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anusha_reads 's review for:
Mater 2-10
by Hwang Sok-yong
funny
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
BOOK 8 (from the longlist), (and the 6th from the shortlist): MATER 2-10 BY HWANG SOK-YONG, TRANSLATED BY SORA KIM-RUSSELL AND JOSEPHINE BAE YOUNGJAE, SHORTLISTED FOR #INTERNATIONALBOOKER2024
If James Watt hadn’t invented the steam engine, then would humanity have been spared of all difficulties associated with industrialization?
A laid-off factory worker, Yi Jino, stages a sit-in. He sits next to a chimney, atop a factory. His protest goes on for more than a year. He narrates the story of his family, many of whom are railway workers.
I came across this German word WELTSCHMERZ, which means mental depression or apathy caused by a comparison of the actual state of the world with an ideal state. That got me thinking, and I found that Hwang Sok Yong has depicted WELTSCHMERZ beautifully across many generations.
It is a historical saga that explores chaos theory and how changes impacted the trajectory of Korean history, which is a major part of the book. The book is about conflicts, movements, displacement due to the laying of railroads, the impact of development; injustice, exploitation, and cultural impact due to imperialistic Japanese rule, Parts of it read like a political thriller with police chases and conspiracies. The book incorporates subtle elements of humour, adding a touch of lightness amidst its serious themes.
The book portrays the fights staged by various generations, showcasing the perennial problems faced by people regardless of their era. To obtain what's rightfully yours, one must fight and fight they did! Whether it was the pro-democratic movement or a sit-in against unjust factory management, the angst, struggles, and fights are depicted beautifully throughout the book.
QOTD According to you, what features in a book make it interesting?
The working of a coal-driven train is explained at length. My father used to really admire these beautiful chugging engines, and I’m sure he would have enjoyed reading about it too if he were alive.
“BAEKMAN TOLD HIS GRANDSON JISAN TIME AND AGAIN, ‘THE RAILROAD WAS BUILT FROM THE BLOOD AND TEARS OF THE PEOPLE OF JOSEON.’”
I enjoyed reading about Juan-daek, wife of Baekman, great grandfather of Yi Jino. Her strength, her determination reminded me of characters and some parts of the book Whale (Cheon Myeong-Kwan)
What I loved the most were the apparitions, which would pop up now and then, helping or guiding them when they were in dire straits; adding a touch of magic to the story.
“THERE’S ONE THING I’VE OFTEN FOUND KIND OF STRANGE. DOESN’T IT SEEM LIKE LIFE IS ALWAYS FALLING SHORT OR TURNING INTO SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT WE HOPE FOR? AND IT’S USUALLY ONLY AFTER A VERY LONG TIME HAS PASSED THAT ANYTHING CHANGES. COMPARED TO THE PASSAGE OF TIME, WE’RE NO MORE THAN SPECKS OF DUST.”
The translation was seamless, feeling as if it were originally written in English. Though it was a 500+ page book, it was overall a great read.
If James Watt hadn’t invented the steam engine, then would humanity have been spared of all difficulties associated with industrialization?
A laid-off factory worker, Yi Jino, stages a sit-in. He sits next to a chimney, atop a factory. His protest goes on for more than a year. He narrates the story of his family, many of whom are railway workers.
I came across this German word WELTSCHMERZ, which means mental depression or apathy caused by a comparison of the actual state of the world with an ideal state. That got me thinking, and I found that Hwang Sok Yong has depicted WELTSCHMERZ beautifully across many generations.
It is a historical saga that explores chaos theory and how changes impacted the trajectory of Korean history, which is a major part of the book. The book is about conflicts, movements, displacement due to the laying of railroads, the impact of development; injustice, exploitation, and cultural impact due to imperialistic Japanese rule, Parts of it read like a political thriller with police chases and conspiracies. The book incorporates subtle elements of humour, adding a touch of lightness amidst its serious themes.
The book portrays the fights staged by various generations, showcasing the perennial problems faced by people regardless of their era. To obtain what's rightfully yours, one must fight and fight they did! Whether it was the pro-democratic movement or a sit-in against unjust factory management, the angst, struggles, and fights are depicted beautifully throughout the book.
QOTD According to you, what features in a book make it interesting?
The working of a coal-driven train is explained at length. My father used to really admire these beautiful chugging engines, and I’m sure he would have enjoyed reading about it too if he were alive.
“BAEKMAN TOLD HIS GRANDSON JISAN TIME AND AGAIN, ‘THE RAILROAD WAS BUILT FROM THE BLOOD AND TEARS OF THE PEOPLE OF JOSEON.’”
I enjoyed reading about Juan-daek, wife of Baekman, great grandfather of Yi Jino. Her strength, her determination reminded me of characters and some parts of the book Whale (Cheon Myeong-Kwan)
What I loved the most were the apparitions, which would pop up now and then, helping or guiding them when they were in dire straits; adding a touch of magic to the story.
“THERE’S ONE THING I’VE OFTEN FOUND KIND OF STRANGE. DOESN’T IT SEEM LIKE LIFE IS ALWAYS FALLING SHORT OR TURNING INTO SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT WE HOPE FOR? AND IT’S USUALLY ONLY AFTER A VERY LONG TIME HAS PASSED THAT ANYTHING CHANGES. COMPARED TO THE PASSAGE OF TIME, WE’RE NO MORE THAN SPECKS OF DUST.”
The translation was seamless, feeling as if it were originally written in English. Though it was a 500+ page book, it was overall a great read.