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jazzsonnet's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Bullying, Xenophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, and Colonisation
Moderate: Infertility, War, Religious bigotry, Medical content, Racism, Misogyny, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexism, Child death, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Abortion
claudiatralenuvole's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Ho apprezzato la maggior parte dei personaggi, soprattutto le donne: Sunja e sua cognata hanno uno splendido rapporto e mi è piaciuto vederle così unite e propositive anche nei momenti più bui.
Amatissimo il personaggio di Isak, meno suo fratello e Hansu, ma interessante la caratterizzazione di entrambi: uomini coreani desiderosi di affermarsi tra i giapponesi. Uno ci riesce, l'altro viene schiacciato. Un parallelismo che segue anche i figli Noa e Mozaru.
La scrittura ha un ritmo molto veloce e parecchi salti temporali anche bruschi (e dunque non sempre apprezzati), ma credo rendano bene il pensiero dei protagonisti nei confronti delle disgrazie vissute: "Non c'è tempo per piangere, dobbiamo continuare a vivere". Ciononostante, in alcuni momenti mi sono sinceramente commossa e ho pianto.
Ho apprezzato tantissimo anche la messa in scena delle due facce della stessa medaglia: il razzismo violento e denigratorio verso lo straniero, e il "razzismo al contrario", la feticizzazione di una etnia come oggetto esotico da collezione.
Unica vera pecca del romanzo secondo me è che talvolta l'autrice si sofferma a raccontare storie di personaggi che poi non vengono portate a termine o riprese. Anche Sunja e Hansu a un certo punto scompaiono dalle scene e se ne sente la mancanza visto che, seppure in senso lato, sono loro i protagonisti principali, da cui la vicenda realmente parte.
Capisco che col progredire della storia va dato spazio alle nuove generazioni, ma si poteva eseguire meglio questo passaggio di testimone.
In generale, un buon romanzo, che forse ha voluto raccontare troppe cose in pochissimo tempo. Mi chiedo come sarebbe stato se l'autrice l'avesse diviso in più volumi. Un ritmo più disteso, e storie più approfondite forse avrebbero giovato alla narrazione, che comunque per me resta buona.
Minor: War, Suicide, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism
sunflowerwork's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Abandonment, War, Alcohol, Suicide, Child death, Colonisation, Racism, Abortion, Death of parent, Sexual content, Sexism, Hate crime, Grief, Miscarriage, Car accident, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Classism, Death, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, and Addiction
miishmiish's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Cursing, Death, Grief, Pregnancy, Suicide, Bullying, Adult/minor relationship, Sexism, Car accident, Violence, War, and Physical abuse
briheartsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.75
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Suicide
san_dra's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Racial slurs, Bullying, War, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Classism, Terminal illness, Sexual assault, Sexism, and Rape
Minor: Mental illness, Homophobia, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Suicide, and Pregnancy
jenrazzle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Racism, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, War, Incest, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Medical trauma, Death, Alcohol, Trafficking, Cancer, Car accident, Abortion, and Emotional abuse
lanid's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, War, and Xenophobia
Minor: Classism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Bullying, Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Police brutality
whisper88's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Body shaming, Death of parent, Bullying, Miscarriage, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and War
jg34's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Still a good story and made me cry ugly tears
Graphic: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Xenophobia, Death, Racial slurs, War, and Racism
Moderate: Death, Suicide, Sexual content, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Abortion, Cancer, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Car accident, and Confinement