Kim Jung-hyuk
Dalkey Archive Press
2016
230
Paperback
Short Stories
Xmas Gift
The second short-story collection by Kim Jung-hyuk, the author of Penguin News, features a total of eight short stories, including “Syncopation D” which won the 2nd Kim You-jeong Literary Award in 2008. They represent the many sounds sampled by the author when he recorded over 600 kinds of musical instruments. Like instruments coming together in a symphony, the stories combine to make an opus consisting of variations on a theme. While the stories begin in an upbeat fashion and work to a crescendo, they end with notes in a minor key filling the vacuum. The Library of Musical Instruments is a collection to contemplate on more than one occasion.
The Library of Musical Instruments was a charming collection of short stories. I think my personal favourites were the first and last tales, but all those in between were also enjoyable in their own ways. Many, but not all, had a musical theme, which appealed to me as a music lover, and all offered thoughtful scenarios that stuck with you after you finished each story. I would certainly be keen to read more works by Kim Jung-hyuk in the future as I see from online research that he has also written several interesting-sounding novels. I am giving this collection of stories 4 stars. Recommended for fans of Korean literature and short-form fiction, particularly if you also love music.
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