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anjnryn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- 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
A wonderfully weird story about a daughter dealing with the way her mother processes a spousal separation… with a bit of true crime!
I loved this book—from the Korean American perspective, the feminist themes, the brief but notable queerness, and of course the wild dark side of our protagonist.
Monika Kim does an excellent job of weaving a number of different genres and topics that keep you glued to the page, hungry for what happens next. I went through so many emotions reading this: sadness, sympathy, anger, excitement, and nervousness probably were the most prominent. My biggest qualm is with the protagonist’s reason for her actions (revealed near the end) but it wasn’t enough to take away even a whole 0.25 stars.
There is a lot to reflect on with our main character and the cultural and societal reasons why she acts the way she does. That said, the differences between her, her sister, and her mother are pretty striking and interesting to analyze. The familial dynamics of these women are pivotal to understanding Ji-won and extremely well-written.
I disagree with other reviewers that the main male characters—George and Geoffrey—are too cartoonish. As a woman who frequents feminist spaces, I’ve experienced characters like both these men and thought they were pretty spot-on with their actions and descriptions. We are reading about an unhinged teenager in a horror fiction… getting caught up with the specifics of how realistic the men are seems… ironic.
I would love to see a sequel with Appa, with the way the ending was, but this was a juicy tale on its own that I will not be forgetting soon!
I loved this book—from the Korean American perspective, the feminist themes, the brief but notable queerness, and of course the wild dark side of our protagonist.
Monika Kim does an excellent job of weaving a number of different genres and topics that keep you glued to the page, hungry for what happens next. I went through so many emotions reading this: sadness, sympathy, anger, excitement, and nervousness probably were the most prominent. My biggest qualm is with the protagonist’s reason for her actions (revealed near the end) but it wasn’t enough to take away even a whole 0.25 stars.
There is a lot to reflect on with our main character and the cultural and societal reasons why she acts the way she does. That said, the differences between her, her sister, and her mother are pretty striking and interesting to analyze. The familial dynamics of these women are pivotal to understanding Ji-won and extremely well-written.
I disagree with other reviewers that the main male characters—George and Geoffrey—are too cartoonish. As a woman who frequents feminist spaces, I’ve experienced characters like both these men and thought they were pretty spot-on with their actions and descriptions. We are reading about an unhinged teenager in a horror fiction… getting caught up with the specifics of how realistic the men are seems… ironic.
I would love to see a sequel with Appa, with the way the ending was, but this was a juicy tale on its own that I will not be forgetting soon!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity, Stalking, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
Minor: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Pedophilia, and Racial slurs