ciarajallen's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
emotionally devastating. loved it.
kayliec735's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book so much. It wasn't a log book but it was on the list of log books, but I found out about this book long before that. SO I kinda felt proud of myself for finding it by myself. This was one of the only books I read this school year that wasn't for Lit. There were so many good things about this. It's a great window into some Asian cultures, but there were also universal themes with just family and isolation, it makes your heart hurt sometimes and it's heartwarming and breaking. I couldn't recommend this enough.
evvahoo's review against another edition
4.0
great narration technique and poignant lines and moments
juhaknyeon's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
sobbinghoursopen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.75
lovleephtogrl's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
jiwonlee's review against another edition
4.0
This book really reduced me to tears, mainly because the mother portrayed in this novel is, in many aspects, representative of so many women of my grandmother's generation. The women who had to keep their families alive when Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. Who, living in an extremely patriarchal society, had to move into their husbands' homes, take care of all household matters, raise their children, and in many cases, endure harsh words and get ordered about by their mother-in-laws.
Korea has the highest suicide rate in the OECD, and the figure is mainly due to the elderly population. They receive a sum of money far less than what they need to survive from the government, and their children move out of their homes and rarely contact them. The elderly, in their poverty and loneliness, often reach out to their children and attempt to help in ways like making rice cakes and sending crops that they harvest, but their efforts often go unappreciated. The elderly often report that they feel like they are a burden to their children, and as a result, many take their own lives.
Shin powerfully portrays the pain of a woman who was born into a time of extreme poverty and male dominance, followed by rapid economic development that radically changed family dynamics and cultural norms in Korea, creating a tremendous generation gap that made it virtually impossible for senior citizens and the young to understand each other. Park So-nyo's suffering and predicaments really come alive and tugs at the reader's heartstrings, and the knowledge that so many of Korea's senior citizens have gone through similar experiences magnifies the emotional impact.
Though the use of second person voice may feel awkward in some parts, it seems to highlight the fact "you" are known as "you". Korean mothers, on the other hand, become known as "So-and-so's Mom" once they marry and start a family, and in the past, being full-time housekeepers, went by no other name. In this respect, the author seems to be directly addressing the reader and strengthening a plea to take notice of Korea's forgotten population and appreciate the remarkable lives they have led.
One complaint I have is that the author did not seem to include many details about the second son, and that made the family portrait seem incomplete.
Korea has the highest suicide rate in the OECD, and the figure is mainly due to the elderly population. They receive a sum of money far less than what they need to survive from the government, and their children move out of their homes and rarely contact them. The elderly, in their poverty and loneliness, often reach out to their children and attempt to help in ways like making rice cakes and sending crops that they harvest, but their efforts often go unappreciated. The elderly often report that they feel like they are a burden to their children, and as a result, many take their own lives.
Shin powerfully portrays the pain of a woman who was born into a time of extreme poverty and male dominance, followed by rapid economic development that radically changed family dynamics and cultural norms in Korea, creating a tremendous generation gap that made it virtually impossible for senior citizens and the young to understand each other. Park So-nyo's suffering and predicaments really come alive and tugs at the reader's heartstrings, and the knowledge that so many of Korea's senior citizens have gone through similar experiences magnifies the emotional impact.
Though the use of second person voice may feel awkward in some parts, it seems to highlight the fact "you" are known as "you". Korean mothers, on the other hand, become known as "So-and-so's Mom" once they marry and start a family, and in the past, being full-time housekeepers, went by no other name. In this respect, the author seems to be directly addressing the reader and strengthening a plea to take notice of Korea's forgotten population and appreciate the remarkable lives they have led.
One complaint I have is that the author did not seem to include many details about the second son, and that made the family portrait seem incomplete.
maliactuallyreads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-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
3.5