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grunbean's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I think it’s best not to say too much, as I think the journey I took with the characters in their chapters was the best part of this book. What’s important (and not too revealing) to know is that these complex women have lives that bring them together in the end. And there is something beautiful in how Frances Cha has done this. The women aren’t perfect, and there are ideas I would challenge, but that’s what makes this book so real.
If you have experienced what it is like to live as a woman in society, this book will strike a chord.
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
chaisitolatte'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
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.helliepad'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
3.75
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Pregnancy, and Abandonment
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual violence, Grief, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
outersgrace'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? No
3.5
Graphic: Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Death, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Death of parent
jasram's review
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism and Miscarriage
luluzza's review
- 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
3.75
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Sexual content
markbos's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, and Miscarriage
heynonnynonnie's review
- 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
Look I'm a sucker for a good female friendship book. I'm also a sucker for a good non-American/English culture immersion. And this book Delivered on both fronts.
Pros: strong female characters who have hopes and dreams and make mistakes and hard choices and sometimes you agree and sometimes you don't and I love them dearly. I loved how the four POV characters were extremely nuanced and sometimes typecast the other POV characters. Like it's easy to say that Miho is a daydreamer and isn't practical and sometimes the other POV characters will remark about how naive she is. But then Miho will get the reins and we'll see how she broke down every decision in her chapter. I was so excited to learn about the background story for each character. And I was so excited to see them support each other throughout the book. But even with this shiny, hopeful friend group, the author did a magnificent job of explaining and showing how cutthroat the world is for them. One thing that really strikes me is how carefully many words were used to give a non-Korean reader the exact impression of what happened. Words like "service" in the context of the room salons contrasted with the clinic. It's a subtle but thrilling difference.
Cons: A lot of what builds each POV character is their back story. The author carefully alludes to this or that to keep the reader interested in the beginning. But this kind of leads to a middle section that can drag a tiny bit because the book takes a passive shift. A lot of the character arcs are about finding hope and support, so the arcs are also at a stage where they aren't taking action. The two issues compound in the middle of the book. As a result, it can feel like not much of the actual story occurred. I think the book both is and isn't slice of life. Or at least, I think that the initial sections seem like a set up for a meatier plot, but the book ends up slice of life. I felt satisfied with the way the book ended, but I can see how someone else may be left expecting more.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Misogyny, Alcohol, and Classism
strrygo'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
4.25
super glad i got to reading it !
Graphic: Body shaming and Miscarriage
Moderate: Alcoholism