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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Hye-Jin embodies her mother in this novel, constructing the rumination of a parent who is struggling to accept her daughter’s lesbianism. The protagonist is finding that the life she imagined for herself and her daughter isn’t eventuating and is actively fighting against it.
This book, like the works of Han Kang and Cho Nam-Joo, contributes to my understanding of the difficulties of existing as a woman in South Korea, especially a queer woman. While I really appreciate Hye-Jin’s analysis of these issues, I do think this novel is a bit on the nose with it’s exposé, and believe other people to have done it better (namely the aforementioned, as well as Ali Smith in Girl Meets Boy). I believe it to be a relatively elementary study of homophobia in the home and is lacking a certain subtlety.
This book, like the works of Han Kang and Cho Nam-Joo, contributes to my understanding of the difficulties of existing as a woman in South Korea, especially a queer woman. While I really appreciate Hye-Jin’s analysis of these issues, I do think this novel is a bit on the nose with it’s exposé, and believe other people to have done it better (namely the aforementioned, as well as Ali Smith in Girl Meets Boy). I believe it to be a relatively elementary study of homophobia in the home and is lacking a certain subtlety.
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
sad
challenging
emotional
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’m conflicted with this book. I think it was really well written and I can tell the author put a lot of thought and effort into telling this story, and it does have a really important message. However I think the ending came too suddenly, it’s just felt like a magic switch and I didn’t feel any emotional response when I know I should have. I personally think the mother needed some more character development before she got to that ending.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry