And the River Drags Her Down coming October 7th, 2025 from Knopf Books for Young Readers; 400 pages
Content Warning: Death of a sibling and parent, parentification, violence against humans and animals, gore, body horror
About the Author: “Jihyun Yun (she/her) is a Korean American writer from the San Francisco Bay Area. A winner of the Prairie Schooner Book Prize, her full length poetry collection SOME ARE ALWAYS HUNGRY was published by The University of Nebraska Press in September 2020. Her debut young adult novel AND THE RIVER DRAGS HER DOWN is forthcoming with Knopf BFYR/ Penguin Random House (US) and Rock The Boat/ OneWorld (UK) in fall, 2025. A recipient of various grants and fellowships, she received her BA in Psychology from UC Davis, and her MFA from New York University. Originally from California, she now resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Jihyun is represented by Serene Hakim and Annie Hwang at Ayesha Pande Literary” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Jihyun Yun on the following platforms:
Seventeen-year-old Soojin Han has only one goal: bring her sister back to life. Since Mirae’s mysterious drowning in the Black Pine River of their small coastal town, Soojin’s world has collapsed, Soojin feeling unable to navigate life without her sister. With her mother gone and her father drowning in grief, the weight of becoming an eldest daughter falls heavy on her shoulders. Desperation drives her to experiment with the family’s forbidden legacy of necromancy. What once resurrected rats now surges through her veins with a terrifying power—and, against all odds, Mirae breathes again. At first, the reunion is everything Soojin dreamed of, but soon Mirae grows restless, unwilling to remain in hiding from the rest of the world, and she becomes hungry for revenge. Soojin soon realizes the girl who she used to call her sister is nothing like the one she resurrected. Soojin must learn to let go, before it is too late.
I had been craving something supernatural, and this book delivered in every way. Not only was it
a beautifully crafted slow-burn horror mystery, but it also left me in tears. The story brims with eerie, gothic elements, dark magic, haunting prose, and an atmosphere so chilling I almost couldn’t read it at night (though I couldn’t bring myself to stop). This is more than a spooky story: it’s a gut-wrenching tale between two sisters, layered with grief and emotional complexity. Soojin, in particular, felt so beautifully human—flawed and vulnerable. I loved seeing the Korean representation woven seamlessly into her story, from family traditions to cultural details, and the ancestral magic was a highlight. The small-town setting, especially the family-owned bed-and-breakfast, added a cozy and grounding charm that made the supernatural vibes all the more striking. Admittedly, the pacing was a little slow and the body horror was intense which might put some readers off, but I was so emotionally invested that it didn’t matter to me. Though the premise of resurrection isn’t new, Yun’s take on it felt both original and devastatingly tragic. The story reminded me of Practical Magic in its balance of whimsy, darkness, and family bonds. This book is a perfect fit for anyone who enjoys horror, magical realism, or stories of grief and sisterhood—or simply wants a book that will make you cry your eyes out in the best way possible.
And the River Drags Her Down releases on October 7th, 2025.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for
sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced
copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Anasofia Alejandro, Pine Reads Review Writer