Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Love in the Big City by Sang Young Park

9 reviews

httpspuppy's review against another edition

4.0

i think if i were to read this another time id have gave it more, but it took me a while to finish, due to the topics, however the story flows nicely. i wish we had more of Young and Jae-hee, i loved their banter and bond, they felt natural and comfy. 
i also wanna shout out the romanian translator, Iolanda Prodan, great work.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Grief

angelo_vossen's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

"Love in the Big City" by Sang Young Park is a novel that deftly explores the complexities of modern life, love, and identity in Seoul. The book offers a vivid and poignant portrayal of queer experiences in contemporary South Korea, delivered with a blend of humor, melancholy, and candid introspection.

The narrative is structured in a series of loosely connected episodes, each exploring different facets of the protagonist, Young's life. These vignettes offer glimpses into his relationships, both platonic and romantic, his struggles with familial expectations, and his navigation through the urban landscape of Seoul. The non-linear storytelling adds depth and dimension to the narrative, highlighting the fluidity of life and the interconnectedness of experiences.

Young is a multifaceted character, whose unapologetic honesty and vulnerability make him relatable and compelling. His relationships with others, particularly his best friend Jaehee, his mother, and various lovers, are depicted with nuance and authenticity. These interactions reveal the complexities of love, from deep camaraderie to the pain of unrequited affection, and the tension between societal norms and personal desires.

At its core, the novel explores the search for love and belonging in a rapidly changing, often alienating urban environment. It delves into the challenges of being queer in a conservative society, the pressures of familial expectations, and the fleeting nature of youth. The book also addresses themes of loneliness, identity, and the pursuit of happiness, often with a sharp wit and a touch of melancholy.

Sang Young Park's writing is both poetic and raw, capturing the vibrant yet harsh realities of city life. The prose is laced with humor, even in moments of sadness, offering a refreshing take on serious topics. The author’s keen observations on the absurdities of life and the quirks of human nature lend the narrative a unique voice that is both critical and empathetic.

"Love in the Big City" is a beautifully crafted novel that offers a heartfelt and insightful exploration of love and identity in a modern metropolis. Sang Young Park's honest and engaging storytelling, combined with the novel's richly drawn characters and themes, make it a standout work in contemporary literature. It's a book that resonates with anyone who has ever felt lost in the chaos of city life or grappled with the complexities of love and self-discovery.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol

Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Grief

Minor: Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Blood, Medical content, and Outing

amberinpieces's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, and Alcohol

Moderate: Homophobia, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Abortion, and Injury/Injury detail

lidia7's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infidelity, Medical content, Abortion, Outing, and Abandonment

Minor: Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Blood, Vomit, and Classism

savvylit's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• 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

This novel discusses the ups and downs of multiple types of love - platonic love, familial love, toxic love, queer love, and true love. Being as this book's timeline begins while he is still in university, Young is a (self-aware) hot mess for much of this novel as he figures out what kind of adult he wants to be. Spoiler alert: like most of us, he never really lands on one path for life guidance. Rather, Young remains unabashedly himself while continuing to ride the ups and downs of life, bouncing from job to job and romantic relationship to romantic relationship. His narration is delightful, relatable, often heartbreaking, and reflective.

Overall, Love in the Big City is a millennial new-adult novel about how simultaneously difficult and beautiful it can be to give your love to another person.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Outing

himangi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Outing, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol

Minor: Vomit and Stalking

edgaranjapoe's review

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Gaslighting

Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Outing, and Classism

thelittle_seokmin's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

• 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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Homophobia, Car accident, and Alcohol

Moderate: Infidelity and Grief

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Car accident, Abortion, and Outing

rieviolet's review

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I was very much impressed by the first and second sections ("Jaehee" and "A Bite of Rockfish, Taste the Universe"). I found that the author did really well in exploring the main character's thoughts and feelings and translating them onto the page. So many episodes (especially those that had to do with prejudice and discrimination, and with his relationship with his mother) affected me deeply and broke my heart. 

I didn't like as much the third and fourth sections ("Love in the Big City" and "Late Rainy Season Vacation"). I think those parts just resonated less with me and I wasn't as much captured by the narrative (which sometimes jumped a little confusingly between time lines) and by its style. 
The ending felt a little bit abrupt, I wasn't expecting nor I actually wanted a perfect resolution (I think it would have clashed too much with the overall tone of the novel and the narrative line), I just would've liked it to finish at a different point, in a slightly different way.
Also, I really liked the main character's sense of humour, his funny and a bit dry voice made for a very engaging narrative but I think that this wittiness was more evident in the first section and then became a bit more sparse in the following ones. 

All in all, this was a really good book and I'm very glad I've got to read about the experience of queerness in South Korea. 

I have to briefly mention the "Acknowledgements" section because reading the author's own words made me really emotional. I especially loved and was moved by the very last paragraphs.

When I write - or when I'm going about my day - I sometimes feel as vague and uncertain as if I'm all alone wandering through a cloud of dust, but sometimes I feel a warmth, like my hands have touched something. I want to call that something love. I know all too well how this emotion called love, how the word itself, can easily crumble into nothing, but all I can do is tightly grip this tiny bit of warmth and embrace it with all my might. Just so I can live on as myself. Just so I can live this life as myself and myself alone.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Homophobia, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Alcohol

Moderate: Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Religious bigotry, Abortion, Suicide attempt, and Outing

Minor: Death and Car accident