The Forest Of Stolen Girls by June Hur | Audiobook Review

I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Suspenseful and richly atmospheric, June Hur's The Forest of Stolen Girls is a haunting historical mystery sure to keep readers guessing until the last page.1426, Joseon (Korea). Hwani's family has never been the same since she and her younger sister went missing and were later found unconscious in the forest near a gruesome crime scene.
Years later, Detective Min—Hwani's father—learns that thirteen girls have recently disappeared from the same forest that nearly stole his daughters. He travels to their hometown on the island of Jeju to investigate... only to vanish as well.
Determined to find her father and solve the case that tore their family apart, Hwani returns home to pick up the trail. As she digs into the secrets of the small village—and collides with her now estranged sister, Maewol—Hwani comes to realize that the answer could lie within her own buried memories of what happened in the forest all those years ago.
Praise for The Forest of Stolen Girls:
Junior Library Guild Selection"The Forest of Stolen Girls is a haunting, breathtaking tale that will have readers on the edge of their seats. ... Hur is an absolute master of mystery, and I will be reading her gorgeous books for years to come." —Adalyn Grace, New York Times-bestselling author of All the Stars and Teeth
"Rich, exquisite, and deeply atmospheric, The Forest of Stolen Girls draws the reader in from the very first page and doesn't let go. A dark and utterly engrossing mystery, beautifully drawn from start to finish." —Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times-bestselling author of Girl in Pieces
"Haunting and lyrical. Beware, this tale will draw you deeper into the forest than you want to go." —Stacey Lee, award-winning author of The Downstairs Girl
"A brilliant historical fiction mystery that is suspenseful, gorgeous and absolutely riveting! Hur brings Jeju Island during the early Joseon period completely to life in a rich, evocative manner that reminds me of watching my favorite historical Kdrama.” —Ellen Oh, author of the Prophecy series

Why Did I Listen To The Forest Of Stolen Girls by June Hur?

The Forest Of Stolen Girls by June Hur was a book that I absolutely HAD to read. After all, I thought The Silence Of Bones – Hur’s debut – was excellent. As for why I went for the audiobook version, the reasoning wasn’t that deep. It was on Volumes and I wanted to get to the book sooner rather than later. And so, with a bit of spare time and some chores to do, I started listening.

What’s The Story Here?

June Hur’s The Forest Of Stolen Girls follows Hwani as she investigates what happened to her father who went missing. You see, her father was investigating this case where thirteen girls had gone missing under pretty similar circumstances. So, it seems a little bit shady that he would go missing as well. As it turns out, Hwani’s past isn’t exactly without issue. Several years ago, Hwani and her younger sister went missing and they were found with no memory of the incident by a scary crime scene. All they remember is that the kidnapper wore a white mask. And so, this story is about how Hwani reconnects with her little sister but also the connection between the missing girls and what happened to her as a young girl.

How Did I Like The Forest of Stolen Girls?

I find myself wishing that I had read the physical book of The Forest Of Stolen Girls rather than listen to it. I feel like I did not retain much of this book. However, the setting is fantastic and unique. It is set in Korea during the 1400s. Hur is writing what no other author is. Thrillers/mysteries set in historical Korea. I for one love how different it is. I like that I am not getting the same book over and over again with Hur. Her writing flows really well and provides such a sense of time and place.

How’s The Narration?

The audiobook is narrated by Sue Jean Kim and is 10 hours and 7 minutes long. Sue Jean Kim is a new to me narrator and I actually liked her narration style quite a bit. This is a book that I listened to at varying speeds – 1.5x to 2x. It was a decent enough listen while getting things done around the house and driving my kiddo to daycare. However, I did not absorb as much of it as I would have liked to. So, if I do end up re-reading, it will not be via audio.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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