Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Human Acts by Han Kang

158 reviews

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

This book was incredibly well written and impactful. However it was not at all for me. The violence is incredibly graphic and had I known what was in the book before I started I would not have read it. 

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dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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dark informative sad medium-paced

Dark but essential read. Lots of similarities to the USA in 2025. Informative but make sure that you are in the right state of mind before reading. 

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challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot

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dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

A very sad yet informative book that gives a really good insight into the Gwangju Uprising, multiple perspectives of different characters from the city are shown and they all have some sort of connection.

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dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Completely heartbreaking

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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adventurous dark reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Each chapter explores what happens when two seemingly dissimilar or even opposing elements try to coexist: when innocence is surrounded by violence, when the dead keep on living, when survivors live like the dead, when freed prisoners still feel imprisoned and when the past becomes the present
-Nami Mun, NYT

The Gwangju Uprising wasn’t part of my memory before this book. This slow seeping into. This the type of river-crossing might leave one unmoored on dry land, or clutching one’s spirit and tasting one’s breaths. 

If only your eyesight was worse, so anything close up would be nothing more than a vague, forgiving blur. But there is nothing vague about what you have to face now.

Counting and endeavoring daily to forget a number of slaps to the face. Literally and figuratively striking. There’s a methodical nature to it, a forward-working motion which seems illogical except in resentment. Just like singing the anthem at the funeral for those killed by government soldiers. Or performing a voiceless play because the words were inked away.

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