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koreanlinda's reviews
199 reviews
The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I read this book after seeing a Story from a librarian on Instagram. He offered it as a comfort read for a grieving patron of the library. I immediately requested the book and read it as soon as I got home.
To be frank, I was scared to flip the pages. I easily predicted the lesson of the book concerning grief, but I was still scared to see the end myself. Flipping each page felt like an attempt to get closer to the death of me or the death of someone I love. There was no papercut on my finger from dulled pages of the old library picture book, but I felt like each page severed me from a connection that I endearingly clung to.
Recently my friend Betsy asked how I was doing, and I was able to tell her honestly that my head has been out of whack since my grandmother's death last year. I function. After all, I am used to functioning through ebbs of depression and anxiety, but I feel like I have to constantly move my limbs to stay afloat. That's why I sometimes just want to drop everything.
For everyone grieving, my heart goes out to you. I am very sad. I'm sorry you are very sad, too. Review
by Linda (she/they) in November 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
To be frank, I was scared to flip the pages. I easily predicted the lesson of the book concerning grief, but I was still scared to see the end myself. Flipping each page felt like an attempt to get closer to the death of me or the death of someone I love. There was no papercut on my finger from dulled pages of the old library picture book, but I felt like each page severed me from a connection that I endearingly clung to.
Recently my friend Betsy asked how I was doing, and I was able to tell her honestly that my head has been out of whack since my grandmother's death last year. I function. After all, I am used to functioning through ebbs of depression and anxiety, but I feel like I have to constantly move my limbs to stay afloat. That's why I sometimes just want to drop everything.
For everyone grieving, my heart goes out to you. I am very sad. I'm sorry you are very sad, too. Review
by Linda (she/they) in November 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
Content Warnings
Minor: Death
Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.75
I started this audiobook on a high note after watching Netflix series Beef. I was impressed by Ali Wong's storytelling and acting skills in the show. The audiobook is read by Ali Wong herself, and her reading is full of her characters.
Sharing of her personal life stories with sarcasm and punchlines did not last the whole book. By the end, I was tired of her close-to-yelling and extreme self deprecation even though I listened to is on many separate sittings with plenty of breaks in-between.
Unfortunately I could not help but judge Ali Wong's character as well. All the confession of her mistakes made her look like a very selfish person because those mistakes hurt and damage others so much. In my eyes, they were not funny.
One more thing that bothered me was the underlying hetero-normativity and traditional ideas of women's happy life in a family with children. I don't remember the details. If you are a fan of hers, I recommend giving a listen. It might be more enjoyable to cherry-pick chapters that interest you more, otherwise, it might feel like a long story to listen to.
Sharing of her personal life stories with sarcasm and punchlines did not last the whole book. By the end, I was tired of her close-to-yelling and extreme self deprecation even though I listened to is on many separate sittings with plenty of breaks in-between.
Unfortunately I could not help but judge Ali Wong's character as well. All the confession of her mistakes made her look like a very selfish person because those mistakes hurt and damage others so much. In my eyes, they were not funny.
One more thing that bothered me was the underlying hetero-normativity and traditional ideas of women's happy life in a family with children. I don't remember the details. If you are a fan of hers, I recommend giving a listen. It might be more enjoyable to cherry-pick chapters that interest you more, otherwise, it might feel like a long story to listen to.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, and Sexual content
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The drawings are flowy and pretty. The plot and characters are intriguing, too. The story was too cheesy for my middle age self. I enjoyed readying volumes 1-4 but won't read the sequels or watch the show. I'm glad I got a peak at the hype around the show. I totally understand why many people are in love with it. The characters are quite lovable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Mental illness
Moderate: Self harm and Vomit
A Man and His Cat, Volume 7 by Umi Sakurai
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Asadora!, Vol. 4 by Naoki Urasawa
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Maybe an Artist: A Graphic Memoir by Liz Montague
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
4.25
Year of the Rabbit by Tian Veasna
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.75
My usual limit of star ratings for a comic book is 4.0, but this one scored 4.75. This is one of the most condensed historical account told in graphic novel. It reminded me of Persepolis, but this book is even denser.
The book is filled with terror committed by Khmer Rouge page after page. It was so unbearable for me to witness the atrocity, even in drawings, that I had to take frequent breaks throughout the read. I'm very glad I read it though because I learned a lot about the painful history of Cambodia, which I knew very little before. The book is also filled with acts of kindness. Even in the most scary state of situations, kind people share what they have and help in the ways they can. The story wrecks your faith in humanity over and over while it also brings it back to you over and over. I strongly recommend this book to all people, especially students who are learning modern history of Cambodia or Asia at large.
Review by Linda (she/they) in Oct 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
The book is filled with terror committed by Khmer Rouge page after page. It was so unbearable for me to witness the atrocity, even in drawings, that I had to take frequent breaks throughout the read. I'm very glad I read it though because I learned a lot about the painful history of Cambodia, which I knew very little before. The book is also filled with acts of kindness. Even in the most scary state of situations, kind people share what they have and help in the ways they can. The story wrecks your faith in humanity over and over while it also brings it back to you over and over. I strongly recommend this book to all people, especially students who are learning modern history of Cambodia or Asia at large.
Review by Linda (she/they) in Oct 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Police brutality, Trafficking, Death of parent, and War
I Want to be a Wall, Vol. 1 by Honami Shirono
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The graphic is lovely, and so it the story. I enjoyed reading volume 1 but won't continue. The setting and development is too cheesy for me. There are lots of inner monologue and imagination scenes. I praise the author's choice of putting a BL fan and a gay lover on the main stage. It can definitely help with educating readers about BL (boy love) literature and fandom.
Review by Linda (she/they) in Oct 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
Review by Linda (she/they) in Oct 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam by Thien Pham
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
This is such a wholesome story delivered in beautiful artwork. I learned a lot about Vietnamese immigrants despite me being an immigrant myself. The author Thien Pham made a masterpiece of an immigrant family's story that represents the shared hardship and community building of all immigrants. I strongly recommend.
Review by Linda (she/they) in Oct 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
Review by Linda (she/they) in Oct 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
Content Warnings
Moderate: Xenophobia and War
Robo Sapiens: Tales of Tomorrow (Omnibus) by Toranosuke Shimada
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book was quite different from other graphic novels I had read. It is an omnibus of different stories showing a possible world on Earth far into the future where robots have become primary residents. I read it in many short chunks. Each short story gave me moments to question and ponder. There are some stories that connect throughout the book, and there are some that stand alone. If you are a fan of sci-fi materials, I recommend this book. There is rarely anything fluffy or cheeky here.
Review by Linda (she/they) in Oct 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
Review by Linda (she/they) in Oct 2023
Essay writer at DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Podcaster at AmericanKsisters.com
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: War