gesalauren's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Child death
martinaib's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Lyrical recuperation
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Death, Grief, and Child death
sunflowerwork's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Death
Minor: Violence and War
mathearype's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
5.0
I finished this really quickly in one sitting. The reason I gave this 5 stars is because it simply made me cry. In my opinion, everything that makes you cry is a 5star. If it awokes feelings, it has done its job.
I live in Northern Europe and I could really relate to the long winter nights she spoke about. The despair and loneliness I feel was very much reflected through this book.
My favourite part had to be «언니», since it made me cry.
The novel evidently defies genre and due to its unusual structure, it challenges you to think and make sense of what she really is telling you. To me, it felt like walking through an art gallery. Going through it piece by piece and part by part, not missing any corners. In the sense of feeling trapped in a room and being forced to face new and difficult perspectives and emotions.
Side note: I really love how Han Kang reflects on what it means to be human beings and what connects us to the world as individuals. What do we bring that is different and new? And what is really the point in living? She is definitely one of my favorite writers at this point.
"Black. writing. through. white. paper" (essentially the entire book)
I live in Northern Europe and I could really relate to the long winter nights she spoke about. The despair and loneliness I feel was very much reflected through this book.
My favourite part had to be «언니», since it made me cry.
The novel evidently defies genre and due to its unusual structure, it challenges you to think and make sense of what she really is telling you. To me, it felt like walking through an art gallery. Going through it piece by piece and part by part, not missing any corners. In the sense of feeling trapped in a room and being forced to face new and difficult perspectives and emotions.
Side note: I really love how Han Kang reflects on what it means to be human beings and what connects us to the world as individuals. What do we bring that is different and new? And what is really the point in living? She is definitely one of my favorite writers at this point.
"Black. writing. through. white. paper" (essentially the entire book)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Miscarriage, Death, Grief, Child death, and War
m4rtt4's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Beautiful.
For me, white has always been one of my least favourite colours, one I've considered dull, empty, sterile and soulless. This book not only made me see white, but also hear and taste it — it was so vivid, as it deserves to be. Because after all, if you add up all the colours — the visible wavelengths of light — you get white.
This book made me feel so many things, it submerged me in melancholy and made me yearn for things I already have (been taking for granted) and as I look outside to the soft fall of February snow, I can't quite see it the same as I used to.
For someone who's lived her entire life in Northern Europe, the endlessly dark winters and heaps of snow are so mundane that Kang's protagonist being in awe of them really took me aback. The winters can be (and will be) depressing, yet they also are a home — something to be appreciated, to be missed — and miss them I would, were I ever to set my foot on a foreign soil.
For me, white has always been one of my least favourite colours, one I've considered dull, empty, sterile and soulless. This book not only made me see white, but also hear and taste it — it was so vivid, as it deserves to be. Because after all, if you add up all the colours — the visible wavelengths of light — you get white.
This book made me feel so many things, it submerged me in melancholy and made me yearn for things I already have (been taking for granted) and as I look outside to the soft fall of February snow, I can't quite see it the same as I used to.
For someone who's lived her entire life in Northern Europe, the endlessly dark winters and heaps of snow are so mundane that Kang's protagonist being in awe of them really took me aback. The winters can be (and will be) depressing, yet they also are a home — something to be appreciated, to be missed — and miss them I would, were I ever to set my foot on a foreign soil.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Child death
Minor: Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, War, and Death of parent
taleofclockworks's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
kianga_black's review
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: War, Genocide, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, and Death
readingwithnic's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Minor: Death of parent
itskarla's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Miscarriage, Child death, and Grief
thewordsdevourer's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
a sparse, reflective and quiet collection, the white book, as its title suggests, mulls on various white things, some unconventional or unexpected.
the poems invite the reader to be aware of life's commonalities and small things, and the story abt the author's deceased sister is particularly memorable.
the same, however, cant be said abt many of the others, and their unrelenting quiet and contemplativeness doesnt rly evoke any other emotions fro me while reading, while also requiring the reader to be in a particular headspace to fully enjoy or appreciate this book. it should be a good read if one is though.
the poems invite the reader to be aware of life's commonalities and small things, and the story abt the author's deceased sister is particularly memorable.
the same, however, cant be said abt many of the others, and their unrelenting quiet and contemplativeness doesnt rly evoke any other emotions fro me while reading, while also requiring the reader to be in a particular headspace to fully enjoy or appreciate this book. it should be a good read if one is though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Death and Pregnancy