A review by nightfell
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo

informative reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 was a reflective literary fiction piece on a woman growing up in South Korea and the challenges she faced as a woman in a highly discriminatory society. I know the majority of women (if not all women) will relate to some aspect of this book, especially if you are a mother. I really liked how simple and matter-of-fact it was written, as it enforced the fact of the story that these experiences that women go through are inevitable, and for women in Korea it was told like a kind of sick rite of passage ( I don't know if anyone will understand what I mean by this, just that every women in Korea goes through the what Jiyoung did in her life). That's not to say that the book was simple, it conveyed a wide range of emotions all while maintaining the restrained demeanor of Jiyoung to mirror the expectations of women during this time.

I also liked all the statistics that were included throughout the story, as it added an element of realism to this fictional story based on real life experiences. 

Overall, this book was really impactful, I'm glad it has had such a big impact in South Korea, and everyone should read this book.
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