Review by bookobsessedmommy - Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982

bookobsessedmommy 's review for:

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo

4.5

emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Whew. This was both depressing and validating. This reads like narrative non-fiction, where we see and every woman's journey alongside the statistical realities of life for women in South Korea in that time. Jiyoung's decent into madness isn't preempted by anything particularly extraordinary or traumatic, but instead by incessant misogyny and the cumulative effects of recurring demoralization. There is a lot that is culturally unique (from my American perspective) but so much of this book has a broader appeal to the plight and experiences of women everywhere. It is short, but it packs one hell of a punch.

Content Warnings