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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Full of life
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Started off as a pretty decent hardship story, but there are way too many terrible things that happen to these people for it to be an enjoyable read to me.
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
it made me question my life and my relationship with my family. 10/10
4.5 stars
I was engrossed in this wonderful book and couldn’t bear to put it down. I was hugely caught up in the beautifully vivid characters, scenery and stories.
I also loved that I learnt a lot about inter relations with Korea and Japan without it being forced upon me as a reader; the best historical fiction does that.
Ultimately I adored the first 2/3 of this gorgeous novel and felt the pacing in the last 1/3 a bit rushed in comparison so there wasn’t so much time to become fully emotionally invested in the characters’ lives. That’s turned it into a 4 star not 5 star read for me but I highly recommend it.
This is the perfect example of a multigenerational saga done right.
There were a few brief moments of confusion when new perspectives were introduced, but overall the story was beautifully executed and taught me so much. The hardship and prejudice that Koreans faced in Japan were portrayed through the characters’ daily lives, so it never felt like a textbook or history lesson.
I felt so invested in these stories and honestly would’ve loved for it to keep going into the 21st century!
There were a few brief moments of confusion when new perspectives were introduced, but overall the story was beautifully executed and taught me so much. The hardship and prejudice that Koreans faced in Japan were portrayed through the characters’ daily lives, so it never felt like a textbook or history lesson.
I felt so invested in these stories and honestly would’ve loved for it to keep going into the 21st century!
slow-paced
I did not find the story particularly engaging - I usually like books that follow characters, which allow you to really understand and appreciate the characters, rather than books that focus more on action; however, this book just wasn't for me. I didn't particularly like the characters, or really care what happened to them, which made it hard to keep reading.