Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Old Woman with the Knife by Gu Byeong-mo

5 reviews

gracey3000's review

dark mysterious tense 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

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death

james1star's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

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

3.5

Overall, this was an intriguing fast paced read and one I would generally recommend. We follow an ageing sixty-five year old assassin - or ‘disease control operative’ - Hornclaw who lives with her rescue dog Deadweight and approaching the end of her working life. But it’s difficult for an assassin because in some ways killing is like her fix but clearly the boss and a fellow operative Bullfight want her to retire. Hornclaw was very skilled in her prime but makes a slip up causing her to seek medical treatment which leads her to (dare I say adorable, I don’t know what it was but he just was the cutest ever I can’t)  Dr Kang and his family. As the story develops it comes to light someone is trying to sabotage her hits and possibly out to get her too… but who? And why? There are also flashback-like parts to Hornclaw’s past as well as other characters too. 

I think the story was good and has an engaging plot, I wasn’t exactly gripped compared to some thriller-type books I’ve read before but still intrigued. It’s quick and fast paced and listening to the audiobook was a good way to take the story in I’d say too. I did like how Byeong-mo makes commentary on how Korean society views the elderly/ageing population with particular remarks about the workforce and retirement. Bullfight’s character loves to wind up Hornclaw and this is a little entertaining but does get repetitive and jarring after a while and you just want to be like ‘OMFG just shut up already’ but Yhh. Most of the plot and events were alright, some bits were quite unrealistic though in all honestly but on the whole things fitted in place well. I personally didn’t like the ending as it seemed there were a few loose ends that I would have preferred been tied up. The narration was again okay but I dunno I found her voice a little annoying but that’s just me and nothing to do with the story. 

Side note: I think (but am not certain) that there was a non-binary/gender nonconforming character in ‘Worry Fixer’ as I believe the only pronoun used is ‘they’ so yh, this was a great addition to see. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Death

Moderate: Dementia, Classism, Grief, Violence, and Blood

Minor: Death of parent, Kidnapping, Animal death, Misogyny, and Sexual assault

headinthepages's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Dementia, Gore, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Blood, Child abuse, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Animal death, Body horror, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Vomit, Alcohol, Child death, and Death of parent

ka_cam's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

3.75

This book’s preside reads like a thriller when the book itself reads more like a character study- I think this set up coming in left me more bored than I otherwise would be. There’s some thriller/action elements but a lot of it is Hornclaw reflecting on her life and working through the last tasks of her career, and how they weave into her past assassinations and entanglements. I’d have liked it to commit more to examining hornclaw, I found the background on her some of the most compelling sections.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Blood, and Stalking

Moderate: Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Medical content, Grief, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, and Misogyny

Minor: Dementia, Animal death, Suicide, and Death of parent

internationalreads's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Confinement, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Violence