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mcfay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Torture, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Death, Confinement, Alcoholism, and Blood
emmalouisereads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The book uses different writing styles, such as some chapters being in second person (although not the same consistent ‘you’ throughout), and one chapter told from the perspective of one of the dead. Although these were interesting, I personally found it quite hard to follow the plot because of it.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Child death, Suicide, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Gore, Body horror, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, War, Confinement, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Alcoholism
seulgireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Child death, Confinement, Death, Murder, Police brutality, Blood, Grief, Sexual assault, Violence, and Torture
Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Suicidal thoughts, Gun violence, Rape, Sexism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Infertility, Cursing, Suicide, and Misogyny
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Terminal illness, Vomit, Self harm, Cancer, and Excrement
madamenovelist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Suicide, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Grief, Vomit, Torture, Child abuse, Genocide, Sexism, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Death, Medical trauma, Murder, Blood, Gore, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Medical content, and Mass/school shootings
jrisants's review against another edition
5.0
Han Kang details the happenings and long-standing impacts of the Gwangju May Democratic Uprising (1980) using six different perspectives across 30 years. It is clear that some creative license is taken in one of the stories (namely to imagine what one might think or experience after death), though it seems that the core thread of Dong-Ho’s story is intact and that the author holds integrity to his memory, as well as those whose stories are also shared—which makes reading this even more painful.
What I appreciate is she did not seek to make heroes or inspirations out of the participants stories. She leans into the fear and trauma that are inextricably linked to these types of experiences. This part stood out to me most as an American reader since I am so accustomed to stories about standing up against corruption as bold, macho, and exciting with clear acts of bravery meant to inspire and often uplift the person who hears them. This is a story of suffering, as any experience with injustice and mistreatment is.
I cried through every chapter. I mourn what these people had to endure. I am grateful that they have been offered dignity through truth.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, War, Child death, Torture, and Sexual violence
tomoonarmy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
“have their souls also escaped their bodies, flying away like birds?”
“There will be no forgiveness.”
“our soldiers are shooting. They’re shooting at us.”
I think that this book is an important piece of literature that many people should read (check the trigger warnings before tho!!), therefore I gave it a rating bc in today’s society I think people are more likely to read books with good ratings. So pls keep in mind that this rating isn’t about the story contained inside, more so for the writing and the importance of the story itself.
If you can, please read this book.
Graphic: Blood, Body shaming, Child death, Gun violence, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Infertility, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Blood, Child death, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Body horror, Child death, Addiction, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Grief, Vomit, Blood, Death, Dementia, Drug abuse, Gore, Infertility, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Alcoholism, Animal death, Cursing, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Animal cruelty, Kidnapping, and Gun violence
eline1701's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
As for the novel's content, despite the horrors that were described, the graphic descriptions always felt justified - never sensationalised, never allowing anyone to romanticise any of it. And at the same time, there was a certain tenderness to it, especially for the different main characters, who are all so deeply human.
Speaking of the characters, I thought the connections between them all were so masterfully done. For Seon-ju, it took me embarrassingly long to realise it was her, but when I did it hit me right in the chest. And Dong-ho as the red thread tying them all together when initially his focus is only on his friend... yeah.
All of that said, I don't know if I'd recommend this book to anyone. It really is just very heavy and very graphic (see below, yes, all of those are described in detail again and again), to the point where I had some restless dreams from it. It's also a bleak book, as it doesn't only cover the events of the Uprising, but also its longlasting, ongoing aftereffects, without much of a message of hope. Still, I'm grateful to have read it though and to know a bit more about Gwangju, South Korea, and the Gwangju Uprising.
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Rape, Torture, Blood, Death, Sexual violence, War, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Suicidal thoughts
ka_cam's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Torture, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Violence, Body horror, Police brutality, Child death, Grief, and Rape
Moderate: Gun violence, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Kidnapping, Self harm, and Medical content
Minor: Alcoholism
swapnasrita's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Police brutality, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Colonisation, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Self harm
halfblood13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Gun violence, Police brutality, Death, Violence, War, Torture, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide