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ericispublius's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Stalking, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infertility, and Abortion
Minor: Death of parent
linde_ahobbit's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book is enraging to read. I was quite mad at the world when i finished it, but I felt seen as well. I think every woman can relate to something in this book. It was engaging, informative and the ending was a gut punch.
A great feminist read about gender inequality in South-Korea.
A great feminist read about gender inequality in South-Korea.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
balamaqab's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Abortion, and Sexual harassment
mrlsdevos's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
padancer's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Sexual assault and Pregnancy
acebooknerd_07's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Abortion and Pregnancy
robyn1998's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I was blown away by this. It was eye-opening, infuriating, depressing, and intensely relatable at times. I've been reading a lot of South Korean literature this year and this informative stance really helps to contextualise a lot of situations I've read about. It's troubling to know that women experience similar issues in South Korea as in Britain but, seemingly, to a larger degree, especially when it comes to workers' rights and childcare. The empathetic look the author took to Ji-Young's experiences of harassment and inequality was very validating as well. I try not to think of how many of us as women have experienced sexual assault or threats as the scale is depressingly vast. I don't even know if I would want to read any more of Cho Nam-Ju's work as it seems to largely centre around those issues and it's just too upsetting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
miayukino's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
5.0
I want to scream. I’m going to scream. We should all be fucking screaming.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Medical trauma
Minor: Drug abuse and Vomit
tessalovespanda's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The ending is weird with perspective shift. A different lense to womanhood from a different culture. The article referring makes sense now with the ending. Relatable as a woman and very poignant to the reality of women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Misogyny, Sexism, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Sexual assault, Stalking, and Sexual harassment
clovetra's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
i’m very conflicted on this book.
i want to say in no way shape or form do i want to criticise what the author wrote. i think raising awareness to the misogynistic culture of south korea is necessary, and the way it was done truly made me feel immersed in what it is like to be a woman in south korea.
i do think this book is necessary, especially considering the 4B movement has reached the west (as in, the knowledge of its existence in south korean culture).
purely from a reader’s perspective is why my star rating is so “low”.
this book kinda reminds me of a woman is no man by etaf rum, in that it’s:
- truthful, raw story adapted for “entertaining” purposes but could realistically be a real person’s life
- repeats the same themes & message surround misogyny without any new takes, going on and on with the same content
- incredibly disheartening to read as it feels like torture porn & gives you zero hope
- becomes stagnant around the middle of the story
- has an anticlimactic ending that slightly infuriates you (this “infuriating” comment more so applies to this book, whereas a woman is no man was solely anticlimactic)
also with a woman is no man, i feel scummy writing this review & giving negative feedback surrounding lives women very likely are actually living in the real world whilst i sit here prim and proper, not having to worry about if i will be discriminated against if i have kids (i won’t) or told to “suck it up” with workplace harassment.
i think i also went in with the wrong expectations - i expected the story to more heavily explain *why* jiyoung now channels women of her past. all i got was roughly ~30 pages of this which was probably the most disappointing aspect of the book for me. but i don’t really think i can hold this against the writer tbh - yet again my expectations for a book are out of wack 💀
like a woman is no man, i do think everyone should read this. i just don’t particularly “love” books about misogyny because u know…. i read to escape the real world…. i get enough sexism from existing thank u very much!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Bullying, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Classism