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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This is full of layers and frustratingly charged with a lot of things that I sometimes find exhilarating, and at times, falling short of what I expect to turn the story around, especially that of the main character.
I like the way it is written: brief and concise; but in there lies a deep ravine of emotions that seem to end at full stop, and says a lot of things in between, the silence that hangs in it. Complicated to dig in, I must say, but it goes in with the setting and mood of winter in Sokcho.
The novel is more of a silent commentary of the South Korean society as a whole: from body shaming issues, identity, and historical issues with North Korea -- its ironies and absurdities that are buried beneath the picture-perfect image of South Korea to the world, as represented by the cold and peaceful landscape of Sokcho. There's more than meets the eye, and it is craftily used by the author at her disposal.
On the other hand, it's vividly illustrated, too. It's like taking a trip on your own.
The two characters also stood in their somber and sublime contrast of issues that makes their interaction full of tension and frustration.
My favorite part, that created a vivid image and imprinted an emotional image to me, was when the main character walked through the alley with the food, she prepared for Kerrand. From that transition of the paragraphs to reach the last gave a kind of stage to take flight to the dénouement of the story when she opened the sketchbook and found what's drawn in the last page.
I like the way it is written: brief and concise; but in there lies a deep ravine of emotions that seem to end at full stop, and says a lot of things in between, the silence that hangs in it. Complicated to dig in, I must say, but it goes in with the setting and mood of winter in Sokcho.
The novel is more of a silent commentary of the South Korean society as a whole: from body shaming issues, identity, and historical issues with North Korea -- its ironies and absurdities that are buried beneath the picture-perfect image of South Korea to the world, as represented by the cold and peaceful landscape of Sokcho. There's more than meets the eye, and it is craftily used by the author at her disposal.
On the other hand, it's vividly illustrated, too. It's like taking a trip on your own.
The two characters also stood in their somber and sublime contrast of issues that makes their interaction full of tension and frustration.
My favorite part, that created a vivid image and imprinted an emotional image to me, was when the main character walked through the alley with the food, she prepared for Kerrand. From that transition of the paragraphs to reach the last gave a kind of stage to take flight to the dénouement of the story when she opened the sketchbook and found what's drawn in the last page.
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Haunting, beautiful, atmospheric, claustrophobic. This book was unlike anything I have read this year and I kept thinking about this book days after finishing it. What an interesting commentary on feeling tied down to a place yet yearning for more. Not a lot happens in this book but I know I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
I feel a lot of the same emotions as the narrator even though our lives are vastly different. Our mothers are constantly trying to change us but later tell us they never did that. They talk about us in a harsh manner with family members. Nothing we ever do ever seems enough to those around us. The desire for something we don’t know yet.
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
perfectly fast paced yet slow and cold. I really liked it. The descriptions are beautiful yet simple. It’s fast and fleeting, but also constant and cold. I like the openness of it’s meaning. A nice read to escape for a couple of hours, to feel something a bit different yet quite familiar. The poetry of mundanity, of having a crush, of preparing food, of doing laundry… while it snows on the beach
4
What a sublime little treat of a book. Could easily have swallowed up all 82 pages in one sitting if I hadn't had work to do
What a sublime little treat of a book. Could easily have swallowed up all 82 pages in one sitting if I hadn't had work to do