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doodeedoda'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
2.5
Graphic: Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Cursing
Moderate: Suicide, Classism, Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Misogyny
Minor: Abortion, Ableism, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, and Adult/minor relationship
desireewoodwhite'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
Moderate: Death, Child abuse, and Bullying
vintovka's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The book got surprising amount of events and things happening on its pages, but not a lot of character development. Most of it is ambigiously left off screen. Did Ara realise something about the nature of parasocial relationship and consumption? Does Wonna have a chance of actually being a good mother in the future, or will her trauma ruin any of her children? Will Miho get over her friend's suicide, and what will it do to her? Will Seunjin regret going down the route of debt and prostitution? I don't know. I can only guess. Which kind of leaves me wondering what even was the point.
I love reading about the good, the bad and the ugly of different female experiences, so I was excited for this book. It gave of vibes of kind of an antithesis to girls' fairy tales and female wish-fullfillment fantasies. It's not _not_ that, but because it's not anything at all. I got attached to the characters and their lives, but the ending left me stumped. What did the book want to say? What was the point of me reading all that?
The book's redeeming qualities are being short and having good, flowing prose, but in the end, IIHYF is a snapshot of how it sucks to be a poor south korean woman, and it doesn't have anything more than that.
Graphic: Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, Alcohol, Child abuse, Classism, Pregnancy, and Cursing
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Ableism, Death of parent, Eating disorder, and Abortion
issyd23'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? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Classism, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, and Miscarriage
hausofbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, and Body shaming
Minor: Abortion, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, and Miscarriage
adriaxlife'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? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Abandonment, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Violence, Bullying, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
potatokao'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? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
at first i felt like the pace and setting the author set made it so that the girls were only suffering and not able to enjoy anything in life and it made me sad to get into the book. maybe halfway when the plot seems to progress a little more, the characters become more active and living.
the connections between all the girls is what makes the book. i love how intertwined they are. they judge each other, they love each other, they get annoyed, they care, they go through life together. not the best of friends, but clearly helped by each other’s company. not family, but all they have for some of them. people who are important to them and people they can be honest with.
i only wish i didnt have to wait half way into the book to see that and there are some parts of their past that are never fully explained. but i understand it’s hard to develop individual characters AND their relationship with one another. once all the characters and their backgrounds are in place, it is well worth it to get to know them.
the ending of the book is what makes it for me. this gradual warmth and hope, like spring air has blown in. it could have ended in any way but this warm ending is what makes me feel that their connection is so full of love and care. life isnt going to suddenly be better but i hope they stay together and work through life together. sending hugs to the girls.
Graphic: Violence and Bullying
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexual content, Miscarriage, and Sexism
Minor: Suicide and Rape
rachela_7'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
3.5
Graphic: Bullying, Abandonment, and Miscarriage
vixenreader'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
3.75
Graphic: Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Body shaming, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Child death, Grief, Police brutality, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Minor: Abandonment, Abortion, Bullying, Death, and Drug use
If surgery makes you queasy, be prepared for some stomach-turning scenes, and whorephobia is something to watch out for as well.runawry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Infertility, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Fatphobia, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, Bullying, Trafficking, Drug use, and Body shaming