Book Review: The Cabinet - Un-su Kim / 캐비닛 - 김언수

The Cabinet is a story about the documents that record these symptomers and the man who manages the documents in Cabinet 13. This seemingly ordinary, old cabinet is filled with stories that are peculiar, strange, eye-pop- ping, disgusting, enraging, and touching. However, the fast changing world is also full of all sorts of unbelievable things. Perhaps symptomers exist not only in the novel but also in the real world. Perhaps some of us do not accept our past and instead, erase our memories and create new ones. Some of us might want to become a wooden doll or a cat rather than live in pain as a human. And if you look around, you can find those who can love no one but themselves or their alter egos.

This is an intriguing novel - but it isn't particularly engrossing. It's a collection of interlinked short stories which, sadly, are never quite bizarre enough.

The whole thing has an air of "magical realism" - after accidentally maiming himself, a woodworker slowly turns into a wooden puppet. The sort of thing which I find works quite well in flash fiction, but there isn't enough momentum to sustain a short story. At times it feels like wading through a dreamscape of half-remembered impossible situations.

Each story is a fun or weird little vignette of a strange happenstance. Sort of like a Fortean Times article. But it never quite ties together in a cohesive whole. The original won the 2006 Munhakdongne Novel Award but I can't help but wonder if something got lost in translation.

In the end, I was left nonplussed. Without anything to tie the stories together or any overarching theme it feels a little humdrum. The end descends into a weird torture session which feels completely out of step with the rest of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy. The English version is available from September and can be pre-ordered from the following stores: