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alicekorchard's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Suicide
anh_read's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Es ist definitiv kein einfaches Buch. Man sollte sich definitiv die Triggerwarnungen unbedingt vorher durchlesen. Ansonsten lässt sich das Buch gut und schnell lesen.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infertility
Minor: Suicide
lisvxdro's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Han’s writing style for this book does well to give you impactful introspection in a way that’s not familiar in the west. By spending the entire 1/3-1/2 of the chosen chapter setting up that chapter’s character worldview, the rest is the truth revealed in the most honest way possible. This book stings, it’s raw and often picturesque to the point that it might make you queasy. But the book is worth the read.
Favorite chapters:
-The Boy’s Friend read like a very dark and doomed Miyazaki story. I felt hopeless after.
-The Prisoner was definitely a hard one to get through, especially the reveal at the end with the young boys. Such innocence lost.
-The Boy’s Mother: I felt empty and deeply emotional. This chapter reminded me of my own fears.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, War, and Injury/Injury detail
nuii's review against another edition
4.0
It's a very difficult book (lots of graphic descriptions. PLEASE check TW), so brutal, so disgusting and raw...the crime that was commited, the pain and traumas it caused, the lives it had ruined...
Han Kang writes with such haunting intensity yet, at times, there's also sth tender and delicate about it...
The 4☆ is due to the fact that I'm not a fan of this particular structure, where 1 main plot being divided into short stories among a cast. I always find it's disruptive to the flow and the connection toward each characters doesnt go deep enough -BUT- i do get why it was used here and it's a reasonable choice to have a variety of accounts for this (historical) topic.
Overall, I cant bring myself to say I enjoy the book, it feels wrong saying that. But I'm glad I read it eventhough it breaks my heart thoroughly... still much to think about.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
Moderate: Suicide
ayaminerva's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
So these eyes that once beheld you became a shrine.
These ears that once heard your voice became a shrine.
These lungs that once inhaled your breath became a shrine.
The flowers that bloom in spring, the willows, the raindrops and snowflakes became shrines.
The mornings ushering in each day, the evenings that daily darken, became shrines.
---------------------
Han Kang weaves their history through the lens of the aftermath. She gives weight to stories behind the frontline and highlights the convoluted relationship of loss and memory, particularly those of survivors, especially those of survivors.
Standout pieces for me were The Editor, The Boy's Friend, and The Factory Girl.
Moderate: Gun violence, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Violence, and Blood
bubbles23b's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and War
makennadykstra's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
chelstell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Infertility, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, and Grief
lillyll's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, and Mass/school shootings
gokurakuji's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
i went into the book with a preconceived notion of what the structure would be like based on the summary but my prediction(?) was OFF. so i think that threw off my enjoyment.
but the horrifying knowledge that this book is based off history that i had 0 prior knowledge of (minus the name “gwangju uprising”) was frightening.
but the last chapter? it really made me come to appreciate the book as a whole.
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail