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A review by joannemae
Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim
dark
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Punch me in the face— it'll hurt less.
I find it so hard to convey just how incredibly well-crafted this book is. It takes an insane amount of skill and tact to tackle a subject as harrowing as comfort women, and to do it justice the way Grass does. I appreciate Gendry-Kim's restraint in her writing, almost allowing the story to tell itself and unfold on its own terms. Ok-sun's story is difficult enough to get through as is and I had enough outrage and emotion on my own. Coupled with the artwork, the story becomes painfully alive, telling a tale that was almost too difficult to read.
It's harrowing. It's devastating. It's brutal. It will haunt me forever.
Despite all this, there's hope woven throughout the book. I found it impossible not to cry at Ok-sun's duality— the strength and unimaginable resilience she shows despite (or in spite of) the horrors surrounding her life left me breathless. This book is a testament to the indomitable human spirit and is equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful.
"I've never known happiness from the moment I came out of my mother's womb." For real, punch me in the face rn.
I find it so hard to convey just how incredibly well-crafted this book is. It takes an insane amount of skill and tact to tackle a subject as harrowing as comfort women, and to do it justice the way Grass does. I appreciate Gendry-Kim's restraint in her writing, almost allowing the story to tell itself and unfold on its own terms. Ok-sun's story is difficult enough to get through as is and I had enough outrage and emotion on my own. Coupled with the artwork, the story becomes painfully alive, telling a tale that was almost too difficult to read.
It's harrowing. It's devastating. It's brutal. It will haunt me forever.
Despite all this, there's hope woven throughout the book. I found it impossible not to cry at Ok-sun's duality— the strength and unimaginable resilience she shows despite (or in spite of) the horrors surrounding her life left me breathless. This book is a testament to the indomitable human spirit and is equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful.
"I've never known happiness from the moment I came out of my mother's womb." For real, punch me in the face rn.