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sharissar's review against another edition
4.25
Tragic, well illustrated. A bit difficult to connect with.
talia_theewatermelonbb's review against another edition
3.0
While I appreciated the perspective of Kyeonga and seeing how war affects her daily life, I didn't particularly enjoy this book. I have not read the original text so I can't really speak to the translation of the graphic novel.
The things I enjoyed were Kyeonga's observations of soldiers and coworkers at the PX, the painful relationship with her mother, and her crush on Ok Huido. The context of this story is really everything, very little actually takes place in the plot. Maybe I was expecting some more action or maybe it was the bleak subject matter, but I felt a little empty after finishing this book. The stark art style of the book contributed to this feeling (I saw another reviewer call it "hollow" which I feel is a good descriptor). The illustrations of others' faces seem to reflect how Kyeonga felt about them, but Kyeonga's own face seemed flat through most of the book. Maybe this indicates that she feels unable to express herself fully due to her surroundings, but I think it took away from her relatability.
The things I enjoyed were Kyeonga's observations of soldiers and coworkers at the PX, the painful relationship with her mother, and her crush on Ok Huido. The context of this story is really everything, very little actually takes place in the plot. Maybe I was expecting some more action or maybe it was the bleak subject matter, but I felt a little empty after finishing this book. The stark art style of the book contributed to this feeling (I saw another reviewer call it "hollow" which I feel is a good descriptor). The illustrations of others' faces seem to reflect how Kyeonga felt about them, but Kyeonga's own face seemed flat through most of the book. Maybe this indicates that she feels unable to express herself fully due to her surroundings, but I think it took away from her relatability.
froggyfellow's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.75
kp_writ's review against another edition
2.0
was kinda bored the whole time tbh. i'd imagine the novel is more moving?
cabbagecakes's review against another edition
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.75
moreadsabook's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
4.5
This author-illustrator is a gem. She can pull so many emotions from a story and structures them in an almost perfect way. I love everything about this.
nataliesticht's review against another edition
2.0
I didn’t really understand this. Maybe it’s because of my subpar understanding of the Korean War. Maybe I’ll need to read the original because adaptations always leave out some things.
frizabell's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75