Reviews tagging 'Death'

Violets by Kyung-sook Shin

2 reviews

hannah_cogo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Abandonment, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death, Sexism, Blood, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Police brutality, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Violence, Animal cruelty, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Rape

heartcolored's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I fell in love with the beautiful prose as soon as I read the first chapter. The author describes everything so vividly it felt like I was watching a movie. It's a slow burn but it never felt dragging because the writing is so beautiful. It's the kind of book that will linger in your mind for so long even months after reading it.

I was utterly surprised by the ending and this is the first time I've encountered such a bizarre and unsettling  way of dying. I feel like I won't be able to forget the ending even if I want to. Also, the ending further fueled my hatred for men. Seeing the photographer and Choi Hyunli live a normal life as if they didn't ruin San's life (who's now buried in the soil like the plants and flowers that she used to tend at the flower shop) angers me so much especially because it really happens in real life.

 
There are women out there whose trauma (caused by men) are only buried and repressed. They never see the light of day and that's the painful truth for the victims of assault, misogyny, and abuse. Lastly, I like the metaphor of the violets and the author's afterword made me appreciate the story even more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Death, Self harm, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Lesbophobia, and Rape