Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo

32 reviews

robyn1998's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I was blown away by this. It was eye-opening, infuriating, depressing, and intensely relatable at times. I've been reading a lot of South Korean literature this year and this informative stance really helps to contextualise a lot of situations I've read about. It's troubling to know that women experience similar issues in South Korea as in Britain but, seemingly, to a larger degree, especially when it comes to workers' rights and childcare. The empathetic look the author took to Ji-Young's experiences of harassment and inequality was very validating as well. I try not to think of how many of us as women have experienced sexual assault or threats as the scale is depressingly vast. I don't even know if I would want to read any more of Cho Nam-Ju's work as it seems to largely centre around those issues and it's just too upsetting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

zgreyz's review against another edition

reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Sexual assault, Grief, Gaslighting, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, and Classism

shwoffy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism

Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

bethancy's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A social commentary through the biography of Kim Jiyoung. This book was informative and thought-provoking, and would make a great book club pick. Dark at times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Miscarriage, and Misogyny

Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Alcohol and Body shaming

guacamolejoe's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Damn man. This book left my chest feeling so heavy. Not excited to be a working mom one day 😩

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

flaminghotchertos's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Rape, Pregnancy, Stalking, Sexual content, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Bullying, Alcohol, Infertility, Pedophilia, and Miscarriage

tatjanasbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Miscarriage

tigerkind's review against another edition

informative sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Sexism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Sexual violence, Medical content, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, and Sexual assault

Minor: Stalking, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, and Fatphobia

claudiamacpherson's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism and Misogyny

Minor: Vomit, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, and Bullying

laurareads87's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 lives up to the author's intentions to write a work that sparks conversation about Korean women's experiences with sexism and misogyny at home, in school, and at work.  The book felt simultaneously very familiar and very infuriating -- I cannot say that I was surprised by the protagonist's experiences as many of them are not dissimilar to my own, yet finishing it I find myself affected nonetheless.  The author captures misogyny in all of its everydayness: its manifestations in relationships between partners, strangers, colleagues, the excuses men make to dismiss its existence, and its reproduction by even those who consider themselves progressive.  The incorporation of a few footnoted statistics (about gender and employment, wage gaps, etc. in Korea) is highly effective and, I think, is valuable context, particularly for non-Korean readers.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Medical trauma, Bullying, Body shaming, Mental illness, and Medical content

Minor: Abortion and Miscarriage