Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo

139 reviews

miaaa_lenaaa's review

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emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Still a 5 star slay

‘The world wants our uterus to be drug-free. Like sacred grounds in a virgin forest.'

‘The girls stowed away repulsive, frightening experiences with males deep in their hearts without even realising it.’

'The world had changed a great deal, but the little rules, contracts and customs had not, which meant the world hadn't actually changed at all’

‘Do laws and institutions change values, or do values change laws and institutions?’

‘People who pop a painkiller at the smallest hint of a migraine, or who need anaesthetic cream to remove a mole, demand that women giving birth should gladly endure the pain, exhaustion and mortal fear.’

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directorpurry's review against another edition

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

4.0


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kathshiroma's review against another edition

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5.0


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isabelvegga's review against another edition

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informative reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.5


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shwoffy's review against another edition

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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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hoyatine's review against another edition

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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


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crybabybea's review against another edition

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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.

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eviltwin92's review against another edition

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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


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lemonyanne's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective 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? Yes

3.75

Great piece of feminist semi-autobiographical work that has clearly been a huge influence in Korean thought towards women, work and motherhood

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meshuganush's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I found this book to be a really good depiction of the rampant and pervasive sexism in everyday life and actions that women have to put up with, deal with and make excuses for. It was really well done and as a compliment to the book and meant in the best possible way the word I can beat use for describing this book is demoralizing.

Possible spoiler:
The ending was absolutely heart wrenching and did and excellent job of amplifying the message of the book.

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