Like Ryu Murakami's AUDITION, Hye-Young Pyun's THE HOLE both frustrates and intrigues, holding its true darkness for the climax, and disguising its true intent in the horror of the mundane and the apparently inconsequential. But if you can find the horror between the moments, and realise that is not a grand guignol thriller but rather a slow march of dread and uncertainty, then there is a lot to like in this short, deceptively simple narrative that digs deeper the hole at the heart of our connections, our families, our very perceptions of who we are.

Oghi is paralysed from a car crash that killed his wife and left him unable to do anything except, it seems, blink. He is barely aware of his own body, and at the mercy of doctors and nurses who either feed him platitudes or talk like he isn't even there. And then, when he starts to move his left hand -- slowly, surely -- he is allowed into the care of his only real relative -- his mother in law. But his wife had always had a fraught relationship with her mother, and as Oghi is left entirely in her care, he begins to realise why as he becomes entirely dependant on a woman who may not have his own -- or her own -- best interests at heart.

This isn't horror in its essential sense, but rather it is more a novel of dread and our fear of helplessness. Comparisons to King's Misery will undoubtedly follow, but this is far more subtle and leaves the reader with a lingering sense of uncertainty as to what truly happened by the end of the book. It will, I think, appeal more to a literary crowd than a pure horror crowd, but those who engage with it -- as I did -- will find it a fast, rewarding read with moments evoke that genuine fear of being utterly dependant on someone who you are never sure you can fully trust...

Oghi experiences a horrifying situation and gradually, we learn more about his past.
A short thriller with some disturbing parts.
Plot, craft, tone were all 3 solid stars for me.
I can see why this is well liked.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a copy of The Hole.

This was completely different to my usual reads and overall I really enjoyed it and the shortness really worked with the more psychological horrors that are explored.

This isn’t a typical horror as it is very slow burn and many of the horror aspects are more subtle and focuses on fears that many people have and I didn’t really find it creepy until towards the end.

The symbolism and the unravelling of the mother in law and Oghi’s wife was excellent and really added another layer to the story that could be easily missed.

It’s well worth reflecting on this book and doing some research after reading to get the most out of it and to identify some of the subtleties that may have been missed.

The Hole by Hye-Young Pyun is a dark and unsettling psychological thriller that delves into grief, guilt, and isolation. The novel’s premise is intriguing, following a man who, after a tragic car accident, finds himself paralyzed and entirely dependent on his mother-in-law—whose behavior grows increasingly disturbing. Pyun’s writing is tense and atmospheric, creating a sense of dread that lingers throughout.

While the novel effectively captures the claustrophobic horror of helplessness, the slow pacing and repetitive internal monologues can make the story feel drawn out. The tension builds gradually, but some readers may find the progression too subdued. The psychological depth is compelling, though the story often feels more like a character study than a fully realized thriller.

The ending is chilling and memorable, but the journey there feels uneven. The Hole is an unsettling exploration of isolation and despair, but its slow pace and ambiguity may not suit all tastes. A solid 3-star read for fans of psychological horror with a literary edge.

The Hole is a very bleak psychological thriller about awful people doing awful things. The story, in a way, is one huge metaphor for grief. At first I felt bad for the main character, who couldn’t do much for himself except move his left hand some, and how he was treated but as the story progressed you find out he isn’t actually a nice guy. But, does that mean he deserved what has happened to him and what he is put through? This book made me think, made me cringe and kept me questioning throughout..

I think maybe I missed something here, because I just found this book very very slow, and not all that interesting.
It was short, so I continued on.
It's not a bad book, it just doesn't deliver on the promise of the blurb.
I was waiting a long time for tension....