This story follows Soojin who is battling with grief following the deaths of both her sister and her mom.
Her family have the power of resurrection, but her mother always highlighted the importance of never resurrecting anything big. So when Soojin is having a particularly bad day and decides to resurrect her sister, things are not what they seem.

The plot of this story was really interesting and I enjoyed the discussions about grief. I can see this book working for many people, but it was too slow for my tastes. I believe that may have been the intention, but it left me getting distracted from reading so I couldn’t fully immerse myself.

This is not a typical tale of resurrection. It is tender and unsettling, a slow-burning narrative steeped in longing—for connection, for answers, for a chance to rewrite what has been lost.

Soojin’s story unfolds like a melancholic lullaby—gentle, rhythmic, but edged with sharp, breathless turns. After the mysterious drowning of her sister Mirae, Soojin turns to the one forbidden act in her family’s necromantic legacy: attempting to bring a human back. Of course she cannot let go. Her grief is not quiet. It is a weight she carries through silence, secrecy, and the ache of inherited sorrow.

And when Mirae returns, she is no longer the sister Soojin once knew.

What sets this novel apart is the emotional depth beneath the supernatural elements. The horror is real, but it is intimately tied to love, regret, and the fragile bond between two sisters. The atmosphere is rich and immersive—a rain-drenched coastal town, a family-run B&B filled with memories and ancestral shadows—and the narrative is saturated with Korean cultural influences that feel both specific and universal. The exploration of racism and isolation in a small American town is woven with care, never didactic, always grounded.

The pacing is intentional and unhurried. It will not suit every reader, but I found its quiet momentum deeply effective. Rather than relying on conventional scares, the novel builds a creeping unease that lingers long after the final page. The writing is exquisite—lush, evocative, and layered with imagery that lingers like fog.

Supporting characters, particularly Soojin’s father and her friend Mark, add texture to the narrative. While I would have welcomed more insight into Mirae’s perspective, the shifting points of view keep the emotional stakes high and the tension taut.

And the River Drags Her Down is a beautifully crafted novel that balances horror and heartbreak with striking elegance.

Excuse me while I SCREAM.
I loved this book so much, its heavier on topics but is so respectful in the way its handled.

Thank you so much to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the advanced copy of And the River Drags Her Down by Jihyun Yun.

First and foremost, for everyone planning to read this book, I highly advise checking the content warnings beforehand. It deals heavily with themes such as grief and can be quite sensitive for some audiences.

The writing is absolutely beautiful. I felt it conveyed all the emotions the author intended – there is a quiet, haunting atmosphere to the prose that lingers with you long after reading. The story follows 2 sisters and is inspired by Korean folklore.

I believe this will be a really good read for the autumn season.

Very dark and emotional, slow to medium paced read. It was a good book and I found it to be well written.

** ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75**

Thank you oneworld publications and netgalley for the ARC.

I kind of went into this a little blind to get the full effect of the vibes - and I was not disappointed.
The prose were dark and atmospheric and the story was haunting and beautiful. This was such an interesting and different YA horror experience. It was truly atmospheric in the way the story was built. I also really did enjoy the different "POV's" and the overlap between each perspective of the same events.
Great story and really beautifully written, 100% recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and Oneworld Publications for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book well and truly tore my soul to pieces.

It was such a gorgeous and grotesque explosion of grief, love and the bonds we have that go beyond the realm of the natural course of life.

This is a story that will stay with me for a very long time, and I cannot wait for more readers to experience it!

Please read this once it comes out, I promise you won't regret it!

I never read horror - but as soon as i read the synopsis for this i was intrigued. the story was heartbreaking - focusing on loss and grief, and friendship - the characters in this felt so relatable in their feelings and the lengths they were willing to go to to feel okay again. the atmosphere that was portrayed in the town was so eerie with creepy - it was exactly what i was hoping for.
3.5 stars!

It’s difficult write what I think about this book.
I never had a sister, someone to grow with and experience childhood together. I always missed that, but this book gave me a way to imagine how it would have been.

Soojin and Mirae were such stunning and complex that it’s hard to descrive them. It’s easy to understand their rage and their sadness.
Grief it’s the character that haunts the narrative here. It’s so strong it could be an actual character, conditioning actions and thoughts.

The writing was something of another planet: so vivid, capanne of drown you in their feelings and transport in time and space like Mirae can do.
It’s poetic how the author is a able to show things and emotions in a way you can actually feel everything, the rage and the grief and the hope.

I advise attention in reading it if you don’t stomach animal gore and death. That trubled me, in the arc I did not find the tw.

Check for the Instagram post on my profile!
https://www.instagram.com/mrs.brekker_?igsh=cDl4bzZzM2pvNGN5&utm_source=qr

And the River Drags Her Down is a dark, lyrical novel that blends familial love, cultural memory, and creeping dread into something both intimate and unsettling. It’s a story that lingers, told with care and precision, and driven by a quiet but potent emotional core.

At its centre is Soojin, a seventeen-year-old Korean-American girl grappling with the sudden drowning of her older sister Mirae. The two sisters share an unusual inherited gift—the ability to reanimate the dead, though only in small doses. The rule is clear: never bring back anything larger than you can hold in your hands. Soojin breaks this rule. The consequences, as expected, are slow-burning and devastating.

I appreciated the cultural specificity woven throughout the novel. The portrayal of Korean food, family dynamics, and intergenerational tradition felt grounded and rich without ever slipping into exposition. There’s a tension between the family’s heritage and their life in a small American coastal town that adds depth to Soojin’s feelings of isolation—already magnified by grief and the weight of her secret.

The horror itself leans toward the psychological and the uncanny. There's body horror too, used sparingly but to great effect. The unease builds steadily, and the writing style fits it well—poetic without being overwrought, often carrying real emotional weight. The image of Soojin’s sister returning from the water and the way that water becomes a medium of communication and threat is one of the book’s strongest and most memorable elements.

Not everything worked perfectly for me. One of the secondary characters, a wealthy local boy, felt a little thinly drawn and somewhat clichéd, and the pacing dipped slightly midway through. But those are minor quibbles in what is otherwise a moving and original take on grief, identity, and the cost of refusing to let go.

This book was a grand display of deep sadness and grief, the crucial question of whether sisterhood was as bold and unbreakable after passing through death.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is the YA horror I’ve been waiting for, giving a modern Korean pets cemetery vibe, of some things should stay dead.
Anywhere there’s female rage immediately sign me up.
This book has magic, sisterhood, female rage, revenge,, resurrection, & supernatural elements.

Be sure to check out the trigger warnings!

(I received this book from the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
And the River Drags Her Down is a hypnotic and tragic tale of grief, a masterfully written story about loss and the things that one would do in order to get back a piece of themselves.
If one had the power to bring back the dead, that is.
With a very ‘Pet Sematary-esque’ central idea, Soojin’s journey is not for those readers who are trying to evade reality, for it is a story that will definitely leave you heartbroken. Seventeen years old, our main character is trying to mourn her older sister’s passing but keeps getting entangled in the same loop: Why not break all the rules she knows about her family’s gift and just simply bring her back? It may be a selfish decision, a dangerous one, but authors Jihyun Yun’s writing style is so evocative that it is impossible not to feel for her, to understand her.
The author does not shy away when things get ugly and horror makes its appearance, either, which makes this both a fascinating reading and an eerie one, where every little decision may cause irreparable damage and an ancestral power could very easily end up being a curse.

Let me open with this, wow. It’s not often I have absolutely nothing negative to say about a book, or anything really let’s be real, but it happened with this book. It’s an eerie, dark tale of grief, growth despite generational trauma and sisterly love inspired by a story from Korean Folklore. (I’d suggest you check trigger warnings before reading it btw).

I need to gush over the writing first because it was my favourite part, it wasn’t only beautiful but did such an amazing job at dragging you into the girl’s little town and its dreary atmosphere. The flowery language was perfect and matched the story so well.

We mostly follow Soojin and her attempts at dealing with all her grief and fears. She’s a 17 year-old korean girl in a practically all white town trying to piece herself back together after losing her sister who kept the family afloat after their mom’s passing. She is broken, scared, alone and yet so strong. Mirae deals with her fair share of issues too, ones that we uncover with her that are mostly unrelated to the whole zombie thing. I also need to mention Mark who helps Soojin as much as he can with the whole haunting, I love him he’s so cute. And Milkis the rat who keeps them company through everything. They all felt so real, they are broken and imperfect and just trying their best.

Overall, as you can tell, I loved this book, it handled all those heavy themes so well and with just enough hopefulness. I would (obviously) highly recommend picking it up when it comes out. And for those who hesitate because they aren’t big on horror this might be the perfect gateway, even me, the greatest weenie, had a pretty good time!

And the River Drags Her Down by Jihyun Yun is a haunting, lyrical masterpiece that flows with grief, memory, and ancestral weight. Yun’s prose is both poetic and razor-sharp, pulling readers into a world where myth and trauma intertwine. Every sentence feels intentional—beautiful and devastating in equal measure.

The novel explores generational pain and identity with unflinching honesty, told through a voice that is as vulnerable as it is powerful. The characters feel deeply lived-in, their emotions and choices echoing long after the final page. Yun balances quiet moments with waves of emotional intensity, creating a rhythm that feels immersive and natural.

The conclusion is both tender and brutal, tying together themes of loss and resilience in a way that lingers. And the River Drags Her Down is a stunning, unforgettable debut—an easy 5-star read for those who appreciate literary fiction that isn’t afraid to cut deep.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.25 stars.

I loved this story, it was eerie and haunting with an atmosphere that carried over into every chapter. I liked the family history woven into every aspect of our characters lives, it seemed like a burden and a blessing. This book explores death, grief and magic in a unique and dark way, but the conclusion truly touched me, it was just so satisfying.

I will be recommending everyone reads this!

What a beautiful, albeit heartbreaking, story of love and grief. Soojin’s grief was palpable throughout, leaving an aching feeling in my chest. At times I struggled to read this because grief was so well brought to life, but it was able to bring some temporary comfort and relief. Perfect handling of such a difficult topic, managing to show the importance of grief and acceptance after loss.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! I’ve had this on my radar since it was announced and I’m extremely pleased to say that it absolutely lived up to hype for me

The prose is beautiful and exceptionally well written, the author is skilled enough to juggle heavy topics with tact but succeeds in conveying the grief and horror depicted at times. The characters all feel realistic and relatable. The horror elements were done well and walked the very delicate line of being creepy without becoming too heavy handed.

I loved my time with this and devoured it in a couple of days. I’d potentially check trigger warnings before diving in as it deals with some difficult subject matter. Easy 5 stars from me and I’ve already pre-ordered my copy!

And the River Drags Her Down by Jihyun Yun is a masterpiece! I loved every detail about this book. So well written, the characters were perfectly put together. I totally recommend it.

This was really unique, I loved the story and the characters both were really unique and exciting. I did find it to be really slow in parts which I really had to push through, but the story itself was still worth that.