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archivofrances's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Death, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, Colonisation, and War
danidamico's review against another edition
5.0
Hierba de la surcoreana Keum Suk Gendry-Kim ilustra la historia de Lee Ok-sun, una mujer coreana que durante la invasión japonesa fue secuestrada y llevada a China, también bajo dominio japonés, para ser utilizada como "mujer de consuelo", violada numerosas veces al día por los soldados, sin derecho alguno, totalmente deshumanizada por los demás. Miles de mujeres sufrieron la misma violencia que Ok-sun y fue algo de lo cual no se habló durante décadas por el tabú que significaba en la sociedad. Eventualmente, muchas de estas sobrevivientes se animaron a alzar sus voces y dar testimonio de lo que vivieron, de lo que hicieron con ellas. Lee Ok-sun es una de esas mujeres y la autora fue su testigo, documentando la experiencia en esta novela gráfica. Es un texto súper interesante para meterse en el género literario del testimonio, un tema que estudié en la facultad y es fascinante.
Me costó leer esta novela, narra hechos terroríficos y la propia protagonista se describe a sí misma como alguien que nunca fue plenamente feliz. Es una lectura muy dura, con unas ilustraciones hermosísimas que se vuelven estremecedoras. Keum Suk Gendry-Kim logra expresar las emociones del relato de Ok-sun de un modo evocativo, vivo, nunca sensacionalista. Hace un uso increíble de la elipsis, también recreando ciertas escenas de manera simbólica en lugar de mostrar la violencia explícita. El nombre Hierba se debe a que la autora compara a la mujer sobreviviente con una hierba que logra crecer a pesar de las adversidades, que se mantiene fuerte y florece después del invierno. Creo que eso es de lo que hay que aferrarse para no ahogarse en la tristeza del testimonio, en la vida que le robaron a Ok-sun, que sin embargo sigue en pie y no se calla, sigue luchando por el reconocimiento de sus derechos y de tantas mujeres, pidiendo justicia.
Me pareció interesante algo que la autora destaca en el epílogo, el hecho de que lo que vivieron estas mujeres fue "algo derivado de las desigualdades de clase", ya que muchas venían de familias sumidas en la pobreza a causa de una dominación y una guerra imperialistas. También es importante señalar cómo muchas de las sobrevivientes, décadas después de la guerra, siguieron sufriendo las consecuencias de lo que les hicieron, tanto desde lo económico como desde lo social, el rechazo de la gente, en algunos casos (cómo el de Ok-sun) de su propia familia.
En fin, como ya mencioné, es una lectura difícil, pero la considero totalmente necesaria y de una importancia inmensurable. Las ilustraciones de la autora me encantaron y sé que tiene otro libro, que me gustaría poder leer en algún momento.
Graphic: Confinement, Genocide, Hate crime, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, and War
julia20y3'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? No
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Infertility, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, War, and Classism
juliavra's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Infertility, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Classism, and Deportation
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Genocide, Infertility, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Deportation
hmn54437's review against another edition
This graphic novel was an extremely rough one to get through and I appreciate the artist for making it that way. There was no sugarcoating of the events and traumas these women went through just raw genuine depictions of lives.
I can tell this is one that’s going to stick with me forever between the art, the history it portrays, and the people within; this book begs to be read, learned from, and remembered.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Infertility, Trafficking, Kidnapping, and War
jhbandcats's review against another edition
5.0
The author / illustrator, Keum Duk Gendry-Kim, met and interviewed Lee. They became friends of a sort, with Gendry-Kim working for three years to complete her biography. It begins when Lee was a child, sold by her parents to alleviate their poverty. From there things got progressively worse with her being abducted and sent to a “comfort station” at the age of 16 or 17.
Things were almost as bad after the war. The newly liberated women were shunned as whores, unable to find food or work. Lee told Gendry-Kim that her life was miserable from the moment she was born, and that’s all too clear.
Gendry-Kim tells Lee’s story in a straightforward fashion without sensationalizing the violence and misery. I confess I can’t conceive of this level of pain and anguish.
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, and Classism
nikereadsbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Infertility, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Medical content, Kidnapping, Abortion, and War
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
4.0
the graphic novel follows the life of one particular comfort woman, lee oksun, and from the get-go i was frustrated and angry reading abt the gender inequality experienced by lee since childhood. it's a tale older than time, yet it never ceases to be infuriating. there's a lot of triggering content here - unsurprising for a book mostly abt sexual slavery during wartime - but i was also particularly affected to tears by the story of seo mija, which was hard-hitting.
gendry-kim does justice to lee through her art and storytelling. despite the abundant violence and triggering content present, nothing feels gratuitous, w/ gendry-kim handling them all w/ care and detached objectivity. the brushstrokes and inkwork also masterfully convey both the external physical landscape of china and korea, and the internal situation of her subject.
this graphic novel tells an important story that deserves to be more known - esp as the injustice surrounding comfort women and japan's denialism still persisting - and gendry-kim does a lauded job of doing justice to the story.
Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infertility and Gaslighting
itzsupergirl's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Hate crime, Infertility, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Colonisation, and War
madlock18's review against another edition
Graphic: Infertility, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and War