Reviews

Miss Kim Knows and Other Stories by Cho Nam-joo

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thrillerbingergirl's review

inspiring sad

4.0

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗞𝗶𝗺 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝘀/𝗖𝗵𝗼 𝗡𝗮𝗺-𝗷𝗼𝗼
«ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ɪɴ ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ. ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴀɴ ʙᴇ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴀɪᴛ, ᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴇᴘᴀʀᴇ, ᴛᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀʙᴀɴᴅᴏɴ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴀʟᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ, ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀ ʙɪᴛ ᴏꜰ ʟᴜᴄᴋ ᴄᴏᴍᴇꜱ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴀʏ, ᴛᴏ ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɢʀᴀᴛɪᴛᴜᴅᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴄʀᴇᴅɪᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ɪᴛ»
𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙚, 𝙪𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙙
Miss Kim Knows brings together the lives of eight Korean women, aged 10 to 80. Contained in each of these biographies is a microcosm of contemporary Korea, and the challenges and injustices that women face from childhood to old age.

𝗖𝗵𝗼 𝗡𝗮𝗺-𝗷𝗼𝗼 brings to the table a powerful and brave compilation about women facing death, grief, motherhood, success, gaslighting, love, friendship, in a patriarchal society.
The situations on the stories are not as distant as you may think. This book will resonate with you despite your upbringing:

*an elderly woman questioning her agency in family after experiencing her sisters death.

*A father runs away from home forcing her wife and children's to cope.

*A woman who after 10 years decides to leave her gaslighting boyfriend who manipulated, humiliated and controlled her.

This book is culturally significant women not only in Korea are more aware of their needs and the desire to live a fulfilling life is beyond the pressures of rasing a family.

Favs:
What miss kim knows
Dear Hyunamm oppa
Runaway
Night of aurora

sakisreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative fast-paced

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? It's complicated

3.5

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982’, so ‘Miss Kim Knows’ was bound to be a hit for me ✨

My favourite stories were: ‘Under the Plum Tree’ (about sisterly love ❤️), ‘Runaway’ (which gave me such ‘Please Look After Mother’ vibes) and ‘Dear Hyunnam Oppa’ (about a woman who breaks up with her ex and lists the misogynistic things he does/says during their relationship 👏🏼).
It’s dire how misogyny is so normalised 😫

Cho Nam-joo keeps showcasing her brilliance in her literature. I didn’t love this one or find it as impactful as ‘Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982’ so that’s why I’m giving it 3.5 stars, but I am still a fan of her work. Thank you ✨

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