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The Old Woman With the Knife

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( 8,434 ratings, 1,306 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Old Woman With the Knife by Gu Byeong-mo is a gripping crime thriller set in Seoul, following a 65-year-old female assassin known for her precision and stealth. As she contemplates retirement, unexpected incidents unsettle her routine, revealing vulnerabilities in her meticulously controlled life. This novel explores themes of ageing, identity, and survival in a dangerous profession.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this gripping tale if you appreciate crime stories with a unique twist. It offers a compelling look at an older assassin navigating a world where she faces both professional jeopardy and personal introspection. The story delves into themes of ageing, identity, and survival, providing a fresh perspective within the thriller genre.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A whip-smart, taut and compelling novel about a 60-something female assassin navigating the vulnerabilities posed by her ageing body, and a meditation on loss and loneliness

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

She never presumed she herself would live out her natural life, so she wouldn't mind leaving this world through an untimely death.

Hornclaw is a sixty-five-year-old female contract killer who is considering retirement. But while on an assassination job for the 'disease control' company she works for, Hornclaw makes an uncharacteristic error, causing a sequence of events that brings her past well and truly into the present.

Threatened with sabotage by a young male upstart and battling new desires and urges when she least expects them, Hornclaw steels her resolve, demonstrating that no matter their age, the female of the species is always more deadly than the male.

The Old Woman With the Knife is a gripping tale that expertly weaves elements of suspense and introspection as Hornclaw navigates the complexities of her situation, underscoring the perpetual underestimation of mature women.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Gu Byeong-mo's The Old Woman With the Knife is praised as a darkly comic and thrilling K-noir novel that explores themes of ageing and societal invisibility with compassion. Critics highlight its engaging story and well-developed characters, noting its mix of humour and insight into universal challenges. The heroine's radical nature and the book's electrifying narrative are particularly commended for providing a memorable reading experience.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781838856458

Publisher: Canongate Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 March 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Canongate Books

Edition: Main

Contributors:

  • Translated by Chi-Young Kim

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 195g

Pages: 288

About the Author

Gu Byeong-mo was born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1976. She made her literary debut in 2009 when her novel Wizard Bakery won the second Changbi Prize for Young Adult Fiction. Her 2015 short-story collection Geugeosi namaneun anigireul received the Today's Writer Award and Hwang Sun-won New Writers' Award. This is her third novel, and the first to be translated into the English language.Chi-Young Kim is an award-winning literary translator and editor based in Los Angeles. A recipient of the Man Asian Literary Prize (2011), she has translated works by You-jeong Jeong, Sun-mi Hwang, Young-ha Kim, Kyung Ran Jo, J.M. Lee and Kyung-sook Shin, among others.

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