Shelter By, Jung Yun

This book packs a slow moving punch that subtly simmers, catching you off guard until you're agasp at what happens next. Its a Thriller,Mystery,Family Drama-all combined.

Kyung Cho and his wife, Gillian are drowning in debt. They have been coasting, robbing Peter to  pay Paul. With the birth of their son Ethan, they are desperate to consolidate their debt by downsizing and selling their home. As the couple shows their house to the Realtor, Kyung looks out the window and sees his mother running towards them battered and nude. So a seemingly innocent scene turns tragic instantaneously. Its a slow simmer of tragedy and redemption? You decide.

Kyung's parents move in with he and his wife because their house is essentially a crime scene. Old wounds resurface finding the Cho family on edge, as they sift through Kyung's painful, abusive childhood. The dynamics of the family are further tested as Kyung observes his parents unwavering love and attention to his son, Ethan. Kyung questions why he was rich in material wealth but did not receive affection and approval from them.

At the heart of this book, lies the tragedy of domestic violence that reverberates throughout a family's legacy. In heartwrenching detail you follow this family, hoping for redemption that never quite            comes. However, there appears to be a glimmer of hope, a thread. In desperation, your convince yourself that there is a spark, which may ignite with the potential for a new beginning.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would classify it as Literary Fiction. The characters are deflty developed and are entrenched in the family drama-that is riveting. Its like watching a train wreck but, you can't look away. I breezed through this book, and I look forward to reading Ms. Yun's next book.