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sangsmiles'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Body shaming, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Mental illness, Miscarriage, and Violence
Minor: Child abuse
leannanecdote'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
typedtruths's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Cursing, Hate crime, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
dylanrea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I love Frances Cha’s writing style - I hope she writes more books!
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Death of parent
ionamcewan's review against another edition
- 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
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
jrisants's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
There is no true conflict or resolution in the book and it reads as vignettes from the lives of five women in South Korea, all of them with unfortunate childhoods. Their experiences can serve as cautionary tales for the ills born of sexism and classism, and the characters themselves sway between upholding these ideals, criticizing them, and suffering from them.
In one of the stories Miho is in New York navigating a world full of new cultural norms and surrounded by acquaintances who have already lived abroad and come from rich families. At a party she compliments the pink walls which were decorated by a Portuguese designer, and the compliment is brushed off and treated as against custom to speak about. Later Papa John’s is ordered for the guests and everyone responds excitedly to the food. Miho reflects to herself that she is learning you cannot compliment beautiful decor, but you can make a fuss over takeout food and that these are the things she is still trying to learn and navigate.
Miho also later discussed her experiences with other artists and how she assumes coming from a wealthy family means that you must be happy—but when she looks on the art of the wealthy students she sees deep despair, almost indicating that their suffering has been worse than hers.
At various points in the book there are deep comparisons between men’s experience compared to women, and the wealthy compared to those in poverty. Wrapped in these comparisons are the changed expectations and challenges of the young generation. We see this when Ara finally meets Tain and her idol is cruel abs ruins her perception of him. This plays out again with Kyuri and Bruce who is so nice to her at AJax and then violent when he sees her in his world. Wonna with her aunt and uncle, and even her husband who all have lives that she cannot touch and she seems to both idolize and resent them for it. Soogin is the only one who seems completely removed from these comparisons, seemingly having had a live that never invited her to mingle with those systemically better off than her. She also seems to be the force that knits these women together. She protects and sees power in each of the women, and she creates scenarios for them to pursue it. It is almost as if full acceptance of her position is what enables her to joyfully expect better and rebel against it.
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
adriaxlife's review against another edition
- 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
Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Abandonment
adrianareyes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Mental illness and Miscarriage
Minor: Suicide
vixenreader'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Abortion, and Abandonment
If surgery makes you queasy, be prepared for some stomach-turning scenes, and whorephobia is something to watch out for as well.oliviaclaire'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
3.0
All in all, this book is very well written but it doesn't dive deep enough to build a fully fleshed story arc for most of our characters and therefore ends without you feeling like it has been a satisfying story.
Graphic: Body shaming, Mental illness, Misogyny, Violence, and Medical content
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Suicide