Molka
From the award-winning author of The Eyes Are the Best Part, praised by The New York Times Book Review as “violent, smart, gruesome and wildly original,” a provocative journey into a perilous world of voyeurism, scandal, female rage, and vengeance . . . pursued with a very sharp kitchen knife.
Molka: an abbreviation of molrae-kamera, a “sneaky camera” hidden to capture covert images and videos for voyeurs.
In an unassuming Seoul workplace, IT technician Junyoung’s network reaches throughout the entire building. He sees every entrance. Every lobby. Every bathroom. The women in this building may be cold and dismissive, but he can always pull up his favorite images of them and remember who holds the real power. Until one, Dahye, sets herself apart from the rest.
Dahye, ever the romantic, yearns to be cherished after years of living in the shadow of her perfect older sister, who tragically drowned years ago. Only her boyfriend seems to appreciate Dahye. He’s rich, handsome, and generous—and she’d do anything to hold on to the happiness he brings her.
But when a hidden camera scandal rocks the city’s elites, Dahye’s dreams of a fairy-tale romance twist into a grotesque nightmare. Her boyfriend abandons her. Her parents reject her. Her grip on reality begins to shatter as visions of her dead sister suddenly appear. And as Junyoung’s interest in Dahye turns to obsession, and the truths of their troubled lives are revealed, Dahye must go to extreme lengths to bring the truth to light . . .
Molka: an abbreviation of molrae-kamera, a “sneaky camera” hidden to capture covert images and videos for voyeurs.
In an unassuming Seoul workplace, IT technician Junyoung’s network reaches throughout the entire building. He sees every entrance. Every lobby. Every bathroom. The women in this building may be cold and dismissive, but he can always pull up his favorite images of them and remember who holds the real power. Until one, Dahye, sets herself apart from the rest.
Dahye, ever the romantic, yearns to be cherished after years of living in the shadow of her perfect older sister, who tragically drowned years ago. Only her boyfriend seems to appreciate Dahye. He’s rich, handsome, and generous—and she’d do anything to hold on to the happiness he brings her.
But when a hidden camera scandal rocks the city’s elites, Dahye’s dreams of a fairy-tale romance twist into a grotesque nightmare. Her boyfriend abandons her. Her parents reject her. Her grip on reality begins to shatter as visions of her dead sister suddenly appear. And as Junyoung’s interest in Dahye turns to obsession, and the truths of their troubled lives are revealed, Dahye must go to extreme lengths to bring the truth to light . . .
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Community Reviews
"Molka' was a bit of a mixed bag for me. While I liked "Molka" better than Monika Kim's debut novel The Eyes Are The Best Part, it shares some of the same weaknesses. Dahne, the protagonist in "Molka," is better developed than the protagonist in TEATBP, but both novels lack nuance. With few exceptions, the male characters are misogynists, and the female characters are portrayed as victims. Similarly, Dahne's transformation was jarring. At times, the vernacular is not congruent with South Korean culture and norms. For example, "He wanted to tell her that he was a grower, not a shower.”
On a positive note, I liked the title, which is an abbreviation of molrae-kamera, which means 'a sneaky camera. I liked that the novel explores a real phenomenon in South Korean culture, men setting up microscopic cameras to capture women during their most intimate moments, few of who have suffered any real consequences for their actions. The novel lacked tension, but it was well-paced. The ending was perfect.
"Molka" will appeal to readers who enjoyed Monika Kim's first novel "The Eyes Are The Best Part, as well as readers who enjoy writers like Rachel Harrison and CJ Leede.
Thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the complimentary eDRC. All opinions are my own.
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