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elly29's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Junbu, Young-Sook's husband, seemed like a woman's fantasy of a husband.
I also didn't know about the Bukchon Massacre, or anything about Jeju Island and the struggle between insurgent and anti-communist government forces. There is a brutal scene that involves lots of things like rape, torture, murder, and child murder. (Also makes me sick at the thought that these things are happening in Ukraine.)
In the end, this is a story about diving, survival, and forgiveness. I love that the sea is a constant, a grandmother who will never leave you even when everything else has changed. I like the phrase, "To understand everything is to forgive." Using Young-Sook and her life as an example of what we should not do: may we be patient, may we ask questions, may we never assume, may we be perceptive.
Graphic: Child death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Rape, Torture, Police brutality, and War
Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
friendofhayley's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
3.75
However the historical context and events were my favorite parts of the book.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Colonisation
alayamorning'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
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Ableism, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism and Cancer
sarah984's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The overarching story about forgiveness and seeing other people's perspectives was good but it was also very similar to Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by the same author, which was kind of weird for me.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Torture, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Grief, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Trafficking