A review: Greek Lessons, 희랍어 시간, Han Kang
How I review books;
Top notes - a first impression. A practical summary of everything you need to know including a completely biased view on how much I liked the cover.
Middle notes - the foundation. Readability / structure and characters.
Base notes - the impression. Interpretation and everything else.
Top notes:
21 chapters, 148 pages (I am also counting the very final, un-numbered page).
Author Han Kang. First published in Great Britain by Hamish Hamilton 2023. Published in Penguin Books 2024. Translated by Deborah Smith and E. Yaewon from Korean.
I started writing my review after finishing Greek Lessons for the first time in April 2024. I am finishing this review having read the book for a second time, in November 2024. I have never read a book twice in one year - that is how much I enjoyed this book.
I did a little research into the symbolism of the cover as the shape reminded me of the pattern that I find synonymous with Greece. The Greek key, fret and meander are all names use to describe this shape (link to Wikipedia) - usually intertwined the meander symbolises unity and infinity, two hands holding each other. The cover of my copy of Greek Lessons has, what looks like a meander, but there is no overlap. There are two very distinct lines which almost meet in the middle. If that was the intention with this cover - then I can not imagine a more perfect depiction as a pictorial summary of this book and our two narrators.
Middle notes:
The power of language.
This is the story of an Ancient Greek lecturer who is losing his sight and a woman who has lost her speech. Their stories unfold, cross over and combine.
Han Kang creates juxtaposition, putting beautifully detailed descriptions into some scenes whilst leaving other parts of writing completely unexplored, scenes or reflections only briefly mentioned.
“In that place where both light and voice were absent.”
The chapters are split between The Lecturer (first person point of view) and The Woman (third person point of view).
The themes that stood out to me the most were:
Time
Regret
Language
Expression
Being alone
Loss
Connection
Acceptance
Grief
Light and dark
The past.
Base notes:
The use of language in this book, and in fact anything Han Kang writes is outstanding. On my first read, I will admit to you that I found some bits of the story hard to understand. All this meant was that I was still surprised by something new when I read the book for the second time.
I am trying my best to not give anything away whilst also telling you what I thought of this book. I can’t promise that there are not any spoilers, but I can promise you that I tried my best.
The narrators remain unnamed throughout the book referred to as ‘The Lecturer’ and ‘The Woman’. As their stories unfold they have many similarities which are contrasted with their stark differences.
Whilst the core of the story is set in Seoul, their stories and individual memories take us on a journey through time and place.
The Woman - 36 years old, lost her speech and attends Ancient Greek lessons. She is learning Ancient Greek to reclaim language within her control, of her own volition. She is divorced, lost custody of her son and recently lost her mother. Descriptors around her are; dark, night time, solitary. Not only is the world around her described in this way but also how she perceives the world. Her loss of speech feels like something that has happened to her, an external force that she has no control over.
“Unlike before, the silence that has now returned after a period of twenty years is neither warm, nor dense, nor bright. If that original silence had been similar to that which exists before birth, this new silence is more like that which follows death.”
The Lecturer - approaching 40 years old is a lecturer in Ancient Greek and the lecturer of the class that The Woman attends. He is losing his sight. He lives alone in Seoul. His world is described through light. We learn of his past love and regrets.
“Why had I been such a fool when it came to loving you? My love for you wasn’t foolish but I was; had my own innate foolishness made love itself foolish?... Or is it that I myself wasn’t all that foolish but love’s inherent foolishness awakened any foolishness latent in me and eventually smashed everything to pieces.”
The Lecturer and The Woman eventually find each other as their stories come together subtly and unravel.
If you want to read something unlike anything you have read before - a book of beauty and subtlety - I recommend this book. My conclusion is - just read this book and then read it again… I will leave you with two of my favourite quotes:
“It was around that time that I realized for the first time that falling in love is like being haunted... You haunted me more persistently than I imagined any ghost ever could.”
“Words and sentences track her like ghosts, at a remove from her body, but never near enough to be within ear- and eyeshot.”
Ms ASK