Exhibit; by R.O Kwon Book Review. A relatable, yet uniquely intriguing…

I think one of my new favorite genre is whatever this book is.

Exhibit was weird in all the right ways. The characters are great and the plot is even better.

The Characters

Jin Han is a photographer experiencing a sort of artistic crisis, it seems like she is unsatisfied with her life but afraid to make any drastic changes herself.

She is married to Phillip, a non artistic man who is trying to somewhat pressure Jin into having children. Problem is, they agreed early on in their marriage that they both didn’t want kids and now Phillip has flipped the script.

This dilemma adds to Jin’s turmoil. She doesn’t want to change her mind but she also doesn’t want to lose her marriage.

Enter in Lidija, an exotic and strange new friend who is a ballerina. She too is also in similar artistic phase as Jin, dealing with a leg injury.

They both embark on a new friendship that hints at unspoken desire for each other and a yearning to impress the other.

The Plot

Starting at the beginning, Jin meets Lidija at a party. They are both Asian women in relationships with white men.

Lidija’s relationships are less serious, while Jin loves her husband.

However, their marriage is on a rocky road. Phillip has backtracked on their mutual agreement to not have children; they have friends who have started having kids and Phillip has changed his mind. Jin is unwilling to bend to his shameless pressuring, leading them into awkward silences and misunderstanding.

Enter this new mysterious friend, Lidija who presents an escape from Jin’s current reality.

Their friendship starts out as suggestive and becomes more intimate, and even steamy as the story progresses.

Final Thoughts

This book was odd, but not ina bad way. The story was unique, following a creative who has lost her way. Jin struggles to grasp onto anything to inspire her and takes the blame for projections from people around her.

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