Book Title: And the River Drags Her Down
Author: Jihyun Yun
Publisher: Oneworld Publications
Number of Pages: 400
ISBN: 978-0593904879
Date Published: Oct. 7, 2025
Price: INR 1,727 / $17.63
Book Review
Jihyun Yun’s debut YA novel “And the River Drags Her Down” weaves Korean folklore into a haunting tale of grief and unintended consequences, where teen Soojin Han breaks ancestral rules to resurrect her drowned sister Mirae using forbidden magic. Set in the misty coastal town of Jade Acre, the story begins with sisterly joy—late-night adventures and reclaimed bonds—but Mirae’s growing hunger and restlessness unleash vengeful chaos, flooding the town with relentless rain and bizarre deaths. Yun’s poetic prose, rich with Korean cultural touches like language and food, builds dread through alternating perspectives and subtle foreshadowing.
The river symbolizes inescapable loss, dragging secrets from Soojin’s family past into the present as Mirae pursues revenge for old wounds. Supernatural horror blends seamlessly with emotional realism, evoking Northern California’s foggy shores while questioning sisterhood’s limits and the cost of defying death. Readers will definitely praise the book for its creepy, heart-wrenching balance, calling it a “beautifully written, grief-filled tale.”
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Perfect for fans of lyrical horror like ‘She Is a Haunting’, it shines in self-reflection and moving-on themes amid a Publishers Weekly Best Book nod. At 400 pages, the slow-burn mystery rewards patience, though some note pacing dips before the eerie climax. Yun’s voice marks her as a bold new talent in speculative YA.
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