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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
I read [b:I'll Be Right There|18209505|I'll Be Right There|Kyung-Sook Shin|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1375064441s/18209505.jpg|25630312] by [a:Kyung-Sook Shin|7773619|Kyung-Sook Shin|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1409486756p2/7773619.jpg] last year and I have been wanting to read this and her first book [b:Please Look After Mom|8574333|Please Look After Mom|Kyung-Sook Shin|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1320413213s/8574333.jpg|13443181]. Although I didn't love this book as much as I'll Be Right There, I still enjoyed this immensely.
An unnamed narrator, who is a popular author in South Korea receives a call from an old co-worker, who is wondering if the author is ashamed of her once friends. So, the author writes the story of her years working in a stereo factory and going to school at night to finish High School.
An unnamed narrator, who is a popular author in South Korea receives a call from an old co-worker, who is wondering if the author is ashamed of her once friends. So, the author writes the story of her years working in a stereo factory and going to school at night to finish High School.
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Meandering in its reflections and musings, at times a bit too much. However, it does give me some introduction to the history of Korea during the late 70s and early 80s. However I wish they could have been elaborative about the Kwangju Incident and the Seoul Building Collapse Disaster, because a non-Korean reader like me would be largely ignorant about their context and curious to find out more.
"The Girl Who Wrote Loneliness" by Shin Kyung-Sook is a remarkable book that combines an immersive narrative voice, captivating insights into the protagonist's thoughts, and historical events from South Korea. This novel skillfully balances between fiction and reality, and the author's unique storytelling voice undoubtedly piqued my curiosity.
The book takes us inside the mind of the main character, a young girl who experiences loneliness in a deep and heart-wrenching way. The narrative voice is so vivid and engaging that I was immediately captivated. Being inside the protagonist's head is consuming and provides an intimate glimpse into her thoughts, emotions, and dreams. Shin Kyung-Sook succeeds in creating a protagonist who is believable and relatable, and I followed her journey with empathy and fascination. Through a unique narrative voice, she explores emotional isolation, the longing for connection, and the universal nature of loneliness. The author's poetic language and powerful imagery create an empathetic space for readers to reflect on the profound impact of loneliness on the human experience. Shin Kyung-Sook employs symbolic and figurative language to enhance the portrayal of loneliness. She uses metaphors and descriptions that illustrate the intense feelings of loneliness, such as being trapped in suffocating darkness or swimming in a sea of silence. Through a combination of realistic situations and psychological depth, the author conveys loneliness as a fundamental human condition that can be both painful and challenging to overcome.
The time period depicted in South Korea in the book is characterized by industrialization and the economic development that took place after the Korean War in the 1950s. Following the war, South Korea experienced significant economic growth, and the factory industry played a crucial role in this development.
Women constituted a significant portion of the workforce during this period and were often employed in factories. They worked under harsh and demanding conditions, with many of them working almost around the clock to contribute to the country's economic rebuilding. These factory workers faced long working hours, poor working conditions, and low wages. Their efforts and sacrifices for the country's progress have been recognized as an integral part of South Korea's industrialization history. This book explores this time period and immerses readers in the factory environment, providing a close insight into the challenges and struggles faced by the workers, particularly the women. It portrays their relentless efforts, their dreams, and their struggle to survive in a changing society.
What makes this book even more intriguing is the integration of historical events from South Korea. The author seamlessly weaves these events into the narrative, adding an extra dimension to the novel. We get a glimpse of South Korea's history and society through the protagonist's eyes, adding a layer of realism and depth to the story.
"The Girl Who Wrote Loneliness" can be described as a literary hybrid where fiction and reality blend together. It is a beautiful and poignant tale of loneliness, dreams, and human resilience. Shin Kyung-Sook has a unique ability to capture the reader's attention and hold it throughout the entire book. Her language is poetic, and she describes scenes and emotions with an intensity that deeply resonates with the reader.
The book takes us inside the mind of the main character, a young girl who experiences loneliness in a deep and heart-wrenching way. The narrative voice is so vivid and engaging that I was immediately captivated. Being inside the protagonist's head is consuming and provides an intimate glimpse into her thoughts, emotions, and dreams. Shin Kyung-Sook succeeds in creating a protagonist who is believable and relatable, and I followed her journey with empathy and fascination. Through a unique narrative voice, she explores emotional isolation, the longing for connection, and the universal nature of loneliness. The author's poetic language and powerful imagery create an empathetic space for readers to reflect on the profound impact of loneliness on the human experience. Shin Kyung-Sook employs symbolic and figurative language to enhance the portrayal of loneliness. She uses metaphors and descriptions that illustrate the intense feelings of loneliness, such as being trapped in suffocating darkness or swimming in a sea of silence. Through a combination of realistic situations and psychological depth, the author conveys loneliness as a fundamental human condition that can be both painful and challenging to overcome.
"If you lose your dream, it’s over. If you don’t shut it down, but work to get closer to your dream, you can make it. Even if you don’t get there, you can get pretty close."
- Shin Kyung-Sook, "The Girl Who Wrote Loneliness"
The time period depicted in South Korea in the book is characterized by industrialization and the economic development that took place after the Korean War in the 1950s. Following the war, South Korea experienced significant economic growth, and the factory industry played a crucial role in this development.
Women constituted a significant portion of the workforce during this period and were often employed in factories. They worked under harsh and demanding conditions, with many of them working almost around the clock to contribute to the country's economic rebuilding. These factory workers faced long working hours, poor working conditions, and low wages. Their efforts and sacrifices for the country's progress have been recognized as an integral part of South Korea's industrialization history. This book explores this time period and immerses readers in the factory environment, providing a close insight into the challenges and struggles faced by the workers, particularly the women. It portrays their relentless efforts, their dreams, and their struggle to survive in a changing society.
What makes this book even more intriguing is the integration of historical events from South Korea. The author seamlessly weaves these events into the narrative, adding an extra dimension to the novel. We get a glimpse of South Korea's history and society through the protagonist's eyes, adding a layer of realism and depth to the story.
"The Girl Who Wrote Loneliness" can be described as a literary hybrid where fiction and reality blend together. It is a beautiful and poignant tale of loneliness, dreams, and human resilience. Shin Kyung-Sook has a unique ability to capture the reader's attention and hold it throughout the entire book. Her language is poetic, and she describes scenes and emotions with an intensity that deeply resonates with the reader.
4.5 stars. This absolutely beautiful novel interwove the narrator's current experience of writing the novel (exploring the meaning of writing and memory) with the story she is telling about her late teen years working in an industrial sweatshop in Seoul. The structure of this book was really masterful; the slow pacing that at first seems to be drifting around in a confusing way was actually part of the novel's artistry.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
an autographical story and truly a work of historical fiction, since it gives valuable insight into how it was to live at the time when the unnamed protagonist was a teenage girl. she comes to seoul for work to help out her struggling family, and she studies to become a writer. though i really liked the parts that describe the narrator's experiences with work and her living conditions, i also liked how the narrator talked about literature and writing. really liked the style. as always, shin kyungsook is an author whose work i truly love reading ^_^
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Violence