8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster

8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster, by Mirinae Lee, was a very unusual book. I know I said I didn’t want to read another book written by a Korean woman author, but this one looked different and it truly was, for many reasons. First, the story took place in South Korea but also in North Korea, which added a fascinating layer. Second, the story spanned several decades and multiple historical periods in the two countries’ histories. And finally, although many of the described events were painful to read, about very difficult times, I felt that there was some underlying humour and hope, and some incredible resilience, which I don’t think I’ve felt in other Korean books before.

It’s the story of an incredibly strong woman who lives through some incredible experiences as the child of an abusive father, a sexual slave, a spy, a mother, a refugee, a wife, a defector… Every chapter is completely unique and could be a stand-alone story, and the timelines go back and forth, but little by little you find some threads that will link these chapters together, like a puzzle. To enjoy the whole book, I thought you really have to read each chapter as a separate story about completely different people, places, and events.

It is a sad but deeply touching story about tragic and fascinating historical events, and it is beautifully written. My favourite chapter was the one about the daughter, and how she was trained as a spy for the North Korean KGB. I do recommend having access to a good map of South and North Korea and even adjacent China to help with some of the descriptions of places and travels.