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frozenheartv's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
5 stars
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
🧠My thoughts
Being a woman shouldn’t be this painful and horrible.
This book is a solid 5 stars for me. I didn’t understand why the book was very simple, the prose was very easy to understand and tried to be light but I cried my eyes out.
đź‘Ť What I like
- Down-to-earth story
- Beautiful and masterful storytelling
- Female POV is portrayed excellently
đź‘Ž What I don't like
- There’s nothing to dislike about this book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Minor: Mental illness
sorkka's review against another edition
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I liked this book because it describes some of the many challenges unique to being a woman. After reading, I feel both vindicated and anxious about how I might raise a family and pursue a career. It was so interesting learning about how hopeless this challenge is for many Korean women. I was not happy that the narrator of the audio book was a man at first, given that it is the story of Jiyoung’s life and has such a feminist sentiment, but at the end of the book it is clear why the narrator is a man, with a plot twist!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Abortion and Sexual harassment
anh_read's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A novel about being a woman in South Korea. However, it is universal story, as women from other countries and cultures suffer under similar situations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny
Moderate: Body shaming, Mental illness, and Gaslighting
Minor: Bullying
koalala1031's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The story doesn't really "resolve" in the end, but the point is to show that patriarchy is a systemic problem that needs a really long term solution, and can only be done in a structural way. Even though the story is set in South Korea, its theme is still universal and relatable to a lot of women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion, Miscarriage, and Misogyny
Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Minor: Alcohol and Body shaming
hoyatine's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Mental illness
euge's review against another edition
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Abortion
cami_chai's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, and Mental illness
Minor: Medical trauma, Stalking, and Pedophilia
crybabybea's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-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
4.0
My first time reading literary fiction, and my first time reading a translated work. I picked this up after reading Flowers of Fire and learning that it was one of the first novels published in South Korea written by a woman, about a woman, critiquing patriarchal society.
Following Kim Jiyoung's story was heartbreaking, and made even more emotional with the understanding that her fictional experience was common, if not milder, than what most women in South Korea experience. The misogyny she faces starts early and gets worse as she ages, and as a reader, all you can do is watch as it compounds upon her and drives her to madness.
I liked how this was written, with an interesting narrator whose identity is only revealed at the end, and for my first piece of literary fiction, I'm really satisfied that I chose this, and it's sparked for me an interest in literary fiction and translated works.
Following Kim Jiyoung's story was heartbreaking, and made even more emotional with the understanding that her fictional experience was common, if not milder, than what most women in South Korea experience. The misogyny she faces starts early and gets worse as she ages, and as a reader, all you can do is watch as it compounds upon her and drives her to madness.
I liked how this was written, with an interesting narrator whose identity is only revealed at the end, and for my first piece of literary fiction, I'm really satisfied that I chose this, and it's sparked for me an interest in literary fiction and translated works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Stalking, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, and Suicide attempt
lizetteratura's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
someone add this book to both the korean literature canon and feminist literature canon
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual harassment, and Sexism
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Miscarriage and Abortion