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mistyyyy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Minor: Homophobia, Pregnancy, Abortion, Car accident, and Cancer
cheye13'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
2.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Death of parent, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, and Abortion
Minor: Alcohol, Car accident, and Sexual content
minor: experience being HIV positiveedgaranjapoe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Addiction, Alcohol, and Sexual content
Moderate: Medical content, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Cancer, Gaslighting, and Terminal illness
Minor: Abortion, Cursing, Child abuse, Vomit, Death, Classism, Outing, Misogyny, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Car accident, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Suicide attempt, Grief, Infidelity, and Blood
mmefish's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.5
I took out a low, foldable table from under the bed and wiped the dust with a wet wipe. No matter how much I wiped, there was still dust—how very much like everything else in my life.
Rain still falls during the late rainy season, as do tears even when it's too late.
I have a soft spot for books like this.
Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Homophobia, Alcohol, Suicide attempt, and Abortion
Minor: Religious bigotry, Death, Forced institutionalization, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and Car accident
morebedsidebooks's review against another edition
3.0
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Cancer, Car accident, Abortion, Forced institutionalization, and Chronic illness
thelittle_seokmin'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
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Cancer, Car accident, Alcoholism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Grief and Infidelity
Minor: Death, Medical content, Outing, Car accident, Bullying, Vomit, Blood, Abortion, and Adult/minor relationship
juliacd's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Homophobia, Cancer, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death, Religious bigotry, and Car accident
whatannikareads'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
4.75
i think i enjoyed it so much because i live in korea and i can see smell and hear the neighborhoods described in this book, the food used to connect with people, what seoul looks like at dawn. so i’m probably biased, but i also think it speaks to how realistically the author painted the neon lights of the city
the book is essentially vignettes of the authors love life in seoul, whether that be platonic romantic or familial. it’s a bit dry and dark but i think it perfectly encapsulates the blunt nature of a young adult’s mind.
because korea is still soso homophobic, it was so cool to read how openly the author shares actual korean gay experiences through a fictional character. definitely a perspective that’s needed more in korean literature! i’m so appreciative that it’s been translated and that i can also fully enjoy it.
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Alcohol, Car accident, Outing, Religious bigotry, Cancer, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
aet_rebecca'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Car accident and Cancer
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
my caveats w/ the novel are its timeline and structure which are confusing at times, and the lack of continuity in characters and points of conflict between all the parts. for the latter, young's strained relationship w/ his mom is an example, as well as jaehee, who for such large a presence she has in young's life initially, basically disappears like 1/4 of the way.
aside from the aforementioned, however, i enjoy all other aspects of the novel. this book is funny and can be endearingly sweet, while also being scarily realistic in its depictions of struggles for one's dream, career, and everyday life. the bangkok setting later in the book's also delightfully surprising, and it's great seeing places from my own life feature quite prominently in a book i rly like.
the main character young has me endlessly rooting for him as he grapples w/ love and life, made doubly more complicated by his queer identity, and w/ reveals that shed more light on him in every part. there are no stereotypes and caricatures here, instead park delves into issues rarely touched upon - a minority w/in a minority - w/ young's HIV+ status and the normality yet ramifications of it, hampering young's life in frustrating ways.
what touches me most is perhaps young's relationship w/ gyu-ho, filled w/ both drama and mundanity that's multifaceted and refreshingly non-toxic. the naksan park scene is one that will stay w/ me, brimming w/ empathy and love. and although the ending is quite melacholic, i like the ambiguity of it. this book squeezes and fills my heart, and i sincerely hope more of park's works will be translated in the future, bc i for one cant wait to read them.
Graphic: Alcohol, Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, and Misogyny
Moderate: Infidelity, Medical content, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Abortion, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Death, Fatphobia, Car accident, and Abandonment