Scan barcode
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
3.0
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Cancer, Car accident, Abortion, Forced institutionalization, and Chronic illness
leanne_miron'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
Graphic: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abortion, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, Cancer, and Medical content
aidrielle's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Alcohol, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship
khakipantsofsex's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Cancer and Homophobia
Minor: Forced institutionalization
yellowatelier'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
5.0
Moderate: Homophobia, Cancer, Outing, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Chronic illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Misogyny, Terminal illness, and Alcohol
yuna'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
Moderate: Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Cancer, and Medical content
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Fatphobia
claudiamacpherson'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
2.5
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Alcohol
Minor: Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, and Cancer
afion's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Cancer, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
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