4.5 rounded up.
A bitingly honest, sharp, and messily funny novel about relationships, family, and queer love in modern Seoul, seen through the eyes of the cynical yet lovable narrator, Young. "Love in the Big City" doesn't shy away from looking at the ugly, awkward parts of life, giving these things just as much attention as the beautiful, tender moments; it really does such a stunning job of showcasing how these things all exist in tandem with one another and how we're all just doing our best in these various situations thrown at us. There's heartbreak, there's humor, there's HIV- sometimes all at once. This is a standout in modern queer lit and I'm excited to see what Sang Young Park writes next! ( )

If you read this book not knowing the locations of Seoul or how the younger generations feel in Korea, you might have difficulty connecting with the characters. Having first visited ten years ago and lived there permanently for nearly five years, I enjoyed reading about the world I know and learning new things about it. ( )

I absolutely inhaled this in less than a day. The narrator, Young, navigates life as a gay man in Seoul, with what he repeatedly describes as "objective self-judgement." Sometimes the writing seems simple and a little repetitive, but I was absorbed just the same, and over time saw the way various scenes overlaid each other in a way that really developed a weight that snuck up on you. I really loved this. ( )

So, I am pretty sure I couldn't be further from the target market for this book. Set in Korea, Love in the Big City is divided into four parts. Each part features a gay man, Park Young, and his relationships -- with his best friend, his mother, and lovers. Young also happens to be HIV positive.

But despite the fact that I have nothing in common with the protagonist and no familiarity with the setting, I was drawn into his tales of young love. I definitely could relate to the youthful feeling of searching, experimenting with sexual partners, trying to discover intimacy (but often failing). The flailing around that often characterizes ones early romantic years. I could relate to that, and I think the author did a great job of portraying those types of experiences.

Where I sometimes struggled with this book was on the timelines. It felt more like four short stories than a fully realized novel. I really enjoy short stories, so I was happy to roll with that, BUT I did feel as though I wanted to know where I was on a timeline, and I never could quite grasp the order of events.

I would definitely be curious to see what this writer does next with his talent. ( )

Star and a half. The synopsis is misleading. Nothing fucking happens in this book. Some of the narrative passages are pretty, sure. I had thought the narrator would be describing stuff he didn't, basically. I was frequently bored. He describes HIV's development into AIDS so strangely that I had to reread passages plus context to try and figure it out. I just did not care about anything, and was glad when the book ended. I did learn things about Korean culture I hadn't known before, so I was pleased in that regard. ( )

Love in the Big City is a stunning book about being young and the trials and tribulations associated with love. Translated from Korean, the story is joyful and cynical at the same time, creating a pretty much completely realistic world.

This book centers on Young and his best friend (and roommate) Jaehee, as the two experience life in the city of Seoul. Jaehee leaves Young when she settles down, leaving him alone to figure out how to balance caring for his sick mother and experience meaningful relationships. These relationships range from a handsome and icy man to the man that could end up being the love of his life, or the one who got away.

I loved the way that this book reinforced the themes of identity within through the provided representation in the New Adult genre. Park also allowed for conversations utilizing women's voices and focusing on the ideas of pro-choice living.

The way Park wrote this book allows for super in-depth exploration into what it means to be dating in your twenties, past college. I, personally, was forced to sit down and examine what life would be like if I wasn't in a relationship. Now, I'm not saying I need a partner, but this book asked me to recognize the good and the bad in a choice to remain single or the choice to settle down.

Overall rating: 5/5

Love in the Big City will be available for purchase on November 9th. Be sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf and see where it's available for purchase. Also, be sure to check out Sang Young Park's interview with Words Without Borders!
I was lucky enough to be able to listen to this Advanced Reader's Copy through my partnership with NetGalley. All opinions are my own. ( )