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hoax_meal's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
easily the best book I read this year. I couldn't put it down. And when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about reading it. An amazing mystery and loveable protagonist. I also learned a lot about Korean history. If you like historical fiction and mystery, you will love this book.
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Body horror, Physical abuse, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Child death, Blood, Child abuse, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Murder, Misogyny, Kidnapping, Grief, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Pregnancy and Colonisation
emily_mh's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
It took about half the book for me to be drawn in, but when it happened I really enjoyed it. The narrator, Seol, was fantastic as the main character, as she was gutsy, bright, headstrong and resourceful. I wasn't expecting the political and religious complexity that this book delivered, which added intriguing layers to the murder mystery. I also liked that on top of the murder mystery, there was a supporting personal mystery surrounding Seol's brother, as this really padded out the plot. Overall, the thriller had all the grittiness of a modern-day crime drama, which I loved. The third act in particular was incredible, and the resolution was satisfying. However, because I couldn't get into this book for its entire first half, I decided to rate it only 4.25 stars.
Graphic: Confinement, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Kidnapping, and Torture
Minor: Child abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, and Alcohol
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