slimy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Alright, look. I have a personal reservation in offering critique on books that were originally written in another language because I really believe they will always be slightly altered, so please take the following with a grain of salt:
This is a beautifully written book. A beautifully heartbreaking, frustrating book. I would put this in the same category as “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara. I would not recommend this to anyone who is currently in a less-than-good state of mental and emotional wellbeing. It follows a tragic main character, who hasn’t healed from past sexual trauma, who starts accompanying her Aunt, a nun, on her evangelical visits to a ‘death-row’ prison. There she meets an inmate who sparks a change in her view of life, death, and her responsibilities to herself and her family.
Beautiful portrayal of Christian forgiveness, learned selflessness, and healing from sexual trauma. The main character is the one who carries and develops these themes; I felt that the secondary character (who I think is supposed to also do a lot of the developmental work as well) falls a little short as a fully-rounded character. I don’t feel a lot of empathy or emotion for them besides what is voiced by the main character.
I was recommended this book and told it was a romance. And like… it’s definitely not. Literally no mention of romance until the very end when it’s like “what if?”.
Rated three stars because this type of book just really isn’t my jam. I feel back because it was well-written and beautiful, but really really difficult to read because its just not what I want to feel when reading. I like to read for the escapism.
This is a beautifully written book. A beautifully heartbreaking, frustrating book. I would put this in the same category as “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara. I would not recommend this to anyone who is currently in a less-than-good state of mental and emotional wellbeing. It follows a tragic main character, who hasn’t healed from past sexual trauma, who starts accompanying her Aunt, a nun, on her evangelical visits to a ‘death-row’ prison. There she meets an inmate who sparks a change in her view of life, death, and her responsibilities to herself and her family.
Beautiful portrayal of Christian forgiveness, learned selflessness, and healing from sexual trauma. The main character is the one who carries and develops these themes; I felt that the secondary character (who I think is supposed to also do a lot of the developmental work as well) falls a little short as a fully-rounded character. I don’t feel a lot of empathy or emotion for them besides what is voiced by the main character.
I was recommended this book and told it was a romance. And like… it’s definitely not. Literally no mention of romance until the very end when it’s like “what if?”.
Rated three stars because this type of book just really isn’t my jam. I feel back because it was well-written and beautiful, but really really difficult to read because its just not what I want to feel when reading. I like to read for the escapism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
mimi_reads's review
emotional
reflective
sad
5.0
Edit: I read this every year. It never fails to make me bawl my eyes out.
**Warning: this text may contain spoilers** While it takes a little while to get into (it's somewhwat slow until Yunsu and Yujeong meet), once it gets going it takes a huge toll on your emotions-- in a good way.
The chapters about Yunsu were absolutely heartbreaking and it made me wish the ending was different. I don't think he should have died because he was clearly innocent, and seeing his past made you yearn for him to continue life.
Yujeong, I didn't really have too much pity for until we get deeper into her story and then the relateability factor increased tenfold.
The pacing was fine after they met, and the descriptions was amazing. The storytelling was what I could only have dreamed the book would be like.
I checked it out from my library, but I know I'm going to buy it as soon as I'm able to--whether in the original Korean or in English.
**Warning: this text may contain spoilers** While it takes a little while to get into (it's somewhwat slow until Yunsu and Yujeong meet), once it gets going it takes a huge toll on your emotions-- in a good way.
The chapters about Yunsu were absolutely heartbreaking and it made me wish the ending was different. I don't think he should have died because he was clearly innocent, and seeing his past made you yearn for him to continue life.
Yujeong, I didn't really have too much pity for until we get deeper into her story and then the relateability factor increased tenfold.
The pacing was fine after they met, and the descriptions was amazing. The storytelling was what I could only have dreamed the book would be like.
I checked it out from my library, but I know I'm going to buy it as soon as I'm able to--whether in the original Korean or in English.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
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