very interesting book with some awesome tonal setting, unique twists and turns (and powers), some very cool if a hair predictable scares, and in the ending a satisfactory finish. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

River Drags Her Down is a YA contemporary novel with minor horror, mystery, and fantastical elements. Jihyun Yun was giving us everything.

I have learned a new kind of sensory nightmare: hair, everywhere, floating around you.

And the River Drags Her Down is a YA contemporary novel with minor horror, mystery, and fantastical elements. It's a story about drowning, specifically drowning in grief, and sisterhood. Some of the topics it discusses are quite dark, but also relatable to many readers. I will acknowledge briefly that I thought this book leaned more into fantasy elements based on the blurb I read off Netgalley, so I wasn't expecting a more contemporary setting (as I don't typically enjoy them as much), and I think some of my struggles to become engrossed in the story stem from me misunderstanding the genre. That being said, I still enjoyed the novel, and I'm glad I got a chance to read it.

Soojin is no stranger to death. The women in her family are able to raise the dead, but they typically only use their power on animals, like Soojin's rat, Milkis. However, after her mother dies in a tragic car accident and her sister, Mirae, in a mysterious drowning, Soojin cannot bear the loneliness and brings Mirae back from the dead. Only Mirae isn't the sister Soojin once knew, and after a series of unusual murders strike their small town, Soojin begins to question her decision. I absolutely loved the symbolism and imagery of this book, especially the relationship between drowning and overwhelming grief. At first, I was a bit hesitant about the water as a plot device, but I grew to really like the idea. I'm not super familiar with YA horror (both books I've read from the genre involve the botanical strain of body horror), but I did like the imagery with the water and drowning. The pacing did feel a bit slow at times, which is partially why I struggled to stay engaged with the story. Some scenes felt drawn out or unnecessary, and some of the flashbacks bogged down the story toward the end, but the Mirae POV sections definitely helped keep me interested. Again, this could be due to the fact that I don't typically enjoy contemporary settings as much, so my review should be taken with a grain of salt. Otherwise, I loved the ending and resolution. It was very fitting for the character arcs, and it almost made me cry.

Though the cast of characters is small, they're all complex and relatable in some way or another. Soojin's journey was both realistic and enticing. I've been in the mood for books about sisterhood, and she was one of the first younger sisters I've read about who worshiped her sister in almost every way, which was interesting. She can be a bit selfish at times, but that's part of her growth, and I really enjoyed her arc. Mark surprised me; I thought he was going to fight Soojin's decisions more, but he had his own grief to deal with. I liked that we got to see Soojin from his eyes at times, which helped develop her complexity, as well as his own. Mirae reminded me a lot of Mari from Omori (for various reasons), and I didn't really like her as a person until the very end. Soojin's father was an equally interesting character; like Mirae, I didn't care for him at first, but I grew to love him by the end. I appreciated the multiple POVs, and I also just really liked the dynamics between the characters and how their grief was reflected in their relationships.

And the River Drags Her Down is a beautifully written YA contemporary/horror novel that focuses on grief, sisterhood, and healing as a community journey.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

3.75/5

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

This was not what I expected for YA! Dark, twisty and heavy themes, but a beautifully written story. Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

And the River Drags Her Down is a story that is as beautiful as it is scary. Soojin Han has inherited the ability that all women in her family have had for generations: the ability to bring back creatures from the dead. After her sister Mirae drowns in a river, a mourning Soojin breaks all the rules of the family's magic to bring her sister back from the dead. At first everything seems wonderful as the two sisters reunite. Things begin to unravel and Soojin realizes there is a price to be paid for her actions. Jihyun Yun's novel is a mesmerizing exploration of grief with beautiful writing and incredibly relatable characters. The shifting perspective make the characters and places of Jade Acre come to life. Additionally, Yun does a fantastic job at building a sense of dread as the novel progresses, leading into a stunning conclusion.

Very emotional read. Soojin is a relatable character for anyone that has loved and lost family. The grief is accurately portrayed. I felt the folly of her choices in the beginning, but can't say I wouldn't make similar decisions in her shoes. Who wouldn't want a second chance with someone that passed away? And poor Mirae. Very Jennifer's Body, but with mul gwishin.

A dark and haunting tale of grief, sisterhood, revenge, secrets, and loss. This story unfolds in a slow steady pace that builds tension and emotion as it goes. It is not one that is easy to put down and the emotional tight wire you walk while reading it is unimaginable. Yun has written a YA dark horror that explores very real themes in a way that makes the emotions alive and real. It will most certainly leave you heartbroken so get a box of tissues for the read.

This was such a perfect contemporary YA. I don't quite know how to categorize it. It's very dark, it deals with realistic issues like grief and sisterhood, and there's a dash of romance. It's got some fantasy and mostly magical realism, with Korean-inspired magic and a Korean-American family running a bed and breakfast in a small beach town.

Against this backdrop Soojin is falling apart, mourning the drowning death of her sister Mirae. Her sister was a mother figure for her after their mother died and their father couldn't cope with the loss. In this family the women come from a long line of women who have the magical power of necromancy, ever since a famine and one family used the power to resurrect a chicken to stay fed.

They focus on animals and not human beings, because all kinds of things can go wrong between the necromancer and the revenant when it's another human.

After a breakdown, desperate Soojin resurrects her sister from her milk tooth. Her sister comes back and she has her memories, but it soon becomes apparent that something's not quite right. I do love the "comes back wrong" trope. Mirae is filled with anger about the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death, and embarks on a mission of femimine rage to avenge her drowning on the men in the town.

I loved the author's immersive, lyrical writing style, the exploration of sisterhood and the complicated ways that sisters look out for each other. Gorgeous lines like "Soojin was the sovereign of the nation of not letting go." Soojin could be often unlikable in her relentless, selfish commitment to not being able to let go, but I appreciated seeing her transformation into a more mature young woman.

I also enjoyed the Korean cultural elements woven into the narrative and appreciated the depiction of the racism they experienced in this small town. I thought the complicated friendship between Bentley, the rich kid whose dad was competing with their B&B, and Mirae, was tender and well done. Revenge isn't always so straightforward or will help a spirit move on after death. This book did an excellent job at examining the complex layers of grief and how it can destroy a family or bind them together.

This was dark and unsettling, but also beautiful, heartwarming, and powerful.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The cover, title, and premise of this book sounded right up my alley. The book starts off well, and the world building really sets the tone for the whole book. Towards the middle, the pacing slowed down and that is where I began to lose focus. The writing is done well, and the messaging is another highlight that really kept me reading until the end. There's nothing inherently wrong with this book, it just didn't grab me like I had anticipated.

This book was spooky and creepy and fun and I liked it a lot. I really liked that the romance was more of a deepening friendship than an actual romance, it felt much more realistic and healthy and like something that’s sustainable. And the sisters relationship was sooo well done. The way each of their perceived roles came back with the resurrection was really nice and made it feel very complex. I can’t say too much more without spoilers but Mirae’s characters was SO GOOD!!! I was like yes girl!!! But also Mirae no!!!

Bottom line: super good spooky read that would be perfect for fall

Would I Recommend The Book?: Yes, absolutely

Objective Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

Subjective Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: None

Violence Rating: 🗡️🗡️🗡️

SFW/NSFW: SFW

Potential Content Warnings: Death, graphic gore, drownings, zombies/possession, portrayals of grief and depression, murder, corruption of power, gradual injuries

Genre Tags: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Slice of Life, Horror, Thriller, Features Paranormal(?) Elements, Mystery

Additional Comments:
Holy hell.

This book is excellent.

It has the same literary… we’ll say feeling… of the Invisible Life of Addie LaRue or Light from Uncommon Stars. It’s more similar to contemporary literature in its styling compared to some other books I’ve read. However, it has some similar themes and ideas to The Bone Witch, while still being extremely different story wise because its urban fantasy. But the themes of grief are similar. (and if you haven’t read the aforementioned books, highly recommend them, they have a very similar feeling.)

The descriptions are extremely vivid, as well. It’s a beautifully written book and it has a really good balance between description without feeling over the top verbose.

It’s a very like. “Slow” horror/thriller. I personally didn’t find it “scary” or “frightening.” (I don’t scare easily, though), but I found the mystery surrounding the sisters and the themes of parentification to be really pertinent and well integrated.

I really liked this book and its characters overall.

A beautifully heartbreaking story about grief, sisterhood, and the cost of breaking nature’s rules to bring a loved one back. What lines would you cross for those you love? This book captures the essence of that question in an emotional way. Loved the book thank you NetGalley and one worlds rock the boat imprint for the arc this is my honest review

This was a heavy, beautifully written book about grief, about expectations, about learning to live again, about family. I actually had to take a few moments to step away from reading because the way the author wrote Soojin and her father's grief and relationship was so raw and visceral as to be painful. I didn't quite cry, but it was a very, very near thing.

I think the only criticism I have is that while I understand the way the author wrote things, I think for characterization purposes (particularly Mirae's character), having the POV count down to just 3 (Mirae, Soojin and Mark) would have served the whole of the book much better, in my opinion. Because the way things were written (mostly in Mirae's case) ended up pulling away from more introspective moments that would have I think pulled deeper in to examining Mirae's character and feelings. Again, I think I can understand why the author did it the way that she did, I just don't know if I quite vibed with it. [ Particularly since a lot of character-building in Mirae's POV in terms of unraveling the mystery of her death, while done via a cool premise (using the water in the human body to dive into the target's memories), felt a little less interesting, I think, than letting revenant Mirae interrogate those who wronged her and sort of letting the reader piece things together on their own. (hide spoiler)]

I WILL say for animal lovers (particularly rat lovers), the trigger warning of "violence against animals" doesn't quite fully encompass the brutality of a scene that happens in the later chapters. Both in the moment AND the aftermath. It was much more than I was expecting and left me feeling faintly queasy. I realize that some people think trigger warnings that are too specific can be spoilery, but, in this case, I kind of wish there had been a bit more warning me beyond just "violence". So, if you like rats or have a pet rat, maybe skip this one?

I do think this is a worthwhile read despite that, though I don't know if I'm mentally strong enough for a reread lol.

4⭐️

I liked this book a lot! I thought it was creative and the writing style was easy to read yet lyrical, and well done for a YA audience. I would classify this as a horror for YA readers and a thriller for adult audiences, because it isn’t really scary but it does have some scenes with suspense and thrill, and has some gothic elements.
My biggest issue with the story was the pacing. Some parts dragged on a bit too long, so I did feel like this book could have been a little shorter than it was. This would have kept the energy higher and kept the pacing of the story consistent throughout the entirety of the book, because there were a few times I wanted to put the book down and take a break during slower points.
There were also some times where it was hard to tell which character’s POV the reader was reading from, as the book was written in third person. Some sections started with feminine pronouns rather than names and would leave the reader guessing if we were reading Soojin’s or Mirae’s pov for that section.

THE CHARACTERS
I thought the author did an incredible job with the characters and I saw a lot of growth and development in the writing. I don’t think the reader is meant to love Soojin or fully agree with her, which is nice for a YA audience to see someone making mistakes and learning/growing from them. Mark was a perfect complement to Soojin and brought a great different perspective to things. I thought his POVs were really nice because it did show differences in “reality” and caused the reader to question the narrator and question Soojin’s grip on reality throughout the book as she is blinded by her grief. This was really well done and thought provoking for the reader.
I loved Mirae and Bentley’s characters especially! I thought they both had a lot of depth and despite the lack of backstory, they were very developed and had a lot of emotion and impact through their personalities.

THEMES
The author incorporated the themes of water and weather really well into the story and utilized them to connect to Mirae’s mood or the process of grief that the characters were undergoing. I thought the symbolism was exceptional and that even a YA audience would pick up on it and enjoy it a lot.

QUOTES: THE CHARACTERS

“"I've given you so much grace." Meaning: I was so nice to you after your sister died. Why can't you be back to normal yet?”

“But today there was a perfect, calm certainty. There was no way forward other than with her sister, and for this reason alone, she knew she would not fail. Why else would her family have been afflicted with such a gift if not to salvage her at precisely this moment?”

“Even knowing her fate, she couldn't help but feel envious of the girl in this photograph, who contemplated which berry to eat first, unaware that within a year she would be dead. What a gift, to believe your life was a given.”

“In the pantheon of flowers, Soojin supposed, geraniums were not particularly beautiful. They were earthy and herbaceous in a vaguely off-putting way. The prickly stems needled her arms and caught on the fabric of her dress. She absolutely loved them.”

“But nothing truly traumatic had ever happened to Mark Moon. It was easy to be good under the right circumstances. His loving mother, his exuberantly jolly father, his raucous extended family who descended on Jade Acre every summer-alive, alive, all of them. His life was kind, everything arranged so he could retain his soft edges. A luxury neither she nor her sister had.
And now she truly saw him: his insecurity. A deep need to repair that unblemished facade, if only for himself.”

“No, actually, she said. A god saw Erigone's death, took pity on her, and raised her to be a star in the solar system.
It's called catasterizing, a placing among the stars. A human body becoming a celestial body.
Her gaze fell to the earth again. To the boy who was sometimes beautiful when he let down his guard, and to the nameless charring animal between them. But doesn't that sound nice, Bentley? To be able to put down everything you're shouldering and just be carried into the sky like that? You could watch everything happening below you, impartial because the stars don't feel anything. Not even their own burning.”

"What does it make me, Mark? That I can love somebody and still wish them pain, just so I'm not alone with mine?"
A soft rustling beside her, and a hand cupped her cheek.
"Human," he said, directing her face so she turned toward him. "It makes you human."

“You know, my relatives always used to call me that. Perfect. I used to think it was a compliment, but I understand what it actually means now. Perfect for daughters is self-effacing. Perfect means erasing your own needs in favor of another's. Perfect has made me so fucking tired."

This was extremely well written, and I really wanted to love it—but unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me. I found myself skimming through parts of the book; while it started out fast, the pacing slowed significantly. I also felt somewhat indifferent toward the characters—neither loving nor disliking them, which made it hard to stay emotionally invested.

That said, it’s a story that thoughtfully explores themes of family, grief, and loss, with a unique touch of necromancy woven in. The topics are dark, raw, and very human—if that makes sense.

Don’t let my personal experience dissuade you from picking this up—there’s a lot here that others may deeply connect with.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgallery for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lyrical, haunting, and deeply atmospheric. Jihyun Yun weaves myth, memory, and grief into a mesmerizing tale that lingers long after the final page. Some pacing lulls aside, the poetic prose and emotional depth make this a powerful debut.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the ARC of And the River Drags Her Down in exchange for an honest review.


All of the women in Soojin’s family have the power to resurrect the dead, usually small creatures. But when Soo’s sister, Mirae dies after an accident, Soo is determined to bring her back one way or another. Will Mirae be the same sister that Soo loved so dearly? Or is there something more sinister under the surface?

Listen, this book stressed me tf OUT.

Almost all of the character make some seriously WILD choices and their actions bewildered me. Their grief and lack of healing makes for some unfortunate choices for everyone, and the fall out is intense. It was nice to have a character like Mark, who was really the only sane one, to kind of even things out.

Some descriptions were a bit gory, so if that’s a trigger for you proceed with caution. The pacing sometimes felt a bit off, but overall this is a well done YA horror/supernatural story.

At its core, And the River Drags Her Down is a story of sisterhood, grief, and the feelings that arise from grief.

Soojin is a strong lead character - complicated, full of personality and feelings and thoughts, trying to make sense of a life without her mother and sister in her life. Loss is a powerful generator of emotion, and its tendrils lead Soojin to make a decision that affects much more than herself.

I really enjoyed the pacing - there was wonderful juxtaposition of focus between Soojin and her interactions with others and the supernatural elements, weaving a strong narrative that is satisfyingly tied up at the end.

What I Enjoyed:
- Korean supernatural folklore and cultural elements
- strong, complicated characters who are real people with diverse personalities
- maintained suspense of supernatural happenings
- a realistic look at the effects of grief

My favorite book experience: when I finish reading a book and IMMEDIATELY want to pick it up and start all over again. That's exactly how And the River Drags Her Down felt to me. This book is so many things. A version of a haunting, yes, but the layers beneath that are what truly made it a beautiful experience. Hauntings aren't always about ghost stories as Jihyun Yun reminds us here, but are sometimes about grief, pain, vengeance, isolation, and expectation.

Soojin and Mirae are both endlessly faceted characters. Flawed and broken, but growing and evolving- sometimes even when they don't want to, and sometimes even though it hurts for them to do so. They're easy to connect to and characters I found myself quickly drawn to. The girls both do what they think is best in the name of trying to heal, and isn't that really all any of us are doing?

While this book does have some horror elements, this is not a book ABOUT that horror. There are also beautiful connections to ancestral tradition, family, and the ways we can lose ourselves in the heartbreak that those things can bring.

((While the viewpoints shared are my own, I want to thank NetGalley, Random House Children's Books, and Jihyun Yun for this complimentary copy.))