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emotional
reflective
slow-paced
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I don't read poetry and I definitely don't choose novels in this style. However, I enjoyed this even if there are some broader things in it, I have issues with. I like the way this is just a series of meditations on the color white and while the connecting anecdotes to grief and emptiness don't always hit, I'd say around 60-70% of it was nice. The times where I couldn't really get behind it was the connection of the central character's grief to Warshaw's downfall during WWII. I felt like it was too heavy-handed, corny, and a bit tasteless at times. I felt like a similar and better effect could be driven by other possible settings. I would give this a re-read sometime in the future
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
reflective
sad
fast-paced
"Why do old memories constantly drift to the surface?"4/5 stars.
Read from October 18, 2021 to October 20, 2021.
Hardcover, 160 pages.
Review at The Pluviophile Writer: https://wp.me/p3VFNP-2kX
An 8 Sentence Review:
Following my love of The Vegetarian and Human Acts, The White Book is more of a poem than a novel.
The entirety of the book revolves around the colour white as the narrator reflects on the death of a sister she never got to meet.
Each chapter of this short book is named after something white as white is a reference to death within the Korean culture. The writing style is delicate and remiss of the violence that haunts Kang's other works and while I enjoy many of the harsh aspects of Kang's work, this was a welcome change. This novel reminds me of one of my favourite poetry collections, Victoria Chang's Obit as it carries a similar haunting but delicate tone.“…a face as white as a crescent-moon rice cake.”
A short and recommended read for lovers of Kang's work and a welcome piece on death and grieving.
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
an exploration of sorrow, your own and what you inherit. as always in simple and beautiful language.
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes