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gi_gi_g's review
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug abuse, Suicide, Child death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, and War
sonalipawar26's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Princess Bari is heartrending. It will take you to hell and back along with Bari. Hwang retells the Korean folklore of ‘Princess Bari’ in a modern setting, dealing with timely yet difficult topics like human trafficking, destruction, war, and immigration.
Bari, which roughly translates to 'thrown away', was abandoned by her mother right after she was born as the sixth daughter of the family. But she was later saved by her grandmother, resulting in her name that was derived from the legend of 'Princess Bari', a tale her grandmother would narrate to her as a bedtime story time and again.
From a young age Bari is dealt a bad hand, forcing her to become an adult in adolescence. The world couldn't be crueler to her; from the North Korean famine of the 90s to running away to China, and finally fleeing to England as an undocumented immigrant, Bari had had to survive in the worst conditions possible. But along the way she meets kind souls as she goes on a quest to 'fetch the life-giving water'.
Hwang Sok-yong doesn't mince his words. He shows you the world as it is. Nor does he give you a cliched 'happy ending', making you dream of a better world. Perhaps he tries to give you some hope, but more than that, he tells you if you don't take action and be kind to others, the world will always be a cruel place. This book also acts as a reminder that we don't know others' stories and we see them with only one lens.
Princess Bari is a gripping and heartbreaking tale, as it forces one to remove their rose-tinted glasses and see the world as it really is.
It's a sad read; but it's an important read.
#alazywriterbookreviews23
Thanks for the copy, Scribe publications!
Bari, which roughly translates to 'thrown away', was abandoned by her mother right after she was born as the sixth daughter of the family. But she was later saved by her grandmother, resulting in her name that was derived from the legend of 'Princess Bari', a tale her grandmother would narrate to her as a bedtime story time and again.
From a young age Bari is dealt a bad hand, forcing her to become an adult in adolescence. The world couldn't be crueler to her; from the North Korean famine of the 90s to running away to China, and finally fleeing to England as an undocumented immigrant, Bari had had to survive in the worst conditions possible. But along the way she meets kind souls as she goes on a quest to 'fetch the life-giving water'.
Hwang Sok-yong doesn't mince his words. He shows you the world as it is. Nor does he give you a cliched 'happy ending', making you dream of a better world. Perhaps he tries to give you some hope, but more than that, he tells you if you don't take action and be kind to others, the world will always be a cruel place. This book also acts as a reminder that we don't know others' stories and we see them with only one lens.
Princess Bari is a gripping and heartbreaking tale, as it forces one to remove their rose-tinted glasses and see the world as it really is.
It's a sad read; but it's an important read.
#alazywriterbookreviews23
Thanks for the copy, Scribe publications!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, War, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide
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