Heavy read, so beware of the triggers. Beautifully sad book, though, for a horror story. I liked it. Moved slowly, but definitely built that tension. Loved the characters.

When I hear "necromancy," I don’t think twice.

The heroine lost her mother, and now her sister too. She knows resurrecting the dead is forbidden, but what can you do when grief won’t let go and living becomes harder each day? They say they understand, and that’s when she makes her decision, she will bring her loved one back. But will it really be her sister? And what sacrifice will it take?

I didn’t plan to cry, but this story really got to me…

The chapters are told both from the heroine’s perspective and from her deceased sister’s, which was especially hard to read.

There is also a romantic subplot, slow, subtle, and not overwhelming, but the main theme is family. The rs the otherwise heavy grief and darkness of the story.

The book is atmospheric: a small town, dark forest, elements of nature, ancestral voices, resurrection.

I barely made it to the end, I was just sobbing...

• A family gift or curse
• Loss of a loved one
• Friends to lovers
• Necromancy
• Small town
• Murder

🗓Pub Date: Oct 07 2025

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Jihyun Yun’s “And the River Drags Her Down” is a haunting, lyrical meditation on grief, sisterhood, and the ancient, unrelenting pull of love that refuses to let go even when it should. Poised delicately between gothic horror and emotional realism, this YA debut blends bone-deep sorrow with eerie magic in a way that will leave you breathless, heartbroken, and deeply moved.

At the heart of the novel is Soojin Han, a Korean American teenager burdened with an inherited family secret: the women of her bloodline can bring the dead back to life, just not anything larger than the palm of a hand unless you want to experience disastrous negative effects. That rule is broken in the opening act, when Soojin resurrects her older sister, Mirae, who drowned in the river under mysterious circumstances. From there, the story unfolds into something far more complex than a simple resurrection tale. What Soojin brings back may look like Mirae, may even sound like Mirae—but something is deeply wrong.

Yun masterfully captures the unbearable weight of adolescent grief—how it distorts logic, skews memory, and tempts us with impossible bargains. Through vivid imagery and aching prose, she explores what happens when we try to outrun loss instead of facing it. The horror here isn’t just in the bone magic, in the reanimated creatures or Mirae’s unraveling humanity but it’s in the quiet, brutal honesty of mourning someone while they’re still standing in front of you.

The book alternates between Soojin, Mirae, and Soojin’s best friend Mark, with each voice adding depth to the unfolding tragedy. Soojin’s relationship with Mark, which is slow-building, soft, and believable, and helps ground the story in something human, even as the supernatural elements threaten to consume it. Meanwhile, the dynamic between the sisters is the emotional core: tender, complicated, and painfully real. Mirae is not a flat ghostly figure; she’s a fully fleshed person grappling with her own expectations, guilt, and the burdens of being the eldest daughter.

Cultural heritage plays a crucial role here, too. Korean myths and ancestral magic are woven seamlessly into the story, giving the book a sense of history and specificity that elevates it beyond typical genre fare. The result is a story that feels at once ancient and startlingly new. The resurrection magic that based in bone, blood, and consequence isn’t romanticized. It’s grotesque, wrong, and unforgettable. From a gut-wrenching scene involving a rat to the slow decay of Soojin’s own body, Yun makes sure we feel every cost.

While the story’s pacing might feel slow for some, particularly in the middle chapters, but that deliberate rhythm is essential to its impact. It’s a slow-burn descent—into grief, guilt, and the monstrous. And when things unravel, they really unravel. As Mirae begins to act on buried rage, and as Soojin’s body begins to betray her, the novel shifts from sorrowful to suspenseful, and then finally into something cathartic.

The ending is exquisite. It’s quiet, devastating, and healing. Closure doesn’t come neatly, but it does come. Each character finds a kind of peace, and readers are left with the sense that while grief may never fully disappear, it can transform. The metaphor of drowning as a symbol for grief, obligation, memory, and love is carried all the way through to the final page, leaving a lingering ache long after the last line.

If you’re looking for a YA novel that handles death with honesty, treats magic as metaphor, and delivers both terror and tenderness in equal measure, “And the River Drags Her Down” is a must-read. It's not an easy book, but it’s a necessary one.

Tragic, heartbreaking, and beautifully poetic, this book was a deep dive into grief and what it can do to someone who fears nothing in the face of getting their loved one back. It was slow, dark, gothic, but one I couldn't look away from, and which felt like it was written for the higher end of the YA spectrum. Really amazing overall, and one I loved every page of.

Really loved reading this book! I loved the concept and the plot and it was well done. I love reading about other cultures especially in this context. Thank you!

Rating: 4 out of 5
*Thank you to the author and publishers for the ARC!*

Trigger warnings: animal death, animal sacrifice, strangulation

- - - - - - - -

This was a well-executed debut novel in the young adult category! As someone on the older end of the YA spectrum, I often find some stories skew a bit too young for my taste, but this one struck a great balance—mature themes handled with emotional depth and nuance.

I was especially intrigued by the lore behind the resurrection power that Soojin and her sister inherited from their family. The supernatural elements felt fresh and well-integrated into the story’s emotional core. Soojin’s character development by the end of the novel was one of the highlights for me—it felt genuine and earned, rather than rushed or forced for the sake of wrapping things up. Her relationship with her father near the end, and seeing character growth from him as well, also added a touching layer of emotional resonance.

Seeing parts of the story through Mirae’s perspective was a nice touch, too. I think many older siblings will find her struggles incredibly relatable, particularly the burden of responsibility and unspoken expectations.

That said, the pacing in the middle did start to drag a bit for me—especially around the beach scenes with Mark. I found myself losing interest and had to put the book down a few times. (Granted, I really didn't care about Bentley lol).

While I understand the author’s intention showing Soojin navigating independence, I did find myself struggling to get to the next chapter.

Still, overall, this is a compelling YA thriller with paranormal elements and a lot of heart. It’s an great debut YA novel that explores grief, sisterhood, and healing. I think it could really resonate with readers who are dealing with loss—or who simply want a character-driven story with a supernatural twist.

Necromancy never goes as planned.

Manipulation of the natural progression of like has always been frowned upon so when Soojin decides to physically reanimating the corpse of her deceased older sister, things take a dark and disastrous turn. Soojin soon realizes that her sister is not who she was.

This story is almost poetic. It darkly beautiful and very well written. I enjoyed the references to Korean lore and descriptions of grief practices. This entire story is a immersive study in grief and loss. How that grief and loss effects you mentally and physically. Causing you to question reality and even your sanity. Leaving you to make a hard decisions that are so much more then just life or death.

This is true gothic writing. Eerie and thought provoking leaving you with a wonderful feeling of dread.

What I expected when requesting the ARC:
The cover and the tagline drew me in and was why I requested the ARC. I expected a fast paced story.

My thoughts after reading:
Although the first quarter of the book was slow, Jihyun Yun's writing was too beautiful to stop reading. As someone who lost a sister tragically and would do anything to have her back, this book was a bit much for me. But, I knew that going in. Having that perspective though made me feel every part of this book. The way she writes grief and shows how loss changes things was 10/10. The first part of the story was a lot more emotional and feelings-focused than I was expecting.

I had no expectations when it came to the magic aspect. I loved how we were introduced to the magic system and the costs that come with using it. It felt natural and did not feel like the author was just telling us so we had the information but rather it was actually part of the story.

Given this is a YA book, the horror aspect was appropriate for the audience but I would put it more in the suspense category for adults.

I just finished and will be posting a more in-depth review online in June. I'll update the link when that is posted.

A very raw heart wrenching gothic read. I’d consider it more a mystery read than a horror personally, but regardless it was emotional and well written. I truly think anyone, if they can handle the triggers, should read this.

I have to say, the cover of this book is beautiful!

I love a good horror story but sometimes horror can be a little too dark for me. This book sounds amazing and I was looking forward to reading it. However, due to the trigger warnings I unfortunately won’t be able to read this. I wish I could! But it’s too dark for me. I hope those you are able to read it enjoy it! And if you haven’t read it yet, definitely check out the trigger warnings before reading it.

Thank you NetGalley, Jihyun and Random House Children’s for the eARC!

Rating: ✨✨ ✨
Publication Date: October 7 2025

#AndtheRiverDragsHerDown #NetGalley.

Thank you netgalley, the publishing house, and author


A very slow start. It was so hard to push though.

But I did-and It was okay. This book deals with a lot of grief so beware.

Wow! Yun’s writing is both beautiful and haunting. This book broke my heart and then, thankfully, mended it.

Soojin is a senior in high school with the power to reanimate dead animals. After losing both her mother and sister in two separate tragic accidents her grief is overwhelming. She doesn’t listen to her mother’s former warnings and brings her sister back to life. Together but not quite the same as before, the sisters both must go on healing journeys and uncover sad truths about their family’s past.

Honestly, the beginning was a little bit of slow start for me. However, I believe this part was necessary to truly understand Soojin’s grief and her actions that stem from those emotions. About a third of the way through, I was hooked. I started to have so many questions, and I wanted answers.

Yun weaved together multiple timelines masterfully, allowing readers to slowly piece together the truth. So many of the characters have painful backgrounds, and I shed tears for most of them. The feelings of grief, guilt, selfishness, etc. that the characters go through are such a core part of the human experience that I think many will find the characters relatable. Multiple times I read a line and thought, “I know exactly what they mean.” Resolution and peace felt impossible, and it was a relief to get there. At the end, I’m left with a pleasant tempered optimism for the characters.

I would recommend this book for readers who love that emotional experience and don’t shy away from heartbreaking stories. I would also recommend this book to readers who like to explore folklore from different cultures.

I will certainly read future works by Yun. Thank you NetGalley for letting me be an ARC reader for Yun’s debut young adult novel.

🐁

A very beautiful story about grief, guilt, the worth of revenge, and refusing to let go of either, all set in amazing and unique magical system.

It went very slow at first, with only a couple of events in 25% of the book. I couldn't wait to fully dive into the atmosphere, magic and possible twists and found none for a time. This sorted out further, becoming eventfull, and also deep and thoughts-provoking.

The FMC was childish and annoying, I loved to see her character develope in the end. Side characters shined, I'm glad we got to see their pows and enjoy thier company.

Absolutely loved everything Mirae. Her story, her pows, her part of the plot. She was the most bright, adequate, and lovable character with tragic life and was surrounded by intriguing magic.

Great little dives into the far past were right on their places, enjoyed each one.

A very slow start built up to a very strong by emotions, plot connections, and character development ending. I highly recommend going through the journey of this book, but be carefull with it's occuring sadness.

- - -
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for providing me with this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Wowowow my first ARC review?! Firstly, thank you to NetGalley, author Jihyun Yun, and Random House Children's Books for this advanced copy. Secondly, the cover?! ummm stunning 🤩

This book was not what I expected! & I say that in the most positive way. I wasn’t really sure what genre this was going to turn out to be (other than knowing it was considered YA) but there are some surprising elements of gothic horror in this! Some of the detailed scenes might be a bit much for some readers, but for me, they were tame haha.

The storyline was really intriguing— our main character, Soojin Han, possesses the ability to bring back creatures from the dead, and when one day, she can’t handle her grief anymore (also still reeling from her mom’s passing) , she resurrects her dead sister, Mirae, who drowned in nearby river that runs through their town.

At first, things are fine and Soojin and her best friend Mark, keep Mirae hidden (especially from their dad) and keep her entertained enough by taking her out at night, etc. But then strange incidents start occurring around the town— mysterious deaths and inexplicable cases of flooding in areas where flooding shouldn’t occur, etc. Mark believes these strange incidents are connected to Mirae’s resurrection, but Soojin is in denial. But she’ll have to come to terms with realizing what she brought back isn’t her sister.

This book illustrates the navigation of grief really well. When you have lost people who you were so close with, your perception of things change. A lot. It’s almost like you become blind to other harmful things around you while you’re trying to cope. Soojin missed her sister terribly and even though she was strictly instructed never to bring back anything bigger than the size of her hand (she would resurrect her pet rat several times), one day she just couldn’t take it anymore and attempted to bring her sister back. But because of her selfishness, this incident begins to cause harm to those around her, and Mirae herself.

The book ends with Soojin having to decide whether to keep her sister alive, or finally giving her rest. Even though there is the supernatural element in this book, the message of overcoming grief and healing is so so important and vital to continue a healthy life, long after a loved one has passed. It’s never easy, and I think this book emphasizes how important it is to have a balance between joy and grief in life. In my personal life, I’m very big on balance. In everything. It keeps me sane and keeps me moving. I’ve definitely had to deal with grief (who hasn’t) and while it can be incredibly hard to navigate, you learn the importance of balancing the good days and bad days. When you’re having those high moments in a season of grief, take those and don’t feel guilty. Enjoy the moments where you’re experiencing joy. & When you have those really low moments, take those too and FEEL. It’s ok to cry and to be joyful. Remind yourself that balance is healthy and necessary.

With all that said— yes of course I recommend this!

4.5/5

A fantastic exploration of grief, obsession, and family. Thematically, this book was beautiful in its exploration of death, of what it means to "move on," and of relationships---between sisters, parents and daughters, and even strangers. I don't want to spoil much, but I was absolutely hooked throughout the text. Yes, there were a few "predictable" moments of what will happen, but I thought every moment helped to build the central story that revolved around Mirae and Soojin. Additionally, I loved the unreliable narration of Soojin. There were moments where I felt an urge to feel frustrated at some of her decisions, but they fit perfectly in line with her character (and also, her as a high schooler) that helped to ensure the story was further fully-fleshed out. I also want to note that, I used to read many young adult books a few years ago, but I now have been reading significantly less YA books due to my own inability to feel as immersed due to the lack of depth to themes that are often explored. This book, on the other hand, absolutely captured my attention due to just how thoroughly these themes are explored. Perhaps, I am biased by my own personal preoccupation with the questions of death, what comes after death, and relationships with others). While there could be a hypothetical argument for this book being more suitable for "older ages," I disagree: I imagine a younger version of myself reading this book, and loss and death can occur at such a young age in a myraid of ways---being able to read such a book that directly grapples with these issues would be such a comfort. Finally, of course, I appreciated the integration of her identity into the text. As an Asian American, I personally resonated with a few of the cultural dynamics that were explored. But, beyond whether or not I "relate," especially for a book about familial loss and death, I believe that the way that one thinks about death and loss is very much shaped by a person's heritage and identity---as a result, I found it so, so important and refreshing that I saw this incorporated into the book.

I've also read Jihyun's poetry book "Some are Always Hungry," which is absolutely stunning and one one of my favorite poetry book. I mention this because I find that, in my own opinion, there's a distinctive style I notice among fiction books that are written by poets. First and foremost, the prose is absolutely gorgeous. The descriptions of the food, of climactic moments, and of what the various characters is thinking and feeling is done in such a vivid, immersive manner. Additionally, the character work for Soojin was so thorough, and, as someone who like books with good character arcs and depth of characters, I really appreciated this. Finally, the atmosphere is built up in such a detailed manner. Not all authors, I find, pay attention to the atmosphere (which goes beyond just the setting)---the haunting, unsettled nature of much of this text really helps to carry the plot forwards.

My only gripe is that there are moments where I felt the pacing was a bit off. I'm going to keep this part vague to prevent any spoilers, but I do think that certain characters could have been introduced slightly earlier. This lend itself to moments in the text that I felt could carry more weight if they were further developed (compared to the wonderfully developed main characters Soojin and Mirae). In particular, I found that some information were introduced too fast at once, suddenly giving depth to characters that I hadn't really know much about for much of the book. I also do want to add that a disclaimer, though, that I usually feel similarly (pacing/character development-wise) for many YA books I read, and this could be more so a characteristic of the genre, compared to the type of very character/worldbuilding-heavy, lengthy fantasy books I may read.

Anyways, I loved this book, and there were moments where I literally got chills. (Also, on a completely random note, I met Jihyun at my university once, and I remember literally not knowing who she is, but she was still so nice to me regardless). This is absolutely unrelated to the review, but beyond her works---which I only read afterwards---she seems like such a kind person (from our less than five minute convo) but another reason why you should read her book.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC!

Please read the trigger warnings before reading this book, the book can be emotionally tough!
The way this book was written, in 3rd person was perfect for the type of story this portrays. Dealing with grief and getting to hear everyone's emotions and thoughts is just what is needed for something like this. I did find it interesting that the resurrection didn't happen right away, it shows some strengths that Soojin has but at the same time, she's such an extremely unreliable narrator. She refuses to accept the truth sometimes ( she's stubborn ) but she was still a fun character. The story and plot was super fun and interesting as well, some places it did fall short and became predictable which was unfortunate.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is about a seventeen year old Korean American girl whos can resurrect the dead. However, she is only supposed to resurrect small creatures no bigger than her hand. Her older sister was found dead mysteriously in a river, by drowning. Instead of going by the rules of only resurrecting creatures no bigger than her hand, she goes against it, to bring her sister back. She is happy to have her sister back but there is something different about the sister she brought back to life. The setting is atmospheric and we'll written. It intertwine korean folklore, grief , and magic. I loved the bind between the sisters ,and thie dynamic. However, the pacing in this boon was slow in the middle , and it didn't keep my attention at times. A solid 3.5

This book is truly something. And the River Drags Her Down is a quiet, sorrow-soaked exploration of mourning and grief.

The novel follows the aftermath of a very sudden death, and lingers in what comes after: the silences, the miscommunications, the way grief splinters through a family and rends those left behind. I very much enjoyed the portrayal of aspects of Korean culture I didn't know much about, and the bones of what I can't really a call a magic system, more the power the Han women carry with them, as something I've never really seen before, teetering on the edge between fantasy and horror.

That said, this was a hard read—not in the sense of complexity, as the writing is dense, yes, but not hard to follow at all, but in its emotional density. It’s melancholic and slow-moving, and at times I felt almost flattened by it and I had to put the book down just to take a breather (which probably is just my fear of death and grief rearing its ugly head). I didn’t end up loving it in the capital-L way, but I deeply respected it and I’m glad I read it, some quotes, and feelings, and points of view I don't think I'll ever stop thinking about - but, especially if you're like me, you're gonna 100% need something light and fluffy to recover after this one. Overall an important, tough but beautiful read. Go in prepared: this one drags you under, but it’s worth the breathlessness.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for the ARC!

3.5 stars for this debut YA horror.

Ultimately this is a tale of grief, roles we take on after tragedy, and what becomes of us after. Family dynamics, secrets, and revenge.

The coastal setting is atmospheric and well written. Jade Acres feels increasingly ominous and misty as the tale of Soojin and her sister progress more sinisterly.

I think it’s a well done debut, the pace is fast in the beginning but the momentum slows toward the middle and end. I liked the details of Soojin and Mark’s family traditions, especially post death were interesting. Overall toward the end I did find myself skimming a bit but I did enjoy it.

I had to sit with this review for a few days, because I couldn't put into words how incredible this book is and how much I enjoyed reading it.

And the River Drags Her Down by Jihyun Yun is a haunting and poignant exploration of grief, loss, and family. At the center of this story is the complex and deeply emotional bond between the two sisters, with Mirae’s resurrection stirring feelings of both joy and terror for Soojin.

This is a horror story, no doubt, but it's also a story about sisterhood, parentification, and the way tragedy affects each of us differently.

Jinyun Yun's world-building and incredibly vivid imagery pulls readers into a chilling yet beautiful tale of loss, love, and vengeance. She skillfully integrates Korean folklore, grief, and slow-burn horror into a narrative that feels both intimate and unsettling. The slow to medium pace works well here, allowing the reader to really experience the emotional impact of the story.

Five stars. Everyone should read this book. A million thanks to Random House Children's | Knopf Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read and review this arc.