Monika Kim's debut book did such a number on me when I read it, that I knew whatever she wrote next would be stunning. Molka does not disappoint.
Molka is a South Korean term that refers to hidden cameras. Often these hidden cameras are used for perverse purposes, from public restrooms or sexual activities where the other partner is unaware they are being filmed. As someone who is a long time k-pop fan and saw Burning Sun unfold, I was familiar with certain aspects of this book.
Molka, the book, is a peek into these voyeur tendencies told from two POVs. The book opens with Junyoung, an IT tech who spikes on the women's restrooms using Molka. This sets the tone for the remainder of the book. I felt slimy and angry anytime we were reading for his POV. The other view point we get is Dahye, an office worker who is dating a chaebol (the son of a corporate company). Dahye is a victim of the use of molka in two ways and her story made me SO mad. There is also a supernatural element that, for me, really tied the book together.
Like 'Eyes,' this book is just as much of a social commentary as it is a horror book. Women everywhere can relate to the how men treat women in this book. How behind doors, men you've trusted, thought better of, etc may not be who they present. That even when women fight back, they are not treated on the same level as their male counterpart and are often punished. In our day and age, this book carries so much weight and that's what I really love about it.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing, Netgalley and Monika Kim for an eARC. All thoughts are honest and my own.