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eiireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Pregnancy, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Murder, Xenophobia, Racism, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Colonisation, and Racial slurs
ackee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, War, Pregnancy, Death, Bullying, Colonisation, and Misogyny
rit'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
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Racism, Rape, Terminal illness, and Suicide
Moderate: Abortion, Car accident, Miscarriage, Stalking, Cancer, Religious bigotry, Trafficking, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Medical content, Misogyny, Pedophilia, and Infidelity
Minor: Alcoholism, Ableism, Alcohol, Abortion, and Addiction
maddeesryan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Xenophobia, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Racism, Miscarriage, Grief, Cursing, Child death, War, Cancer, Bullying, Abortion, Suicidal thoughts, and Death of parent
amazing readsquidknees'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? Yes
4.75
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Violence, Stalking, Sexual violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Racism, Body shaming, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Misogyny, Xenophobia, War, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Death of parent, Suicide, Slavery, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Abortion, Ableism, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Deportation, Trafficking, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, and Racial slurs
rieviolet'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? Yes
3.0
There were just too many characters, especially given that the book already covers a very long period of time and many generations of a family. I really think that some characters were just unnecessary additions and we could have done without their perspectives, so that more space could be given to the main ones. All the jumping between so many different points of view just made it hard to become invested.
Moreover, very big and even traumatic events are just briefly explored or worse just mentioned in passing. This character died, this one entered a relationship , and so-and-so did that, well good for them, am I supposed to care? There is no groundwork, how can a reader get attached to these people and their stories when you as an author have given them so little? Well there was time to go on and on about George Elliot's novels but no time to delve into a main character' emotions, I guess.
I was just not a fan of how the author portrayed the characters, if there isn't a good handling of their depictions then the story just turns into an over-the-top soap opera.
I found interesting the setting and the overall theme (exploring the lives of Korean people and their descendants living in Japan) but I was not that impressed with the execution itself.
For its length, the book is quite easy to get through, the chapters are not too long, the pace is quite fast and the narrative style is readable enough. Still, the writing style is nothing much to talk about, overall it's a bit too much dry and matter-of-fact for my taste.
All in all, the premise sounded good but the book was a disappointment for me and the three-star rating is basically only for the first section, the rest I'm wilfully choosing to ignore.
Graphic: Sexism, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Alcoholism, Ableism, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Bullying, Chronic illness, Classism, Suicide, Religious bigotry, War, Stalking, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Police brutality, Miscarriage, Trafficking, and Cancer
Minor: Terminal illness, Child death, Physical abuse, Infertility, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Blood, Rape, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Abandonment, Pregnancy, Torture, Car accident, Abortion, and Body shaming
oatmilkie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Child death, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racism, Rape, Stalking, Xenophobia, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
stvalentine'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
Graphic: Hate crime, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Death, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicide, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, and War
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, Colonisation, Confinement, and Cursing
chaoticnostalgia'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Infertility, Death, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Classism, Xenophobia, War, Suicide, Terminal illness, Miscarriage, Police brutality, Colonisation, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol, Cancer, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Bullying, and Car accident
Minor: Abortion, Ableism, Deportation, and Abandonment
risemini's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Xenophobia, Drug use, Car accident, Drug abuse, Cancer, Classism, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, War, Alcohol, Miscarriage, Sexism, Bullying, Racism, Addiction, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Alcoholism