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lizzardking's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
kiramke's review
3.0
This collection took me a while to warm to, but the language of symbolism, the reinterpretation of a story suggested by objects, won me over.
hmarroquin's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
evakbreitenbach's review
4.0
Incredibly beautiful and striking short stories. They are spare and visual - the settings still live in my mind’s eye months after finishing.
kaitlynkang's review against another edition
3.0
First read review
A friend had picked up this book from a neighborhood book exchange box, proclaiming Yoon's talent from his other works that she read during high school. Despite my skepticism, I picked up the book one day and was quickly immersed in the gray, quiet world Yoon created. Traveling across continents and spanning various time periods after the second world war, this series of short stories are tied together by a wistful longing for some past life, the physical and emotional dislocation of the characters, and a folding together of time and generations. Yoon writes with a somber voice as though the speaker were the only person left in the world, yet not completely alone, as though the speaker could be anyone, yet has a very specific identity, as though he or she were underwater, sound muffled, and looking through the surface of the water at their surroundings. To return for second read.
A friend had picked up this book from a neighborhood book exchange box, proclaiming Yoon's talent from his other works that she read during high school. Despite my skepticism, I picked up the book one day and was quickly immersed in the gray, quiet world Yoon created. Traveling across continents and spanning various time periods after the second world war, this series of short stories are tied together by a wistful longing for some past life, the physical and emotional dislocation of the characters, and a folding together of time and generations. Yoon writes with a somber voice as though the speaker were the only person left in the world, yet not completely alone, as though the speaker could be anyone, yet has a very specific identity, as though he or she were underwater, sound muffled, and looking through the surface of the water at their surroundings. To return for second read.