"The Night Watch," by Bora Chung: Karma, scare me

Review A skilled mistress of horror, the Korean writer dissects the harm that humans do to each other, but also to animals. ★★☆☆☆

Korean writer Bora Chung. HYEYOUNG/RIVAGES

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To become a night watchman at the "Research Center," you have to accept its mystery. The job involves walking "corridors that exist or don't exist," never turning around, never speaking to anyone. It's strictly forbidden to open the laboratory doors. You have to ignore strange noises. The worst part is the haunted objects kept there. The Old Woman readily recounts how they drove those who came into contact with them crazy. A silk handkerchief embroidered with a bird motif tore a family apart, a sneaker with a sheep's head traumatized a YouTuber specializing in the paranormal... As for the cat with its neck pierced by a nail, it wanders around the place, asking everyone: "But why did it kill me?" A skilled mistress of terror, Korean Bora Chung dissects the harm that humans do to each other, but also to animals. In her case, evil elements are nothing more than a return of karma.