I think the development of the relationship between the sisters was well done also. There was one little plot point that didn't wrap up satisfactorily for me (or it's also possible that I missed it), but not a big deal. I haven't read anything set in this Korean dynasty before and thought the setting was well built. There were a number of cultural terms that I'd never come across before; these were explained clearly but not in excruciating detail. One thing that I'd never heard of but is so cool - jeongnang, a gate that you can set numbers of poles across to leave a message for those who visit. For example, if all three poles are on the ground, that signifies people are home and visitors are welcome.

I could see this one being of interest to folks who liked Sadie (though I'd say this story of missing girls is less intense) or readers of Wicked Fox who'd like another book set in Korea.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's and NetGalley for the eARC. The Forest of Stolen Girls was published earlier this week, April 20th.

Mystery set in Korea long ago. Girls are missing abs a young woman needs to solve the mystery of her father’s death. The cases are connected in ways that the reader puts together with the main character. I enjoyed the growth of the character and the insight into an often overlooked part of human history.

A YA historical thriller set in Josean Korea, at the time a vassal territory of the Chinese Ming kingdom, the novel follows teenage Min Hwani in her quest to find her missing father, a police detective who was last seen in the island of Jeju investigating the mysterious disappearance of 13 girls.

June Hur’s writing makes me want to read more YA novels. Even if you’re not into historical fiction, you’re sucked into the whodunit aspect of this novel. My favorite aspect of this book is the complicated relationship between Hwani and younger sister Maewol. Loved the contrast between two estranged sisters who have been living far apart with separate lives, Hwani in comfort with their aunt in the mainland and Maewol in Jeju as a shaman trainee. Hwani’s fierce determination and loyalty to her father was relatable for me, and Maewol’s trauma heartbreaking. Ultimately, this story is about family.

Can’t ignore the intriquing historical aspect of this novel. You can tell research went into this, and I appreciated how Hur showed the political and cultural climate of the time. The expectations and dangers of being a woman are shown early on (Hwani initially has to disguise herself as a boy to avoid attracting questions as to why a maiden is traveling alone without an escort) and is shown throughout the entire novel (we learn that Korean girls were selected as human tributes to the Ming kingdom). While I had sniffed out the culprit relatively early on, it didn’t make the book any less enjoyable for me.

If you like slow-burn thrillers and mysteries with some historical, I’d check this out!

Disclaimer: I got this book in exchange for an honest review !!

I absolutely loved the mystery in this! The premise of the book lived up to my expectations and I love when that happens!!

tw : kidnapping, assault, poisoning, suicide, child trafficking.

This book has perhaps the most all-around potted mystery storylines. It is set in the fifteenth century South Korea.

Detective Min - the greatest detective in all of Joseon - went missing while investigating a case of thirteen missing girls in Jeju island. He left behind two adolescent daughters. After the sisters lost their mom, they lead altogether different lives. Min Hwani, the older one, lived on the mainland with the love of her dad and the other,Min Maewol, on the coastal side, as a Shaman who hardly gets to see the dad. While a ton of actual land isolates them, the emotion distance between them is far more prominent. Mistress Min Hwani seeks out determined to find her father (hopeful that he is still breathing). Her younger sister, Maewol, joins her as they adventure out to unravel the secrets and find their father.Their pursuit unites them both, and to reality with regards to his quest for the missing young ladies and how it ties back to the crime location they were found by as youngsters.

I was working through this whole mystery with Hwani and Maewol with bated breath because I also didn't have the foggiest idea what to expect. I really like how this book confronts the corruption of people in power as well as the horrors experienced by girls during the Ming dynasty. The Forest of Stolen Girls manages to blend historical elements with interesting mystery, making it a noteworthy read.

It additionally features relational peculiarities, with Maewol and Hwani's sister relationship at its front line. It was fascinating to observe the advancement of their relationship amidst their dad's vanishing, particularly in light of the fact that they have gotten estranged following five years of separation. Their bond and constrasting characters unquestionably gave this story another dimension.This story is also about loss,grief,and how to live afterwards.

BOOK REPORT for The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur
Cover Story: Adult Coloring Book
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 0
Talky Talk: Atmospherically Lush
Bonus Factor: Sibling Relationships, Father/Daughter Relationships
Factor: Dangling Plot Thread
Relationship Status: Call Me Watson


Cover Story: Adult Coloring Book

Someone find my colored pencils! There’s a flower or two I want to color in before I get frustrated by the teeny tiny lines and give up ten percent of my way in! Joking aside, this is super lovely and non-twee. The detail work is beautiful, and it evokes the unsettling feeling that the two girls are being sucked into the vegetation, which works well within the context of our two sisters being estranged and metaphorically consumed by their secrets as well as the titular forest of missing girls.

The Deal:

Hwani hasn’t been back to the village she grew up in since her father left her younger sister with the shaman and took a promotion on the mainland. It’s been years since she thought about the moment where her life seemed to irrevocably change: when she and her sister, Maewol, woke up next to the body of a dead girl in the forest with no idea how they got there. But her father’s disappearance while he investigated the kidnapping of 13 girls cannot go unsolved. Everyone else believes he is dead, but Hwani knows in her heart he’s still out there, and if no one else is going to search for him, then it’s up to her to do it.

But the island of Jeju—and its people—aren’t willing to give up their secrets so easily. The more Hwani learns, the more she begins to question what is real and what is a lie…but finding the real truth can mean the difference between her own life and death.

BFF Charm: Yay

Hwani has the dogged energy of Nancy Drew on a case, her mind always piecing together clues and second-guessing people’s intentions. She’s got a fierce loyalty to her family and the truth, and even though she second-guesses herself, she pushes ahead and does the hard thing. Totally worthy of a BFF charm!

Swoonworthy Scale: 0

I wasn’t entirely sure if the book would remain romance-free (there was a possible love interest that pinged my radar) but I’m happy it did as it would’ve only dragged the pacing down.

Talky Talk: Atmospherically Lush

Damn, I love a good historical fiction novel. Unsurprisingly, it’s not usually the “sexiest” genre that gets the most attention, and if pressed, I wouldn’t likely rank it as my number one either, but when you close the cover on a good one—the kind that both transports, entertains, and teaches you a little something—it’s so satisfying. Hur’s writing plopped me in the middle of 15th century Korea and had me glancing around wide-eyed the entire time, fascinated with her layered characters, their traditions, and the island of Jeju. Speaking of setting, Hur’s lush (but not overly-wrought) descriptions of Jeju, the villages, and the Gotjawal forest really set the perfect atmosphere for this unsettling mystery. I could practically feel the mist on my face as I followed Hwani around as she tried to unravel the tangle of lies and secrets plaguing her hometown. The mystery itself was well-crafted and had me unsure of the culprit until it was revealed, and, thankfully, it was also a satisfying resolution. I will definitely be checking out more from this author, who looks like she is committing herself to more historical fiction. Works for me!

Bonus Factor: Sibling Relationships

Maewol had intense younger-sibling energy and I loved her interactions with Hwani. Their incredibly different relationships with their father—coupled with the physical distance of the last few years—has left them with a lot of issues to sort out. There were a lot of wonderfully emotional moments to mine when you both desire to protect someone and yet they simultaneously drive you up a wall.

Bonus Factor: Father/Daughter Relationships

Hwani all but thinks her detective father walks on water with the amount of hero worship she harbors. Is her faith in him warranted? Has he been keeping huge secrets from her?

Factor: Dangling Plot Thread

There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with how the resolution of a certain plot point comes about—or, rather, doesn’t come about? But just kind of peters out with a boring explanation? I don’t want to give anything away, so feel free to ask in the comments if you’re curious or have read it, but I was expecting something a little more and didn’t really get it. It didn’t detract from the ending, or anything, but it felt like a missed opportunity.

Relationship Status: Call Me Watson

I’ll be the Watson to your Sherlock, Book. I don’t know if I’ll be much help finding relevant clues, but I’ll be your sounding board and pack the lunches. Just say the word!

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Feiwel & Friends. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. The Forest of Stolen Girls is available now.

The protagonist is 18-year-old daughter Hwani Min, who refuses to believe her father is dead after only a scrap of his clothes was found and not his body. She heads to Jeju Island to search for him. Set during a time when women had limited agency, it was somewhat surprising that she was given so much leeway throughout Jeju to search for her father. I appreciated Hur's focus on strong women. Hwani is a determined individual, quite stubborn to an extent. Her belief in her father and her conviction that he was not dead was so strong that I hoped as much as she did that he would not only be found but that he would be found alive.

The plot is interesting and well thought out. There are several red herrings throughout the book, just enough to make the reader question who the culprit might be. I read it the first time, eager to get to the ending, then I read it a second time to piece together the clues and to fully enjoy Hur's writing prowess. The book is filled with vivid descriptions that make the setting and the story come alive.

This book was an unexpected but delightful surprise.
It's a very complex story that mixes a case of missing girls with a story of a family broken apart by tragedy in a historical and cultural context that I'd never before experienced. As much as the Korean words sprinkled in the text confused me, the fact that a lot of the cultural cues were so unknown to me is actually a big part of why I enjoyed it so much.
It's the very familiar plot of a girl going against conventions to find her missing parent and falling into a bigger mystery, but it's set in the 15th century in a country that I know nothing about. Lots of things to enjoy and learn.

Many happy thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the early read!

June Hur has a writing style that absolutely grips me despite writing in one of the genres that I am the least comfortable with, historical fiction. I love the way the mystery is crafted and unfolds. This is a worthy sophomore novel and I can not wait for the next work that comes out by her.

The best word I can think of to describe this book is atmospheric. Set in 1426, in Joseon (Korea)., this novel follows teenaged Hwani, who has managed to run away from the home where she lives with her very strict aunt to travel to the island of Jeju, where she grew up, where her younger sister (apprenticed to a shaman) still lives, and where her father (a Detective) disappeared a year ago. Hwani travels dressed as a boy for her safety, but ultimately drops her disguise when she gets back to her home village. Hwani and her sister Maewol were involved, five years before, in what they call "the forest incident," in which they were both found unconscious in the forest near the body of a dead woman. Since then, Hwani remembers nothing, Maewol remembers very little, and a number of other girls and women have gone missing. While Hwani and Maewol work together to solve the mystery of their father's disappearance, they also try to figure out what has happened to the missing girls, most of whom were last seen with a mysterious masked figure. There are loads of twists and turns and revelations throughout this mystery, and I learned about the system of paying tribute to China - including sending beautiful young women as tributes. The ending was satisfying, if sad, and I really enjoyed the whole spooky mood of it.

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks to June Hur all about her brand-new book, The Forest of Stolen Girls which follows Min Hwani as she returns to her home island of Jeju Korea after her father vanishes while investigating the disappearance of 13 young women. With the help of her estranged sister, she must unravel this mystery all while putting the pieces of her own life back together.

Set in 1426 during Joseon Dynasty Korea, The Forest of Stolen Girls is a tightly wound historically pertinent murder/mystery that is both exhilarating and highly emotional. June has crafted a near perfect story here with flawless execution, tone, and tempo. It’s one of those books that is incredibly difficult to put down once you’ve cracked it.

Steve and June talk about June’s love of the Choson Dynasty Korea, her familial roots to the island of Jeju, my current obsession with Haneyeo divers, and so much more.

Check out the interview with author June Hur at the link below!

https://www.cinelinx.com/off-beat/shows/everything-is-canon-the-forest-of-stolen-girls/

Ermagherd what a ride! First of all I'm glad I got through this book during the day! I'm a huge chicken and my mind ran wild with the setting and feel to this book. It didn't help that because of the cover being black and white and the font in read that's basically how I pictured every scene. Was in this Noir setting, with the occasional pop of color. Either way got major creep vibes because of that. And all I kept picturing was a creepy forest so that didn't help either. I guess what I'm saying is the imagery and vibes given off from this read were off the charts.

I loved the story and plot, though there are some parts that I did find unnecessary and seemed to drag on a bit. But the clues man, oh my gods, the clues are like RIGHT THERE and when you get to the end and think back to everything that was said it was almost like TOO OBVIOUS. Like HELL-URRR I'd get hit in the head with a lemon even if I saw it coming from a mile away. Anyways, it was good. I liked that it kept you on your toes, but didn't like that once we got to the big reveal it went on for a bit longer than needed (in my opinion). There were times I forgot the book is a historical fiction, but was brought back to the time when something was mentioned. The writing was so well done!

I loved the dynamic between Hwani and Maewol, it was very interesting to see how they interacted with each other even though they were estranged. It's also always interesting to get two wildly different perspectives about one person and see what influenced that mindset. I enjoyed their differences and the partnership they had going on. I liked that things weren't always so great between them? Like there was tension and they would fight and it felt like an actual sibling relationship and didn't sway too much one way or the other

This story was a slow burn for me, sometimes a bit too slow. Then again, any mystery that takes place in a 15th century rural Joseon village is bound to take its time. You can tell June Hur did her research and is truly invested in its history. I really enjoyed learning about the customs and traditions of this last dynasty of Korea. Plus, anything involving Jeju Island has me sold.

The Forest of Stolen Girls is less about solving the cold case of a missing detective and more about navigating family dynamics, particularly between fathers and daughters. Daughters are so often used as excuses to justify behavior and it puts them in a sort of emotional debt, creating a rift between a young woman's sense of duty and her desires. That perpetual cycle of having to prove how grateful you are is something a lot of women, especially Asian women, can relate to.

The Forest of Stolen Girls is an excellent piece of historical fiction, and I'm one of those readers that usually find these to be hit or miss. I loved the relationship between the two sisters, because it absolutely rang true - siblings will have the potential to have those kinds of dynamics no matter what period they're born in. I also genuinely enjoyed that the mystery aspect kept me guessing - I feel like I should've seen the answer coming, but I was honestly surprised. The characters are all very distinct, so there's no chance of getting anyone mixed up, and they're decently fleshed out, though understandably there are some we just aren't going to get deep backgrounds on.
I was particularly drawn to this book because of its setting. As a fan of K-dramas, some historical and set in the Joseon period, I was immediately intrigued by the premise of The Forest of Stolen Girls. It was interesting to see that time depicted in a different medium, as I'd never read a book taking place then. It was also extremely interesting to see how Jeju island was portrayed then versus how we often see it portrayed in K-dramas now. (Full disclosure: I have no idea if the depictions on K-dramas of it being a ritzy vacation getaway location are true.) There were obviously Korean phrases and cultural elements throughout the book that didn't have an explanation. For me, this is no big deal - they were all things I understood or were familiar with based on other exposure to the Korean culture. However, I could see some other English readers maybe being confused about some of the things and exactly what they were or meant; that being said, June Hur does an absolutely excellent job of providing plenty of context so that I don't think any reader will be lost. If anything, they might have their curiosity piqued to look up items mentioned so they have a better mental image while reading.
For all I loved, there were a few things I wasn't fond of. I found myself getting bogged down in the ages and timeline in the beginning because of the way these things were expressed. Even now, about all I can say confidently is that Hwani is 18 and the Forest Incident, as it's called, happened five years ago. Her sister Maewol is I think three years younger than her, but again the timeline and ages get a bit fuzzy for me. I understand it's the year 1426 and obviously they have a different way of speaking, but there were times I wished it'd just been said plainly. Additionally, while the descriptions of the island and different elements are beautiful, there are times that I felt the writing was a bit too elaborate. Especially when something major had just happened and I just needed to know what else was coming, not the way something looked :D
All said, this is a really beautiful book and the end leads me to believe there's hope for us to see Hwani and Maewol return to solve another mystery in the future. I hope I'm right!