This was a beautifully written, intriguing, but challenging read for me. Exhibit focuses on the developing relationship between Jin, a photographer struggling over her choice to remain childless and her husband’s newfound desire for a child, and Lidija, an injured ballet dancer. While set in the present day, there’s a Korean folklore intertwined between chapters. It’s a short read with a lot to think about pertaining to art, women, bodies, race, and sex. The prose felt purposely incomplete in the knowledge and access we have to characters and their pasts. Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this advanced reader copy.

I don't really like Kwon's books, but I can't look away from them. I find her writing to be sharp and propulsive, the ideas she's exploring compelling. I really loved the kiaseng's story here, almost more than the main story with Jin and Lidija and Philip. A fresh examination of an old story -- myth, folktale, legend, whatever -- always interests me; it works here as a metaphor for the way Jin is reexamining her life, her art, her desire, and her faith.

I appreciate Kwon's forthright, spare and compassionate storytelling.

Thanks to Netgallery for the advance copy.

It was very hard for me to write this review. I wanted to read this and give it a fair chance. I was not able to get in to this. The writing seems to be in "code" I'm not sure if this is the author's writing style but it is not for me. I still think there's a group of individuals who would find this interesting.

I’m so glad I had the chance to read Exhibit by R.O. Kwon. It is sharp, sensual, passionate, and haunting. I could not put it down. To go into any detail risks spoiling it and you need to dedicate a whole day of peace and freedom to read it. One of the best books of 2024.

<i>The Exhibit</i> is a weird yet wonderful little book. It takes some time to get into it, but it's one of those books that stays with you for a while after you read it. Initially, I joked with friends that reading it was like reading an even more pretentious Sally Rooney novel, but there are so many beautiful lines in this book, that they outweigh some of the more tedious or overwrought parts. Overall, I thought this was a beautiful book and one worth sticking with even if the initial parts don't immediately grab you.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC of this book.

4 stars

The central relationship will appeal to many readers, but it's the connection between the two women and their respective art forms that really raises the stakes in this most recent effort from R. O. Kwon.

First, I'm going to say that I love the way this writer infuses queerness and sexuality. The characters are always layered and never pigeonholed into limited roles or representations, and folks who seem to be living pretty typical existences in some ways can also go to - hypothetically - gatherings that may be shocking to those who do not frequent such affairs. I really enjoy learning more about these aspects of Kwon's characters in general, and that feature comes through clearly in _Exhibit_.

Jin and Lidija, a photographer and ballerina respectively, meet at a party and find that they have their artistry in common but also that they have a unique connection with each other. They also both hold vital secrets, and it is the discovery of these hidden truths and implications of those revelations that bring on major shifts in both characters' lives. As usual, Kwon's style aptly matches the motifs. Structurally, Kwon's choices may read as too experimental for readers hoping for a basic b kind of novel, but girl, that's not why you crack this author's books.

I tore through this in almost one sitting and will both (1) re-read this soon and (2) listen to the audiobook when it's available. Now that I know where the characters are going, I want to spend more time recounting their journey.

This is a unique read from an author who's becoming quite well known for exactly that. I enjoyed it and will continue to queue Kwon's work on sight.

It cannot be denied that R.O. Kwon is a serious literary talent. And in EXHIBIT, that talent shines on multiple levels. There is the art show or museum interpretation of the word Exhibit. Then there is the legal interpretation of Exhibit. But then there is the verb — to Exhibit. But the reader should not forget that there is a relationship between the Exhibit AND the intended audience. This concept introduces Exhibitionist. All of these connotations of the title are at play in the novel. Jin Ha, a photographer, is married to Phillip, her college sweetheart. They are living the life she has been led to believe she wants. But then she meets Lidija Jung, a ballerina recovering from an injury. Jin and Lidija find themselves attracted to each other, and that is when Jin begins thinking of the life and love she truly craves and needs. To reveal more risks ruining the story for future readers, but rest assured, it is in capable hands with the author. The prose is magnificent, and the story is captivating. The reader will need to do a little bit of work to connect all of the fragments as the plot does tie in with Asian mythology. But it is worth it in the end.

I loved the way Kwon layered themes of choices to be (or not be!) parents, desire, kink, art, and ultimately felt the novel made me feel most around the notion of a lens and perceptions. I did feel that this kept teetering to a point at which it kept ebbing away just as it reached a point of climax in the plot (perhaps deliberately, hence the changies in linearity?) but felt it left me a bit frustrated with the read overall, or left wanting something “more.” Lots going on in this one, I think I perhaps just had similar issues reading it as I did with The Incendiaries in that it never fully came together for me despite enjoying my time with the component parts.

Lush and deep, this novel will stay with me for a long time. The main character is a photographer, fresh from public attention from her work being deeply misunderstood. She is also in the process of trying to negotiate her desires with her partner, Phillip, who doesn't seem able to either understand or attend to them. She stumbles upon a ballet dancer, currently injured, whose body inspires a string of photographs and whose ability to meet her desires creates a tension through the narrative. Ultimately, this book is a lush examination of losing sight of the things that balance us, whether in relationships or religion or art, and the ways we suffer or grow because, or despite that. The threaded narrative of her ancestor didn't mesh as well for me, but perhaps on a second reading it would coalesce better in my brain.

I was a fan of Kwon's debut novel, The Incendiaries, and was pretty excited for this one, but ultimately I found it was not for me. The actual sequence of events is often difficult to follow, and for a book that seems like it's going to center prominently around sex, I actually felt like there wasn't enough actual sex! The kisaeng subplot was very difficult for me to take seriously especially because of the voice in which the kisaeng is written. More to the point, I found the prose style unwieldy, especially relying as heavily as it does on a habitual past tense ("I'd do x, he'd do y"). I'm a big fan of ornate, baroque syntax and diction, sometimes even to the point of stiffness—I love Henry James, and contemporary writers like Garth Greenwell and Katie Kitamura—but I didn't think the style was working at a high level...This is a shame because there were moments in The Incendiaries that I thought were very beautiful because of that novel's stylistic tendencies.

I'm disappointed I didn't like it more, but I guess the novel and I are just operating on different wavelengths.

This book reads like a dream where you know you’re asleep but can’t quite manage to wake up all the way. Snatches of moments, half-lit scenes, and oblique references meditate on art, faith, friendship, expectations, and filial responsibility. The writing is juicy and crisp and each sentence is a jewel. I recommend reading this in one sitting if you can to fully appreciate the themes.

Engaging and gorgeously written. A recommended purchase for collections where queer litfic is popular.

This was a compelling book! It's about the queer relationship between Lidija, an elite dancer, and Jin, a photographer. Both are Korean-Americans, both artists, and both experiencing a sort of "artists block"--Lidija due to her (purported?) foot injury, and Jin due to the way her work has been received in the past and disclosure.

From the onset of the book, are rocky between Jin and her husband, Philip: Philip is a white (or white-passing) man who doesn't feel comfortable doing BDSM stuff and also wants a child, which Jin has always been forthright about not wanting. Jin and Lidija meet at a party, are instantly attracted into one another, and quickly enter a BDSM (though initially non-sexual) relationship. The work is also colored by the "curse" of the kisaeng through Jin's family, and Jin's loss of faith. We're revealed more of the kisaeng's queer (or queer-ed) story as the story goes on through alternating chapters.

EXHIBIT is a pretty short book. It takes place in a very bougie art atmosphere, where people to to fancy restaurants, fly a lot, and everyone is an artist (and no one seems to be particularly concerned about money). The sentences are short and also intricate, joined by many semicolons, and using a very ornate vocabulary. At times, the style gets in the way and verges onto tiring. I also wasn't sure what to make of the kisaeng's curse, and its impact on Jin's life: there's a pretty quick few chapters near the end where (spoilers) Jin's mother is injured when Jin and Lidija finally consummate their relationship, but the commentary this is supposed to provide is somewhat obscure and unconvincing.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed seeing the queer Asian relationship between Jin and Lidija. Ultimately, however, although the premise and some of the execution of EXHIBIT is interesting, I think this book suffers from a few too many moving parts and a style that ultimately reads as distracting, to work for me as a reader.

I found this to be both unique and challenging to read. Beautiful written. Filled with romance passion and drama. I found myself rereading again again to better understand the characters and their minds. Overall enjoyable and different.
I just reviewed Exhibit by R. O. Kwon. #Exhibit #NetGalley

Exhibit takes readers on a captivating journey through the complex lives of Jin Han and Lidija Jung, whose chance encounter at a lavish San Francisco party sparks a profound transformation for both.

The exploration of Jin's revelation about an old familial curse adds a layer of intrigue to the story, adding an element of suspense and depth. The storytelling is compelling, and the characters are richly developed, making it easy for readers to empathize with their journeys.

The novel's strength lies in its ability to seamlessly blend themes of ambition, desire, and self-discovery. As the characters become more entangled, the narrative explores hidden desires and the transformative power of connection. The prose is vivid and evocative, capturing the essence of the characters' emotional and artistic experiences.

While the story is undeniably powerful and moving, it occasionally treads on the edge of predictability. Some plot elements may feel familiar to seasoned readers of contemporary fiction. Nevertheless, the novel's vitality, boldness, and overall emotional impact make it a worthwhile and memorable read.