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aliencatl0rd's review
3.0
I was recommended this book as a "YA version of Pachinko" but honestly it's not. I did enjoy it however. 3.5/5
jadom's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
4.0
poppyedition's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
selenarreads's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
slui02's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
louismunozjr's review
2.0
2.5, rounding down to 2.
I had higher hopes for this book - I have been to Korea several times, and was very interested to hear about Koreans in Japan -but the book was a let-down. Short as it is as just under 160 pages, after diligently reading the first 90 pages yesterday, I quickly became impatient today, and forced myself to skim my way to the end. I could tell that there were some things of substance, perhaps, along the way, but in the words of The Immortal Sage: "Ain't noone got time for that!"** So while this book could be meaningful for a wide variety of people, it gave me next to nothing, I'm really sorry to say.
**Did you get the joke within the joke?
I had higher hopes for this book - I have been to Korea several times, and was very interested to hear about Koreans in Japan -but the book was a let-down. Short as it is as just under 160 pages, after diligently reading the first 90 pages yesterday, I quickly became impatient today, and forced myself to skim my way to the end. I could tell that there were some things of substance, perhaps, along the way, but in the words of The Immortal Sage: "Ain't noone got time for that!"** So while this book could be meaningful for a wide variety of people, it gave me next to nothing, I'm really sorry to say.
**Did you get the joke within the joke?
kurenzhi's review
2.75
Extra points here for what seems like a uniquely great translation, but the pacing of the original is quite choppy and lingers in odd places. I like seeing Zainichi representation available in English, though.
maria_hossain's review
4.0
THE COLOR OF THE SKY IS THE SHAPE OF THE HEART is a fantastic book. A coming-of-age literary fiction by Chesil, this book tells us, in less than 160 pages, the story of Ginny and her journey so far. Reminiscent of teen novels full of angst of the age and the struggle they go through, TCOTSITSOTH is a fantastic portrayal of a teenager who's Zainchi Korean, aka a Korean born and raised in Japan. While reading the book, I found the tone similar to The Catcher In The Rye by JD Salinger. Like Holden, Ginny also struggles and tries to blend in with the status quo. However, her identity is the opposite of the status quo and how long can you hide who you are?
The story begins with Ginny now in a high school in Oregon. Her foster mother, Stephanie, found her in Hawaii and brought her to Oregon. Here, Ginny also struggles to fit in. It could've been her fresh start in life. But her past and her inability to accept what's happening around her hold her back. She's almost expelled from her school but is given a second chance. She goes on a road trip by herself and slowly, she remembers her life in Japan and what happened there that made her leave.
Ginny was born as a Korean living in Japan with her extended family in North Korea. Given the brutal colonization of Korea by Japan and how the general populace and their government still don't acknowledge their ancestors' crimes (let alone apologize and atone for them), rather simply brush them under the rug, the Zainchi Koreans are treated horribly. Ginny, since childhood, attended the Japanese schools. However, in junior high, she was transferred to a Korean school. Unable to speak Korean fluently due to growing up in Japan, Ginny struggles to fit in. She's bullied by her classmates and her seniors alike. Her teachers either treat her aloofly or sternly. Her parents are no help. She doesn't know what to do. When the news of North Korea launching missiles over Japan reaches them, the prejudices begin to stir up and Ginny is caught in the crossfire. The trauma she faces in the aftermath and her response to them are quite harrowing yet understandable. The adults are supposed to protect the children. Yet, they are the ones who use and abuse the children's innocence. As her rebellion, Ginny pushes the limit that shocks the adults and her peers alike.
Here, like Holden, Ginny wants to protect the innocence of kids like her. According to her, whenever a child faces problems, they're allowed to react two ways: grow up earlier or act rebellious. Throughout the book, she mostly follows the former. Nothing changes. So, when she does the latter, chaos ensues and she is left burnt and bruised in the aftermath. Throughout the book, she alone is blamed and punished.
I love the blunt statements Ginny makes across the book. How the world thinks through the South Korean lenses whenever anything about the Korean existence comes up. Nobody thinks about the North Korean lenses. About the people subjugated there by the Kim family. When the media says Korean music, Korean drama, Korean food, Korean artists, they mean South Korean, not North Korean. Yet, when the Japanese bigots abuse the Zainchi Koreans, they don't ask first if they're from the North or the South. They just abuse and hurt.
Thank you, NetGalley and Soho Press, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
The story begins with Ginny now in a high school in Oregon. Her foster mother, Stephanie, found her in Hawaii and brought her to Oregon. Here, Ginny also struggles to fit in. It could've been her fresh start in life. But her past and her inability to accept what's happening around her hold her back. She's almost expelled from her school but is given a second chance. She goes on a road trip by herself and slowly, she remembers her life in Japan and what happened there that made her leave.
Ginny was born as a Korean living in Japan with her extended family in North Korea. Given the brutal colonization of Korea by Japan and how the general populace and their government still don't acknowledge their ancestors' crimes (let alone apologize and atone for them), rather simply brush them under the rug, the Zainchi Koreans are treated horribly. Ginny, since childhood, attended the Japanese schools. However, in junior high, she was transferred to a Korean school. Unable to speak Korean fluently due to growing up in Japan, Ginny struggles to fit in. She's bullied by her classmates and her seniors alike. Her teachers either treat her aloofly or sternly. Her parents are no help. She doesn't know what to do. When the news of North Korea launching missiles over Japan reaches them, the prejudices begin to stir up and Ginny is caught in the crossfire. The trauma she faces in the aftermath and her response to them are quite harrowing yet understandable. The adults are supposed to protect the children. Yet, they are the ones who use and abuse the children's innocence. As her rebellion, Ginny pushes the limit that shocks the adults and her peers alike.
Here, like Holden, Ginny wants to protect the innocence of kids like her. According to her, whenever a child faces problems, they're allowed to react two ways: grow up earlier or act rebellious. Throughout the book, she mostly follows the former. Nothing changes. So, when she does the latter, chaos ensues and she is left burnt and bruised in the aftermath. Throughout the book, she alone is blamed and punished.
I love the blunt statements Ginny makes across the book. How the world thinks through the South Korean lenses whenever anything about the Korean existence comes up. Nobody thinks about the North Korean lenses. About the people subjugated there by the Kim family. When the media says Korean music, Korean drama, Korean food, Korean artists, they mean South Korean, not North Korean. Yet, when the Japanese bigots abuse the Zainchi Koreans, they don't ask first if they're from the North or the South. They just abuse and hurt.
Thank you, NetGalley and Soho Press, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
asterope's review
fast-paced
3.0
A solid 3 stars. While I appreciated what the book was about, and how it portrays the honest feelings of the main character, it could have used more work on the pacing and phrasing. The way it was written sounded very odd, so I often couldn't figure out the tone. The book should have been much longer in order for us to really connect with Jinhee and her journey. The non-linear format didn't help either, I just found it confusing. And normally I love non-linear formats!
msethna's review
3.0
When I read the descriptions for this book on NetGalley I was super excited to have access early and to read it. Unfortunately, the changing timeline, the back and forth between places and characters really confused me. I never got a handle of Ginny’s character and what she had been through in her life. I wish I could say I loved this one, but I think there are some parts that got lost in translation.