Cover Image: New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre

New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre

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"New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre" by Cho Yeeun is a novel that intriguingly sublimates social issues into a fantasy setting, using a mysterious jelly seller at an amusement park near Seoul as the central figure. The book is divided into nine stories, each focusing on different sets of characters whose paths intertwine through the common thread of the jelly seller and the promises made by the magical jellies.

The concept of a mystical jelly seller who can read people's desires and make their wishes come true adds a fantastical element to the narrative. Cho Yeeun skillfully weaves together the stories of neglected children, precariously employed workers, job seekers, and loners, creating a mosaic of characters whose lives are entwined with the promise of never being parted from their loved ones. The structure of the novel, beginning with the characters' pasts and culminating in a sweet, sticky, and grisly massacre, adds a layer of suspense and anticipation.

One of the strengths of the novel is its exploration of social issues within the context of fantasy. The characters represent different facets of society, highlighting issues such as neglect, precarious employment, and the impact of online relationships on real-life connections. The author effectively uses the fantastical elements to allegorically address these social concerns, offering readers a unique perspective on real-world problems.

However, the novel's complexity, with nine interlocking stories, may be a double-edged sword. While it allows for a diverse exploration of social issues, it also poses challenges in maintaining a cohesive and engaging narrative. Some readers may find the multitude of characters and storylines overwhelming, impacting the overall readability of the book.

Additionally, the conclusion involving a sweet, sticky, and grisly massacre may not resonate with all readers. The transition from the fantastical promises of the jelly seller to a tragic event could be jarring for those expecting a more conventional resolution. The balance between fantasy and the darker aspects of the story might not be to everyone's taste.

In conclusion, "New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre" offers a unique blend of fantasy and social commentary, using a mystical element to address real-world issues. While the novel has its merits in its imaginative approach, the complexity of multiple interwoven stories and the potentially unsettling conclusion may limit its appeal. For readers who enjoy thought-provoking fantasy with a touch of social allegory, this book may be worth exploring, but it might not be everyone's cup of jelly.

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Weird, creepy, unnerving and gives off slight Black Mirror vibes. A must read for those who like to read speculative horror books.

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What a strange and fun story!

The story takes place-as its title suggests- at New Seoul Park. People are offered some jelly by a mysterious person who seems to be working in the park, and then horror ensues. What expects the characters-whose points of view are reflected in each of their own chapters- is up to you to read and find out.

This was a wild ride. It was very scary to think about, what happens to the characters here, and the reasoning behind people’s actions. Also, I don’t think I’ll be able to look at jelly the same way again, at least for a while.

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A great read by this author. I definitely recommend checking this one out!
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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I went in hoping for a unique horror ride. This one fell flat for me. I think it was more wrong reader match than the actual book. If you like dark horror you may love this. I think I was expecting something to different going in.

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DNF - No rating

Amusement parks are one of my favourite settings so I knew I just had to try this one. I thought the opening chapter and the way in which people died was pretty good. Then the pov changed to the mascot, then the cat, etc, and unfortunately, I really struggled stay engaged with the story.

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Enjoyment: 4.5
Total rating: 4.29

If I were to describe New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre (NSPJVM) in one word, it would be surreal.

Highly original plot and story concept. NSPJVM's narration style reminded me of Confessions. The story is told through 9 different PoVs, with some overlap. With that said, we get a snippet that starts shortly before the massacre and ends a little after. There isn't context, or solution, but it worked. I freaking loved it.

Jung Ye Won's translation was excellent. As someone who doesn't speak Korean, I felt the English narrative was clear and easy to follow. I appreciate their choice to keep some words of cultural significance in Korean and give them meaning organically through the text.

Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to the publishers and NetGalley for providing a copy of New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre.

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A series of interconnected short stories, this was a very interesting and creepy read. I really enjoyed reading this, and learning how each story was connected to the ones before it. And also how it came full circle to the last story.

I would’ve liked more answers, but I still enjoyed the wild ride this book took me on. And I loved reading from the POV of a cat.

Thank you for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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A very involved read that ties everything in the end. This is a great novel that will leave you questioning: "What did I just read?"
The novel takes place in an amusement park with kids (I was already terrified) and all of the characters, even a cat, are connected. Despite the horrors that melt into the scene, the novel ties everything in the end into a scary, little bow.

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This was an extremely interesting read. I picked it up looking for some horror and it did not disappoint in that department. I thought all the details about Seoul were really wonderful. I loved the way the stories were intertwined with one another.

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This was an interesting read, and one I’m still trying to process. I’ve not read anything quite like it before.

The story is told in nine different POVs, all describing the events of, and leading up to, the day of the jelly massacre at New Seoul Park. A mysterious vendor shows up, offering free samples of a brand new jelly, making promises that it will keep you and your loved ones together. Literally.

Each character seems to be in a dire situation. Some make the choice to eat the jelly and face the consequences, while others have it forced upon them. It’s interesting to see how each one handles it and what their choice will be.

Definitely an interesting concept. It makes you think, and forces you to face the varying circumstances of each individual and how they’re involved.

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What if the only way to keep things together is a complete meltdown? When you want a situation to last forever so badly that that fact is more important than having feelings afterwards, it suggests a certain purity. Shall we understand it as a way out when all other options have failed, or as an alternative way to achieve what you want?

The end of the first chapter kills any assumption you might have had of reading a regular run-of-the-mill murder mystery. The title of the book suggests weirdness and it is definitely there, although I didn’t expect the book to be so deadly. I know it says massacre, but the more subtle deaths in this book seem harsher than a bloody massacre.

The narrator of the first (main) story, Yuji, is a child of a couple that argues all the time. Her voice is believable, befitting a young child. Each chapter describes the backstories of the characters going to the theme park and shows their role in the events. The stories aren’t long enough to get you invested in the character’s circumstances. With each new chapter I care less about the new narrators. Only the first chapter really piqued my interest, and that was because I was curious about the nature of the jelly vendor massacre. The author takes ample time to tell the story from multiple angles.

I like the surreal twists. There is definitely a fun story here, but the book was too long. In the afterword, the publisher and author explain that this book originated from a short story competition. While the story may have been more fleshed out in book form, I think the shorter version might have been more intense.The length of the book diminished the power of the surprising elements and the chapters felt like a repetition of the same thing over and over. I do like the concept: a jelly massacre embodying your heart’s desire.

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Absolutely amazing surrealist horror. Like a fever dream set in a theme park. At first I was unsure of the format with the little stories stuck together but it worked really well. The writing indices just enough creepiness and dread to give the reader a sickening feeling. Unsettling.

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It just wasn't what I was hoping for and ended up going onto the DNF list. The bit I managed to read lacked cohesion and substance and, most importantly, anything thrilling.

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As much as I tried to like this book I just could not get into it . Too many loops and I felt like I was left hanging . Cool concepts but other than that I just felt like this book really wasn’t for me .

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As much as I find this book is interesting, I can’t help feeling like it was more of a bedtime story than its intended mystery & thrillers category. Parents who have kids with sugar obsession certainly would benefit out of reading this book and relay the story to their young children just before bed. I can guarantee that this young children would never look at any jelly the same again. Some gruesome scenes/details in this book are kind of creepy though. Eww, jelly anyone?

Check out New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre by Cho Yeeun on 11 Nov 2022 onwards.

I thank #NetGalley for my copy of #NewSeoulParkJellyVendorMassacre

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New Seoul Park Jelly Vendor Massacre was a very interesting read! It shows the Jelly Massacre at New Seoul Park through the eyes of nine individual characters, allowing for the reader to gather a picture of what happened before, during, and after the Jelly Massacre. Each chapter allows for the reader to see what happened through a new character, making the story feel refreshing as each character was so different from the other. It also felt super creative, as some characters weren’t necessarily human, allowing for a completely different but creative perspective.

After the story ends, there’s a section at the end of the book talking about the process of writing the book, how it doesn’t and shouldn’t belong to just one specific genre, and how the purpose of the book isn’t to answer any plot questions. I thought this was interesting as it does show in the book – there is no answer to why, who, or what really happened. Of course, as a reader, you may make your own assumptions of it all, but I enjoyed the vagueness of it all. Moreover, I agree that this isn’t exactly one genre – I don’t think it’s necessarily horror, maybe it’s a mystery, but it doesn’t define itself within one specific genre. It kept you guessing, creating absurd and different scenarios, leaving you wanting to read more, and I thought that was wonderful (is that speculative fiction?).

While I liked the vagueness and lack of answer to what happened, I do think there’s moments where the story should’ve been more explicit. The story of the missing child, which starts and ends the book, felt lacking in content as it didn’t really feel that satisfying – there’s no real context of what happened or why it was that important to include.

Overall, it’s an interesting concept. I always love stories where you have all these different characters that are linked to each other or to an event and the story then becomes a sort of mystery waiting to be solved while reading it.

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Wow! What a trippy read. I'm sure some of its integrity is missed through translation but this was thought provoking and really creepy!

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I went into this book not sure what to expect, I liked the concept but wasn't sure how it could be implemented while remaining frightening. This is one of the most unique ideas I've seen in awhile. the very last chapter threw me for a bit of a loop. I feel like there a couple loose ends regarding yuji and what exactly happened there... but I really loved this book. I look forward to seeing more from this author.

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