miaaa_lenaaa'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
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Confinement, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, War, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Cancer, Police brutality, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Child abuse, Injury/injury detail, Sexual assault, and Body horror
madamenovelist'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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Suicide, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Grief, Vomit, Torture, Child abuse, Genocide, Sexism, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Death, Medical trauma, Murder, Blood, Gore, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Injury/injury detail, Cursing, Medical content, and Mass/school shootings
mick_travel's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Body horror, Death, Torture, Sexual violence, and Mental illness
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Violence, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
sevensableyes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
It's a heartwrecnhing and tragic story about the Gwangju uprising. It was uncomfortable to read. It's beautifully written (another review I read on here goes into detail about the English translation, which was interesting).
I would highly recommend looking into content warnins before reading this book. Some things took me by surprise.
Graphic: Death, Police brutality, Child death, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, War, Torture, Terminal illness, Gun violence, Suicide, Mass/school shootings, Injury/injury detail, Body horror, Self harm, and Medical content
Moderate: Grief and Alcoholism
swapnasrita's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Police brutality, Confinement, Death, Eating disorder, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Colonisation, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Self harm
peppers_books's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Child death, and Confinement
velarin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I've never heard about the Gwangju Uprising before and I never thought that a story about a tragedy on the other side of the world could make me feel so much. I had to stop reading multiple times to process the sorrow, anguish and sickness of these events.
Human Acts is a profound, deeply-moving, whispered call of grief. Don't read it if you're not okay with being left completely devastated but please read this book.
Graphic: Murder, Torture, Rape, Violence, Gun violence, Child death, Death, and Mass/school shootings
alexismoodie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Police brutality, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Death, Genocide, Murder, Self harm, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Suicide, Confinement, Grief, and Medical trauma
shane_delier's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Child death, Police brutality, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Injury/injury detail, Death, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
theroyaltyreader's review against another edition
4.75
This book is so heavy and dark. The description of people got killed during the protest so raw, realistic and gruesome. It is not twisted but the description of torture and death do really leave me in shook. How can SK rises from the dead? They can build a new life on top of dark memories. To the old generation, these memories still intact but to the new generation, it is unspeakable among them, i think. This book taught me on people are really cruel. They knew life worth of something so other people took it away. Disabled and buried away those civilian's life. What a tense and sad time it was.
It remains as a scar and the bloodiest protest ever in SK. I myself got spook in case the soldier starting to torture civillians. The emotions of this author felt so genuine and manage to reach the reader. I can't imagine if those who read can't feel the pain. I wanted to give 5 stars but I ended up 4.75 stars because I was a bit of confuse with the usage of second POV. I kinda lost at first despite of understand but still unable to focus properly. It does give a big impact to me then. At the early reading, the author emphasizes a strong POV which was the second one where YOU need to imagine if YOU were there.
Another part is that I want to know further about the politics that lead to Gwangju Uprising. I know the author provided basic knowledge but as a history lover, I want more. I want to weep and cry and let the tears went away for these victims but it got stuck. Must be suprising how tragedy it was this protest. Rather than sad, it left me speechless. Too many violences were executed. Brutal at its finest.
To Han Kang, I feel this tragedy deeply into my heart. You managed to educate me how dark it was that days. The emotions that you capture and put in here is really touching. To Gwanju residents, I hope that they knew that their stories during the uprising has travelled far across of what they realy expected. We knew, heard and feel and the justice for the victims will always be upheld by the reader.
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Blood, Child death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, War, and Violence