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tilder's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
libellumartinae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
oprah_wimpy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
leilorenzo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was interesting reading a piece from a South Korean author (I believe it is a first for me) and I enjoyed how the culture was portrayed throughout the book.
We are shown the slow degeneration of the FMC from three perspectives: her husband's (and a bit of hers), her brother in law's and, finally, her sister's. It deals with themes such as family, nature and humanity, mental illness, being an outcast, and more.
It is very well executed, but I don't think I'll be reading it again.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Abandonment
snarkycrafter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I think it’s a very interesting and compelling commentary on gender, norms and societal expectations (especially for women) in South Korean culture.
“Her calm acceptance of all these things made her seem to him something sacred. Whether human, animal, or plant she could not be called a person…”
“It’s your body. You can treat it however you please. The only area where you’re free to do just as you like, and even that doesn’t turn out just as you want it.”
Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Medical trauma
asynhte's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Rape, and Sexual assault
vilmuska's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment
emilietje's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
When I was reading the first two chapters, I was missing reflections and/or explanations. I suppose it makes sense that Yeong-hye’s chapter is the most gorey, because her emotions are the most repressed and she has the worst nightmares. I mean, her chapter isn’t even from her point of view, it’s her husband’s. And I suppose it makes sense that the brother-in-law's chapter contains the most discomforting sexual descriptions and misconduct, because, well, that’s his issue. I ended up enjoying In-hye's chapter the most. It was the most introspective and least gruesome one after all. I liked reading her interpretations and her feelings about life and death. I'd say her chapter felt the most cohesive for this exact reason. The gaps between moments of insanity and despair are filled in with her thoughts, and I think the reading experience would’ve been nicer if it had those from the start.
One other thing that I liked –and this might be a spoiler but whatever– is Yeong-hye's whole wanting-to-become-a-tree thing. It's not something I've read before you know? Being deeply unhappy as a human and as an animal, so you try to become a tree in every way until you die from the effects. Idk, this also really shined in that last and third chapter and I really felt for her. Successful and effective portrayal of passive suicide and insanity? Yes!
Regardless of everything I said here, this book was clearly not aimed at a reader like me who can’t handle shit. I totally get that there aren’t meant to be fleshed-out (get it ha ha) thoughts in the beginning, but it just wasn’t my style. I went into this book blind, because I loved Han Kang's The White Book and Human Acts, but I have to say this was almost nothing like those books. The only overlap I can find is the miserable people and the introspection about what it is to be alive. Props to Han Kang for publishing works with what feels like a completely different writing style.
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
abbysnofun's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Mental illness
mistydes1re's review against another edition
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Gore, Misogyny, and Blood
Moderate: Rape