Reviews

This book discussed the ways sexism and misogyny have shaped life for Korean women across generations, through a study of housewife Kim Jiyoung and her family history. While I think the book is tackling subjects that aren’t often discussed in Korea, I personally found this book to cover elements of sexism that are baked into life everywhere and are definitely talked about more here in America.
The book took on a more dispassionate tone, not necessarily arguing anything or diving deep into characters’s feelings and instead covering a series of events, leaving the audience to see sexism plainly in action. While this might have been something that was lost in translation, I found that I wasn’t getting a lot of emotion from the book.

This is kind of explained in the final chapter as this is framed as a report by the male therapist, but I found that to not really change my disappointment that there wasn’t more here.

Felt like a lot more could have been done within this story to explore character motivation more deeply, but a good introduction to sexist micro aggressions and how they can change women’s lives as they stack up over time.

valeisbleu's review against another edition

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reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

If you're going to be serious with a straight guy, get him to read this book first.

Also teaches the general humanity some empathy for women. That women's issues are not just about women, men play their roles too, as bystanders, as complicit in their inaction, in thinking it's not their role.

This took me a while to finish because by the time I finished, I felt enraged by the last line. Goes to show the writing of this author as succinct and it cuts to the core.

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