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thirdtimesacharm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Medical content, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
georgw's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual violence
Minor: Rape and Suicide
syllareads's review
5.0
Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide
wong_jyi's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Alcohol, War, and Classism
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
claireh6's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Excrement, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug abuse
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
moonshine__'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide and Torture
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
panicpoet's review
4.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide