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hoax_meal's review against another edition
- 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
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
susanpevensie's review
- 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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Grief, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Gore, Hate crime, Murder, Classism, Xenophobia, and Death
Minor: Police brutality and Suicide
mnatale100's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Slavery, and Torture
Moderate: Hate crime, Violence, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Child death, and Murder
Minor: Grief, Pregnancy, Blood, Alcohol, and Medical content
clone's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Animal death, Classism, Death, Abandonment, Grief, Murder, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Misogyny
aarynn's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Classism, Religious bigotry, Death, Hate crime, Medical content, and Death of parent
Moderate: Blood, Abandonment, Torture, and Slavery
Minor: Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Hate crime, Medical content, Misogyny, Suicide, Infidelity, and Police brutality
kimbekaw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Torture, Death, Slavery, Police brutality, Blood, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Murder and Confinement
Minor: Suicide
lilifane'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
5.0
I expected something else from the story than I actually got tbh. It was more character driven and introspective than an actual murder mystery. (which, well, was pretty easy to predict) But it was still so good! I absolutely loved the writing and the atmosphere. Sometimes I needed to take breaks just to imagine the mist and the mountains and trees and rivers and the narrow streets and the Hanoks. I enjoyed the interactions between the characters but was sad because there weren't enough for my taste. I was also furious at them most of the time because they were oblivious or didn't talk to each other when necessary... or both. The second half was surprisingly fast-paced and action packed, and I couldn't put it down until the end.
I will definitely read the others books by June Hur.
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Suicide, Torture, and Violence
allisonwonderlandreads'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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I gleaned a lot of historical information that was new to me from this read, so that was greatly appreciated. The setting and the details of social structures were deftly woven throughout the story. That was easily my favorite part of the reading experience. I also appreciated the audiobook format, which allowed me to hear the correct pronunciation of names and terms throughout.
In terms of plot, I was less enthused. The mystery didn't draw me in, lacking in urgency and emotional timbre for most of the duration. Although I didn't anticipate the identity of the murderer, I also wasn't particularly concerned about it. In addition, the personal aspects of Seol's journey didn't catch my interest. While I appreciated the lack of romantic plot, I would have liked other relationships to be more fleshed-out to anchor me to the story. The big reveals on this front were quite predictable, yet the piecing together of Seol's past is fraught and drawn out. Worst of all, the ending seemed rushed in comparison, not leaving room to resolve any emotional fallout.
In the end, I would recommend this as a piece of historical fiction, but it didn't suit my tastes in terms of mystery or general plotting.
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Police brutality, Sexism, and Torture
Minor: Death of parent
tahsintries's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, and Torture
translove's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Murder, Police brutality, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Suicide, Sexism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Pregnancy