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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
4.5
Faith and belief, doubt and cynicism, extremism and guilt. This is a short but confident examination of big important questions. Deftly, thoughtfully rendered. Really enjoyed it!
Faith and belief, doubt and cynicism, extremism and guilt. This is a short but confident examination of big important questions. Deftly, thoughtfully rendered. Really enjoyed it!
Rounding up for 3.5. This book kept me engaged and was pretty suspenseful, and although I loved the writing I didn't love the characters.
a heavy story that felt like it had a lighter structure and more opaque characters than its themes (being unmoored in life, loss of religion/faith, how cults grasp hold) needed?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Before starting this book, I made the mistake of reading some (non-spoiler) reviews. Almost every review I read gave a 2-star rating, along with an intense, opinionated review listing all the reasons why this book was subpar. The only reason I mention this is because doing so significantly lowered my expectations for this book, which I worried at the end would cloud my judgement on my opinion of its true rating.
Having finished this book a week ago now, I can say for certain that I believe this to be a 3.5-star rating. Firstly, even just the subject matter is something that isn't written about much at all: the loss of faith and the discovery of faith. Grappling between three different narratives and points of view, Kwon takes the reader on, what is really, a polarizing ride of different versions of the truth and what that means. We see how so easily the truth can be subjective and become a living, breathing entity capable of evolution, slowly transforming as the mind transforms and radicalizes. We also get to see firsthand how grief and loss can change the trajectory of a human life, and in some cases, other human lives as well.
This is definitely not a happy-go-lucky story-- it's heavy as hell. I felt a lot of sadness and confusion and mind-blown phenomena at the end of this book, clearly not a shared experience for all readers, based on the reviews I read. But I, at least, was left impressed and moved by Kwon's first-ever novel. I recommend this book for anyone who wants a short read and to contemplate the meaning of faith, tossed in with a bit of existentialism. :-)
Having finished this book a week ago now, I can say for certain that I believe this to be a 3.5-star rating. Firstly, even just the subject matter is something that isn't written about much at all: the loss of faith and the discovery of faith. Grappling between three different narratives and points of view, Kwon takes the reader on, what is really, a polarizing ride of different versions of the truth and what that means. We see how so easily the truth can be subjective and become a living, breathing entity capable of evolution, slowly transforming as the mind transforms and radicalizes. We also get to see firsthand how grief and loss can change the trajectory of a human life, and in some cases, other human lives as well.
This is definitely not a happy-go-lucky story-- it's heavy as hell. I felt a lot of sadness and confusion and mind-blown phenomena at the end of this book, clearly not a shared experience for all readers, based on the reviews I read. But I, at least, was left impressed and moved by Kwon's first-ever novel. I recommend this book for anyone who wants a short read and to contemplate the meaning of faith, tossed in with a bit of existentialism. :-)
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I don’t really know what to do with this book. I didn’t like the characters or the writing style and it felt like something to just get through. The story could have been intriguing by the execution was way off.