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sharnanigans's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Rape, Eating disorder, Medical content, Sexism, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Animal death, Blood, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Animal cruelty, Suicide, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Gore, Death, Sexual violence, Murder, Sexual assault, and Addiction
preciousmist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Slight spoilers below, and brief discussion of sexual abuse.
I think the way this book superimposes body and sexual horror with femininity and social constraints that come with a (cis) feminine body is interesting. I think it's a interesting commentary on Women within Korean society, when I cross reference the little I know of it with the story of this book.
I also think there's some problems with it. For one, the true psychological horror that comes with this book is, funnily enough, in the chapters with male POV's. The way they see women (women as objects, that is, though both male characters we get see this objectivication from different points, one as social value for others, and one as value for his own self-realization and self-worth, in a way) and the way they go unchecked is terrifying because I can see it happening. The rape scenes are brief, but bone-chillingly... normal? If that's a word one can use along with rape. They aren't explored further on the effects they have on the women characters that go through it - though one can say we see the narrative itself being affected for it.
I think what bothers me the most about this book is the emphasis on "strength" of the last, and the only woman who has a POV, character. The sheer will she possesses is what gets her through the days, that and the love for her son - that is what prevents her from succumbing to the strangeness that afflicts her sister. This strength is met with different, and mixed, conclusions at the end:
A) She recognises it was sheer will, and cowardice, that prevented her from going down the same path as her sister. Her sister recognizes this strangeness, in a way, as a strength - the strength to be different.
B) But she continues with the same pattern as before, while as well seeing her sister's "mental illness" as something undesirable. The writing almost insists this endurance is the path to go - survival, not rebellion, is the way. For as feminist this book is, and it is!, somehow I can see a reader coming from this book with the idea that women shouldn't stray too much from the socially accepted roles given to them, because;
C) All this strangeness, all this rebellion, all the suffering endured, is concluded with the afflicted character ultimately dying to the world. Now, I understand why: the Protag has rejected meat, carnality, sexuality, violence. Still, as we see in chapter two, this is imposed on her: through rape, exploration of her body, and the male gaze. Though she has emptied herself of all desire, all the sexual and deviant things inside her, she can't get rid of her *body*, which is why chapter 3 is where we see the Protag's body waste away to nothing, and why there's an insistence in the flora comparison. Trees are not sexual, or better yet, their sexuality is not violent. Is this book implying the only way for an *individual* to be liberated of all the complication that come with a sexual society, a sexual drive, a material life, per se, is to literally become an alien to her own humanity and waste away? One could say yes. In fact, the only way for this to not happen to the one other woman in this book, is for her to connect herself to the social gender roles given to her, that and motherhood.
I think this is an interesting book with a pretty clear message, but I wonder about the ways the message is delivered. I understand the complexity of the topic, which is perhaps why the end of this book can read so differently depending on the reader. Alas, this is a book I'd like to think about more, but certainly not reread.
Also, and perhaps this is a string of unfortunate experiences, but I have yet to read a (translated) korean book whose prose *worked* for me. Is it a translation problem I wonder? Something about the Korean language itself that lends to a translation that seems... Not vague, but certainly seems to leave some sentences incomplete, or weird, gramatically speaking? I can't read Korean, and I've certainly tried to learn it to no avail as I simply cannot compute the alphabet for some reason, but this is the second book I've read in general where I get that feeling.
Oh well. It lends to the strangeness of it all, I guess.
Graphic: Rape
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Gore
reader00's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Body horror, Suicide attempt, Blood, Eating disorder, Gore, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
sk1m086's review
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Blood, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
avrilamber's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I have minor issues with this story. The pacing, despite the length of the book, is pretty slow. The story is split into three parts told from the perspective of three people who all have a connection to the “protagonist”. A lot of the novel is based in the characters, and not much plot development which is probably why it felt so slow paced.
It’s a very interesting story about bodily autonomy, and the reaction of others when someone decides to not conform. I liked how each narrator had a completely different perspective on the protagonists choice to become a vegetarian - rage/disgust, lust, jealousy but almost acceptance.
Not a fan of the SA in this, far too much casual r*pe thrown in there without much warning.
If you like a weird, intense novel that isn’t too on the nose then this might be worth a go.
Graphic: Blood, Sexual assault, Gore, and Rape
a_wren_that_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Blood, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual content, Misogyny, Self harm, Eating disorder, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Vomit
pinkiereads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, and Domestic abuse
marylysn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Blood, Eating disorder, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, and Physical abuse
beatriks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Sexual content, Blood, Eating disorder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Domestic abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Medical content, and Gore
Moderate: Body shaming
Minor: Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Physical abuse
maiaespiri2's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Gore, Eating disorder, Rape, Suicide, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Mental illness, Infidelity, Self harm, and Medical trauma