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46jjsg's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Powerful exploration of grief and the "what could've been." I really liked the following:
- the direction of the light
- breast milk
- perpetual snow
- blizzard
- breath cloud
- your eyes
- shroud
- all whiteness
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Pregnancy, and War
kairhone's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
gossameralbum's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Grief, and Pregnancy
Minor: Medical content
windspice's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Miscarriage, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcoholism and Drug abuse
m4rtt4's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
Beautiful.
For me, white has always been one of my least favourite colours, one I've considered dull, empty, sterile and soulless. This book not only made me see white, but also hear and taste it — it was so vivid, as it deserves to be. Because after all, if you add up all the colours — the visible wavelengths of light — you get white.
This book made me feel so many things, it submerged me in melancholy and made me yearn for things I already have (been taking for granted) and as I look outside to the soft fall of February snow, I can't quite see it the same as I used to.
For someone who's lived her entire life in Northern Europe, the endlessly dark winters and heaps of snow are so mundane that Kang's protagonist being in awe of them really took me aback. The winters can be (and will be) depressing, yet they also are a home — something to be appreciated, to be missed — and miss them I would, were I ever to set my foot on a foreign soil.
For me, white has always been one of my least favourite colours, one I've considered dull, empty, sterile and soulless. This book not only made me see white, but also hear and taste it — it was so vivid, as it deserves to be. Because after all, if you add up all the colours — the visible wavelengths of light — you get white.
This book made me feel so many things, it submerged me in melancholy and made me yearn for things I already have (been taking for granted) and as I look outside to the soft fall of February snow, I can't quite see it the same as I used to.
For someone who's lived her entire life in Northern Europe, the endlessly dark winters and heaps of snow are so mundane that Kang's protagonist being in awe of them really took me aback. The winters can be (and will be) depressing, yet they also are a home — something to be appreciated, to be missed — and miss them I would, were I ever to set my foot on a foreign soil.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Grief
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War
gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Despite being completely different, this had the captivating and unusual pull to the writing that enchanted me when I read The Vegetarian, some years ago.
Han Kang's The White book looks at grief, particularly that of the premature passing of her mother's first child; a death that she wasn't there for, but one that she shoulders nonetheless, with unanswerable questions of "what-if"? As she takes on all the potential emotions her mother must have felt at the time and pondered about what it all could have been, had her sister survived.
Writing in Warsaw, Poland, all the destruction of the war stands out to Kang (through the absence or architecture no older than 70 years) as she goes through an exploration of white things, all interconnected to war, death, grief and the sister she never knew.
Very experimental in nature, but an incredibly compelling and thought-provoking autobiography. If I hadn't picked it up just before bed, I would have definitely finished it in a day (an hour or less, if uninterrupted).
Han Kang's The White book looks at grief, particularly that of the premature passing of her mother's first child; a death that she wasn't there for, but one that she shoulders nonetheless, with unanswerable questions of "what-if"? As she takes on all the potential emotions her mother must have felt at the time and pondered about what it all could have been, had her sister survived.
Writing in Warsaw, Poland, all the destruction of the war stands out to Kang (through the absence or architecture no older than 70 years) as she goes through an exploration of white things, all interconnected to war, death, grief and the sister she never knew.
Very experimental in nature, but an incredibly compelling and thought-provoking autobiography. If I hadn't picked it up just before bed, I would have definitely finished it in a day (an hour or less, if uninterrupted).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Pregnancy and War
kia_y_k's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Death, Genocide, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Pregnancy, and War
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
a sparse, reflective and quiet collection, the white book, as its title suggests, mulls on various white things, some unconventional or unexpected.
the poems invite the reader to be aware of life's commonalities and small things, and the story abt the author's deceased sister is particularly memorable.
the same, however, cant be said abt many of the others, and their unrelenting quiet and contemplativeness doesnt rly evoke any other emotions fro me while reading, while also requiring the reader to be in a particular headspace to fully enjoy or appreciate this book. it should be a good read if one is though.
the poems invite the reader to be aware of life's commonalities and small things, and the story abt the author's deceased sister is particularly memorable.
the same, however, cant be said abt many of the others, and their unrelenting quiet and contemplativeness doesnt rly evoke any other emotions fro me while reading, while also requiring the reader to be in a particular headspace to fully enjoy or appreciate this book. it should be a good read if one is though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Death and Pregnancy
rieviolet's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-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? No
5.0
Earlier this year I read Human Acts by the same author and was completely stunnend by it, so I was a bit scared to try
any of her other works, especially because they seemed quite different in style and I feared I would not love them as much. Well, I fretted for nothing really, I was absolutely mesmerized by The White Book.
I found the writing style so poetic and evocative. I loved the poetry sections, even as someone who reads very little poetry.
I was completely absorbed in this sober but at the same time deep and powerful exploration of grief. The final chapter really moved me and I got a bit teary-eyed.
It is a book that I'm surely going to return to.
any of her other works, especially because they seemed quite different in style and I feared I would not love them as much. Well, I fretted for nothing really, I was absolutely mesmerized by The White Book.
I found the writing style so poetic and evocative. I loved the poetry sections, even as someone who reads very little poetry.
I was completely absorbed in this sober but at the same time deep and powerful exploration of grief. The final chapter really moved me and I got a bit teary-eyed.
It is a book that I'm surely going to return to.
There are certain memories that remain inviolate to the ravages of time. And to those of suffering. It is not true that everything is colored by time and suffering. It is not true that they bring everything to ruin.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Grief
Moderate: Death, Pregnancy, and War
Minor: Animal death, Blood, Antisemitism, and Death of parent
msimbelmyne's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage, Grief, Pregnancy, and War