Reviews with content warning for Gaslighting - Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982

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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jazzlibrariansbookcase's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

Interesting red, very different from what I normally go for. Extremely enlightening ideas about how women have been treated in other countries, how they are still seeking equality. It made me rage at points considering how everything happened to Kim through her childhood, how her brother got all the best food, how she was put down by the males in her life. Even as an adult, it was heart breaking to read of her struggles with sexism at work and her motherhood. Quite an interesting read

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clara_dalstein's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

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deadeye's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective tense fast-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

4.0

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rhianonw's review against another edition

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informative reflective sad fast-paced

Strong character development? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

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heartcolored's review against another edition

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informative reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I was actually surprised that Jiyoung's personality disorder that was mentioned at the beginning was not the main focus of the story. Instead, it focuses on the horrible experiences that Jiyoung went through as a woman from childhood to marriage. Even though the setting was in Korea and mostly in the late 1980s, I still related to almost every situation that was mentioned throughout the story. This only proves that the oppression of women is still prevalent even in the modern times. It's also disturbing that the horrible experiences that Jiyoung went through is a universal experience for every woman from the harassment to discrimination at the workplace. I feel like this book should be a required reading for every men out there so they can have a glimpse of how difficult it is to be a woman in a patriarchal society.

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patslibrary's review

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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