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smstevens's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
entropyseeker's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and War
chemicallykat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism
ebba94's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Torture, Alcohol, and War
elisamurillo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
caedycon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse and War
alisonw'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
4.5
Firstly a TW: It deals with extremely heavy subjects of loss, war, corruption, all kinds of abuse, murder including all ages, all very graphically so please be warned if you think you can’t handle that.
But if you’re unsure, don’t let that put you off. This book tells the true story of the people of Jeju and all they have gone through in the last century through a fictional narrative and the graphic elements are there because they happened, reading them feels similar to the sobering feeling of going to a concentration camp has, it’s horribly sad but feels like a necessity to be able to respect and remember - in my case as a European who was taught nothing about Korea’s history, it felt so important to acknowledge and learn about these events for the first time.
The author is masterful at weaving history and fiction together, none of the fictitious story line feels forced to bring in a historical event, while at the same time the story does not steal from the history, I would actually say it helps give it more blood and feel more tangible rather than cold facts on a page about somewhere far away.
Highly highly recommend.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, and Sexual harassment
entre_fanon_y_weil's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Genocide, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, and Colonisation
forza0930's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, and War
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexual assault
msjacquip's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Young-sook & Mi-ja are two young women, living on the Korean Island of Jeju, who work as part of the island’s diving crew throughout the 1930s and 1940s. They come from very different backgrounds but they forge a fast friendship that appears to be inseparable. Unfortunately, throughout WWII and beyond, their differences (and forces beyond their control) push their relationship to breaking point…
Full disclosure, I would never have read this book but for it being the May book for bookclub. However, I am so glad that I did. It’s a dual timeline, part throughout the 1930s and 1940s and part over a 4 day period in 2008.
I loved learning about the haenyeo and the traditions that keep this all women collective alive. Young-sook is a formidable woman and the reader is treated to her innermost thoughts and experiences her highs and lows alongside her throughout the book.
There is a lot of tragedy throughout but the book ends with an air of hope. I really loved this book.
Graphic: Child death and Death
Minor: Sexual assault and Suicide