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A Million Miles Away

City of Ash and Red

By Hye-Young Pyun  

17 Oct, 2018

Translation

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Hye-Young Pyun’s 2010 City of Ash and Red is a standalone horror novel. The 2018 translation is by Sora Kim-Russell. 

Although in no way a remarkable worker, the unnamed protagonist is promoted to a post in the head office of his pest extermination company. The office is located in an unfamiliar city, Y, in even more unfamiliar country, C. 

He finds himself a figure of envy for his co-workers. But the loss of his friends (if grudgingly tolerant co-workers can be considered friends) is just another blow, following upon a nasty divorce. He can only hope that the transfer will let him rebuild his life. 

Or perhaps not. Perhaps the transfer is merely the first step in another, even more epic catastrophe. 

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