A review by chlonline
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

I wanted to reach out and shake her by the shoulders. Stop running around like a fool, I wanted to say. You have so much and you can do anything you want.

I would live your life so much better than you, if I had your face.

reading this book was such an amazing experience! i didn’t expect to like it as much as i did! if i had your face explores  the various social structures that affect women, and in turn, how these social structures affect how these women navigate life, love, work, and relationships. the book centers on the friendship of five women living in seoul — ara, kyuri, sujin, miho, and wonna. i especially found kyuri’s story and character most interesting.

however, i did notice a few things: one, the book’s title can be a bit misleading as plastic surgery doesn’t really play that much a role in the other girls’ stories. two, i feel like wonna’s story didn’t really fit in well with those of the other girls, in that case i feel like the book could’ve stretched a few more pages. and three, the book touched on so much social issues without really giving an in-depth discussion on some that at times, it felt like ticking boxes off a checklist.

nevertheless, i THOROUGHLY enjoyed this book. frances cha had me hooked from beginning to end and really tickled my soft spot for beautifully complex female friendships 🥲🫂

(originally rated this a 4.5, but i just loved this book so much i couldn’t resist upgrading it to a 5)