Reviews

Who Ate Up All the Shinga?: An Autobiographical Novel by Park Wan-Suh

cmm3's review

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

_dustypage_'s review

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5.0

I never thought of myself as the type to read autobiographies, but this year I read Crying in H mart and Who ate up all the shinga, both of which are written by Korean authors, and both of which are excellent books.

I love the nostalgic tone that Park Wan-Suh brings to her story. Not heavily conversation-dependent, yet the whole reading experience feels really light and peaceful, even when gruesome events that followed the wars are told.

The ending is rather abrupt, though. I feel like I wouldnt mind reading some more about the following years. Overall, a nice book.

ninaskokoro's review

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5.0

i read this back in 2018 for a korean history class and i really enjoyed reading it. gives such a perspective on the japanese occupation of korea.

i marked it as spoiler for this single tid bit but it’s just so shocking that the author almost grew up without knowing how to write in korean, her native language. if it wasn’t for her grandparents letters to her she would’ve forgotten as japanese was used in schools.

itsve's review

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adventurous challenging emotional sad fast-paced

4.0

hunailan's review

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emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

4.0

leelulah's review

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4.0

Read for the The Literary Life Podcast: 20 for 2020 Reading Challenge.

12. A Foreign (Non-Western) Book

The only reason why it took me so long is because studies kept rearing their head. But it's a very readable book and the two translators really did an incredible job. Park Wan Suh, a survivor of the Korea war that gave origin to the still ongoing division between Communist and capitalistic Koreas, tells her hardships growing up.

I expected a bit more of the insights into the political struggle, but it's true she was just a teen back then and couldn't have been involved in much. In passing at page 170, more or less, she mentions her conversion to Catholicism, which would be super interesting to read about.

springdayzs's review

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3.0

3.5

inka333's review

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3.0

3.5

spacestationtrustfund's review against another edition

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3.0

『그 많던 싱아는 누가 다 먹었을까』 (qui a mangé tout le shinga) par Pak Wanseo (박완서). Traduction française d'Hélène Lebrun.

felineliteratuur's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.0