We Do Not Part, Han Kang’s most recent literary fiction release, is rich with sharp detail, evocative imagery, and that particular tone she is known for, a blend between ominous and hauntingly beautiful that sticks in your mind for days, and your heart for longer. I think I may have found my favourite of her works, and let me convince you it will be yours too.

Han Kang’s most revelatory book since The Vegetarian, We Do Not Part tells the story of a friendship between two women while powerfully reckoning with a hidden chapter in Korean history. One winter morning, Kyungha receives an urgent message from her friend Inseon to visit her at a hospital in Seoul. Inseon has injured herself in an accident, and she begs Kyungha to return to Jeju Island, where she lives, to save her beloved pet—a white bird called Ama. A snowstorm hits the island when Kyungha arrives. She must reach Inseon’s house at all costs, but the icy wind and squalls slow her down as night begins to fall. She wonders if she will arrive in time to save the animal—or even survive the terrible cold that envelops her with every step. Lost in a world of snow, she doesn’t yet suspect the vertiginous plunge into the darkness that awaits her at her friend’s house. Blurring the boundaries between dream and reality, We Do Not Part powerfully illuminates a forgotten chapter in Korean history, buried for decades—bringing to light the lost voices of the past to save them from oblivion. Both a hymn to an enduring friendship and an argument for remembering, it is the story of profound love in the face of unspeakable violence—and a celebration of life, however fragile it might be.

I have mentioned it before, but I will gladly mention it again – Han Kang has a stunning literary voice that brings nature and living things into the narrative, enriching the text but also bringing with it powerful and mesmerising imagery that gives the novel character and life. I have seen it in every one of her novels – From The White Book to The Vegetarian, Human Acts to We Do Not Part – and it is unlike any other writer’s work I have seen before. Even if I don’t like the novel as a whole all that much, it is undeniable that her writing style and strong natural connection in the text brings a vivid and immersive hook to her works. I feel this keenly in We Do Not Part, and while the constant back and forth of present action and reflective flashbacks throws the pace off a little for me, I cannot help but be thankful for the opportunity to read more of her lush and haunting words.

I also must give praise to her translators. Finding the right words to mirror the sentiments and intensity of a novel and reconstructing it in a different language is so difficult, especially when it is something so poetic and lyrical like Han Kang’s work. E. Yaewon and Paige Aniyah Morris have done a spectacular job in bringing to life the English version of this story, and I commend them for such excellent and often evocative word choices. There are many words I forgot existed in the English language, and to see them be used in We Do Not Part in such a perfect way makes me want to scour through a dictionary and all the poetry written or translated into English that I can just so I can learn more of these gorgeous and emotive words.

I also love how these short stories blend into one story tread, split into sections with themes or ideas at the forefront of the narrative, allowing for the focus to shift and go off on a tangent just a little before returning to the anchor point. Then, as the story gives way to the next, the focus shifts, and thought the themes and ideas still exist in this story, the shift allows for a tone difference, a change in intensity or tension, and a realignment with the overarching emotions and intention for the novel. It works beautifully, and with the consistencies in natural description and integration in the story, it feels seamless.

I highly encourage you to pick up We Do Not Part if you are looking to try foreign literature, especially foreign literary fiction. If you are a literary fiction fan, you should definitely look into foreign works and experience the very moving and emotive stories that are available. If you are a fan of something a little darker, of darker themes to do with the human psyche, history, and psychology, I strongly recommend Han Kang’s work. We Do Not Part carries an intensity you will be mesmerised by, and you will fly through this novel.