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3.93 AVERAGE
3.93 AVERAGE
5++++ STARS!!
First of all, thank you so much to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Hyeseung Song for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this so much, it is hard to put into words, but I will attempt to do so....
Docile is the beautifully written and compelling memoir of Hyeseung Song, a first generation Korean American artist. Although her story is completely unique, it is also achingly familiar. At many times while reading this, I was transported back to that strange time of adolescence and early adulthood - navigating difficult parental relationships, trying to fit in, and searching for worth.
As she walks us through her life, Song explores many aspects of the human experience, including mental illness, racism, sexism, elitism, love, etc., but with a unique perspective that I haven't seen before. She rebels against stereotypes by illuminating the depth and subtlety to all the characters in her story.
Song describes the highs and lows of her life in a variety of ways. Sometimes it is intellectual, where she gives us the facts and the leeway to evaluate them however we see fit. At other times it is deeply emotional, raw, and vulnerable, and it is like we are living the memory with her. At other times, it is almost poetry. In every case there is a sense that an intentional choice was made, and it all comes together perfectly.
It is a wild ride - I was laughing out loud and choking up with tears and loving every minute - but it ends on a profoundly hopeful note. I hope that Hyeseung Song writes and publishes more books in the future!
First of all, thank you so much to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Hyeseung Song for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this so much, it is hard to put into words, but I will attempt to do so....
Docile is the beautifully written and compelling memoir of Hyeseung Song, a first generation Korean American artist. Although her story is completely unique, it is also achingly familiar. At many times while reading this, I was transported back to that strange time of adolescence and early adulthood - navigating difficult parental relationships, trying to fit in, and searching for worth.
As she walks us through her life, Song explores many aspects of the human experience, including mental illness, racism, sexism, elitism, love, etc., but with a unique perspective that I haven't seen before. She rebels against stereotypes by illuminating the depth and subtlety to all the characters in her story.
Song describes the highs and lows of her life in a variety of ways. Sometimes it is intellectual, where she gives us the facts and the leeway to evaluate them however we see fit. At other times it is deeply emotional, raw, and vulnerable, and it is like we are living the memory with her. At other times, it is almost poetry. In every case there is a sense that an intentional choice was made, and it all comes together perfectly.
It is a wild ride - I was laughing out loud and choking up with tears and loving every minute - but it ends on a profoundly hopeful note. I hope that Hyeseung Song writes and publishes more books in the future!
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Sexual harassment
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ while at times, the author is insightful and very genuine in her recollection of previous events/trauma and the complexities of her relationship with her family and partner, her language also got to become very flowery occasionally, affecting the pacing of the book. She also brought up trauma at times in ways leaving me feeling unresolved and wondering how that continued to affect her life. Lastly, the end of the book felt like we stopped before the main and “final” era; while a satisfying ending is not necessary, I felt like we didn’t get to actually understand the growth- more that her coming to terms with some similarities she has with her mother and father. she mentions her new partner C in her acknowledgement and I would’ve loved to learn more about that considering how in depth she goes into her relationship with Nate.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
In my journey to continue reading every “half-blank, half-American” who feels as if they cannot slot themself into either culture they technically belong to book I can find, I’m glad I picked this one up. This book will hurt, but hurt is necessary for growth and eventually, healing. In it, I saw aspects of myself and my relationship to my parents, family, and surroundings. I found pieces that can help me grow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt
Minor: Sexual assault
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
I related a lot to the earlier parts of this memoir, especially with her dynamics with her parents. I’ve never highlighted so much in a book. I didn’t relate to the artistic side as much but I appreciated seeing the growth.
I borrowed the digital version from the library but think this one deserves to be a physical book on my shelf.
I borrowed the digital version from the library but think this one deserves to be a physical book on my shelf.
I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, it doesn't live up to it's hype. It reads too much like a lightly edited diary. The information that is in the skipped entries isn't summed up and it just leaves clear empty holes in the narrative. It reads like little snapshots in a life of a girl plus little lesson-learned inserts, instead of a flowing story.
Also, some things just don't make sense. For example, on p 103 it's implied that Umma had called the school because the counselor was writing a recommendation for college. But it is in the section that talks about end of senior year activities, by which time all college applying is long over.
Also, some things just don't make sense. For example, on p 103 it's implied that Umma had called the school because the counselor was writing a recommendation for college. But it is in the section that talks about end of senior year activities, by which time all college applying is long over.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Well-written memoir about a Korean-American woman’s life through coming of age, reckoning with mental illness and career. Not what I expected based on the title.
I enjoyed the viewpoint of this book though I did find the earlier chapters surrounding the authors canily dynamic more interesting than when she was seperate from them. All the same, it was an interesting look into a life.