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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
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
lectricefeministe's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism
faye98'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and War