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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Sexual assault, Suicide, Abortion, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Classism
Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury
i finally finished!!! I really liked this one! i’m not usually a historical fiction person, and as a very slow reader it was a challenge to get through the length. but with how VAST this story is, it felt appropriate. fitting an 80 year long story of four generations of a family in one book is crazy impressive to me.
there are so many smaller characters introduced (lots towards the end) that touch the family who are incredibly interesting, but at times it was hard for me to get attached to them because they’re present in the story for such a (relatively) short amount of time.
overall i would recommend it!! i’m in love with sunja’s story, and I was in tears at the end <3
there are so many smaller characters introduced (lots towards the end) that touch the family who are incredibly interesting, but at times it was hard for me to get attached to them because they’re present in the story for such a (relatively) short amount of time.
overall i would recommend it!! i’m in love with sunja’s story, and I was in tears at the end <3
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
Amazing
I loved this story and how it was written a powerful story what a fantastic journey it takes you on - I learnt alot
I loved this story and how it was written a powerful story what a fantastic journey it takes you on - I learnt alot
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
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
Very good read. Character driven historical fiction which taught me a lot! 4.5 stars
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
This book was incredible. It was full of three-dimensional, well-developed characters who, despite their many flaws (some of them fairly egregious), I became attached to. This multi-generational story is so human, in all the good and terrible ways that humanity is. The story is painful and beautiful and hopeful all at the same time.
I learned a bit more about Korean and Japanese culture, too, which was great. I came into this book knowing very little about 20th century Japan and Korea, Japanese occupation of Korea, and the treatment of ethnic Koreans living in Japan, but I didn't need to in order to appreciate the story and learn from it. I am impressed with Min Jin Lee's nuanced characterization of the realities and emotions of ethnic Koreans born and raised in Japan; I am still mulling over the complexities represented in this book.
A warning for any of my friends who are selective about the content they read: this book had more sexual content than I expected. It wasn't distasteful or gratuitous, and it was used for the purposes of character development (and it was done effectively). However, it was occasionally a bit more graphic than I would have preferred.
I learned a bit more about Korean and Japanese culture, too, which was great. I came into this book knowing very little about 20th century Japan and Korea, Japanese occupation of Korea, and the treatment of ethnic Koreans living in Japan, but I didn't need to in order to appreciate the story and learn from it. I am impressed with Min Jin Lee's nuanced characterization of the realities and emotions of ethnic Koreans born and raised in Japan; I am still mulling over the complexities represented in this book.
A warning for any of my friends who are selective about the content they read: this book had more sexual content than I expected. It wasn't distasteful or gratuitous, and it was used for the purposes of character development (and it was done effectively). However, it was occasionally a bit more graphic than I would have preferred.