Reviews tagging 'Death'

If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha

20 reviews

feelincelestial's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

A very engaging read, left me wanting more of these women’s stories.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

4.25

I would like to read this one in physical form, so that I can take my time with it. It feels like a such a different world that I don't know, and I also want to translate every Korean word in it. But I thought it was really interesting, and I'm excited for more from this author. I love this group of girls, so similar and also different, just trying to find their survival. Very interesting read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Moderate: Body shaming, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Suicide, Violence, and Grief

michelle_bernice92's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicide

sakisreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful tense medium-paced

• 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

3.5

✨ Thrifted ✨

This book has a bit of a slow start so I wasn’t sure how much I’d get into it… But I’m glad I persevered! 
Based around Ara (a mute woman who works at a hair salon), Kyuri (a room salon worker), Miho (an artist whose move back to Seoul is fraught with relationship complications), Sijun (Ara’s protective best friend) and Wonna (the woman who lives in the apartment above the girls), this book had the resonance of ‘Girl, Woman, Other’. We explored beauty, family, feminism, and so much more!
I gave it 3.5 stars because it was, as mentioned above, a bit of a slow burner but once you got into it you couldn’t stop 👏🏼 

Some of my favourite moments included are below 👀

When Ara shoved that assistant Cherry’s head down the toilet, I somehow felt vindication for her 😂

I loved when Miho finally realised Hanbin was not the prince she needed and she was able to find power in her ‘cliché’ moments (e.g. Cutting off some of her hair, deciding to leak photos to the paps…) 🙊

I am also a huge fan of Korean food so all of their descriptors of kalgukksu, KFC etc. made me hungry 😅

Content warnings included below!
Thank you ✨

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

desireewoodwhite's review against another edition

emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, and Death

ionamcewan's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad 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? Yes

5.0

A haunting often harrowing book that is ultimately a message of how to live in the day

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

adriaxlife's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Abandonment

parton4proletariat's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really liked this book! It was hard to remember who was who sometimes since its a large ensemble, but the characters were unique and had distinct voices. I particularly liked Ara and Miho, and I liked how complex Kyuri was. 

my biggest critique of multi-perspective books is that it tends to make it difficult to connect with the characters. I did not have that issue with this book. I found myself caring about all of them.  

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Suicide, Grief, Alcohol, and Classism

potatokao's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

an intimate look into each of the women’s lives ranging in their 20s, living in seoul. the way it was written with perspective changes shows their raw and honest thoughts about their individual struggles and responses to their environment. things you wouldnt want to say out loud. it makes the characters more whole, neither good nor bad, a product of their upbringing. heavy themes of friendship, family, in laws, women in society.

at first i felt like the pace and setting the author set made it so that the girls were only suffering and not able to enjoy anything in life and it made me sad to get into the book. maybe halfway when the plot seems to progress a little more, the characters become more active and living. 

the connections between all the girls is what makes the book. i love how intertwined they are. they judge each other, they love each other, they get annoyed, they care, they go through life together. not the best of friends, but clearly helped by each other’s company. not family, but all they have for some of them. people who are important to them and people they can be honest with. 

i only wish i didnt have to wait half way into the book to see that and there are some parts of their past that are never fully explained. but i understand it’s hard to develop individual characters AND their relationship with one another. once all the characters and their backgrounds are in place, it is well worth it to get to know them. 

the ending of the book is what makes it for me. this gradual warmth and hope, like spring air has blown in. it could have ended in any way but this warm ending is what makes me feel that their connection is so full of love and care. life isnt going to suddenly be better but i hope they stay together and work through life together. sending hugs to the girls. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Violence

Moderate: Death, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Sexism, Sexual content, Medical content, Death of parent, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Rape and Suicide

harmonygracie's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Minor: Death and Suicide