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Shelter by Jung Yun

Meeting date: November 28, 2017 ;
Star rating: 3.8/5 stars

Kyung Cho is a young father burdened by a house he can’t afford. For years, he and his wife, Gillian, have lived beyond their means. Now their debts and bad decisions are catching up with them, and Kyung is anxious for his family’s future.

A few miles away, his parents, Jin and Mae, live in the town’s most exclusive neighborhood, surrounded by the material comforts that Kyung desires for his wife and son. He can hardly bear to see them now, much less ask for their help. Yet when an act of violence leaves Jin and Mae unable to live on their own, the dynamic suddenly changes, and Kyung is compelled to take them in. For the first time in years, the Chos find themselves living under the same roof. Tensions quickly mount as Kyung’s proximity to his parents forces old feelings of guilt and anger to the surface, along with a terrible and persistent question: how can he ever be a good husband, father, and son when he never knew affection as a child?

Comments and questions from attendees:
  • This book is powerful.
  • The complex relationships between family members in an abusive household are expertly described.
  • The mother Mae, as a character, is slowly revealed in the story, which is satisfying and an epiphany.
  • Many attendees were sympathetic to Kyung but also fed up with him - he produced a lot of conflicting feelings throughout the book.
  • Can an abuser really ever stop being an abuser?
  • The ending, oh my that ending!
  • We are still talking about this book today!
Lowest rating: 2.5 stars
Highest rating: 5 stars
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