Greek Lessons, by Han Kang

A sensitive story about two damaged souls.

A woman has become mute after a series of traumatic personal events. Her mother has recently died, and she has lost a custody battle for her son. The woman (who remains unnamed) takes up a course in classical Greek, exploring how language is used in philosophical works by Plato and Socrates. The Greek teacher (also unnamed) is experiencing trauma of his own. He is slowly losing his sight and is sure to go blind. In a series of flashbacks, he ruminates on past relationships, especially one with an ill woman with whom he has become seriously involved. As the Greek lessons progress, the teacher wonders about his silent student, until an accident in a stairwell brings them together.
Han Kang is a South Korean writer, best known to English readers for her 2016 Man Booker International Prize winning novel, The Vegetarian. Greek Lessons (translated by Deborah Smith and Emily Yae Won) is a 2011 novel by Hang, appearing for the first time in English. It is a compelling story, written in a subtle and introspective voice, examining love, death and trauma. An unforgettable novel that is both melancholic and poetic, one that is rewarded by close reading.

Greek Lessons, by Han Kang. Published by Hamish Hamilton. $35

JUNE23