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g_whitt's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Eating disorder, Murder, and Death
piperclover's review against another edition
I definitely don't think that this is bad in any way and I'm actually really really intrigued by some aspects of it it's just not what I thought it was going to be and I'm not really enjoying where it's going. I think this could be a fantastic horror thriller about a woman who murders bad men in the same vein as They Never Learn by Layne Fargo because of the creature she is and what her biology demands.
The opening chapter of this book made me think that it was going to be a ya version of They Never Learn but that opening scene of her hunting and stalking this bad man to kill is the only time in the first 52% we see that happen so I was set up for something that never came.
This has great themes about morality. Miyoung is always having a morality crisis about what she does and is trying to justify how she hunts to make herself a better person than she thinks she is. She isolates herself and is incredibly stand official room to people to avoid becoming reliant on anyone because she's afraid of being abandoned the way her mother was abandoned.
Jihoon does a similar thing and he does it fairly well but he does it by being so charming and gregarious that people think he has all of these friends so nobody gets close to him. This creates a really interesting dynamic where they do the same thing and therefore make logical sense to be together or at least be friends because they understand what being abandoned by a parent feels like and being lonely but because they go about their isolation in such vastly different ways, they butt heads about everything.
All of these points are intriguing but I'm just not vibing with the plot much.
The opening chapter of this book made me think that it was going to be a ya version of They Never Learn but that opening scene of her hunting and stalking this bad man to kill is the only time in the first 52% we see that happen so I was set up for something that never came.
This has great themes about morality.
Jihoon does a similar thing and he does it fairly well but he does it by being so charming and gregarious that people think he has all of these friends so nobody gets close to him. This creates a really interesting dynamic where they do the same thing and therefore make logical sense to be together or at least be friends because they understand what being abandoned by a parent feels like and being lonely but because they go about their isolation in such vastly different ways, they butt heads about everything.
All of these points are intriguing but I'm just not vibing with the plot much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
belovedsnail's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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? Yes
4.5
Extra .5 for the energy in it— an engaging ad moving read with real characters set in Korean myth. I liked it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
sophieamreacher's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.75
Fantastic book. I loved the characters, the angst, the heartbreak, the relationships. I also loved the setting of Seoul with all the cultural references to the food, the customs, and the tv dramas. I love reading about other country’s mythology’s (especially fox spirits) so I adored learning about Korea and it’s mythology through this amazing book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Medical content, Murder, Sexism, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Animal death
andatherrin's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Kidnapping
Minor: Police brutality, Animal cruelty, and Sexual harassment
hanaya's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Bullying
sp00324's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-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? Yes
3.5
I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook. I wasn't expecting this book to be so emotional and i did find that half way through I was getting a little fed up, the last section picks it up again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
ghostlyprince's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Blood, Kidnapping, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Police brutality
In regards to police brutality we learn Miyoung's bio dad was a cop who attempted to kill her and her mother many years ago, not sure if this falls under police brutality but thought it was worth mentioningkitausu's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I absolutely loved this! I will definitely be reading the next book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Religious bigotry
lisa_m's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I feel like I keep repeating myself, but this was a book unlike anything I have read before. It's based on Korean mythology and the main story takes place in Seoul. I didn't know much about Korean culture or mythology but that only made this book more interesting.
I don't say this often but I think this book could have been longer. There are two parts and it could have easily been cut in half and made into two different books. The ending of the first half felt like a typical ending of a book in a series. I was surprise that it was in the middle.
The story was captivating and the only flaw in my opinion was the writing style of the author. I didn't feel truly immersed in the story ever though I really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to reading the second book though and maybe she improved there. :)
I don't say this often but I think this book could have been longer. There are two parts and it could have easily been cut in half and made into two different books. The ending of the first half felt like a typical ending of a book in a series. I was surprise that it was in the middle.
The story was captivating and the only flaw in my opinion was the writing style of the author. I didn't feel truly immersed in the story ever though I really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to reading the second book though and maybe she improved there. :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Medical content, Murder, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Bullying, and Toxic friendship