The Good Son establishes its central mystery from the first pages, with the cracking first line “The smell of blood woke me”. From there on in it’s quickly apparent that this “who-and-why-dunnit” is a tense, cold, calculating and unpleasant study (that’s absolutely a good thing in this context).
Yu-jin, the lead character, is initially something of a blank canvas, but slowly and steadily information is drip-fed about what has happened both over the last 24hrs and over the course of his life. Slowly and steadily is key - this isn’t a fast-paced thriller and is all the better for it.

This is a very strange book with an odd choice of topic. A psychopathic youth whose mother and aunt conspire to pretend he is epileptic is overwhelmed by maternal watchfulness of his every move. It is eventually a murder story if the reader hangs in that long. It is undoubtedly well written but many will find the theme a bit odd.

South Korean literature has been slowly finding its way in translation. The Good Son, is the first English translation of You-Jeong Jeong's and sits very snuggly in the mainstream psychologica thriller realm. It has everything readers are looking for in the genre – a twisty tale, an unreliable, then too reliable narrator and plenty of violence.

The Good Son opens in a clichéd enough way. The protagonist wakes in his bedroom covered in dried blood. He has gone off his medication a few days before and has only flashes of memory of the previous night, certainly not enough to explain his bloody state. When he finally leaves his room he finds his mother, dead in the kitchen downstairs. And just when the reader starts to get comfortable, with some idea where this is going, his memory returns and the narrative goes in a completely different (and much darker) direction.

Yu-jin is not an easy character to spend time with. It is tempting to try and be compassionate but once his memory starts returning this becomes more and more difficult. At this point the twists, which are based within his behaviour and memories start to become a little more predictable. And there needs to be a little too much contrivance and irrational behaviour from some of those around him (who should probably know better) to really make the story stick.

Aside from all of the psychotic styling, there is a deeper investigation about the way parents and the medical system work together to manage the behaviour of children through medication. And while this story is a bit of an extreme example of that trend it does raise some interesting ethical issues. But what this book does best is demonstrate Jeong's confident narrative voice, bringing to life and making interesting a character that readers would not want to encounter in real life.

For a thriller this is a very slow burner It is told in a very subtle way. If you are used to having your thrillers dished up on a plate and then washed up for you. I think you will be very disappointed!! But if you don't mind working at the book you will be pleasantly surprised. 

The narrator Yu-jin doesn't give much away you have to be patient while you are told what has happened to his mother through a series of  flash backs.   The further you get into this novel  the more you are taken on a a dark and sinister path. Which was terrifying.

I would recommend this book for those who like a slow paced thriller which is nearly as good as the Woman in the Window 

This book was sent to me from the publisher in exchange for an honest review 

3 out of 5 stars

Despite this being hailed as a thriller, I found this very very slow. It burns like one of the never ending candles but suddenly there’s a spark and light is shone on all what you’ve just read. The journey there however will be difficult for some as it’s one internal monologue after another as a man wakes up from a heavy night  (yawn) to find himself covered in blood and his mother lying at the bottom of the stairs and he starts to examine what happened and if he did it.

What is good about this novel however is that because it’s set in Korea, there’s an added element of shame, family relationships and the wonder of where this will all lead in the justice system. The city of Seoul remains in the background for this is a character study above all else and it gets darker the more you read.

The writing is sparse and jolts you in and out of its prose but if you stick with this. there’s a twist that, well, I didn’t see coming. This is a unique read, a chilling read being in the head of someone on so many meds and having to work out if he’s killed his mother. Disturbing. Not your usual kind of thriller that’s for sure!

Korea’s answer to Stephen King? Maybe to King’s crappier novels but certainly nowhere near his best!



Slow narrative with a fairly humdrum mystery at its core. Didn’t really care to find out whodunit or whydunit, didn’t think much of the protagonist or the victim and the writing style was only slightly above amateurish.



Definitely not a thrilling read.

Quite the story, taking place over several hours of confusion, despair, anger and ..
Very interesting read

The Good Son is a novel that rewards it’s readers – a slow burner of a tale, creepy as you like, based around one single character – Yu-jin – who wakes up one morning and finds himself covered in blood and his Mother dead downstairs…but did he kill her? Well that is the question….

Yu-jin has his problems. Epileptic, frequently off his meds, suffering from fugue states, he explores his memory, his past and his present trying to discover his truth. His story gets ever darker and more chilling…the further you read into this the creepier it gets, the prose is tight, controlled and ultimately quite scary, this is a brilliantly observant character study that keeps you on your toes.

The Good Son is subtle in its twisty nature, this is not a novel with a sudden hit of reveal, it is a meander to judgment along an ever darker path, as such it is cleverly nuanced, this was not a story that I pegged the ending of early. In fact it is slippery, hard to grasp onto and somewhat ingenious.

It won’t be for everyone that’s for sure. Early on you wonder if you can stick with Yu-jin but I recommend you do. This is a different kettle of fish – a beautifully done “did he do it” novel that will stick with you long after finishing it.

Recommended.