Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Violets by Kyung-sook Shin

8 reviews

erindb's review against another edition

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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Blood, Stalking, Rape, Misogyny, and Injury/Injury detail

katialena's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Sexual violence

Minor: Kidnapping, Rape, Blood, and Self harm

Major character death? Ambiguous.

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

1004indeyo's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, and Blood

helenamarijke'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book confused be a lot. For some reason I had grand expectations. It was very slow, very top-layer while still deeply emotional. I was curious all the way through but also got a bit tired of the extreme slow burn and slice of life feel before the twist near the last part. Maybe I should've just read it in one sitting. But even though confusing and a bit tiring at times the ending (or the last third of the book after the twist) for some reason really got me. And the final scene will probably stick with me for a long time. Maybe Oh San's boring daily life was the point in the end

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Self harm

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Blood, Sexism, Stalking, Alcoholism, and Animal cruelty

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

clara_mai's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad

5.0

I was planning to write a review of Violets, but then I watched Books and Bao's on YouTube and it felt like they took everything that was floating around in my head after finishing this novel and put it into words in this excellent, to-the-point interpretation. Their channel is fantastic in general btw, especially if you're interested in translated literature. Highly recommend! Here's the link to their review of Violets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1kdnurYPE8

What I have to add is that I also really appreciated the afterword that Shin Kyung-sook wrote for this edition. She reflects on the novel, which was originally published in 2001, talks about the writing process and provides a bit of political context. Her comments on the protagonist San reinforced my feelings toward and connection with her as a character. Last but not least, the translation by Anton Hur is just beautiful. While reading I had the feeling that the translator must have really understood the themes and characters in order to convey the story in this way and the author apparently felt the same, because she remarks on Anton Hur's connection to the work in her afterword. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Self harm, and Misogyny

Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Blood and Suicidal thoughts

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

Following a rural upbringing filled with rejection and abandonment, San moves to Seoul to pursue work as a typist.  She instead falls into work at a flower shop, where tending to the flowers and plants brings her unexpected comfort.  But when painful memories begin to rear their ugly heads, San struggles to process the loneliness she feels, and the past and present blur into one.  Clean and bursting with symbolism, Violets is a portrait of a longing young woman drowning in a bustling city.  Shin Kyung-sook is a master of quiet tragedy. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Animal death, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Blood and Fire/Fire injury