The Melancholy of Untold History: A Novel

The Melancholy of Untold History: A Novel by Minsoo Kang

There was a lot of potential in this book, but the execution was not quite there. The book has a few parallel interwoven storylines. In the modern times, there is the story of a male history professor and his female protegé. They have a professional relationship and each have great relationships with their significant others. After the professor's wife dies in a helicopter crash, his protegé comforts him and they begin an affair. This seems to get broken off when her boyfriend calls with great remorse to report a minor indiscretion. We learn of the tragic backstories of these four characters as well as the work of the professor. 

He has determined that the "golden era" of history was not as it seemed. In fact, the kingdom was faltering at the time and the leader appeared to perpetrate a grand fraud to make things look good. There is another thread of historical times. We see the grand fraud. There was a great "new city" created. Workers and artisans were recruited from all over the country to work on it. However, instead of the expected visit from the emperor, troops appeared and rounded up and executed everyone involved. Later the emperor is deceived by his consort as to the fidelity of his general. This ends up leading to a the general rebelling and aligning with a queen of another kingdom. The queen's armies end up sneaking away during the heat of conflict and are able to take the empire. Afterwards, the emperor, general, consort and queen meet together and realize that they are another incarnation of the endless cycle of conflict that must be ended through reconciliation if they ever desire peace.

The third thread covers the mythological conflict. Two male and two female deities are having a get together. A naked sky baby appears and asks for some food. They refuse and the baby goes off in a huff. He ends up finding peaches and sharing with a dragon. A peach pit lands and grows a tree. One of the original four finds it and wants it. Another decides he wants it also. A third comes and argues with them. They get mad and continue to argue. Meanwhile the fourth comes, takes the peach and flies of. Finally the other three agree to share it, but it is gone now. They all blame each other and start the big conflict. They later appear in different forms as humans and animals to continue the conflict through history.

The book had interesting exploration of myth and history. The stories felt compelling, but did not quite make it together. The mythology was too vulgar and the modern times felt seemed to be lacking a bit of connection to the past. There was plenty of potential. Perhaps future in-universe books will help realize this potential.