Reviews tagging 'War'

Jag tar inte farväl by Han Kang

75 reviews

linda48's review against another edition

4.25

challenging emotional informative sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Torture, Police brutality, Murder, War

pookiee's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, War

danielledeal's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional informative tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Only after I started reading did I learn this is considered by the author to be a pair with her previous work Human Acts --- I happen to have read Human Acts at the beginning of the year, and I highly recommend (read the content warnings) and do think the two books compliment each other (the story opens from the perspective

of the writer of a human acts-style novel, so much that I thought for a moment it was a preface

). 

This story is so eerie. Not scary in a jump-scare sense but even beyond the horrific depictions of violence the method of telling the story also brings chills to my spine. The entire setting is dark and isolated. The snow is basically another character, moving the story along and halting it at will. Kyungha's journey into the history of Jeju and the massacres that took place there are paired with her journey through the physical landscape. 

As an American reading this in early 2025, it felt poignant and necessary even when it was difficult. The author has no hesitation in telling us exactly how terrible these actions were and the horror of not only the victims but all of the families and witnesses who were left behind to pick up the pieces. This story makes you consider difficult but necessary questions --- are humans really capable of this type of violence? and if so, could it happen again? The answer is yes, and it's part of why I think Han Kang's novels are so important at the present moment. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail

eloisereading's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Loveable characters: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Eating disorder, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Dementia, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, Deportation

ocomscai3's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War

Moderate: Animal death

mondovertigo's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death

bri_the_librarian's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Vomit

isabelwillems's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Diverse cast of characters: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail

darciepatterson's review against another edition

4.5

challenging mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Police brutality, War

Moderate: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail

emmanicoleaspenalton's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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The book is intentionally mysterious, intentionally provides several explanations for the weird goings on. Some may like it. I'm not too sure... and yet I'm somewhat drawn to it. I do wish I knew what the "answer" was as to what"s actually happened to the MC but maybe that's the point of literary works: it's entirely down to you. Thus, I find myself as adrift as the snow. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Blood, Medical content, Murder

Moderate: Torture, War

Minor: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Dementia