Shelter by Jung Yun

Shelter

Jung Yun

The Cho family is deeply divided by language, culture, class, religion and domestic violence, but Kyung's parents present a correct Korean face to the world. Then they fall victim to a brutal drug fueled crime, and you will be shocked at what happens to them and the aftermath, unlikable though they are. Compulsive reading and the events remain with me; although set in America they could occur anywhere - even your town or mine?

Extract
'You've been a good son,' she says.'You figured out how to keep them in your life, even though you really didn't have to. It's not like you owed them anything.'
'They're my parents , Gillian, What was I supposed to do?'
'What lots of people do - move to another city, get an unlisted number, avoid them. You had every right to cut them out of your life. Even a therapist would say so.'
'That's an American idea, Koreans are different.'
'But you grew up here. You're American too.'
'It's not the same.'
Parallels
  • The Interpreter by Suki Kim
  • I'm OK I'm Pig by Kim Heyesoon