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margeryb's review
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
bkimsey44's review
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
2.75
Slow burn. The pace doesn't pick up until about 100 pages in. I had to reread some of the earlier chapters again to understand the significance of things that happened later. I enjoyed learning about some of the challenges and racism that Korean people experience in Japan. It was eye-opening for me.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault and Self harm
girlpuck's review
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book was not really for me.
I'm not sure if it lost something in translation, or if the cultural context was missing. Either way I didn't connect with Jinhee, and had a hard time following the threads of the story.
I'm not sure if it lost something in translation, or if the cultural context was missing. Either way I didn't connect with Jinhee, and had a hard time following the threads of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
ihatecarlos8's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
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? It's complicated
4.5
This book was very fast paced and an enjoyable read. I was very interested in the subjects discussed and it was overall a very fascinating book. However it was very hard to understand how and where th 2 time periods in the story connected.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
pun1sher's review
3.0
I had a lot of trouble following this books storyline. Im not sure if i understood anything at all from it but it made me very sad
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Xenophobia
arcookson's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Racism
audreylee's review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
The fragmented timeline and the lack of connecting information between characters made this a very frustrating read. There were many gaps in the plot and the main character was extremely strident but without any background as to what may have formed her character prior to her rebellion.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault and Xenophobia
cobwebshelves's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
"our history isn't some textbook that no one wants to open. our history can be found in our music. the tears we shed can be found in our songs. shrouded as our ancestors were in darkness, despite knowing their lives would likely end without notice, they never forgot to sing and dance and laugh. their spirit is with us across time. as long as we, the inheritors of that spirit, give our lives to living, the music will never die. our songs will continue to grow. though a change may come, the day of our history's end will not. do not fear. the world is filled with more art than textbooks."
i've struggled a bit with how to properly review this book for a few weeks now. i'm not quite sure how to properly put the emotions i was left with into words. insightful doesn't feel like it covers "the color of the sky" well enough, but the book certainly reveals a lot about the historical experiences of zainichi koreans.
jinhee is a zainichi whose family originated from north korea, yet she doesn't feel like she fully belongs in either culture. she cannot find a place in japan where she's perceived as a foreigner nor can she fit in with her classmates in the korean school as she doesn't speak the language. however, we first meet her in the us – about the be expelled from yet another school, unable to confess what led to her leaving the country that she tried to fit into despite it rejecting her at every step.
this book is heavier than it might first appear, dealing quite explicitly with issues of discrimination, xenophobia, and, in one instance, child sexual assault. it's told in a non-linear way which some readers found made it more difficult to get into. for me personally, the format worked fine. however, by the end of it, there was a feeling that the story was somewhat incomplete and probably could've carried on a few chapters longer.
the translation is somewhat complicated to talk about. on the one hand, there were brilliant instances of prose, like the one i've quoted above. on the other hand, sometimes the language felt a bit too simplistic. i can't compare the original to the translation, so it's possible that the choice of register was intentional, though, so it's not something i can critique too much.
thanks to Soho Teen and Netgalley for the access.
i've struggled a bit with how to properly review this book for a few weeks now. i'm not quite sure how to properly put the emotions i was left with into words. insightful doesn't feel like it covers "the color of the sky" well enough, but the book certainly reveals a lot about the historical experiences of zainichi koreans.
jinhee is a zainichi whose family originated from north korea, yet she doesn't feel like she fully belongs in either culture. she cannot find a place in japan where she's perceived as a foreigner nor can she fit in with her classmates in the korean school as she doesn't speak the language. however, we first meet her in the us – about the be expelled from yet another school, unable to confess what led to her leaving the country that she tried to fit into despite it rejecting her at every step.
this book is heavier than it might first appear, dealing quite explicitly with issues of discrimination, xenophobia, and, in one instance, child sexual assault. it's told in a non-linear way which some readers found made it more difficult to get into. for me personally, the format worked fine. however, by the end of it, there was a feeling that the story was somewhat incomplete and probably could've carried on a few chapters longer.
the translation is somewhat complicated to talk about. on the one hand, there were brilliant instances of prose, like the one i've quoted above. on the other hand, sometimes the language felt a bit too simplistic. i can't compare the original to the translation, so it's possible that the choice of register was intentional, though, so it's not something i can critique too much.
thanks to Soho Teen and Netgalley for the access.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: War
tesch18's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
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