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anh_read'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? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, and Homophobia
Moderate: Cancer, Outing, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Fatphobia, Stalking, and Infidelity
ankbert'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
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism and Alcohol
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, and Homophobia
beanie_bob's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Reading Around The World (4/199): Korea
There’s a lot of laughing in this book - a lot of mocking, youthful romps, cynicism delivered through jokes. Makes me wonder if it’s all just a way to cope with how much goes wrong in the narrator’s life. The blurbs on the back use words like ‘electric’ and ‘dazzling’ and ‘delicious’ as if this book doesn’t end with total heartbreak.
There are some things done seriously well in this novel. The narrator’s relationship with his dying mother was sad (everything in this book is sad if you think about it long enough) but filled with nuance. It’s painful for the child to become the caretaker, and even more so when the child was abused.
Loneliness and emptiness are captured with painful accuracy. Loneliness within existing relationships, even.
I had a hard time understanding where the story was going - I kept waiting for characters to renter the narrative but I think the point is that in your 20s/30s people just wander in and out with no fanfare, no chorus to tell you who’s important and who is not.
The writing wasn’t always my favorite but when it worked, it worked.
Was this how the lovers of Pompeii felt when the magma covered them? I was deluged by some thing very hot and the world seemed to stop turning.
he called me in the middle of the night when no one was around because he enjoyed fucking me and lecturing me afterward. He saw me as someone to teach and change, and I was unfortunately not receptive to that.
Lastly, I enjoyed the interview with the author and translator at the end. Their passion and how they identified with the story made elements a little richer and less soul crushimg.
Graphic: Homophobia, Alcoholism, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Child abuse, Abortion, and Suicide attempt
noahsingh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
Graphic: Sexual content, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Fatphobia, and Cancer
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Death of parent
vladi_in_the_ether's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Homophobia, Alcoholism, and Abandonment
trix_lyn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Cancer, Alcoholism, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Stalking
lidia7's review
- 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
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Terminal illness, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Death, Grief, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Medical content, Abortion, Outing, and Infidelity
Minor: Physical abuse, Blood, Vomit, Fatphobia, Sexism, and Classism
jazzy_t's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Having not particularly read much translated fiction this has really made me want to read more. Reading story's based in diffrent places and cultures, was great.
This book had me gripped from the start, and the end will stick in my head I think. Would highly recommend!
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Abortion
Minor: Mental illness
nenaveenstra'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
3.75
Een minpuntje vind ik dat het boek is opgedeeld in vier verschillende delen, en dat die delen lijken geschreven voor een publiek dat de andere delen niet gelezen heeft. Daarmee bedoel ik dat er soms dingen overbodig worden uitgelegd, omdat je dat letterlijk tien bladzijden geleden nog gelezen hebt. Misschien zijn ze eerder in een ander format gepubliceerd?
Ook vind ik het taalgebruik soms wat simpel. Dat ligt niet aan de auteur, maar aan de vertaler - die heeft ongetwijfeld zijn best gedaan om zo trouw mogelijk te blijven aan het origineel, maar daardoor voelde het soms wat clunky. Ook stonden er heel veel referenties in naar dingen uit de Koreaanse popcultuur die niet werden toegelicht voor de lezer, dat vond ik jammer.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, and Homophobia
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Abortion, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexual content
himangi's review
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Homophobia, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, Blood, Body shaming, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Vomit and Stalking