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ashley_turch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexism, Medical content, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Infertility, Violence, and Death of parent
sakisreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This book has a bit of a slow start so I wasn’t sure how much I’d get into it… But I’m glad I persevered!
Based around Ara (a mute woman who works at a hair salon), Kyuri (a room salon worker), Miho (an artist whose move back to Seoul is fraught with relationship complications), Sijun (Ara’s protective best friend) and Wonna (the woman who lives in the apartment above the girls), this book had the resonance of ‘Girl, Woman, Other’. We explored beauty, family, feminism, and so much more!
I gave it 3.5 stars because it was, as mentioned above, a bit of a slow burner but once you got into it you couldn’t stop 👏🏼
Some of my favourite moments included are below 👀
I am also a huge fan of Korean food so all of their descriptors of kalgukksu, KFC etc. made me hungry 😅
Content warnings included below!
Thank you ✨
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment
kellyofcali's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexism, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body horror, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
arieslofi'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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
risemini's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Abandonment, and Alcohol
alicelalicon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Classism
jrisants's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
There is no true conflict or resolution in the book and it reads as vignettes from the lives of five women in South Korea, all of them with unfortunate childhoods. Their experiences can serve as cautionary tales for the ills born of sexism and classism, and the characters themselves sway between upholding these ideals, criticizing them, and suffering from them.
In one of the stories Miho is in New York navigating a world full of new cultural norms and surrounded by acquaintances who have already lived abroad and come from rich families. At a party she compliments the pink walls which were decorated by a Portuguese designer, and the compliment is brushed off and treated as against custom to speak about. Later Papa John’s is ordered for the guests and everyone responds excitedly to the food. Miho reflects to herself that she is learning you cannot compliment beautiful decor, but you can make a fuss over takeout food and that these are the things she is still trying to learn and navigate.
Miho also later discussed her experiences with other artists and how she assumes coming from a wealthy family means that you must be happy—but when she looks on the art of the wealthy students she sees deep despair, almost indicating that their suffering has been worse than hers.
At various points in the book there are deep comparisons between men’s experience compared to women, and the wealthy compared to those in poverty. Wrapped in these comparisons are the changed expectations and challenges of the young generation. We see this when Ara finally meets Tain and her idol is cruel abs ruins her perception of him. This plays out again with Kyuri and Bruce who is so nice to her at AJax and then violent when he sees her in his world. Wonna with her aunt and uncle, and even her husband who all have lives that she cannot touch and she seems to both idolize and resent them for it. Soogin is the only one who seems completely removed from these comparisons, seemingly having had a live that never invited her to mingle with those systemically better off than her. She also seems to be the force that knits these women together. She protects and sees power in each of the women, and she creates scenarios for them to pursue it. It is almost as if full acceptance of her position is what enables her to joyfully expect better and rebel against it.
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
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: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Abandonment
c_lizziebeth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Miscarriage and Suicide
katievh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Body shaming, Sexism, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Suicide, and Abandonment