Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Lemon by Kwon Yeo-sun

31 reviews

headliner's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

2.0

For me it is a confusing book; or I just lost focus and my attention span is nowhere to be found? 

It feels lacking and there is something missing about this book. Imho, the story resolves around the grief left behind, meaning of life as there are some parts that mentioned about it with quotable words, and trauma. Rather to solve the mysteries about the murdering.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Murder

Moderate: Cancer, Ableism, and Rape

inkshadows's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, and Misogyny

Moderate: Kidnapping

Minor: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Infidelity

caroisreading's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

4.25

This is a very quick and haunting read, thought-provoking about classism and its effect on families, their trauma and grief. 

Hae-on is a high schooler and is found murdered. Her case has gone cold. Her defining characteristic is her overwhelming beauty, paired with her vapid personality. We switch from the POVs of her younger sister Da-on, and two of her classmates, who each give us pieces to essentially solve the puzzle. 

There are big leaps in timeline, and undefined switches in POV, which might be confusing, but I really appreciated the effect it gave -- stumbling around in memories, trying to make sense of it all. Without spoilers, I can say Kwon Yeo-Sun beautifully balanced that fine line with the reader, giving us just enough to understand each character's personality, backstory and role in the murder. You're forced to overcome your own prejudice to see clearly what's right in front of you.

Give this a read if you're in the mood for a short book, Korean authors and stories, and darker plots.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Fatphobia, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Grief, Violence, and Chronic illness

tashtasher's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Cancer, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Terminal illness, and Bullying

Minor: Classism

orlagal's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Abandonment, Blood, Cancer, Pregnancy, Murder, Body horror, Death, and Fatphobia

chupacabra2000's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Terminal illness, Kidnapping, Grief, and Medical trauma

breckenthereader's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Ableism, Murder, and Grief

def_ni's review against another edition

emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, and Murder

karimari237's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.5

there’s a moment where Da-on is describing how her sister didn’t understand the burdens that are supposed to come with having a body and that to me was the most heartbreaking part of all, not that she didn’t understand it but that it was one of the most dangerous things she could have done just existing as a girl with a body without shame 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder, Grief, and Kidnapping

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Cancer, Car accident, Grief, Death, Misogyny, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Child death, Classism, Murder, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Mental illness

Moderate: Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Ableism, Body shaming, Blood, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Rape and Pedophilia