A review of 'We Do Not Part' by Han Kang.

 In ‘We Do Not Part,’ Han Kang explores the concepts of distress and hope that intertwine to weave an individual’s life experiences.

Starting with Kyungha, a writer who is constantly tormented by her nightmares induced by her previous writings on violence, the novel proceeds to introduce Inseon, a friend of hers who unfortunately had met with an accident and needed Kyungha to travel to the island she lives and save her beloved pet, Ama. Kyungha complies and begins her journey, she struggles with the frigid weather after reaching the island and we as readers are made to witness her state of mind and trail of thoughts. She then discovers about the tumultuous past of the island related to a massacre. The narration then blurs the lines between imagination and reality and ends abruptly with Kyungha’s imagination of a prolonged interaction with Inseon.

‘We Do Not Part’ focuses on the consequences of severe violence and its impact on the people left behind. It delves into the ugly after-effects of war and the grief of the survivors and how amongst all this, there still is hope and an inherent desire for peace, love, and consonance.