[This Week's Novels] "Master, Slave, Husband, Wife" and More

Master, Slave, Husband, Wife

In 1848, in Georgia, USA, the Black enslaved couple Ellen and William Craft disguised the wife as a "white male master" and the husband as a "Black slave" to escape to the North by train and steamboat. Writer Woo Ilyeon meticulously reconstructs one of the most daring true stories in the history of American slavery through thorough research and narrative. This work goes beyond a simple historical reenactment, questioning the meaning of freedom, love, and solidarity in the face of oppression. It is a universal and powerful record of freedom, delivered in an era of hatred and division. (Written by Woo Ilyeon | Drom)

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous

This is the debut novel of Ocean Vuong, a queer writer of Vietnamese descent, written as a letter to his mother who cannot read English. It depicts a boy's coming-of-age and loss. The scars of the Vietnam War, the poverty of immigrants, and memories of love and violence as a queer person are woven together in poetic language, expanding an individual's story into a collective history. By gazing unflinchingly at unspoken emotions and fractured relationships, this novel shows how wounded lives can remain universally dignified. (Written by Ocean Vuong | Influential)

Jenna's Autobiography

This is a healing fantasy novel about Jenna, an artificial intelligence nanobot who falls from the year 2059 into Seoul in 2025 and explores what it means to be "human" through encounters with people. Through the medium of a time-loop service, stories unfold in a blend of science fiction, mystery, and comedy as various individuals face turning points in their lives. Designed to exist for humans, Jenna gradually begins to question herself: What is the primary ability unique to humans? This work warmly re-examines the meaning of living authentically and humanely. (Written by Yang Suryeon | Bookda)

Only What Comes Out of My Mouth Is Real

Beginning with minor cracks, this work directly exposes the squalor and survival instincts of youth. Through provocative settings such as an underwear thief, relationships quantified by numbers, and distorted desires, it asks, "How is truth constructed?" The narrative, combining black humor, twists, and an omnibus structure, is both humorous and chilling. In a world where only what is spoken becomes real, this book sharply captures the malfunctions of contemporary young lives. (Written by Wang Houmin | Loop)