What Are You Reading:

The “Lemon” Preview

I think I bought this teacup at the Japanese import store, Uwajimaya. However, I recall this cup being fairly inexpensive; Uwajimaya is not inexpensive. We report confusion.

Lemon is a literary crime novel by the Korean national and source of amazement, Kwon Yeo-sun. I just started reading the book in translation (by Janet Hong). I can’t imagine how Ms. Hong even began to undertake this project: the writing is complex, layered; I read one review that called it “elliptical.” I’m finding Lemon impossible to understand even as its perfect sense flows over me. I’m half-way through; I started at 11pm.

Tea cup in cross-section

Why do I always do this, start a book in the middle of the night? Maybe because of Lemon‘s pretty, yellow cover.

I chose Lemon because I’m writing a literary crime thriller and because of these fine recs:

• New York Times Book Review: Editor’s Choice
• Philadelphia Inquirer: Best Book of the Month
• World Literature Today: Notable Translation of the Year
• CrimeReads: Most Anticipated Book of the Year
• Ms. Magazine: Most Anticipated Book of the Year
• Washington Independent Review of Books: Favorite Book of the Year