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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Murder
dark
emotional
reflective
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
Wow, quelle claque.
Je crois qu’il va aller directement dans mes favoris.
Des thèmes aussi sombres que lumineux, une plume juste et jolie, des références bien amenées, et beaucoup beaucoup d’humanité. Les personnages sont bien construits, attachants, les réflexions sont intelligentes, et questionnent beaucoup d’acquis. Il y a de la colère, des blessures qui n’arrivent pas à se refermer, il y a aussi l’espoir du pardon, et une ambiance contemplative, nue, qui semble retirer les voiles et les masques pour nous montrer crûment les choses, dans la beauté comme dans l’horreur.
Une ode à la vie et à la reconstruction.
Une vraie pépite, que je n’ai pas pu lâcher du début à la fin.
Je crois qu’il va aller directement dans mes favoris.
Des thèmes aussi sombres que lumineux, une plume juste et jolie, des références bien amenées, et beaucoup beaucoup d’humanité. Les personnages sont bien construits, attachants, les réflexions sont intelligentes, et questionnent beaucoup d’acquis. Il y a de la colère, des blessures qui n’arrivent pas à se refermer, il y a aussi l’espoir du pardon, et une ambiance contemplative, nue, qui semble retirer les voiles et les masques pour nous montrer crûment les choses, dans la beauté comme dans l’horreur.
Une ode à la vie et à la reconstruction.
Une vraie pépite, que je n’ai pas pu lâcher du début à la fin.
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This should've gotten five stars except I'm giving in three because something didn't click. I understand the raving reviews, I understand why its average Goodreads rating is above 4.3 - but for me, it was empty. It meant to make people think, it meant to make the reader question why we do what we do and how our lives shape us - and I guess I thought about it, but it's like I couldn't apply it to my own life.
The main character was utterly unrelatable and detestable - so hateful and naive and arrogant. Part of that was the point of the book, but she didn't grow through the plot - I mean, the author SAID she changed - oh look at how she's visiting death row inmates seven years later, oh look how wonderful she is for forgiving, oh look - but she didn't change. A quick chapter at the end telling us she's grown doesn't mean that to the reader she has evolved. The protagonist was the same at the beginning as she was at the end - plus I don't even remember her name! And this isn't due to it being translated - I remember Yunsu, I remember Eunsu, I remember Aunt Monica and Officer Yi and Yusik - I can't for the life of me tell you what the main character is called because I didn't care and she did not stand out. Maybe this seems heartless because she was raped at the age of fifteen. Rape is a horrible experience and a terrible crime - I don't like it, I don't condone it, I'm repulsed by it - but just because a fictional character has something like that happen to them doesn't make you immediately empathise and connect with them. The connection comes through character development and world building, of which this book lacked. It's worth a read, but for me it just missed the mark.
The main character was utterly unrelatable and detestable - so hateful and naive and arrogant. Part of that was the point of the book, but she didn't grow through the plot - I mean, the author SAID she changed - oh look at how she's visiting death row inmates seven years later, oh look how wonderful she is for forgiving, oh look - but she didn't change. A quick chapter at the end telling us she's grown doesn't mean that to the reader she has evolved. The protagonist was the same at the beginning as she was at the end - plus I don't even remember her name! And this isn't due to it being translated - I remember Yunsu, I remember Eunsu, I remember Aunt Monica and Officer Yi and Yusik - I can't for the life of me tell you what the main character is called because I didn't care and she did not stand out. Maybe this seems heartless because she was raped at the age of fifteen. Rape is a horrible experience and a terrible crime - I don't like it, I don't condone it, I'm repulsed by it - but just because a fictional character has something like that happen to them doesn't make you immediately empathise and connect with them. The connection comes through character development and world building, of which this book lacked. It's worth a read, but for me it just missed the mark.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes