A beguiling narrative, relentless in its allureIn its final moments, everything amassed crumblesJeong Han-ah, known to dive into life’s enigmas with a positive attitude to life and a profound perspective in her works, has released her third full-length novel Intimate Stranger. After Sea of the Moon in 2007 and Little Chicago in 2012, Intimate Stranger is her latest full-length novel, which brings a significant and refreshing spin to Korean literature.The mystery-packed novel masterfully reconstructs the life of a character who, at times, upends their existence in pursuit of improved living conditions and, at others, battles for their very survival. The novel achieves this by skillfully interweaving the voices of multiple individuals. However, as the book approaches its conclusion, an unforeseen twist shatters the tightly woven narrative, plunging readers into the chilling embrace of an autumn night, delivering a thoroughly satisfying thrill.Name, education, occupation, gender... a life of falsehoodBehind the dozens of masks, fabricated from layers of delusionThe truth gradually reveals itselfOne day, the narrator, a novelist unable to pen a book for seven years, comes across an intriguing newspaper advertisement bearing the title “Seeking the author of this novel.” It contains a portion of a novel that, upon casual perusal, leaves the narrator in stunned disbelief. The text is none other than a novel she submitted to a literary contest before her debut—a secret known to no one and long forgotten after failing to secure an award.After reaching out to the newspaper to halt the advertisements, the narrator receives an unexpected phone call. Jin, a woman searching for her husband who vanished six months ago, drops a shocking revelation. Her husband, it turns out, has been impersonating the author of the novel in the advertisement. But this turns out to be only a fraction of the intricate web of lies her husband has woven.“My husband is actually a woman. Her real name is Lee Yumi, and she’s 36 years old. She approached me as Lee Yusang, and she went by Lee Anna before that. Nothing about her is certain though, since she even tricked me into believing she was a man. How easy it must have been for her to change a name or age. She wore dozens of masks throughout her life. Then, six months ago, she just vanished, leaving me only with this book and diary.”And like that, an unbelievable tale unfolds. The husband, believed to be a novelist, is, in fact, a woman who has been living a life shrouded in deception long before crossing paths with Jin. The enigmatic figure, Yumi, works as an editor for a university magazine despite never being admitted to the institution, poses as a piano professor despite lacking formal music education, and even practices medicine without a valid license. Astonishingly, Yumi assumes the roles of both wife and husband, marrying three different men and one woman. As the narrator digs deeper into the labyrinth of Yumi’s life with an intensified curiosity, she feels that by unraveling Yumi’s intricate story, she might be able to reignite her passion for writing novels again.“After our meeting last week, I’ve been utterly consumed by your story, as if I’ve become obsessed with it. My curiosity has been mounting, and I find myself yearning to unravel what’s really behind all the lies and deceit woven by Yumi. It’s not just a passing interest; in fact, I see it as a kind of puzzle, one that I’m determined to solve from start to finish.”Embarking on a journey to solve the puzzle, the narrator visits and absorbs the stories of those who have encountered Yumi at various stages of her life, in an attempt to track her down. The novel has readers enthralled as the narrator inches closer and closer to uncovering Yumi’s identity and the concealed truth. However, just as all the puzzle pieces seem to fall into place, the narrator witnesses an entirely unexpected scene, one that defies all expectations.As long as we act by orderNo one truly perceives real lifeSince receiving the 12th Munhakdongne Writer’s Award for Sea of the Moon, the author Chung Han-ah has consistently displayed empathy for and celebrated the lives of contemporary individuals in a lyrical style. Works such as the novel Little Chicago and the short story collections Smiling for Myself and Annie bear testament to this artistic journey. It’s truly remarkable the same author has crafted Intimate Stranger, a thrilling novel filled with suspense. Chung Han-ah has invested substantial contemplation into the intricate framework of family, an institution we all inevitably belong to, albeit often imperfectly. With Intimate Stranger, the author has succeeded in skillfully unraveling the consequences of this longstanding fascination, through a mystery narrative.Reference: Munhakdongnae . "Intimate Stranger", https://www.munhak.com/book/view.php?dtype=brand&id=11313. accessed 7 September 2023.