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As someone who studied genocide and mass atrocities this book was very stark reminder of the cruelty of people. I think beyond its purpose of educating people about the Gwangju Massacre and modern Korean politics and history, it is extremely insightful into the psychology of perpetrators, victims, and bystanders. A lot of the content of the book surrounding the characters’ experience during the uprising and in its aftermath is very reflective of the stories of people who experienced similar violence. Furthermore, the discussions of grief and hope were very beautiful.
I know that books that talk about these kinds of violence and traumas, and that navigate grief can be very hard to read. But I personally love to be challenged to confront what grief and hope and fear means. I find it to be very human. This is one of those books that will always be in the back of my mind, making me reflect on the world around me as well as my own life.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Death of parent
Minor: Genocide
Kisah yang berdasarkan sejarah memang terkadang berujung tidak menyenangkan, tapi di sisi lain sangat berkesan, seperti buku ini buat aku.
Dari awal baca, aku suka banget sama buku ini. Pertama, karena buku ini pakai sudut pandang kedua. Lalu, yang kedua, buku ini bukan hanya menceritakan dari satu tokoh, melainkan menceritakan bagaimana tokoh-tokoh lain melihat kejadian di Gwangju pada masa itu. Rasa kehilangan, kelelahan, keinginan untuk mendapatkan haknya sampai dengan keputus asaan serta penyesalan jadi tergambar secara beragam.
Ini bukan sekadar perang, tapi ini penindasan. Penindasan yang dialami oleh mereka yang seharusnya medapat perlindungan. Jahat? Memang, dan gak bisa dipungkiri, hal tersebut nyata adanya. Mungkin jugua sampai dengan saat ini.
Han Kang-nim sukses berat buat aku merasakan perasaan yang campur aduk sekaligus naksir sama karyanya yang satu ini. Apalagi hal unik dari buku ini adalah sudut pandang arwah yang juga menjadi salah satu suguhan di buku ini.
Sangat, sangat, sangat aku rekomendasikan untuk dibaca. Solid 5⭐ for this book.
Minor: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail
The book destroyed me emotionally, but i enjoyed (for lack of a better word) the whole experience and I learned such a painful real life story. Books like this are important because they are a display of human nature in the extreme and how history has a tendency to repeat itself throughout the world.
I plan to reread it at some point, because even though I'm emotionally raw, it is a book that I will need to revisit.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Death of parent, Classism
Minor: Infertility, Excrement, Vomit
I am in awe of Kang's writing and ability to make the reader feel dispair and heartwrenching sadness...
And I shouldn't forget to point out, what an amazing job the translator did with this book.
I'm in awe!
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, War
Moderate: Confinement, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Suicide