Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha

28 reviews

sydapel's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Probably the most interesting book I read so far this month, particularly in the unique characterization of the five women who make up the novel. It's another book that offers a stark and often startling depiction of female friendship, this time through the lens of Korean culture. To me, the dialogue is where the book shines the most, how the conversations between the women exemplify the harsh, but also soft ways in which they care for one another. Where it loses me a bit is in the number of competing voices and a long wind up to a rushed finale. I would have ultimately liked to stay a bit longer in this world, even just to experience a bit of a cathartic end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, and Infertility

Minor: Suicide

tashtasher's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Medical content, Body shaming, Sexual content, and Classism

Minor: Misogyny, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Sexism

issyd23's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

Being a woman in Korea seems tough! Korean beauty standards are BRUTAL 3🤕

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Classism, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, and Miscarriage

grunbean's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• 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

4.5

I wasn’t sure when I this was picked for my book club’s monthly read, but I quickly fell in to this novel.

I think it’s best not to say too much, as I think the journey I took with the characters in their chapters was the best part of this book. What’s important (and not too revealing) to know is that these complex women have lives that bring them together in the end. And there is something beautiful in how Frances Cha has done this. The women aren’t perfect, and there are ideas I would challenge, but that’s what makes this book so real. 

If you have experienced what it is like to live as a woman in society, this book will strike a chord. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Medical content, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, and Infidelity

mmbc's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I didn’t expect to be so completely engrossed in the lives of these four girls. I enjoyed learning about Korean culture and society and the pressures put on women (and men), while deeply relating to these girls and their experience navigating young adulthood. The author elegantly weaves together 4 lives, which could have come off as predictable or trite but I found poetic. The topics in this book are heavy, the frustration at the futility of life is real, but there is enough hope and joy and friendship to make this a great read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Body shaming

Minor: Abortion

virdix14's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship

vixenreader's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

It has a great commentary on beauty standards and gender politics for women in South Korea. 

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Content Warnings

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.

hdenizaygun's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The ending was a bit abrupt but maybe I thought that because I wished the book to go on forever! I loved!! the characters and would read other books by Frances Cha, most definitely. Highly recommend if you want a glimpse into life in Korea from the eyes of many different women.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy and Toxic relationship

Minor: Violence and Pregnancy

outersgrace's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Physical abuse, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Classism, Fatphobia, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, and Misogyny

Minor: Sexual content, Abortion, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Medical trauma, and Death

megafish's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Definitely worth a read but for my tastes it was a little too slice-of-life. I enjoyed the character interactions and some of the character arcs were pretty satisfying to read through. It's not a very plot driven book overall so it drags on a little but it has some very beautiful quotes.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Alcoholism, and Body shaming

Minor: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Infidelity, and Emotional abuse