readivine's review against another edition
4.0
“Is it true that human beings are fundamentally cruel? Is the experience of cruelty the only thing we share as a species? Is the dignity that we cling to nothing but self-delusion, masking from ourselves the single truth: that each one of us is capable of being reduced to an insect, a ravening beast, a lump of meat? To be degraded, slaughtered - is this the essential of humankind, one which history has confirmed as inevitable?”With the present atrocities present in 2020, this book eerily echoed how state violence and people's activism will always be rooted and driven in the same structures no matter the time and race involved.
Human Acts follows interconnected chapters that document the lives of some Koreans during the Gwangju Uprising in 1980 as well as the aftermath following it. Kang's subtle and unflinching prose is perfect in delivering the harrowing tales here equally detaching and immersing you in different plot points. I especially like The Boy's Friend, 1980 and The Boy's Mother chapter. Human Acts is quite a relevant book to read in this time.
ellie_baerchen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
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? No
alexanderjamie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
areen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
this was a masterpiece. the way han kang captured different kinds of people being affected by the uprising in such a vivid way was incredible. the 2nd story left me speechless.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Police brutality, Rape, and Sexual assault
nerdyrev's review against another edition
5.0
Before I begin this book review, I must write, if you have not read The Vegetarian by Han Kang you really must. It is a mind trip unlike anything you have read before. It is so different and so strange that it is worth your time. It blew me away when I read it.
I write those words as an introduction for Human Acts because a similar theme is explored in this book- what makes humans human?
In The Vegetarian, a woman decides she is more plant than she is human, so throughout the book, she becomes more plantlike. Can a human become a plant?
In this book, Kang explores human nature after a military coup that leaves many dead bodies behind as history moves forward. The coup is described in the introduction of the book and it is important to read that introduction because it is a part of Korean history that may not be known to a larger audience.
The book then starts to act like a series of short stories with the connecting theme being this coup. The first is about a man who must record the unclaimed bodies. He must walk through piles and piles of bodies recording descriptions of each. Does a simple description make a person?
The second story is told from the perspective of one of those dead bodies as a soul is experiencing what it is like to be dead. Is our soul what makes us human?
I could go on, but time moves forward throughout the stories. We will visit with a woman who was once a protester to the coup, but is now stuck in a meaningless job where her workmates praise the man she was protesting with history long forgotten. Do our memories make us human?
While I did not think this was as powerful as The Vegetarian, I still loved this book. It is an extremely quick read (only about 120 pages), but it has a lot in it. There doesn't seem to be anything lost in translation, except for a few references that might not be known. I am really enjoying Kang's voice.
I gave this one 4.5 stars
*I want to thank Bloggingforbooks and Hogarth for the ability to read this one for free. It was given in exchange for an honest review
I write those words as an introduction for Human Acts because a similar theme is explored in this book- what makes humans human?
In The Vegetarian, a woman decides she is more plant than she is human, so throughout the book, she becomes more plantlike. Can a human become a plant?
In this book, Kang explores human nature after a military coup that leaves many dead bodies behind as history moves forward. The coup is described in the introduction of the book and it is important to read that introduction because it is a part of Korean history that may not be known to a larger audience.
The book then starts to act like a series of short stories with the connecting theme being this coup. The first is about a man who must record the unclaimed bodies. He must walk through piles and piles of bodies recording descriptions of each. Does a simple description make a person?
The second story is told from the perspective of one of those dead bodies as a soul is experiencing what it is like to be dead. Is our soul what makes us human?
I could go on, but time moves forward throughout the stories. We will visit with a woman who was once a protester to the coup, but is now stuck in a meaningless job where her workmates praise the man she was protesting with history long forgotten. Do our memories make us human?
While I did not think this was as powerful as The Vegetarian, I still loved this book. It is an extremely quick read (only about 120 pages), but it has a lot in it. There doesn't seem to be anything lost in translation, except for a few references that might not be known. I am really enjoying Kang's voice.
I gave this one 4.5 stars
*I want to thank Bloggingforbooks and Hogarth for the ability to read this one for free. It was given in exchange for an honest review
swimming_squirrel's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
hollyrebeccasmith's review against another edition
5.0
This novel is eye-opening and has some incredibly beautiful moments, though they are always heavily tinged with tragedy. While it takes a strong stomach to handle the amount of death, rot, torture, and sexual assault, this novel is an immensely powerful one.
svetlana_db's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
alexandriareads's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0